More Than A Song - Discovering The Truth Of Scripture Hidden In Today's Popular Christian Music

Send us a text "Nobody loves me like you" is a simple phrase, but hold profound truth when we consider the love God has for us. We can never plumb the depths of God's love, but it's worth considering the details we can uncover in Scripture. Inspired by Chris Tomlin's song, "Nobody Loves Me Like You," we explore the example of love God has set for us. Let's head over to 1 John to learn more. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Reading in a variety of translations Read in context The Voice translation as found on BibleGateway.com Our focus area of Scripture - 1 John 4:7-12 God's love as an attribute as described by Wayne Grudem in "Systematic Theology" Dynamic equivalent translations - GotQuestions.org Comparing our focus verse in a variety of translations Being willing to do the "heavy lifting" when we stumble upon areas of Scripture we don&ap

Send us a text Jesus turned the world upside down with his wisdom and teaching. He also rubbed a lot of people the wrong way -- especially religious people -- because He did things differently. "New Wine" by Hillsong Worship inspired me to explore a time when Jesus used new wine in a metaphor. Let's explore the gospels together to learn more. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include Repetition Meditation Compare and contrast Consult a commentary Using section headings to get your bearings Read in context Defining "synoptic gospels" The historical audiences of the gospels Reading the gospels in parallel as taught by “How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth” by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart Diving into the metaphor of new wine inspired by our song - Matthew 9:14-17, Mark 2:18-22, Luke 5:33-39 How and why John's disciples and Pharisees were fasting - Matthew‬ ‭6:16-18‬ Exploring the o

Send us a text We can learn so much through the study of the names of God. Hillsong Worship's song, "What a Beautiful Name," puts the name of Jesus front and center in a moving song of worship. How much more powerful will this song be when you invest some time in discovering and contemplating a few names revealed in God's Word? Let's go to the beginning with Jesus, shall we? On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include Consult a commentary - I used Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology this week Follow the cross references Make a list Journal How John calls Jesus "The Word" - John 1:1-3 The doctrine of the trinity - God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is one God Wayne Grudem's audio presentation on the trinity - Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4 The name for Jesus in John 1:1 - Logos Jesus was

Send us a text Trust is a key foundation to our relationship with God the Father, Son AND Holy Spirit. When we allow our circumstances to define the character of God rather than His Word, we can easily be led to fear and doubt instead of trust. "Trust in You" by Lauren Daigle is a profound proclamation in song of our trust in God despite our circumstances. We will once again use the gift of a song to lead us to an even deeper impact on our souls, and that is hiding the truth of Scripture deep inside. On this episode I discuss: Deciding today to allow God's Word to define God's character and not our circumstances Taking a B.I.T.E. Out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercise this week is: Creating review cards by hand writing key Scriptures Most useful when you actually review them! How trusting in God is mentioned twice and "fret not" is mentioned 3 times in 8 short verses - Psalm 37:1-8 Being sure we are not an "evildoer" as we read through

Send us a text In difficult seasons of life we often seek to know "why," or even blame someone or something as if it makes it all better. This week's song "Thy Will" by Hillary Scott is a moving ballad of surrender to the will of a God we can trust. I use this song to introduce us to Hagar, who had to do a little submitting to God's will herself. I find it so interesting that Hagar gets to name God in this section of God's Word. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercise this week is: Journal your dialogue with God Being in a situation where you thought God led you, but now you are just broken and hurt The story behind why Hillary Scott hasn't shared what the song is about for her - You Tube Video Potential areas of Scripture that this song might lead - Matthew 6, Luke 11 The promise of God to Abram without the "how" or "when" details we all long for - Genesis 15:5-6 Introduc

Send us a text We can hide behind convenient truth when things are swell, but when our feet are to the fire the deep truth tends to come out. Will we be willing to log years of faithfulness such that our circumstances no longer define God's ability or position in our minds? "Even If" by MercyMe leads us to a powerful "even if" moment in Scripture. What can we learn from three friends in a foreign land? On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include Reading in context Reviewing introductions to books of the Bible Consider the historical context Introduction to the Book of Daniel - BlueLetterBible.org The background of the three friends highlighted in Daniel 3 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's position in the province of Babylon - Daniel 2:49 Despite their wisdom and faithful service to the king, there were those waiting to tattle on the friends - Daniel 3:8 What the friends chose to di

Send us a text Your emotions and feelings are real, but they are not reliable. This week we will use "Maybe It's Ok" by We Are Messengers to explore the truth about God so that we can truly say, "It's okay that I'm not okay." We can trust God to hold it all together even when we feel like it's all falling apart. Let's discover this together in Scripture. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Reading in context Make a list Follow the cross references The wonderful conference I attended - Proclaim Truth Conference Your emotions and feelings are real, but they are not reliable Instead of taking our cues from our emotions, we rely upon who God has told us He is It is wrong to seek knowledge of self independent of our knowledge of God Reading Colossians 1:15-20 to discover the characteristics of Christ Discovering that not only did Christ create all things, but He holds

Send us a text Sometimes our lives can be broken. Other times we can be completely decimated -- rendering us into a pile of dust. How fortunate for us that we serve a Creator Who knows just what to do with dust. Mack Brock sings of God's ability to create out of dust in his song "Into Dust." Let's be encouraged together as we explore what God can do with a little dust in Scripture. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Reading in context Make a list An example of how something may look perfect on the outside, but be so fragile it can explode into a cloud of dust The story behind the song "Into Dust" by Mack Brock - Worship Together The book by Lysa Terkeurst - It's Not Supposed to Be This Way "Dust doesn't have to signify the end. Dust is often what must be present for the new to begin." - Lysa Terkeurst Article How in Scripture God uses dust to create, to he

Send us a text I dropped a glass casserole lid on my tile kitchen floor the other day. It shattered into a host of small pieces. I'm still finding pieces of glass here and there. There's a difference between being broken and shattered. Shattered seem so irreparable. In Blanca's song "Shattered" she reminds us that the task of putting the shattered pieces back together is not too big for God. Scripture offers many examples of shattered lives that God touches. We'll look at one example together this week. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Reading in context Make observations Ask questions Consult a map Remembering the people described in the Bible were real Consult section headings Read in a variety of translations Make a list Define words How we are able to comfort others because of our own experiences - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 The daily practice of being washed in the Word as an

Send us a text We live in a very self-centered society these days. I read a study recently that stated that 1 in 5 millennials would quit their job to become famous. This is not the way of Jesus, however. Casting Crowns song "Only Jesus" reminds us that "Jesus is the only name to remember." Join me in Psalm 115 as we join the Psalmist in comparing and contrasting God and idols (anything that sets itself up as a god in our lives). On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Compare and contrast Make a list Journal your dialogue with God Rapid Bible Read Through with Keith Ferrin - KeithFerrin.com "In the beginning, God..." everything that was created was made by God and for His glory The tension for me to give God glory alone and build a platform where more people can be exposed to what God is saying through me How the theme of Psalm 115 matches our song this week - Psalm 115:1 Our &quo

Send us a text The red letters in our Bibles highlight the words of Christ. In Crowder's new song "Red Letters" he sings of the power of those words to change our hearts as the Holy Spirit breathes life into our spiritually dead bodies. There are some pretty big ideas woven into this song. Let's explore the Scriptural basis together. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Reading in context Referring to an outside resource Reading in a variety of translations Consulting all four gospel accounts The history of the Red Letter Bible - Crossway.org Article How this song reminds us of the Scriptural truth that we are born sinners and God sent a Messiah to redeem and restore all things We are sinners not only by action and attitude, but by nature - Ephesians 2:1-3 Our destiny is hell without Jesus - John 3:35-36 Christ's arrest and crucifixion - John 18-19 How the priests lost sight of their

Send us a text Have you ever been asked to, "Walk a mile in someone else's shoes?" That's exactly the journey I took this week as I used Hannah Kerr's "Christmas Eve in Bethlehem" to lead me to the Christmas story once again. This time through the Christmas story we'll seek to place ourselves inside the story and see how the story would/should go in our lives today. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Repetition Listen to an audio version of the text Remembering the people depicted in the Christmas story were REAL Jen Wilkin's C.I.A. Method - Comprehension, Interpretation, Application Tackling this week's question (that falls into the application step), "How would I respond?" The shepherds were real, Mary was real, Joseph was real...you get the idea How the "inn" may have been a family room and the manger may have been in the house - GotQ

Send us a text "Jesus is Alive" is not normally a Christmas greeting, but I guess it could be! Josh Wilson's song "Jesus is Alive" reminds us all that Christ first came to life in human form as a baby in Bethlehem so long ago. That breath changed everything! When Jesus came back to life after Calvary, that breath changed everything again! So whether we are thinking of Christmas or the Resurrection, let's declare that Jesus is alive! There is joy in the coming of Christ, but that doesn't mean that His coming eliminated all grief. Let's explore the two together. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Repetition - this is the fourth week in Christmas story Scriptures Make a list Read in context My desire for you to read the Bible and know what it says Making a list of verbs in Luke 2:8-20 Contrasting the "good news of great joy" with the grief also found in and ar

Send us a textLights are a major part of modern-day Christmas decorating traditions. It’s what completes the tree, or lights up small-town streets. The lights of Christmas and Matt Redman’s Christmas song “These Christmas Lights” is our inspiration to explore Scripture all about the Light of the World.     Use the lights of Christmas to remind you that Jesus is the true light. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Slow down - linger Repetition - this is the third week in Christmas story Scriptures Read and keep on reading Follow the cross references My struggle with lingering Considering the Christmas story after lingering in the knowledge of previous episodes (episode 248) The angels were doing what they were created to do - Luke 2:13-14, Psalm 148:5-6 Praise the Lord...and sometimes use words Using Christmas lights to remind me of the glory of the Lord shining around the shepherds the night of

Send us a textWhen you drive up to a traffic circle and encounter a red triangular sign, it triggers a behavior to yield to traffic in the circle. If you're married and gaze upon your wedding band, it may trigger memories of your wedding day or perhaps just bring your spouse's face to mind. There are signs and symbols everywhere that prick our memories or guide our behaviors -- especially at Christmas. This week, we will use "Noel" as sung by Lauren Daigle on Chris Tomlin's new Christmas album to point us to the symbols of Christmas and Scriptural truth we can take with us all year long. Invest in some time learning Scripture references that the symbols of Christmas can spark in your mind for years to come. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Explore a topic - the symbols of Christmas Use an outside resource - a video/outline by my mentor, Merida Brooks What the word "sign" means in

Send us a textWhat do you think of when you think of Christmas? Family traditions? Decorations? Gift giving and receiving? When Hillsong Worship sings "When I Think Upon Christmas" they sing of the greatest gift of all time...Jesus, God with us, Savior of the world. Let's take a close look at the accounts of the birth of Christ together. On this week's episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Compare and contrast Ask questions What do I learn about God in this Scripture? His character His conduct His concerns The wrong question, "What does it mean to me?" Getting rid of misconceptions about what is and is not in the Christmas story by reading it for ourselves in Scripture Not skipping the genealogy in Matthew 1 Episode 149 Knowing Faith Podcast - Jesus' Family Tree A wonderful book recommendation - “Asking the Right Questions” by Matthew Harmon Stopping to ponder the tragi

Send us a textHow could I miss that? The answer is usually because I'm not paying attention. Dennis Jernigan's song, "Thank You, Lord," might not be a new worship anthem, but it gives us a great structure to linger in some areas of Scripture we've covered in the past few weeks on the podcast. It will do our hearts good to go back over some ground we've covered to see if there might be something we missed that we can turn into thanksgiving to our God. Try a new technique to tarry in God's Word with new purpose. On this week's episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: The color method Annotate Define words Pray Scripture Where I first heard this song (hint: it was a while back) Learning to linger by going back to sections of Scripture we've covered the last few weeks Psalm 148 - Episode 244 Daniel 6 - Episode 245 Jonah 2 - Episode 246 Isaiah 26 - Episode 247 Using this week's son

Send us a textMaybe it's too many Hallmark Movies, but I love it when the protagonist leans in and puts her head on the shoulder of the man she's fallen in love with. In that act there is a sense of love, safety, and trust. In the song by The Belonging Co, "Peace Be Still," Lauren Daigle sings about faith rising up and peace reigning. This very thing shows up in another song found in the book of Isaiah where we learn to "lean in" to our Father through trust. Join me as we explore the words of this Old Testament prophet. On this week's episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Repetition Listen to audio version Refer to an overview/outline - Blue Letter Bible Link One Word Annotate - use my free resource to guide you as an example Complete a Word Study How to not overthink it - use anything to inspire you to pick up your Bible and read it for yourself Letting God's Word speak for itself - do

Send us a textDo you ever feel like you are drowning with seaweed wrapped around your head? It's a pretty descriptive picture of distress that I see in Scripture AND in Avril Lavigne's new song, "Head Above Water." When we're drowning in life let's cry out to God for rescue because "salvation belongs to the Lord!" Let's talk about Jonah, Jesus, and the folly of taking things into our own hands. On this week's episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Listen to audio version Repetition Use multiple translations The story behind Avril Lavigne's song "Head Above Water" - God Tube Article The power of linking your Bible study to music Linking some of the lyrics of our song and the actions of Jonah Encouragement in the prayer of Jonah - Jonah 2 How Jonah points to Jesus - Matthew 12:38-41 The keys for Jonah in his distress Remembering the Lord Praying to

Send us a textThe world today has a way taking good and noble things and twisting them into something God never intended. As we spend time in Scripture inspired by Sanctus Real's song "Confidence," the stark contrast between God's way and the world's way rises to the surface. Join me as we jump into God's Word and combat bad ideas with truth. On this week's episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read and keep on reading Consider a topic Consider the opposite Write out observations Deciding WHO will be our confidence - Proverbs 3:26 Considering what the world deems as confidence building exercises and comparing them to accounts of men of faith in God's Word The methods the father of lies uses uses to distort truth twist the truth slightly (by the way...that equals a lie) mix in truth with lies put some "that sounds like a good idea" stuff in there (don't forget, God's