The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

March 18, 2013

“David encouraged himself in the LORD his God” (1 Samuel 30:6).

Are you discouraged? There are times in our lives that our problems pile on top of other problems and can seem totally overwhelming at times. One of the greatest encouragements in the entire world is the Lord Himself. The closer you grow to the Lord, the more encouraged you will be. It is not that life gets easier but that the encouragement grows greater.

For today: Make a list of the great things you know to be true about the Lord. You will be encouraged!

March 17, 2013

“…Be not afraid” (Joshua 1:9).

How would you like to follow Moses as the leader of the children of Israel? Apparently Joshua was scared to death. Repeatedly the Lord told him not to be afraid. The battles ahead would be significant, the children of Israel would be difficult to lead, and the dangers surrounded them. Yet the Lord assured Joshua that He would be with Him. On that basis, God tells him not to be afraid

For today: What causes you to be afraid today? He is the same God who helped Joshua. He can handle anything you face today.

March 16, 2013

“So we built the wall” (Nehemiah 4:6a).

Surrounded by enemies and opposition, Nehemiah and his band of workers continued the construction on the walls of Jerusalem. At times it seemed completely unlikely that they could complete the job. The dangers were great. The work was demanding. The enemy was strong. They finished the wall because the “people had a mind to work” (Nehemiah 4:6b).

For today: Do you need to ask the Lord to give you persistence to keep serving Him? Ask the Lord to give you a mind to work!

March 15, 2013

“Without faith, it is impossible to please Him…” (Hebrews 11:6).

It is an amazing thing indeed! Even though God is perfect, He is not hard to please. That’s right! You can actually please the Lord. To truly please Him, you will have to exercise faith! Faith is knowing my Father and depending fully upon Him. Therefore I will trust when I cannot see, believe when I don’t understand and obey even when the situation doesn’t make sense to me.

For today: What will the Lord allow to come into your life today that will require your faith?

March 14, 2013

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

God’s love is not just spoken to us, it is shown to us. Genuine love is beautifully demonstrated. A great test for engaged couples is how love is communicated. God’s communication is personal and powerful. Calvary is God’s love written in red!

For today: This is a great time to ask,
“How do I show love?” Don’t assume that your family and friends know you love them. Tell them and show them!