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

Send us a textWe serve a loving God. He helps us in our weakness, He causes everything to work together for our good, He gives us right standing before Him by taking away the sin nature we could never conquer on our own, and so much more. Riley Clemmons sings about this in her song "For The Good," but it all came from Paul's letter to the Romans. Let's read this letter together. Grab a Reader's Bible, and I'll meet you in the letter to the Romans. In this episode, I discuss: 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 Setting our hope on WHO God is over what He can do for us How the Intitute for Bible Reading is changing the way people read the Bible - InstituteForBibleReading.org Immersing ourselves in the text of the Bible with fewer distractions - Immerse: The Reading Bible My recommended resource - Immerse: Messiah (the complete New Testament in one reading volume)

Send us a textIf the gospel message were a song, it would be "Thank You Jesus For The Blood" by Charity Gayle. The good news is that Christ's sacrifice covers our sins offering us eternal salvation. Join me as we explore the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament and how it foreshadowed the "once and for all" sacrifice of Jesus. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Consult an overview of the book Read larger chunks of Scripture Read and keep on reading by setting a timer rather than focusing on chapters read A resource for breaking apart this song lyric by lyric and pointing to Scripture - TheBereanTest.com Leviticus - The Most Exciting Book You've (N)ever Read - David Schrock Article The chiastic structure of Leviticus (so fascinating) - Meeting God in the Margin Article Consulting an overview of Leviticus before reading - BibleProject.com Video The Day of Atonement as the pinn

Send us a textHave you ever put your trust in something or someone you thought would never change, only to have them change? With our God, there is no chance of change. God's immutability is one of His attributes that brings me comfort and joy every time I meditate on it. This week I use Sanctus Real's song "My God Is Still The Same" to ponder our unchanging Lord. Join me as we explore various Scripture references that remind us "our God is still the same." Get inspired to read a larger section of Scripture in the book of Numbers where God makes his unchanging nature known. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Use your imagination Compare and contrast Read learger chunks of Scripture NEW BITE! Apples, Bananas, Coconuts Ask questions Meditate on Scripture Storying God's immutability - the attribute of God that means He does not change The Immutability of God - Tabletalk Art

Send us a textWe often forget the people described in the Bible were real. Can I add, especially Jesus? We read of Jesus' triumphant victory over death and the grave in each gospel and His instructions to His disciples before He ascends to the Father. CAIN's song "The Commission" beautifully portrays this transition reminding us how precious His disciples are to Him. May we explore the "end" of each gospel with a renewed sense of Christ's humanity, never taking our eyes off of His authority and divinity. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Share with friend How the "helps" in our Bible might actually distract us more than help us Glenn Paauw quote, "We have made it hard for people to just flat out read the Bible..." - DesiringGod.org Interview "Saving the Bible from Ourselves: Learning to Read and Live the Bible Well" by Glenn

Send us a textWe are the workmanship of a creative God. Our new lives in Christ are supposed to mean something. We are called to walk in a manner worthy of the calling on our lives, and God planned out the good works for us to walk in. Taylor Leonhardt's song "Poetry" led me to ponder this, and more, in Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Join me in spending time in this letter, with a deep look at the profound transformation we experience in Christ and what it's all for. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Consider historical context Consult an overview Follow the cross-references Mark up the text Make a list Meditate on Scripture Differentiating the art from the inspiration for the art Seeking to know more about Scripture to better appreciate the art created inspired by it The focus verse - Ephesians 2:10 Reading the entire letter to the Ephesians Consulting overvie

Send us a textWe like choices, but God is an exclusive God. He demands our exclusive worship. More than that, he ALONE is our refuge -- all others are lacking. Both Scripture and Skillet's song "Refuge" remind us of this fact. Let's link our song to a psalm to meditate on God's Word. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Consider the historical background Start with God Ask questions Make a list The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE Behind the song "Refuge" by Skillet - Behind the Song With Kevin Davis Behind the track "Refuge" by Skillet - a message from Jon Cooper - YouTube Video Exploring Psalm 46 on a previous episode - Episode 233 How ten psalms talk about God being our refuge, but we chose to focus on Psalm 62 Looking up the word "refuge" in the dictionary and thesaurus God ALONE is our refuge - Psalm 62:1-2 Making observations about David&

Send us a textWe spend so much time trying to make things happen in our lives. The pandemic has shown us how little control we have on a global level. Elevation Worship's song "Graves Into Gardens" reminds us that God does transformational things -- and He's the only One Who can. Let's use this song to send us to the words of a prophet and a king to learn more about our transformational God. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Consider the historical background Start with God Ask questions Make a list The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE My prayer for my listeners -- that God will give you an unreasonable desire for His Word that leads to an unsurpassable relationship with Him God, Himself is our goal, and our priority must be our Father and His kingdom Spending time in Isaiah 61 in Episode 282 Our starting-point verse that uses the phrase "mourning to danci

Send us a textThere's a shortage of truth in the world today. Of course, the definition of truth seems to be up for grabs for some, but today we're talking about sincerity in action without pretense. Matthew West sings about this in his song "Truth Be Told." Jesus teaches about it in the Gospel of Matthew. Spend some time this week examining the words of Jesus with an open heart. In this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Consider the historical background Follow the cross-references Utilize a trusted outside resource (like a commentary or Study Bible) Read in context Summarize the text in your own words Ask questions of the text Remember, the people in the Bible were real The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE Matthew West's story behind the song - YouTube Video The book Matthew West wrote that he mentioned in the video - "Hello My Name Is" by Matthew West The ve

Send us a text There was a national crisis, and the king didn't know what to do. At that moment, the king had choices. He could turn to his own wisdom, the advisors of those around him, or any number of places for advice. In the Scripture inspired by Phil Wickham's song "Battle Belongs," the king chose to seek the Lord. May we follow his example...well, mostly. Let's read the whole account of King Jehoshaphat's crisis in 2 Chronicles 20 and then read past it to see "the rest of the story." In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Reading in context Storying Sharing with a friend Compare and contrast Remembering the people described in the Bible were REAL Prayer Praying Scripture The 30 Day Music Challenge Heading over to 2 Chronicles 20 for the week How I've used this area of Scripture in previous episodes - Episode 151 and Episode 305 Watching Phil Wickham take the B

Send us a textWhat does Scripture say about the house of the Lord? That's what I set out to discover with Phil Wickham's new song, "House Of The Lord," playing in the background. The answer weaves through the Old and New Testaments. We only scratch the surface, but let's see how much we can explore. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Explore a topic Make observations Slow down Share with a friend Follow the cross-references The 30 Day Music Challenge Phil Wickham's thoughts in the story behind the song - YouTube Video David's own joy at the thought of going to the house of the Lord - Psalm 122:1 Expressing curiosity at the thought that David implies going to the temple, but it wasn't built in his lifetime The story of David's desire to build a house for the Lord and God's response - 2 Samuel 7:1-7 A wonderful resource to explore the tabernacle and what

Send us a text It doesn't matter how thick the walls are to us; it only matters how thick the walls are to God. When Andrew Ripp sings of our fears coming down like Jericho walls in his song "Jericho," I was inspired to study the story leading up to that moment. I learned a lot about Joshua and what God commanded him. {Spoiler alert: God speaks directly to his fear.} Join me on the journey this week! In this encore episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Context Read larger chunks of Scripture Consider the opposite Use section headings to get your bearings Read/watch an overview of the book you're studying Consider the historical context Meditate on God's Word Follow the cross-reference The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE Not overcomplicating our time in God's Word Taking in the whole story - Joshua 1-6 Considering that "courage" is the opposite of "fear&qu

Send us a text The hustle and bustle of the holiday season are coming to an end. So many details remind us of Christ. What a tragedy it will be if we make room for the traditions that point to Him but fail to make room in our hearts for HIM. Casting Crowns' song, "Make Room," inspired me to take a step back and view the details from a different perspective. Join me as we explore just how long ago the details of the Christmas narrative were set in motion. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Storying - retelling the story of Scripture in your own words Share with a friend Slow down Repetition The 30 Day Music Challenge The Lifeway report revealing 90% of Americans celebrate Christmas, but 17% of them can't remember any of the narrative - BreakPoint Podcast Letting the narrative of the birth of Christ sink in, to the point where you can retell it in your own words (a.k.a. taking the BITE of

Send us a text The symbols of Christmas have become the traditions of Christmas -- traditions like an evening drive to see grand light displays. When you hear a song like "Christmas Lights" by Love & the Outcome, allow it to point your heart toward Jesus, the Light of the World. You can't consider the Christmas story without remembering the true Light that invaded the darkness when He put on flesh and dwelled among us. In this 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 an audio version of the text Repetition Make a list Meditate on Scripture Use your imagination The 30 Day Music Challenge Seeing Jesus as the true light in John 1 Following the cross-reference to Genesis 1 Comparing and contrasting the themes we see in Genesis 1 and John 1 Seeing Jesus in Zechariah's prophecy over his son John - Luke 1:76-79 Slowing down and letting the truths of Scripture sink in as we look

Send us a text Many of the details of Christmas get embellished, altered, or even left out of our traditional scenes, songs, and readings. Keith and Kristyn Getty, along with Ellie Holcomb, sing a song, "Elizabeth," that inspired me to dive into the details of her life. You won't want to miss what Elizabeth's story has to teach us. In this 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 an audio version of the text Repetition Make a list Meditate on Scripture Use your imagination The 30 Day Music Challenge Having certainty concerning the things we have been taught - Luke 1:1-4 Things we learn about Elizabeth She was in the line of Aaron - Luke 1:5 She was righteous before God - Luke 1:6 She walked blamelessly in all commandments and statutes - Luke 1:6 She couldn't have children - Luke 1:7 She was advanced in years - Luke 1:7 An angel declared to her husband that she would bea

Send us a text We have felt needs and "real" needs. God cares about them both, but He prioritizes real needs. Brandon Heath sings about both in his song, "We Need Emmanuel." Our real need stems from our separation from God, but our felt needs are addressed through His ongoing presence in our lives. Join me as we see why the fulfillment of the prophecy promising "God with us" was necessary. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Follow the cross-references Read and keep on reading Read in context The 30 Day Music Challenge How we are eternally separated from God because of sin - Galatians 3:19 Obeying ALL of God's laws is impossible and can't save us - Romans 3:20 How we're under a curse - Galatians 3:10 How Jesus is THE offspring - Galatians 3:16 Moses as the intermediary between God and the people - Galatians 3:19 Following the cross-references to understand the phr

Send us a text Is there room for rejoicing in the midst of fear? Charles Spurgeon writes, "Fear, without joy, is torment; and joy, without holy fear, would be presumption." Using Andrew Ripp's song "Rejoice" we explore a variety of responses (one of which is rejoicing) to the miracle of our risen Savior. Come with me to an open tomb with a lightning-bright angel perched atop a stone. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Make a list Slow down Remember the people described in the Bible were REAL The 30 Day Music Challenge A quote from Andrew Ripp about the genesis of this song - KLove Article Our inspiration verse - Psalm 2:11 How our inspiration verse brings together weeks of Bible study Episode 398 - talking about awe and wonder Episode 403 - talking about trembling before the Lord This week - talking about rejoicing with trembling Charles Spurgeon reminding us that, "There mu

Send us a text Does the idea of trembling before the Lord inspire you or make you feel uncomfortable? Lauren Daigle's song "Tremble" inspired me to explore where people are described as trembling before the Lord. Spoiler alert: It should inspire you. Join me as we examine a couple of places in Scripture where we see why and how we should tremble before the Lord. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Explore a topic Read in context Read and keep on reading Repetition Follow the cross-reference Compare and contrast Make a list Examine the text in various translations Complete a word study The 30 Day Music Challenge Getting a Scripture starting point by typing in a keyword into BibleHub.com Understanding what the text actually says before moving to what it means before moving to what it means for me Finding the instruction to "serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling" - Psalm

Send us a text I know sometimes it's easy to think the division of our day has never happened before. As Ecclesiastes teaches us, "There is nothing new under the sun." Mike Donehey sings about being "All Together" in his new song. I want to explore what we can learn from a church family who DIDN'T have it all together and what they were taught to overcome the division of their day. Let's explore the first letter to the church at Corinth together. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Consider the opposite Historical context Read the envelope Follow the cross-references Read and keep on reading Repetition Make a list The 30 Day Music Challenge Exploring the division revealed in the early church at Corinth Discovering the historical context of the city of Corinth as a cosmopolitan city made up of people from all over the empire brining their worldviews and practices with them

Send us a text When an obscure passage is brought to light in the lyrics of a song, it gives us an excellent reason to engage in areas of Scripture we may have overlooked for a while. Elevation Worship's song "RATTLE!" refers to the bones of a prophet whose life is worth exploring. Join me in looking into the life and miracles of the prophet Elisha inspired by our song this week. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Explore a topic Read in context Read and keep on reading Meditate Remember the people described in the Bible were REAL Prayer The 30 Day Music Challenge The obscure story about a man coming to life after being tossed onto Elisha's bones - 2 Kings 13:20-21 Yearning for what is unseen, not what is unspoken, as we wrestle with the holy text of Scripture Struggling with the question, "What am I supposed to do with this?" Reading about the beginning of Elisha's pers

Send us a text Our God is a God who celebrates milestones. This week is a significant milestone for the podcast, and the song "In Christ Alone" celebrates an anniversary, too! Let's celebrate by digging into God's Word! When was the last time you let your curiosity lead you down a path that led to greater insight? Let's explore Scripture together. In this episode, I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Explore a topic Consult an outside resource Follow the cross-references Define words The 30 Day Music Challenge 400 episodes - we've gone from 1 in 86,000 podcast in 2014 to 1 in 2,000,000 in 2021 A little controversy around this song - Al Mohler's The Briefing - Part Three Considering the theology behind God's wrath being satisfied Being discerning in what we take into our lives as truth The various perspectives Scripture speaks about the cross of Christ Wrestling through