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

Send us a text What is your natural response to the love, power, and glory of God? Do your lips exclaim hallelujah? Do you sing with joy? Do you praise with a heart of gratitude? That's what Brandon Lake's song "Gratitude" leads us to do. And it's reflective of another song in Scripture. King David was in a literal wilderness season when he wrote Psalm 63. Let's consider his song together in light of his circumstances. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Follow the cross-reference Complete a word study Consult an outside resource Meditate on Scripture Make a list The free one-page PDF Episode Guide to guide your study - Episode 460 Download Choosing Psalm 63 because our theme verse matches the lyrics of our song - Psalm 63:4 Following the cross-reference to 2 Samuel 13-19 to read about David and Absolom and what led to David's wilderness experience

Send us a text Let this be an encouragement to you. Don't lose heart, my friend. This life is filled with many afflictions -- some of which feel like they might pull us under. But you're not alone. Just like Steven Curtis Chapman sings in his song "Don't Lose Heart."     Paul offers his own words of encouragement in his second letter to the Corinthians. Let's explore God's Word together. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Read and keep on reading Make observations Complete a word study Follow the cross-references The free one-page PDF Episode Guide to guide your study - Episode 459 Download The KLOVE blog post where Steven discusses the story behind the song "Don't Lose Heart" - KLOVE.com article Mary Beth Chapman's book "Choosing to SEE: A Journey of Struggle and Hope" - Amazon Paid Link

Send us a text It's true -- God really does love you. But what kind of love is the Father's love? This is the question I explored in Scripture in this episode inspired by Crowder's song "God Really Loves Us." Continue soaking in John's first epistle as we look at it from a different starting point. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Repetition Read in context Historical context Mark up the text Consult an outside resource Episode 457, where we talk about studying 1 John, seeking what it has to teach us about being a child of God God's love is distinct from humans because he is distinct from humans God's love is a reflection of His character Beholding the manner of God's love - 1 John 3:1 Reviewing the historical context around John's first epistle - "The Message of John's Letters" by David Jackman - Amazon Paid Link De

Send us a text As believers, our position in Christ and the family of God changes everything. We have been transformed; who we were before is not who we are now. But did you know what we will be is not who we are now? I was inspired by Ben Fuller's song "Who I Am" to study what Scripture says is the evidence and responsibility of a child of God. Join me as we plumb the depths of 1 John this week. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Listen to an audio version of the text Start with God Mark up the text Meditate on God's Word Define words Explore a theme Repetition Make a list The goal of the podcast is not to "mix it up" but instead discover and meditate on God's Word -- even if you stay in the same place for awhile Companion episodes to this week Episode 447 - "Then Christ Came" by MercyMe Episode 455 - "Perfectly Loved" by Rach

Send us a text In his song "Good Lord," David Leonard sings about looking back to see all that God has done, which provides the foundation for his declaration about the goodness of God. This is a celebrated practice throughout Scripture. This week we soak in a Psalm of Remembrance and learn the value of remembering and rehearsing the goodness of God. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Listen to an audio version of the text Read aloud Repetition Make a list Start with God Follow the cross-references Looking for the songwriter's purpose - Psalm 78:1-4 The types of Psalms found in Scripture Psalm 78 as a didactic psalm - intended to instruct Reasons to teach our children/others the truths of Scripture - Psalm 78:5-8 Following the cross-references to the historical narrative summarized in Psalm 78 Three times the psalmist highlights the people testing God

Send us a text There is comfort and conviction in the idea that we are perfectly loved by God. We can learn about God's perfect love in Scripture and then use Rachael Lampa's song "Perfectly Loved" to remind us of what we've studied. Let's contemplate this area of Scripture together using a meditative practice. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Pray Repetition Read the text aloud Listen to contemplative music as you meditate Slow down One word Meditate on God's Word Consider the opposite Follow the cross-references Pray Scripture Following the Lectio Devina workflow in Logos Bible Software Stretching yourself by trying something new but giving yourself grace in the process Start by asking God to guide your time in His Word The next step is the "lectio" part of Lectio Devina (which means Divine Reading) - lectio means "reading"

Send us a text One of the main reasons listeners give for not reading the Bible for themselves is distraction. I'm right there with you. I can't tell you the number of times I pick up my phone to do something, and my notifications send me off on the trail of distraction that leads to forgetting what I wanted to do on my phone in the first place. Sean Curran's song "All Praise" reminds us to fix our eyes on God. This is to turn our attention to Him and His ways. Let's explore three Scripture areas that tell us what to fix our eyes on. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Make a list Meditate on Scripture Passion Conferences and the longevity of them - Isaiah 26:8 A response to the public recitation of God's Word A previous episode on fixing our eyes - Episode 331 Fixing our eyes on Jesus - Hebrews 12:2 Noting the amount of unseen and unkno

Send us a text It's a new year, and God longs for you to sit with Him in His Word. He wants to reveal Himself to you. He wants to unveil the mystery of His plan for His chosen people. God wants you to desire Him above all else. And He wants you to look like Him. This week we'll fill your toolbox with Bible Interaction Tool Exercises you can put into practice this year. Rather than being inspired by a song to study, I found one that reflected my study. Join me in the lyrics of Psalm 73 (both by Asaph and ForeverBeSure), and let's put these BITEs into practice this week. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Repetition Meditation Follow the cross-references Read in various translations Make a list Start with God Historical context Define words Share with a friend Listen to an audio version Pray Pray Scripture Read the text aloud Remember, the people d

Send us a textGet access to Story Sessions: A Seat at the Table, a free, three-part, interactive video series at michellenezat.com/freeseat

Send us a text Reading familiar Scriptures from a fresh perspective helps God's Word come alive for me. Katy Nichole's Christmas song "O What A King" is sung from Mary's perspective and caused me to revisit the details of Christ's birth with her in mind. Let's read these familiar passages together again with a new emphasis. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Remembering people described in the Bible were real Start with God Make a list Compare and contrast Consult an overview Recognizing while we are focusing on Mary's story this week, the GRAND story is always about Jesus Rereading the Christmas account with an emphasis on Mary's perspective A question every believer can ask is, "Who am I that you would choose me?" - Psalm 8:4 Identifying a very human response to an angel speaking Mary's name Making a list of Mary's res

Send us a text During the Christmas season, it's easy to think the story of Christ begins at His birth. The truth is that Jesus is eternal, and His role in humanity and creation is worth meditating on. Michael W. Smith's song "God With God" provides a perfect roadmap to interact with God's Word this week. Let's consider what Scripture teaches us about Christ's role leading up to that holy night. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Exploring a theme Meditate on Scripture Consider an outside resource Jesus is "God With God" as in our lyrics - John 1:1-2 Jesus existed before the foundation of the world - Ephesians 1:304 Jesus is a member of the Trinity Defining the Trinity - Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology - Amazon Paid Link Jesus is pure and perfect - Hebrews 5:9 Jesus is satisfied and with no need - Acts 17:24-25 Jesus is not dependen

Send us a textThere is such a sense of expectancy in the Christmas season. We hope our gifts for others are “just right,” we hope everyone gets along at our various gatherings, we hope to make lasting and meaningful memories, and sometimes we hope for that perfect gift. Before Jesus came the first time, all of creation hoped for God to send the One that would rescue the world. Kari Jobe’s song, “When Hope Came Down,” calls us to examine Christ, who “came down” to do the will of the Father. You and I are included in Father God’s plan. This week we see the express purpose of Hope coming down. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week’s Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Repetition Reading in a variety of translations Listening to an audio version of Scripture Reading aloud Sharing with friends Asking questions The account of the angels lifting up their voices  – Luke 2:1-21 The desperate plea for God to “rend the heavens and come down” – Isaiah 64:1 Jes

Send us a text There is a long-held practice in teaching biblical theology. It uses questions and answers to help the student remember the foundations of their faith. Shane & Shane sing a traditional Christmas hymn that asks and answers an important question, "What Child Is This?" Many people in the life of Jesus asked this question (or something similar to it), and this week we set out in the book of Luke to make a list of answers we can refer back to in our own faith walk. In this week's episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Read and keep on reading Make a list Historical context What child is this? The angel Gabriel's answer - Luke 1:30-35 The angel's answer to the shepherds - Luke 2:10-12 Jesus' answer to his parents - Luke 2:41-52 Jesus' answer to his hometown synagogue - Luke 4:16-30 Jesus' response to the Pharisees and scribes - Luke 5:1

Send us a text Have you ever experienced deep darkness? I'm talking about the kind of darkness that envelops you so tightly it affects your breathing. That only begins to scratch the surface of the depth of darkness we are in without the light of Christ. In their song "Then Christ Came," MercyMe sings of that light and how He took our sins away. I took on the first letter of John this week to see exactly how Christ's coming should (and should not) be reflected in our lives. In this week's episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Repetition Consult an overview Compare and contrast When Christ came, He changed everything - 1 John 3:5 A plan for reading 1 John several times over several days as a foundation for future study Two words that jumped out at me -- "abide" and "sinning" Marking up my favorite Scripture journal with my favorite Bible highlig

Send us a text The New Testament is filled with moments when Jesus moved, and the people missed it. The religious leaders missed it, the crowds missed it, and even Christ's disciples missed it. Matt Maher sings of wanting to experience a move of Jesus in his song "In The Room." I, too, want to be in the room when He moves. Come along with me this week as we immerse ourselves in what is going on in the room in Mark 2. In this week's episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Make observations Make a list Read in context Use your imagination Start with God Picturing what is going on in the room in Mark 2:1-12 Observing key details in the scene returned home crowded Jesus was preaching the word to them word = the message - Mark 1:15 four men and a paralytic on a mat determined - Mark 2:4 faith faith leads to forgiveness scribes questioning in their hearts Jesus knew what they were thinking

Send us a text The original creation had a purpose that was marred and derailed by sin. Scripture teaches in Christ, we are a new creation. Mac Powell sings of it in his song, "New Creation." It's the perfect song to launch into God's Word to learn all we can about what it means to be a new creation. Did you know there are only two places in the New Testament where the exact phrase "new creation" is used? I'm going to pick one and dive deep. Join me! In this week's episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Read the text aloud Pray Make a list Define words Compare and contrast How the song is linked to "Soul On Fire" by Third Day - Episode 55 Our inspiration verse - 2 Corinthians 5:17 Slowing down to read the text in context and asking God to help me see what He wanted me to see Seeing links to what we've studied in previous weeks Pleas

Send us a text When Ben Fuller sings, "Making my Father proud looks a whole lot different now" in his new song "Proud," he is ripping pages out of my story and laying them bare. I spent a lot of energy trying to please earthly men. What I really want to know is how to please my Heavenly Father. Join me as we dive into a few ways we can please God. The question is, are we up for the challenge? In this week's episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Consult an overview Read in context (read the whole letter) Listen to an audio version of the text Follow the cross-references Make observations Make a list Complete a word study Consult an outside resource Meditate on Scripture Compare and contrast How my personal story is reflected in the lyrics of Ben Fuller's song, "Proud" Walking in a way that is pleasing to God - 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Discovering what cannot please God -

Send us a text In this episode, I have the privilege of hosting Ben Fuller to talk about his new song "Proud," his faith and music story, his favorite Scriptures, and a habit that keeps his time in God's Word fresh. Connect with Ben Fuller Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bendfullermusic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bendfuller Website: https://www.benfullerofficial.com/ Get access to Story Sessions: A Seat at the Table, a free, three-part, interactive video series at michellenezat.com/freeseat

Send us a text There's a phrase in the lyrics of Phil Wickham's song "Hymn Of Heaven" that comes directly from Revelation -- "death will be no more." There are many things we don't know about the new heavens and the new earth, but we know death will be eliminated. What a profound thought. What else might Scripture tell us about the new heaven and the new earth? Let's explore Revelation and Isaiah together! In this week's episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Consult an overview Compare and contrast Repetition Meditate on Scripture The challenge to read Revelation for yourself Why Immerse: Messiah rearranged the books of the New Testament - InstituteForBibleReading.org Article Studying part of Revelation in light of the whole by consulting an overview of the book - The Bible Project Overview Videos Deciding on a chunk of Scripture to study and reading it repeti

Send us a text Every time they turned around, Jesus confounded the religious elite. They thought they knew how a man of God should act, especially with whom he should associate. It's surprising how God shows up in the narratives of Scripture. In Katy Nichole and Big Daddy Weave's song "God Is In This Story," we are reminded that he also shows up in the broken stories, just like His Son. Join me this week as we explore a large chunk of Genesis with our antenna up for how everything affects the story of Judah and Tamar. Spoiler alert: their stories directly affect our own. In this week's episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Set a timer and read for a set period rather than a set number of verses or chapters Read and keep on reading Focus on a theme Use your imagination Consult an outside resource The book I'm writing and all that I'm learning about writin