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

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" in Latin - 1

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 unknown things peop

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 described in th

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 responses Medita

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 dependent upon anythin

There 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 Jesus declares th

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 5:17-26; Luke 7:3

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 highlighters - ESV Il

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 Jesus'

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 Pleasing God - 1 Co

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 - Romans 8:8 Wh

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/

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 repetitively by capt

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 writing a good story

Did you notice Him there? God keeps showing up even in the most tragic of circumstances. As Toby Mac and Blessing Offor sing, He truly is "The Goodness" in our lives. His goodness is so profound, however, that the Hebrew word for it is difficult to translate. We'll look at the Hebrew word checed within a Psalm this week. We'll see how God's goodness keeps showing up. 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 various translations Repetition Complete a word study Start with God Meditate Use your imagination This week's theme verse in the New King James Version - "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness - Psalm 107:8 Reading our theme verse in various translations and seeing that "goodness" is translated in many ways Completing a word study on the word for goodness - checed - BibleHub.com Always responding

It's a valid question -- the question Tasha Layton raises in her song "How Far." Is there something we can do, somewhere we can go, that can outrun God's love for us? Her answer? "However far away I am from home, that's how far Your love will go." God's grace pursuing us is consistent with the entire story of Scripture. The reason we can sing along with this is that God has revealed this about Himself over and over again. In 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 The grand story of Scripture, also known as the metanarrative Proclaim Truth Women's Conference - October 20-22, 2022, Fort Worth, TX - Grab Your Ticket Here God's judgment and His grace that is never too far behind   How far is God willing to go? Until He gives His only Son to die a brutal death and rise again the third day that anyone who believes in Him might

What in your life do you take for granted? I have a reliable car, so I pretty much take for granted that it will start when I need it to. If nothing else, you probably expected that chair you just sat in to hold you up. What about God? This week we’ll use Chris Tomlin’s song ”Always” to meditate on an importan attribute of God we may not think about very much. Follow along as I explore God’s eternal nature this week. In this week's episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Explore a theme in Scripture Define words Meditate on God Exploring the idea that God is eternal Exploring truths or ideas about God repeated throughout Scripture that provides the foundation for our beliefs (theology & doctrine) Utilizing a trusted outside source like Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology - Amazon Paid Link Scriptures that reflect God’s eternality - Psalm 90:2, Job 26:26 Recognizing the clearer we see our Creator, the clearer we can see o

When starting something new, I tend to have two responses. Either I give myself the grace to learn and grow, or I let my past failures dictate my future. I realize the latter is unhealthy. I'm just trying to keep it real. This week I used Jeremy Camp's song "Getting Started" to inspire me to explore the Apostle Paul's handling of the past. Join me as we explore Paul's unique perspective as we learn each day of our walk with Christ is like "getting started" all over again. In 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 Read out loud Compare and contrast Make a list How even Paul believes he hasn't "arrived" -- in fact, in many ways, he's just getting started - Philippians 3:10-14 Progressive sanctification Remembering we have an enemy on defense - "How To Enjoy Reading Your Bible" by Keith Ferrin My special offensive play

Sometimes Christians say things that are meant to be a comfort to others but aren't theologically sound. Shocking, I know. Some of my favorite videos to watch are when the guest has to guess if it's something that comes from the Bible or a quote. Today on the podcast, we prove the comforting ideas found in Matthew West's song "Me On Your Mind" come from Scripture. We'll study a wonderful prayer of Jesus to encourage us that He, indeed, had us on His mind. In this week's episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Meditate on Scripture Read in context Use the subheadings to gain your bearings Follow the cross-references Slow down Look up words in the dictionary Consult an outside resource Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis - Amazon Paid Link How Jesus had us on His mind in his recorded prayer in John 17 Backing up to John 13 and reading forward to get the full context of what was happening Co