This is my very favorite Rich Mullins song. Rich passed away in a car accident in 1997. I really miss the ministry of his music. Like Keith Green, he encouraged his listeners to a life of radical obedience, but with a particular emphasis on grace. He is best known for writing and performing the well known worship songs Awesome God and Step by Step.
Showing posts with label Worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Worship. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
The Knowledge of the Holy
I've been reading through the The Knowledge of the Holy by AW Tozer again. I first read through this little gem 20 years ago for one of my Bible classes at Biola University. In it, AW Tozer describes and contemplates the attributes of God. Among the 23 chapter titles are such topics as: The Holy Trinity, The Self-existence of God, The Eternity of God, The Grace of God, The Mercy of God, The Justice of God, and The Divine Transcendence.
The first time I read this book, I did so in just a few days and soaked up every word of it like a dry, thirsty sponge. It deeply affected my thinking about the nature of God . This is the third attempt I have made to re-read this now. Previously, I have gotten to a certain point and just stopped. I'm not sure why. It's a short read -- only 117 pages, but it is so meaty that it seems like I end up stopping after each sentence to process and ponder Dr. Tozer's insights about God.
Maybe I the reason I finished it so quickly in college was because it was an assignment with an attached deadline, or perhaps I had more of a theological, academic mindset, that comes from being immersed in a Christian college environment. It could be that I didn't have little ones, a husband, a job, ministry, and other responsibilities vying for my mental energy. Whatever the case, with each failed attempt to re-read it I have left disappointed with myself when I end up putting it back on the shelf after the 7th or 8th chapter. Well good news! I am almost done with it! I wanted my daughter, Emma to read it while she is in Africa so I decided that I should read it first before giving it to her, so that we can discuss it when she gets back. She leaves for Burkina Faso in less than a week, so I guess this is the kind of book I need a deadline to meet in order to finish it, LOL!
One of the benefits I've received from reading this book is that I am better able to identify God's attributes during adoration time in prayer. Sometimes God seems so immense to me I am at a loss for words when it comes to expressing adoration. AW Tozer has helped give me words that I don't have. One of the things we are being mentored in through our ministry is something called worship intercession. I may write on that more later, but essentially it is prayer and spiritual warfare through worship singing. We do this corporately during our monthly prayer meetings, but I have begun to incorporate this into my own prayer time. Its not something I do every time, but it is becoming more of a habit. I was thinking about the attributes of God and wanting a song to express these attributes and a beautiful, old hymn that I sang in my childhood churches came to my memory. I looked it up on Youtube and I found the one below to be my favorite arrangement.
The first time I read this book, I did so in just a few days and soaked up every word of it like a dry, thirsty sponge. It deeply affected my thinking about the nature of God . This is the third attempt I have made to re-read this now. Previously, I have gotten to a certain point and just stopped. I'm not sure why. It's a short read -- only 117 pages, but it is so meaty that it seems like I end up stopping after each sentence to process and ponder Dr. Tozer's insights about God.
Maybe I the reason I finished it so quickly in college was because it was an assignment with an attached deadline, or perhaps I had more of a theological, academic mindset, that comes from being immersed in a Christian college environment. It could be that I didn't have little ones, a husband, a job, ministry, and other responsibilities vying for my mental energy. Whatever the case, with each failed attempt to re-read it I have left disappointed with myself when I end up putting it back on the shelf after the 7th or 8th chapter. Well good news! I am almost done with it! I wanted my daughter, Emma to read it while she is in Africa so I decided that I should read it first before giving it to her, so that we can discuss it when she gets back. She leaves for Burkina Faso in less than a week, so I guess this is the kind of book I need a deadline to meet in order to finish it, LOL!
One of the benefits I've received from reading this book is that I am better able to identify God's attributes during adoration time in prayer. Sometimes God seems so immense to me I am at a loss for words when it comes to expressing adoration. AW Tozer has helped give me words that I don't have. One of the things we are being mentored in through our ministry is something called worship intercession. I may write on that more later, but essentially it is prayer and spiritual warfare through worship singing. We do this corporately during our monthly prayer meetings, but I have begun to incorporate this into my own prayer time. Its not something I do every time, but it is becoming more of a habit. I was thinking about the attributes of God and wanting a song to express these attributes and a beautiful, old hymn that I sang in my childhood churches came to my memory. I looked it up on Youtube and I found the one below to be my favorite arrangement.
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