The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised (Hebrews 10:23).

The writer of Hebrews presents a tremendous contrast between the Old Testament Tabernacle with its Levitical system and the precious New Testament superiority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything about the Lord Jesus as well as everything the Lord Jesus accomplished is superior to the Old Testament system under Moses. What a wonderful time in which we live! It is called the “The Church Age.” The reaction we should have to this is that of devotion and joyful obedience. That’s what the writer had in mind in our verse today. Obviously in some of the matters of our lives as we grow and mature we will change our mind from time to time. However, have you ever met somebody who is forever changing his or her mind even in important matters? That was the problem Margaret was having with her friend. Margaret could not depend on her even in the important matters of life. Her friend wavered on everything from politics to matters of the Scriptures. It put a real strain on their friendship and made Margaret even more determined that when it came to the Lord Jesus and her obedience to Him, she was going to hold fast the profession of her faith without wavering. Come to think of it, that sounds like a very good commitment for us as well.

For today: Remember there is a difference between being stubborn over little things and steadfast in our conviction in spiritual things.

“My times are in Thy hand” (Psalm 31:15).

Yesterday I left you with somewhat of a cliffhanger. You may remember that Hunter received an email at work letting him know that he was to report to a meeting on the third floor with his manager and his manager’s supervisors the next morning at 9 o’clock. He and his wife, Rachel, prayed about this meeting and claimed the promise that Hunter was in the Lord’s hands. Hunter had done his very best at his job. He worked hard and asked the Lord to give him wisdom to work in such a way as to be a good testimony. He was very apprehensive as he rode the rapid transit train into the city that next morning. Just before he entered that meeting, you might remember that Hunter claimed the promise, “My times are in Thy hand.” Everyone sat down at the conference table. Mr. Wellington stood and said, “Hunter, you may be wondering why we asked you to come to this meeting. I hope we didn’t make you too nervous overnight! You know our company has been going through some difficult times lately, and we have had to downsize. But we’ve been watching you. We would like to invite you to become one of the managing supervisors over three different departments in our business. We like the way you work and would very much like to welcome you as one of our managers. Think it over and let us know within the next week.” Hunter shook the hands of each of the supervisors and left that meeting wanting to do cartwheels! However he thought to himself, “Probably it would not be suitable for one of the managers to be doing cartwheels down the hallway!” He could hardly wait to get to his phone to call home to his wife, Rachel. Sometimes the situation does not turn out to be as happy and as exciting as it was for Hunter that day. But either way, as a believer, our life is in the Lord’s hand. We can trust Him.

For today: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.” The hymn writer was so right!

“My times are in Thy hand” (Psalm 31:15).

The rapid transit train was flying at a high rate of speed into the city where Hunter worked. A memo came to his work email just before he left work yesterday afternoon. He thought of the words of that email a dozen times already this morning. All it said was, “Hunter, report to management on the third floor at 9:00 tomorrow morning. Your manager and his supervisors want to talk with you.” He shared the note with his wife, Rachel, and together they prayed several times throughout the evening and then once again in the morning as he left for work. It sounded ominous. Hunter knew the company had been downsizing; several of the employees in his department had lost their jobs. He kept thinking, “Why would my manager’s supervisors want to tell me that I’ve lost my job? I wonder what in the world I have done?” Just before he walked into the meeting, one of the verses he read earlier that morning in his quiet time came to his mind, “My times are in Thy hand.” With that he whispered a brief prayer and walked into the supervisor’s suite. The Lord reminded him that it is a wonderful blessing to know that He has a plan for our lives. When we are walking with Him in the fellowship of His Word, we can know the joy, the absolute sheer joy, of our lives being securely held in His hands. Oh, and by the way, would you like to know what happened in that meeting? You’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning as you receive the next Dr. Mike’s Daily Prescriptions! How do you like me keeping you waiting until tomorrow?

For today: I love you subscribers, but you’re still going to have to wait until tomorrow! For now, just rest in the wonderful blessing of knowing that as a believer your life is in His hand!

“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7).

The Sunday school teacher was working his way through the Old Testament book of Nahum. When he arrived at verse seven, he asked the class if there was anyone who could give a testimony about how the Lord had been very good even in the day of trouble because He knows those who trust in Him? He thought perhaps one or two people would respond with a testimony and that then he would return to the rest of the material he had written for that Sunday school class. At first everyone was quiet. Then Barbara shared a testimony of how the Lord had sustained her and was so good to her even though things were hard at work. One row back Glen shared a testimony of how the Lord helped his family through a very hard time in their marriage and how good He was during those several months. Next it was Tammie’s turn; she was new to the class and somewhat timid. She shared with the class how today she can say the Lord was good and a stronghold in the day of her trouble when her husband walked out of her life and marriage. To the teacher’s amazement, one after another in the class of nearly forty students shared testimonies of how the Lord was good and a stronghold in the day of trouble! While we do not go looking for trouble, we know that when trouble comes, the Lord will be good. He will be a stronghold in that day of trouble because He knows them that trust in Him.

For today: I want to trust Him in the happy days as well as the hard days. How about you?

“Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool” (Proverbs 19:1).

Two people walked down a sidewalk in a quaint little town that afternoon. It was well known that the Van Fleet family was very well-to-do. The January winds were cold that day when Mrs. Van Fleet pulled her keys from her purse as she walked to her very expensive car. Behind her was Marvin Carpenter. Marvin had been a hard worker all of his life but had lost his job several years before this. He faithfully looked for work. His unemployment ran out. His bills were mounting. Almost a feeling of desperation was settling upon him. “How am I going to pay my bills?” was running through his mind that very afternoon. Just as Mrs. Van Fleet pulled her keys from her purse, her wallet fell out onto the sidewalk. She did not notice it. Marvin looked around and for a brief, fleeting second the temptation was great. He could not, however, steal that purse. Several months before this temptation, he had placed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and God had made him a new creation. Running ahead and gently calling to the very wealthy lady he said, “Excuse me, Ma’am. You dropped this,” and stooping down to pick up her wallet, he returned it to her. She was amazed at his honesty. He was blessed knowing that even though he had huge financial needs, there was something even more important than that – he had the opportunity of walking in integrity.

For today: There will be plenty of opportunities for you to do the right thing today. May God give you the grace, wisdom, and strength to do it!