The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“For I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee…” (Hosea 11:9).

Years ago I underlined this phrase while reading through the Bible. It is a short but powerful reminder of the joy that is ours when we remember that we belong to the true and living God. He is God. He can never fail. He is never wrong. He never misunderstands. He never forgets. He never is unjust. He is far greater than any man. He is God. You know, friends, this blessed truth is great to remember on the good days when things are going well. But it is on those days when things are not going the way that we prefer that this blessed truth packs such strength and help for us. He is awesome because He is God, not a man. How will this play out in your life today?

Here’s a thought for today: Rest in the confidence that the One Who holds you in His hand is none other than God. Trust Him.

I want to draw a picture today that will be easy to remember. Let me first share a great verse.

“Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee” (Psalm 55:22).

Picture an elderly man staggering under the weight of a fifty-pound seed bag. He is determined that he is fully capable of carrying the load. But now he is halfway to the loading dock, and he knows that he is in trouble. Just when he is ready to collapse, a young man rushes to his side. “Let me take that for you, friend!” he says. In a second, the heavy seed bag is rolled from the old man onto the shoulder of the young man. What a picture of what the Lord wants to do in the lives of His people. What are you trying to carry by yourself today? The Lord Himself wants to carry your burdens. Give them to Him (and don’t grab them back and try to carry them by yourself!)

For today: I need to cast my burdens on the Lord. How about you?

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name” (Psalm 100:4).

Think about it! “Be thankful unto Him!”

That’s it! That’s the focus. That’s the blessing. Being thankful unto the Lord is not just for today; it’s for every day!

On behalf of my family and and all of my ministry partners that make Dr. Mike’s Daily Prescriptions available to you, may I say, “Blessed, blessed Thanksgiving to you and yours. You are special to the Lord and to us as well.”

Tis the day before the National Day of Thanksgiving.

I’m sure that you are busy today, so I will be unusually brief. Here’s our verse for today. “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms” (Psalm 95:2).

In all your busyness, don’t lose the giving of thanks to the Lord. In all your busyness, don’t lose the joyful noise! This will be the kind of thanksgiving that will bless your life and others around you as well.

I have a wonderful verse and a thought or two for you about thanksgiving. We are getting ready for the National Day of Thanksgiving. However! This is not just for one day out of the year for those of us who belong to the Lord. This is good for every day in our lives.

“I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify Him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:30).

I love the writings of King David. He is so transparent as he writes of his own weariness and weaknesses (69:1-5). He is so honest in evaluating the seriousness of the enemies that surround him (69:7-12). He is so dependent on the Lord and is not embarrassed to admit this (69:13-29). He is ever mindful of the many ways that the Lord has blessed him, and he gives thanks (69:30).

If these things were good for the king, surely they are good for us living in the blessings of the age of grace. What a wonderful reminder, and what a wonderful blessing that will be ours when we praise the Lord with a song and magnify Him with our thankfulness.

That will keep me busy today! How about you?