The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9).

Solomon writes about the absolute danger and devastation of anger. The picture Solomon paints of the angry person is vivid, especially the person who is quick to get angry. Some people have very short fuses. It doesn’t take much to make that person explode with anger. In the Biblical times, the word “fool” is one of the greatest insults that could be hurled. Angry people, especially people who are quickly angered, are like sticks of dynamite with very short fuses. Not only are they foolish, it sounds dangerous to me!

For today: Ask the Lord to help you to be gentle, gracious, and longsuffering. I am asking the Lord to do this in my life!

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26).

What an amazing question! If a man could somehow acquire the entire world so that everything belonged to him, he would still someday die. His time of owning every single thing would be very brief in comparison to eternity. What would his profit be? Of course we realize that no one could ever purchase and own the entire world. But in our Daily Prescription, it is a great time to challenge you dear friends, thinking about your work schedule, to not work so hard and so many hours that you neglect your own spiritual life. The Lord Jesus wants you to remember that there is more to life than acquiring more stuff!

For today: There is nothing wrong with hard work as long as He is Lord and the focus of your life. When this happens, you will invest your time wisely, including your family time!

“I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18).

Today is Sunday. The family of the Lord all around the world gathers to worship with other believers. Whether it is along the shores of the Amazon River or in the heart of Chicago, Christ is building His church. I will speak today at Abbe Road Baptist Church in Elyria, Ohio. What a dear family of believers. As the family of the Lord gathers, there may be a new person who recently came to faith in Christ or it may be a person who has attended church for years. Christ is building His church. Both in quantity and quality, Christ’s building program is very exciting. Will you be in church today?

For today: Thank the Lord Jesus that He has given you the privilege of being part of His building project.

“We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ (John 1:41).

What a grand and glorious message Andrew brought to his brother Peter. His joy must have been running over as he sets out to find his brother and to tell him the most astonishing news. “We have found the Messiah!” cried Andrew as he found his brother. Andrew’s life would never be the same. Neither would Peter’s. If you have placed your faith in the Lord Jesus, God has wonderful plans for you and your life! Have you told others that you have come into a personal relationship with the Lord?

For today: Rejoice that you can know the Lord. Remember to tell others as well.

“For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them” (Hosea 14:9)

Do you ever struggle with how unfair this world is? Perhaps you have suffered something that is perplexing to you. Why would God allow this? I am convinced that we will not fully understand why some things happen to us while here on earth, but we will fully understand them someday. For now, rest assured that God does love you very much. Be assured He makes no mistakes. Know that He is in control and can be fully trusted.

For today: Someday my question marks will be stretched out into God’s exclamation points!