Unsearchable Riches in the Psalms

I recently returned from the Worship God 08 conference in Gaithersburg Maryland. The topic was "Discover Unsearchable Greatness in the Psalms." At the conference, Sovereign Grace Ministries released their newest album Psalms. You can download a free song "Praise the Lord" here.

I know I say this a lot, but this is quickly becoming my favorite album. :) My favorite by far is "Out of the Depths" by Bob Kauflin (based on Psalm 130).

Of all the songs, the raw honesty is most visible here through lyrics like "though I may fail to trust Your promises, You never fail to hear my prayer" and "when the harvest time is over and I still see no fruit, I will wait for You."

I think one reason I like Sovereign Grace music so much is because of the genuine emotion that is expressed through the lyrics. It is not simply "be happy in Jesus." Rather, what is expressed is genuine Christianity - struggles and trials and sorrows, but a hope in the midst of those trials as a result of our Reedemer who is steadfast in love and faithfulness.

So often, I fail to connect doctrine with my real life. I fail to see the link between my emotions and the hope found in the gospel. The words on the page don't seem to be living. It is through songs like this that the dots begin to connect in a new and sweet way.

God, thank you for these songs. Thank you for the gift of words. Thank you for the dedication of Bob Kauflin and the other songwriters to write songs that help us to realize Your involvement in our daily lives. I pray that You would use my words, my thoughts of You to help connect others lives to Your unfathomable greatness.

Psalm 100: 4-5 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Worship God

Christa and I got home last night from the Woship God 08 Conference in Gaithersburg MD. I was so tired that I simply flopped like a little lump into my bed. After sleeping on a floor for 5 days, you really learn to appreciate your own bed :)

The conference centered around the Psalms and rediscovering the unsearchable greatness of our God as displayed through the Psalms. I will post more at a later time (once I have time to process all the mass of information that is swarming in my head) but let me just start by saying this conference was amazing.

God truly provided lavishly throughout this past week. Through someone's anonymous generosity, God answered my prayer and provided a way for me to attend the WG08 conference. He knew I could not afford a hotel room for 5 days, so He graciously provided a place to stay too. What a blessing the Perdue family was to me this past few days. Then He provided several meals through the generosity of several families. He allowed my allergies to not act up too severely, though almost every meal I ate was at a restaurant. He provided nights of restful sleep, though the hours were few.

But mostly, He provided me with a greater glimpse of Himself... a deeper view into the well of His provision... a brighter picture of His glory and care.

In some ways, WG08 started similar to NA08... I was tired going into the conference and had sinned so much in the first 30 minutes that it was almost absurd. I was very aware of my need and dependence on God. As He began to reveal more of my sin, in His kindness, He granted my heart the gift of repentance, instead of leaving me in condemnation and guilt.

God revealed so much of Himself through the conference. Bob Kauflin encouraged us at the beginning of the conference to take some time while we were there and read through the Psalms. Through that, I was repeatedly impressed with one truth... the Lord is a God of steadfast love and faithfulness...

more on that later.