My family and I have had morning devotions, or family altar as some people call it, everyday ever since my wife, Meriqua, and I were married 30 years ago. We have prayed and read the Bible together as well as other devotional books as a family and it is the only reason why this family has stayed together and it is the only reason why God has blessed our family and used our family in ministry all of these years. We read Ephesians 5 and 6 every morning as it relates to the role of each member of the family and how that we need to put on the whole armor of God to fight against the devil who is seeking to destroy our family and all Christian families, churches, and Christians. Sometimes our devotions would last 3 or 4 hours. So if you see 45 minutes to an hour, don't be shocked. That is an abridgement. So, now after 30 years of doing this in our home, we are opening this up to others who don’t have a family to pray with, who don’t have a spouse, who are single by choice, and to encourage all families who are still in tact to go back to the family altar and have devotions together every morning. In these devotions, you may hear me deal with a temptation I’m facing in my life, you may hear me rebuke my wife about not doing what she should be doing, or you may hear me get on one of my children’s cases about something they’re doing. Don’t be shocked; this is real life.

Matthew Henry said, “You must read the scriptures to your families, in a solemn manner, requiring their attendance on your reading, and their attention to it: and inquiring sometimes whether they understand what you read. Those masters of families who do this daily, morning and evening, reckoning it part of that which the duty of every day requires, will have comfort and satisfaction in so doing, and will find it contributes much to their own improvement in Christian knowledge, and the edification of those that dwell in their care.”

DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE: PSALM 90:8-12

DEVOTIONAL READING: "Planned for God's Pleasure (Part 8)" from “The Purpose Driven Life,” by Rick Warren