Pilgrim Songs: A Family Devotion on Worship from the Psalms of Ascent

The Psalms of Ascent (120-134) contain rich imagery and powerful notes as we are led to praise God through a variety of life situations. What does it look like to trust God with our anger? How can a life be truly blessed and built to last? When is a family happy? Where does God treasure most of all places on this earth? How can we worship as we go through life's journey?

These songs explore these questions and many more. Like the pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem, this devotion series helps parents take their children through what it means to worship God in various aspects of life. The series can be accessed HERE.

Why the Gospel?

Why does God proclaim the gospel to mankind? What is the goal of the gospel?

In God's kindness, He reveals His plans and works to us in 66 books that we call the Bible. This compilation has a central, unified story: God rescuing a people for Himself forever. How God rescues His people (and from what) is the climax or good news of the story. In a word, God's rescue plan is the gospel.

Talking About God - A Family Devotion Series from Psalm 105

How do we talk to people about God? Why is it important? Psalm 105 helps us sing to remember the many ways God made promises and kept promises to Abraham, Joseph, and Moses. Specifically, God did amazing things to give the Israelites the land He promised.

To access the "Talking About God" family devotion series on Psalm 105, click HERE.

Happy Trails

"Taste and see that the LORD is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Psalm 34:8, HCSB)

A few weeks ago, my brother and I took our families on a hike through woods near our homes in northeast Florida. The day was overcast, but no rain was expected. We had our wives and all of our children (seven between both families). The trail zigzagged through oak and pine trees, palmetto bushes and ferns. It was a wonderful trail.

However, in places, the trail was wet. I don't mean damp like a little squishy rather than hard-packed. I mean inches of standing water spanning from one side of the trail to the other. It soon became apparent that to continue, we would get wet, muddy, dirty. This would not be a clean hike.

A Time for Reading, Trusting, Obeying, and Camping?

What trouble lurks behind the active thoughts in your mind? What worry jumps at you in your sleep and yells "Got you!"? For each of us, we could likely quickly call to mind two or three issues in our lives that snatch from us peace or a sense of settled purpose or contentment or all of the above. What do you do to combat the worries, the fears, the doubts, the difficulties that want first place in your life?

Some of us work harder, run farther, out-perform others, and turn to the promise of success in diligence. It is not wrong to work diligently. But, when Paul says, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men," (Colossians 3:23), that's not the same thing as saying, "If you work hard, your life will be complete, and you'll be happy because you will find the success and satisfaction you are looking for." No, there is a divide between God's version of success and American can-do-ism.