The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“I, even I, am the LORD; and besides me there is no Savior” (Isaiah 43:11).

“It’s a one of a kind. You will never find another like it” the salesman barked with authority. Hank and her dear wife Rita were courteous and thanked him as they kept moving along at the local John and June’s Original Flea Market. Both giggled as they approached the salesman two booths down who was marketing the same product. Rita picked the little collectible up and looked at it. “Listen lady, I can tell you” the smiling salesman said. “At this price, it’s a steal. It is a one of a kind and you can have it today for $2.95. What a deal.” Putting it back down Rita cleverly said, “I don’t want to be in possession of stolen property!” Off they walked hardly able to contain their laughter. “We surely have seen lots of those one of a kind pieces of junk that seems to be all over the place” Hank said. “If they only knew the One Who is truly “One of a kind! What a wonderful Savior we have and love” he continued. You know friends, only the Lord is unique. He proclaimed to the ancient people His uniqueness. His message is still true today. There are not many roads to Heaven. There is only one. It is through the Lord Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins and His resurrection. Aren’t you grateful for the wonderful truth that He is the one and only Savior?

For today: Call me politically incorrect if you want, but I am glad I belong to the only Savior!

“Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).

It was just a typical hospital call. The man I was to visit was scheduled to be discharged the next day. I didn’t know him. It turned out that as he was being admitted when it came time to list a church, he listed the one I pastored. After meeting the man and introducing myself, I asked a little about him and his situation. The man was very open to me and it was a pleasant visit. The opportunity for presenting the gospel however didn’t seem to be coming around very easily. It was growing time to leave but I felt impressed to share the gospel with him, which I did. At the end of the gospel presentation he began to cry and said, “I’ve been waiting for something like this. I didn’t know what it was. But I knew there was something missing. Something big is missing in my life and now I know what it is.” That day he asked the Lord to be his Savior. Tomorrow? Instead of being discharged he suddenly died. I never got over the fact that I almost waited until the next visit to share Christ with him. What a good reminder for us all in that we must never boast ourselves of tomorrow. We don’t know what a day will bring forth. Can you imagine the thrill of that man? Today he trusts Christ as his Savior. Tomorrow He meets the Lord Jesus in Heaven! Wow!

For today: Is there someone that you know who needs to hear about the Lord Jesus? Make it a wonderful day as you walk with the Lord. Karen and I love you and appreciate you so much.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Do you ever try to accomplish something without reading the directions? Most of us do at one time or another. The humorous but true saying “If everything else fails try reading the directions” could be pinned on several folks I know, including me. That brings us to Lori who had been married only two weeks when she decided to make a pie for her new husband, Reuben. Knowing how much he loved cherry pie, she wanted to make it to please him. She phoned her mom and said, “I don’t think I can do this. It never seemed complicated when I baked with you in your kitchen. Now it seems impossible to me.” Her wise mother laughed just a little and then calmly said, “Honey, follow the recipe. Take your time and do what the directions say.” The next day, Lori called home again and laughing with her mother, confessed that mom was right. All she had to do was follow the directions. It is the same with following the Lord Jesus. Regardless of our pagan society that demands inclusivism, if you want to come to the Father, you must follow the directions and come through the Lord Jesus. Our culture demands inclusivism. Our Savior warns clearly, NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME. I believe the Lord Jesus and rejoice that one day I made the decision to trust Him alone.

For today: Isn’t it sad to see dear people who refuse to follow the directions?

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:7).

I wrote this Daily Prescription nearly two years ago. How much in my personal life has changed since I wrote these words. However, I want you to know that I still believe the same. Think about Haggai’s name which means “My feast.” He was the first to prophesy after the Babylonian exile. His passion was completing the Temple. Construction began much earlier but was delayed for at least fifteen years. Can’t you hear his pleading as he writes, “Consider your ways!” Every once in a while it is a wise thing to take spiritual inventory of our lives. I am not saying that we sit around brooding over our past mistakes, failures, and sins. What I am saying is that from time to time we should honestly ask ourselves the question, “Am I doing what the Lord wants me to be doing? Am I living the way the Lord wants me to live? Am I becoming the mature Christian that the Lord wants me to become?” I am asking myself that very same question today. How about you?

For today: I want to live wisely in all my ways. I want to obey and acknowledge Him. How about you? Thank you so much for your prayers.

“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matthew 28:6).

Today is a grand day! We believers celebrate the Lord’s resurrection every Sunday when we gather to worship. However there is something extra glorious about today. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Death could not hold Him. The grave could not keep Him. Our sin debt has been settled, paid in full by our wonderful Lord. The Lord Jesus met John on the Isle of Patmos and said to him, “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore” (Revelation 1:17-18). His substitutionary death was accepted by His holy Father. He lives. He lives forever. I just can’t wait to meet Him, fall before His throne and worship Him in person. I will arrive there not because I am a good person. I am not. I will arrive there because I have placed my trust in the Lord Jesus alone for my salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). How about you? Have you trusted Christ as your personal Savior (John 1:12)?

For today: The Lord Jesus clearly taught us, “No man comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). He lives!