Made Holy – Word and Truth. “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them, so they can be made holy by your truth.” (Jesus praying to …
Gospel Song – No More, My Lawd. “No More” was first recorded in 1947 at the notorious Parchman Farm of the Mississippi State Penitentiary System. The Farm was modeled after a slave plantation during the slavery era, and was called “the closest thing to slavery that survived the Civil War.” 90% of the prison population was …
Gospel Song – Soul of a Man. Blind Willie Johnson, the legendary gospel blues musician, recorded this classic song in 1930. Blind Willie was unsurpassed in terms of songs that have stood the test of time. He only recorded about 30 songs, in the late 1920’s, and they all continue to get a lot of attention …
The Holiness of God. We worship you for your holiness. We give you thanks for your goodness. We praise you for your glory. HOLY: To be set apart; to be separate in role and character; to be pure, and distinct because of that purity; to have attributes that makes one distinctive. God is holy because …
Holiness: Crystal and Silver. HOLINESS: the state of being set apart to serve God’s best and highest purposes; the noble process of being cleansed in order to increase one’s usefulness to God; purification through the Holy Spirit to reflect God’s purity; the high calling of separating one’s behavior from the common and worldly, and pursuing …
Gospel Song – Now Behold the Lamb. Kirk Franklin (born 1970), “the reigning king of urban gospel,” composed and released this song in 1995. He is a prolific songwriter and arranger, an accomplished pianist, and a celebrated choir director. Franklin has won an astonishing 16 Grammy awards, and he is still going strong. His R & …
Gospel Song – Can’t Nobody Do Me like Jesus. Andrae Crouch (1942-2015), the composer of this classic, was a highly influential musician in gospel music, especially during the 1960’s and 1970’s. He had the gift of incorporating a contemporary secular style with traditional gospel. Crouch helped bring a modern musical sensibility into the church at large, …
Gospel Song – Lord Keep Me Day By Day. This poignant gospel song was composed by Eddie Williams, who was a musician associated with the famous gospel group The Caravans. The song is popular in churches and has been recorded by a wide range of gospel musicians. The prayerful request in the lyrics are universal for …
Gospel Song – We Shall Be Changed. Little is known about this classic gospel song, including who the composer was and when it was composed. The joy and hope of this song is infectious. With its buoyancy, this song could be triumphantly sung at a memorial or funeral service. The lyrics are taken directly from 1 …
Gospel Song – I Am Redeemed. The composer of this classic was Jessy Dixon (1938-2011), an internationally acclaimed gospel musician. He was an electric performer and worship leader, and a hugely successful songwriter. He released “I Am Redeemed” in 1994, and the song was later named the “gospel song of the decade.” For more on his …
Gospel Song – Sweet, Sweet Spirit. This classic hymn was composed by the gospel great Doris Akers in 1962. Pleases refer to the post, “You Can’t Beat God Giving” for more on her life and ministry. The story behind this song is that one Sunday morning, she was in prayer with her church choir before the …
Gospel Song – The Wicked Shall Cease Their Troubling. Jessy Dixon (1938-2011), the composer of this gospel classic, was a highly acclaimed singer, songwriter, pianist and worship leader during the latter decades of the 20th century. He was nominated for seven Grammy awards, he toured with Paul Simon internationally, and he wrote songs for stars such …