The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“A false balance is an abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is His delight” (Proverbs 11:1).

As a believer, honesty and integrity are important matters. In the Biblical times, weights were used to determine the value and price of many things. Weights that were truly accurate and honestly used pleased the Lord. Inaccurate weights purposely used to deceive people and to bring about an unjust gain were an abomination to the Lord. The story is told of a dishonest butcher who had only one chicken left for sale. It was in the cooler when Mrs. Brown came to the store wanting to buy a chicken. She asked the butcher if he had a larger chicken for sale in the back. Taking the chicken out of the cooler and waiting a few seconds, he brought the same chicken back, trying to deceive her. “This bird is nearly a pound heavier,” the butcher emphatically said. The story is told that Mrs. Brown looked at the chicken and was not at all convinced that he was telling her the truth. Finally she said, “I think I will buy both chickens!” And of course the lie was exposed. We smile at this little story, but, friends, it is very important that you and I as believers live our lives in honesty and integrity. The world evaluates the reality of our faith in the little things we do in being honest and upright in our lives.

For today: I am going to ask the Lord to help me to be careful even in the little areas of my life. I know that honesty pleases the Lord.

“So they read it in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8).

Before us is one of the grand celebrations in the Old Testament. Nehemiah and the workers have completed the wall. Jerusalem once again has a fine and fitting wall. The wall of the ancient city provided not only protection from enemies, but often it demonstrated the value the people placed upon their Lord. Nehemiah realized that the wall had a far greater significance than just looking nice. He viewed it as a great work for God. Now it was time to celebrate. What a day it must have been as the people of the Lord gathered in the street that was before the water gate! Ezra opened the book of the Lord and blessed the great God. The Levites assisted him in making the law of God clear to understand and easy to apply, according to our verse for today. Pray for your pastor and Sunday school teachers. Ask the Lord to give them wisdom that they might not only teach the Word of God but that they might make it easy to understand and practical in its application. In one of my early pastoral ministries, a dear man by the name of Jim Van Hart told me, “Pastor Mike, I want to encourage you to remember that when you preach, keep the cookie jar low enough that even a young child can reach in. We grown-ups won’t mind bending over.” I never forgot that bit of advice. Why would we preach the Word of God without explaining it and helping folks to apply it?

For today: Be praying for your pastor, and be ready to apply the Word of God.

“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart” (Proverbs 4:14, 20-21).

The writer of the book of Solomon was very clear in his instruction to his son. He tried to illustrate the lifestyle of sin as a highway. This highway would be traveled by the choices his son would make. Wherever his son would go, the prayers of his father would follow as well as would the instructions. It reminds me of the mother who lines her children up at the front door every morning as they are ready to leave for school. The checklist is quickly reviewed to make sure everybody has everything that they need for their day at school. One last word of instruction and reminder as mom says, “And remember, you will have to make choices today. Choose wisely and remember to whom you belong. The Lord Jesus loves you and so do I. Don’t be afraid to say no when your friends want you to do something that is not wise.” Come to think of it friends, that’s pretty good advice for us as well!

For today: I am going to ask the Lord to help me choose wisely throughout my day. How about you?

“Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).

There is a big difference between listening to a sermon and obeying the Scriptures. Behind him the choir was singing a beautiful rendition of the precious hymn “Trust and Obey.” The pastor glanced out at the congregation, and there seated before him was the precious church family that he was privileged to pastor. Soon he would be preaching from James 1:22. As he listened to the choir, he thought back on a situation earlier in the week. He had specifically told his little girl, Jessica, to pick up her toys. A few minutes later he returned, and there she sat on her bed with her toys untouched. It was a special moment between a daddy and his little girl in learning the lesson of obedience. Just as the choir was finishing the beautiful song, Pastor Johnson whispered to the Lord, “Father, today may I obey your Word and be a doer. Let me learn from the lesson of my little Jessica. As for my church family, I can’t expect them to be a doer unless I am as well.” With that it was time to preach and to apply the Scriptures for the church family as well as for himself. We will be wise to be doers as well.

For today: A doer I shall be by the grace and help of the Lord. How about you?

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them” (1 Timothy 4:16).

I think I am beginning to feel like the apostle Paul. As Paul grew older, he more and more appreciated young Timothy who loved the Lord and served Him faithfully. More than anything else in the world, Paul wanted Timothy to be on guard, stay true to the teachings of the Scriptures, and stay faithful to the Lord. Ken was a faithful pastor for over 50 years. His arthritis and advanced age made it impossible for him to continue in the ministry. Giving his entire library to a very young pastor named John, Pastor Ken softly wept. He loved the ministry but knew it was time for him to devote his day to praying for other pastors and churches. “John, I really am happy to give you these books. My tears today are not that I am parting with my library. They really are tears of joy for the privilege that I have had to serve the Lord all these years. My dear John, continue in the teachings of the Scriptures. Be faithful to Him all your life. You’ll be glad you did!” said the elderly pastor. Come to think of it, this is not only good advice for Pastor John but for each of us as well!

For today: There will be plenty of opportunities for you to take heed unto yourself and to keep yourself in alignment with the Scriptures.