Music Mondays: “In the Valley” by Bob Kauflin

~ Bob Hayton

I recommend many modern hymns & contemporary songs for corporate worship. While the old hymns are certainly grand, the new songs God is giving to the church, are worthy of respect too.

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order the Valley of Vision CD which contains this song, and support my siteMusic Monday posts highlight the music which touched my heart on Sunday. I pray the message of these songs will help us all to live in the spirit of Worship all week long.

Today’s song was sung as a special number during the offering time, yesterday.   It is a moving song, and has great potential for ministering to the hearts of those in any number of difficult circumstances.   Best of all, this song, like most written by the folks at Sovereign Grace Ministries, calls us to hope in Jesus Christ and the Gospel.

In the Valley

Words and music by Bob Kauflin

When You lead me to the valley of vision
I can see You in the heights
And though my humbling wouldn’t be my decision
It’s here Your glory shines so bright
So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown
To be low is to be high
That the valley’s where You make me more like Christ

Let me find Your grace in the valley
Let me find Your life in my death
Let me find Your joy in my sorrow
Your wealth in my need
That You’re near with every breath
In the valley

In the daytime there are stars in the heavens
But they only shine at night
And the deeper that I go into darkness
The more I see their radiant light
So let me learn that my losses are my gain
To be broken is to heal
That the valley’s where Your power is revealed

 © 2006 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

Download a free lead sheet (with a simple piano score) or guitar chord chart for this song here.   Listen to a sample of this song here.   Or hear the whole thing for free at Rhapsody.com.   Here are details on the CD that contains this song: Valley of Vision.   Purchase it through Amazon here, or from Sovereign Grace directly.

Vern Poythress on the Christocentricity of Scripture

~ fundyreformed ~ 6 Comments

Dr. Vern Poythress of Westminster Seminary is an ardent advocate of Redemptive Historical interpretation. He recently contributed History of Salvation notes for the forthcoming ESV Study Bible. Crossway just released his article, Overview of the Bible: Survey of the History of Salvation, included at the front of the ESV Study Bible. I’d encourage everyone to read that brief article (3 1/2 pdf pages). Succinctly yet powerfully, Poythress covers the whole gamut of how the Bible works together as a whole in recording the History of Salvation, and highlighting the glory of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

The ESV Study Bible blog, points out a recent interview of Vern Poythress at the Beginning with Moses blog. I’ve read the first two parts, but the third is due on Monday. The questions and answers there are also worth your time. I especially like how Poythress concludes the second interview post:

It is not fashionable nowadays, but I confess that I do believe that every passage, and even every word, of the OT reflects Christ.

I’d encourage you to check out what Poythress says in connection with this claim. The whole of Scripture really is Christo-centric. Poythress’ notes are one of the main reasons I’m so excited about the new ESV Study Bible, by the way. In treating the Bible academically, we run the risk of forgetting that it is a living Book. We need to think when we read it, yes. But we also need to listen to the Holy Spirit. We can easily miss the forest for the trees, and Vern’s Salvation History notes will remind us of the major themes of Scripture as we battle over the meaning of each individual passage therein.

One last note: Poythress has many articles and even book available online for free at the website he jointly shares with his friend John Frame. Check out www.frame-poythress.org for some great, freely available, Christ-centered resources.

No Big Surprise: The Bigfoot Was Another Hoax

~ fundyreformed ~ 2 Comments

Ah, how  sad. I was so hoping that the Georgia Bigfoot was the real McCoy. Instead it’s just another hoax.

Book Briefs: “Pierced by the Word” by John Piper

~ Bob Hayton ~ 8 Comments

If you’ve never read one of John Piper’s devotional books, you’re missing out. The 31 meditations in Pierced by the Word cover a variety of topics — some practical, others theological. From drinking orange juice to battling lust, from thinking about suffering to thinking about politics — each devotional reading stresses the importance of living by faith and living for Christ.

Your soul will be nourished by this book, as it stresses the importance of personal prayer and emphasizes the glory of the Gospel. I recommend that you get this or another of Piper’s devotional books, and read it as part of your spiritual diet. It will help you fight the good fight of faith.

This book is available for purchase at the following sites: Amazon.com or direct from Waterbrook Multnomah.

About Book Briefs: Book Briefs are book notes, or short-form book reviews. They are my informed evaluation of a book, but stop short of being a full-length book review.

Music Mondays: “How Deep” by Stephen Altrogge

~ Bob Hayton

I recommend many modern hymns & contemporary songs for corporate worship. While the old hymns are certainly grand, the new songs God is giving to the church, are worthy of respect too.

~~~~~~

I plan on highlighting some more praise music again.   Every Monday, I will try to post on one of the songs we sang in church the day before.   It’s so easy to leave the spirit of worship at the church on Sunday, and endure the week without it.   Hopefully these posts will help keep us in the spirit of worship all week long.

Today’s song is “How Deep” by Stephen Altrogge (son of Mark Altrogge, whose music I’ve previously highlighted).   Songs like this one, cause us to contemplate more deeply just how great it is that Jesus suffered and died in our place.   The song encourages a genuine heart-felt and knowledgable pouring out of thanks and love to our Savior.   It is a wonderful worship song.

How Deep
Stephen Altrogge

You were broken that I might be healed
You were cast off that I might draw near
You were thirsty that I might come drink
Cried out in anguish that I might sing

How deep is Your love
How high and how wide is Your mercy
How deep is Your grace
Our hearts overflow with praise to You

You knew darkness that I might know light
Wept great tears that mine might be dried
Stripped of glory that I might be clothed
Crushed by Your Father to call me Your own

(repeat chorus)

Words and Music by Stephen Altrogge  ©2006 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI). Sovereign Grace Music, a division of Sovereign Grace Ministries.

You can see a guitar sheet  with words and chords of the song here.   Or you can download a free copy of the basic piano score (lead sheet), or guitar sheet (as well as purchase a fuller piano score) here.   You can hear a sample of the song for free here.   And I’d encourage you to buy the cd it is on: Valley of Vision.