More Than a Song - Discovering the Truth of Scripture Hidden in Today's Popular Christian Music

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The names of God reveal aspects of His character. I identified two names of God to explore using this week's song "Jireh" by Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music as inspiration.

Come with me to Genesis to learn more about Yahweh Yireh and El Shaddai.

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
  • Remembering the people described in the Bible were REAL
  • Consult a map
  • Use your imagination
  • Slow down
• My friend Vince Wright and his work at TheBereanTest.com - YouTube Interview on MichelleNezat TV
• The Berean Test's review of "Jireh" - TheBereanTest.com Article
• "Jireh" in our song refers to Jehovah Jireh, the King James Version translation of the Hebrew name for God Yahweh Yireh, meaning "The Lord Will Provide"
• "You are enough" in our song refers to the name for God El Shaddai, meaning All-Sufficient One
• Where God reveals His name El Shaddai - Genesis 17
• Considering the multiple cross-country moves Abram and his family made
• How Abram responded to God's "enoughness"
• How El Shaddai steps into our not-enoughness with His all-sufficiency
• Continuing to read through Genesis 22 to the story of Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac
• God's provision of a substitutionary sacrifice in Genesis 22 and again in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus

 

It's not letting God down we should be worried about. It's lifting ourselves up that gets us into trouble. Like Abram, I want to get LOW in light of God's all-sufficiency.

 

More Than a Song Playlist

Additional Resources

• Lyrics - NewReleaseToday.com
• "Live Beyond The Music" with Jasmine Patterson - NewReleaseToday.com Article
• "Can We Let God Down?" - Article by Barbara Lee Harper
• "Does God Have Emotions?" -

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What constitutes a miracle to you? How about raising a dead man to life? Of course! Did you know that miracle is available to us as well? That's what Lauren Daigle sings about in her song, "Still Rolling Stones." We learn straight from the words of Jesus in this episode.

Explore a familiar story with me in John 11.

In this week’s episode, I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
  • Repetition
  • Read in a variety of translations
  • Write in your Bible
• Reading the account of Christ's resurrection in all four gospels
• Choosing the rolling stone incident in John 11 - John 11:39
• Why I use the English Standard Version to study - Bonus article by Wayne Grudem
• Letting things "rise to the surface" by reading repetitively
• Doing the work of interacting with God's Word to get results
• Focusing on what we DO understand before getting thrown off by what we don't understand in a text
• Exploring some "so" and "so that"s in the text
  • Lazarus' illness was for God's glory SO THAT the Son of God may be glorified - John 11:4
  • Jesus loved the sisters and Lazarus, so he waited to go meet them in their grief - John 11:5
  • Jesus was glad he wasn't there so that they would believe - John 11:14-15
• Recognizing that we don't always know God's motive and big-picture plan (even though we often ascribe motive to Him anyway)
• Exploring exactly what Jesus wanted us to "believe" since he said it six of the nine times it was mentioned in this chapter - John 11:25-26
• Stepping out in faith to believe Jesus so that we too can be called from death to eternal life
• Recognizing that there were people who witnessed this miraculous event and still chose not to believe

 

It's REALLY, REALLY important to Jesus that you believe in Him. THAT is what leads to eternal life. He want to roll the stone away from your life.

  More Than a Song Playlist

Additional Resources

• Lyrics and chords - Essential Worship
• The Advantages of the English Standard Version (ESV) Translation - by Wayne Grudem (on the translation team of the ESV Bible) - online article

Weekly Challenge

Read John

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Our convictions govern our behavior. You will need deep convictions to stand for your faith in the culture today. This is just what Newsboys sings about in their new single "STAND."    

I hope to inspire you to read your Bible for yourself this week. Submitting to God's Word as true will develop deep convictions. This is just the foundation you need to stand on when the waves of culture come crashing upon your shore.

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 and keep on reading
  • Read in context
• Two college-aged girls who have taken a stand for the unborn
• The Ethics 101 article in the Maxwell Leadership Bible - Amazon Paid Link
• How Uriah's convictions determine his behavior, and ultimately his fate - 2 Samuel 11
• John Maxwell's definition of conviction - "A strong belief that so governs your decisions that you are willing to die for it."
• The progression from idea to opinion to belief to commitment to conviction
• Developing convictions in our lives through:
  • Acknowledging the Bible as the truth source from which we will live
  • Choosing to apply truth from that source to our daily life
  • Exposing ourselves to a relevant need or crisis
  • Determining ahead of time where we stand
• Uncovering Paul's call to stand in his letter to the Philippians - Philippians 1:27, Philippians 4:1
• Counting the cost with Paul in Philippians 1:20-21
• Discovering how Paul was willing to die for the magnification of Christ - Philippians 1:24-36
• How Paul was willing to die for the gospel, and it is in light of this deep conviction that he calls on

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In what circumstances do you need to be carried? I think of when I'm hurt or incapacitated -- any time when I can't carry myself. Ellie Holcomb's song "I Will Carry You" led me to consider God's thoughts on why He carries us.

Join me in the pages of Scripture to see why God even indicated He would carry us in the first place.

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
  • Slow down
  • Make a list
  • Meditate on Scripture
  • Read in context
  • Complete a word study
  • Consider the opposite
  • Compare and contrast
• How our featured area of meditation inspired Ellie Holcomb in the writing of the song as well - Isaiah 46:4 - JubileeCast.com Article
• How slowing down can lead to deeper observations and greater understanding
• God's method of getting us to look more closely at an idea - "Listen to me"
• The different words for "carry" used in this section of Isaiah
  • "borne" - Strongs #6006
  • "carry" - Strongs #5375
• God's reasoning behind His willingness to carry us
• Considering the opposite of what it would look like if God did not carry us
• God's compare and contrast between false God and Himself (spoiler alert: there is no comparison)
• Discovering the best place to start in Isaiah to take in more of the context of our focus area - reading Isaiah 40-46
  • J. Vernon McGee's Outline of Isaiah - BlueLetterBible.org
  • "How to Read the Bible Book by Book" by Fee and Stuart - Amazon Paid Link
• Uncovering the contrast between how we must carry our false gods and how God carries us - Isaiah 46:1-4
• The sky god and the wisdom god of Isaiah 46:1 compared with the only true God - Isaiah 40:12-14,
• God's question to us -- and His answer - Isaiah 40:18, Isaiah 46:5, Isaiah 46:9

 

As you sing this song and meditate on God's words through the prophet Isaiah, I pray you allow the Holy Spirit to reveal what ways you are leaning on other things to carry you.

  More Than a Song Playlist

Additional Resources

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When Brandon Heath sings of days getting dark and life getting hard in his song "See Me Through It," I immediately thought of Habakkuk and the national crisis during his time. The darkness and injustice of his time can be seen in our own, and just like Habakkuk, we can trust that God will see us through it.

I have a plan to help you interact with the text of this minor prophet all week. You don't want to miss it.

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
  • Remembering the people reflected in the Bible were real
  • Listen to an audio version of the text
  • Reading in context
  • Repetition
  • Study in various translations
  • Make a list
  • Write down observations
  • Ask questions
  • Write out a prayer inspired by Scripture
• Using this week's song as Habakkuk's theme song
• Thoughts about prophets I learned from reading in Abraham Joshua Heschel's book "The Prophets" - Amazon Paid Link
  • "The prophet is a person, not a microphone."
  • "The prophet's task is to convey a divine view, yet as a person, he is a point of view. He speaks from the perspective of God as perceived from the perspective of his own situation."
  • "To us, injustice is injurious to the welfare of the people; to the prophets, it is a deathblow to existence; to us, an episode, to them a catastrophe, a threat to the world."
• Habakkuk's "how long" and "why" questions we may be asking as well - Habakkuk 1:2-4
• Learning to be more sensitive to the things God is sensitive about
• A plan to utilize small chunks of time during the week to make a significant impact (as inspired by James Clear's "Atomic Habits" - Amazon Paid Link)
  • Day one: Listen to an audio version of Habakkuk 1-3 (it will take less than 10 minutes) - I use the YouVersion Bible App
  • Day two: Repeat day one
  • Day three: Listen to an audio version of Habakkuk in a different translations
  • Day four: Watch the Bible Project's Habakkuk Overview Video - BibleProject.com
  • Day five: Take 10 minutes to write down questions, prayers, lists, or general observations from the text (at this point, you've invested almost an hour, just split over several days)
  • Day six: Schedule extra time to follow some cross-references and see how Habakkuk connects to the rest of the Bible and Christ
    • Romans 1:7
    • Galatians 3:11
    • Hebrews 10:37
    • Revelation 19:11-21
    • Philippians 4:10-13

 

We are a people called to live by faith and God is a God who will see us through it until His appointed time.

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Christ is my firm foundation. He is the rock on which I stand. These are not just great lyrics from Maverick City Music in their song "Firm Foundation (He Won't)," but they're founded in Scripture.

Come with me on a journey through God's Holy Word to learn more about our Rock.

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
  • Make a list
  • Read in context
  • Compare and contrast
• God does not change and is not impacted by our current chaos
• Moving beyond powerful lyrics to the deeper truths that inspired them
• How Christ is our firm foundation - 1 Corinthians 3:11
• Christ as the cornerstone - Isaiah 28:16
  • a tested stone
  • a precious stone
  • a cornerstone
  • a sure foundation
• How Christ was rejected - Psalm 118 and Mark 12:10-11
• What it means that Jesus Christ is the cornerstone - GotQuestions.org Article
• How we fit it in the building of God as living stones - 1 Peter 2:4-8
• Christ as our only foundation - Use Episode 414 as a companion to this week's study - Psalm 62
• The use of "Rock" as a proper name for God rather than just figurative descriptions - Deuteronomy 32
• Discovering a contrast between our Rock and the rock of pagan culture
• How we can only declare that our house is built on Christ if we hear His words and do them - Matthew 7:24-27 - use Episode 271 as a companion to this week's study

We can only declare that our house is built on Christ if we hear His words and do them.

 

More Than a Song Playlist

Additional Resources

• Lyrics - NewReleaseToday.com
• What does it mean that Jesus Christ is the cornerstone? - Got Questions Article

Weekly Challenge

Explore Christ as our foundation using the Scriptures I've listed in the show notes above. Read and meditate on Psalm 62, where we learn that God alone is our rock and salvation. Don't miss out on what you will learn in Deuteronomy 32 by contrasting the faithfulness of G

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Our God is a God of abundance. But while we are looking around thinking an abundant life has to do more with material blessings and a lack of conflict, God has a better idea. Andrew Ripp's song "Fill My Cup" inspired me to discover what God wants to fill us with, as revealed by His holy Word.

Join me as we meditate on a couple of psalms and then diligently seek out what Scripture describes as a cup running over.

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
  • Explore a topic
  • Make a list
  • Compare and contrast
• Psalm 23 because of the phrase "my cup overflows" as inspired by our song - Psalm 23:5-6
• Debbie Devries podcast on Psalm 23:5-6 - Debbie Devries Ministry Podcast Episode 30 - "Dinner"
• How the table of a host was a place of provision and protection
• Psalm 16 because of the phrase "the Lord is my chosen portion and my cup" - Psalm 16:5-6
• Discovering that God is our cup and He is also what He fills us with
• Where the table of Psalm 23 is represented in our lives today - John 14:23
• Our feature verse - Romans 15:13
• Using the Greek word for "fill" found in our feature verse to discover every other time it was translated "fill" in the New Testament and what the context teaches us - BibleHub.com listing of every mention of pléroó
• The beatitude that teaches about being filled with righteousness - Matthew 5:6
• The contrast of what it looks like to be filled with unrighteousness - Romans 1
• Learning that Christ is our righteousness - 1 Corinthians 1:30
• Jesus' encouragement that our thirst for Him will lead to an overflow of the Holy Spirit in our lives - John 7:37-38
• Discovering that Christ does the filling - Ephesians 1:23
• Uncovering that we are filled with all the fullness of God when we comprehend the love of Christ - Ephesians 3:19
• Concluding that God IS our cup, and God fills our cup with Himself to overflowing

A cup that runs over cannot hold all that is being poured into it.

 

 

More Than a Song Playlist

Additional Resources

• Lyrics -

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I have a love-hate relationship with hard questions. I love that they inspire me to think critically and put in more thought and effort. I hate that the answer is often not as tidy as I would like. In her song "Kingdom Come," Rebecca St. James sings about the Kingdom of God and leads me to seek the answer to some ambitious questions this week.

Join me in the book of Matthew to see what Jesus has to say about the Kingdom of God as we consider these two questions: What is the Kingdom of God? And is the Kingdom of God here, or is it coming?

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
  • Mark up the text
  • Slow down
  • Make observations of the text
  • Compare and contrast
  • Consult outside resources
  • Share with a friend
• Reading the text of Scripture for yourself first
• Recognizing the historical sacrifices made so we could have a copy of God's Holy Word at our fingertips in our own language
• Reading the entire Sermon on the Mount in one sitting
• Backing up to Matthew 3 to see the first mention of the Kingdom of Heaven - Matthew 3:1-2
• Identifying that we should pray for the Kingdom of God to come, but that it's also already here - Luke 17:20-21
• Highlighting where the Kingdom of God is mentioned and making observations around those texts
  • Matthew 3:1-2
  • Matthew 4:17
  • Matthew 4:23
  • Matthew 5:3
  • Matthew 5:10
  • Matthew 5:19-20
  • Matthew 6:10
  • Matthew 6:33
  • Matthew 7:21
  • Matthew 8:11-12
• The thoughts of my friend Vince over at thebereantest.com about the four elements of a kingdom
  • King
  • Dominion
  • Servants
  • Law
• Cataloging the observations we make of the text as it relates to the Kingdom of God
• John Piper's thoughts on how to define the Kingdom of God - Desiring God Podcast Transcript
• An excellent article on the idea of "already and not yet" - GotQuestions.org

More Than a Song Playlist

Additional Resources

• Story Behind the Song "Kingdom Come" by Rebecca St. James - NewReleaseToday.com
• Lyrics - NewReleaseToday.com
• What is Kingdom Theology? - G

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Have you ever had the privilege of praying for someone else? Lifting a prayer to God on behalf of someone else is called intercessory prayer. This week's song "In Jesus Name (God Of Possible)" by Katy Nichole is an intercessory prayer.

It inspired me to read, study, and meditate on an intercessory prayer Daniel prayed. Join me on the podcast as we explore it together.

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
  • Pray Scripture
  • Read larger chunks of Scripture
  • Start with God
  • Make a list
• How there is no "gift of intercession" rather as followers of Christ we are ALL called upon to intercede for
  • all in authority (1 Timothy 2:2);
  • ministers (Philippians 1:19);
  • friends (Job 42:8);
  • fellow countrymen (Romans 10:1);
  • the sick (James 5:14);
  • enemies (Jeremiah 29:7);
  • those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44);
  • those who forsake us (2 Timothy 4:16);
  • and all men (1 Timothy 2:1)
• Being faithful to pray for those God has entrusted to your circle of family, friends, co-workers etc.
• Praying in Jesus' name as He teaches us in John 14 and John 15
• Recognizing Jesus as our mediator in 1 Timothy 2:5 and Hebrews 4:14-16
• How disciples of Christ can pray in His name
• Why prayers that ask for things contrary to the Word of God will never be answered - 1 John 5:14, James 4:2-3
• Seeing the element of intercessory prayer at work in Daniel 9
  • It is a prayer in response to the Word - Daniel 9:2
  • It is a prayer characterized by fervency - Daniel 9:3
  • It is a prayer characterized by praising God for who He is - Daniel 9:4
  • It is a prayer strengthened by confession - Daniel 9:5-15
  • It is a prayer dependent on God's character - Daniel 9:4, 7, 9, 15
  • It is a prayer where the ultimate goal is God's glory - Daniel 9:16-19
• Making a list of God's characteristics revealed in this prayer

More Than a Song Playlist

Additional Resources

• Lyrics - NewReleaseToday.com
• "Katy Nichole’s ‘In Jesus Name (God of Possible)’ Goes Viral" - CCM Magazine Article
• "What is intercessory prayer?" - GotQuestions.org Article
• Daniel 9 - Enduring Word Bible Commentary
• My prayer app of choice - PrayerMate App
• Sermon: In the Name of Jesus - John 14, 16 -

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Today has not caught God off-guard. No matter the circumstance you find yourself in, He's already there, and He already knows what will happen next. JJ Heller's song, "You Already Know," reminds us of God's omniscience -- the attribute of God that means He is all-knowing.

Join me in exploring this attribute of God in Scripture 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 topic
  • Utilize outside resources
  • Follow the cross-reference
  • Consider the opposite
  • Meditate on truth
  • Pray Scripture
• How God knows everything - 1 John 3:20
• How trusting man (or our own hearts) is not a good idea - Jeremiah 17:5-10
• That God has never learned and cannot learn - Isaiah 40:13-14
• How God's knowledge is unfathomably deep - Romans 11:33-36
• Meditating on the depth of the knowledge of God
• AW Tozer's book, "Knowledge of the Holy" - Amazon Paid Link
• That God's deep and purposeful knowledge - Isaiah 46:8-11
• The deeply personal nature of God's knowledge - Psalm 90:8
• Our inability to "hide" from our all-knowing God - Psalm 139:7-12
• God's steadfast love (despite knowing everything about us) - Isaiah 54:10
• Jen Wilkin's book, "None Like Him" - Amazon Paid Link
• Praying for God to reveal and enlighten our hearts - Ephesians 1:16-21

 

More Than a Song Playlist

Additional Resources

• Lyrics for "You Already Know" by JJ Heller - NewReleaseToday.com
• "You Already Know" by JJ Heller Behind the Song With Kevin Davis - New Release Today Article
• "What does it mean that God is omniscient?" - GotQuestions.org

Weekly Challenge

Meditate on God's omniscience this week — we've only scratched the surface. Follow-up on the listing of Scriptures found in the show notes to read them for yourself in context. Perhaps even consider reading one of the outside resources I referenced to increase your understanding of the attributes of God.

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