Book Review: 'I Exalt You, O God'

I EXALT YOU, O GOD- JERRY BRIDGES

 

            Worship extends beyond singing, clapping & raising hands

            To fully worship God, we must live a lifestyle of worship. Be a living sacrifice. There’s a reason Jerry Bridges spends a great deal of time explaining all the intricacies surrounding worship.

            Praise & adoration may be familiar words. But do we grasp their importance in the context of praise? Spanning passages in multiple Old & New Testament books, Bridges provides Biblical realities for giving God His proper glory.

            As Jesus told the Pharisees, your heart must feel what your lips are saying. Using daily doses of instruction, we are given reinforcement. Fearing the Lord, working through ordinary events, & His superiority are just a few of the topics discussed day by day.

            Mainly using Isaiah & Psalms as examples, we revisit many of Israel’s shortcomings to use as modern motivation. It’s always good to travel back to classic Bible passages even overused examples such as The Lion’s Den.

            Honestly, worship isn’t a topic that I’ve studied much. I love praise & worship, but haven’t explored the intricacies of its purpose in such a deep & meaningful way. I should have though. But, Jerry Bridges has done well in explaining the value of such a study.

            Many church-goers enjoy Sunday morning worship. Adding a conscious effort to make it more glorifying to God can only lead us to a more fulfilling praise life & make every type of praise more meaningful.

            Although the book is academic in nature, it reads more like a devotional. Drops of humor & life stories enhance the text. Psalms would be the obvious go to for Scripture references but I was pleased to see mentions of Isaiah, Deuteronomy & others not usually associated this way.

            It isn’t a rush through book. Being non-fiction, I’d highly recommend it if your heart yearns for more productive praise. Creative ministry Pastors could utilize it for weekly meetings & small groups.

            It deserves its 4 of 5 stars for teaching us better praise tactics.

I received 1 eBook for review purposes. More info can be obtained from the publisher www.waterbrookmultnomah.com. No other compensation was provided.