The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

March 20, 2013

“I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:18).

There is a huge difference between happiness and joy. For happiness to occur, things must go your way. Joy is very different. Joy depends on a relationship with the Lord Jesus. This joy is an inner gladness and peace because it is based upon Him.

For today: You can have joy if you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior. It is entirely possible that you may have times of not being happy today, but you still can have joy!

March 19, 2013

“That men may know that Thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the Most High over all the earth” (Psalm 83:18).

Things are pretty bad in this wicked world. Listen to the news, and it will be very apparent that sin is real in the world today. But the good news is that God is the Lord. He is alive, and His name is JEHOVAH. He is the self-sufficient Most High God. He is awesome!

For today: Keep your heart tuned to worship Him throughout the day. Though the world is awful, our God is awesome!

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!