The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“That He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

Wally and the men who traveled with him had returned from a missions’ trip to one of the poorer countries in Africa. He and his wife took the day off from work to celebrate his safe return after being gone for three weeks. He never expected this to hit him this way. After enjoying lunch together at their favorite restaurant, it struck him like a ton of bricks when he noticed the group beside them. They were a noisy group who were loud in their conversation and frequent in their complaints about minor issues. As they left the restaurant, Wally noticed how much food was left on their plates and being wasted. An immediate picture went off in his mind of the bush people who had little to eat and yet were happy in the Lord. Stunned, Wally turned to his wife and said, “The brothers and sisters in the Lord with whom I have stayed these past weeks love to hear the Word of God. They know that His Word is far more desirous than food. Yet I come home to the United States and I see such waste, dissatisfaction, and discontentment. I want to be much more thankful for the food I have to eat and the Word of God that will direct me.”

For today: We need the Word of God. Take time to read it today.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.” (Romans 6:1-2).

One of the greatest blessings I came to learn early in life is what theologians refer to as the doctrine of eternal security. The great blessing of belonging to Christ forever, where nothing can separate us from Him, brings me joy beyond description. Sometimes those who believe that salvation can be lost say that eternal security is a license for bad behavior. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sharing with the Romans, Paul declared that we who are the recipients of grace must never live loosely. Read the verse for today once again, and put your name into it every time you come to the word “we.” It will be powerful.

For today: Live wisely. You belong to a wonderful God.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

Angela struggled under the load of sin for a long time. No one had to convince her that she had “sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Although she did not know that verse even existed, she knew the truth it taught. She had sinned and was absolutely sure that her sin offended God. So she tried her best to appease her conscience. She worked at her church’s bingo parties. She helped in her church’s food drive to replenish the food pantry for her community. Yet she wrestled with the nagging question, “Is this the way to please God, and how much is enough?” Finally the day came when she heard the truth of the gospel, and it changed her completely. She discovered what you may already know. She couldn’t please God! Her justification came through Christ and so did her peace.

For today: Do you know the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior? Only He can save you.

“But our God is in the Heavens; He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased” (Psalm 115:3).

I was reading through one of my old preaching Bibles that I used during my ministry at the First Baptist Church of Marilla, New York. Karen and I were there from 1980 until 1995. In the margin of that preaching Bible is the following outline of this verse that speaks of our great God. First, the personal relationship,3a (Our God). Second, the powerful residence,3b (Is in the Heavens). Third, the perfect responsibility,3c (He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased). Every day I am committed to watching this incredible Lord as He is working out His sovereign plan. There is only one way to describe Him, and that is AWESOME!

For today: Dr. Mike’s News Alert! The sovereign God is in control and working out His plan!

“The Lord has been mindful of us: He will bless us. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great” (Psalm 115:12-13).

Like you, from time to time I find myself thinking back over the situations of my life. I can testify with the Psalmist of old that God has indeed blessed me. I am one of the servants that knows that I am small, but the blessings have been great. On the morning that I wrote this Daily Prescription, Karen and I spent a little time after breakfast talking about the many ways that God has blessed us. From the deepest times of profound sorrow to the times of extreme joy, we can testify that God has blessed us. The best part is that the blessings come not because we are so good. Rather, they come because our God is so good and we fear Him.

For today: How about you? Do you know the blessing of the Lord? It begins with fearing Him, and there are no shortcuts around it!