Our study of the Psalms will continue next week. 
I am in a meeting at Woodstock this week and a meeting at Bogart this weekend.
Truth for the World is moving their offices here this week, and we are rearranging our buildings to make room!  
 
 

Family Devotionals

"Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.  And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates” (Deuteronomy 6:3-9).  All of this was spoken to Israel by Moses just before they conquered the promised land.  The key to their success was not power, mighty warriors, good strategy, weak enemies, or luck—it was faith in God.  They had already proved themselves lacking in this area several times (see Hebrews 3:7-19), so they should have known the consequences of weak faith.  But since faith comes by hearing, Moses is trying to emphasize the importance of having each member of every family full of the knowledge of God’s word.  The long-range result of their failure to heed Moses’ warnings can be seen from two other passages.  “Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge” (Isaiah 5:13).  “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” (Hosea 4:6).
Our nation, the church, and our children need the knowledge of God’s word just as much as the Israelites did.  And the consequences of a faithless nation are in evidence all around us!  It is therefore imperative that we get back to the Bible!  We need daily family worship now!  We need faith in God and His word now!  We need to decide where we are going now!
Let us notice four important questions.

We need to have daily worship in the home for the sake of the children.  “Train Up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).  Do you believe this verse?  Do you realize that it is impossible for you to be a good parent unless you obey this scripture?  Are you willing to try?  If not, do you really think that you deserve to be a parent??
It is the responsibility of BOTH PARENTS to teach God’s word to the children.  To fathers, Paul addressed the following: “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).  Paul also spoke of an example regarding a mother and grandmother who faithfully taught God’s word to Timothy.  “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also” (2 Timothy 1:5).

First, find a time when the whole family can be present.  Be certain that all the members of your household can participate.
Second, have at least one period of worship as a group each day.  This does not include the personal, private study that each person should engage in every day.
Third, include some or all of the following items of devotion to God in your worship: songs, prayers, Bible stories, readings from the Bible, articles, discussions.
Fourth, try to maintain your worship for at least 15 minutes (but don’t make it too long).  This may prevent it from becoming just a ritual.  The time may also vary due to the types of discussions that arise.

You can expect a greater closeness in your family.  That is one of the purposes of worship.  And every family needs closeness!  The joy and comfort that we ought to be able to provide for one another is often missing due to the fact that we are so far apart.
You can also expect a tremendous increase in Bible knowledge.  And remember, this knowledge is what increases faith, which provokes obedience, which makes churches, families, and nations better.
Communication is one of the most wonderful results to be expected.  Everyone has wanted someone to lend an ear at times, but all too often there is no one to listen!  The family that worships together has someone with whom to talk!  God will always listen—and so will Dad, Mom, brother, or sister.
Of course, these daily family devotions will also give much glory to God, which in turn makes us more humble, willing servants of His.
Finally, this will help us to avoid the errors that cause so many people to fall.  Surely we do not want to see members of our own family fall into sin