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

Send us Fan Mail

I had a conversation with a friend this week. She described herself as "full up." I get it. This year isn't cutting any of us any breaks, is it? It keeps pouring out the stress, and we're "full up." What we need is a peace that passes understanding. That's what Hillsong Young & Free sings about in their song "P E A C E," and it is promised to us in Scripture.

Join me as we explore what it takes to secure the peace we so desperately desire.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Read in context
  • Repetition
  • Read in several translations
  • Read an overview of the book you are studying
  • Journal your dialogue with God
  • Make a list
• The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE
• Understanding the anxiety, I address in this episode is circumstantial, not clinical
• Why the song inspired me to study Philippians - Philippians 4:6-7
• Making it your habit to read the epistles all the way through
• My favorite resource for overviews of each book of the Bible along with advice on how to read each book - "How to Read the Bible Book by Book" by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart - Amazon link
• Highlighting the emphases of the letter to Philippians so as not to study a smaller section ignoring the whole
• Identifying areas of anxiety in your own life
• Discovering potential sources of anxiety for the Philippians
• Specific instructions that lead to peace - Philippians 4:4-7
  • Rejoice
  • Pray
• Refocusing our minds during time

Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today!

Send us Fan Mail

I love it when someone takes something complex and boils it down for me. Jesus does that when asked about the greatest commandment, and Danny Gokey sings about it in his song, "Love God Love People."

There's no greater power than really understanding the Scripture, inspiring the summary statement found in our song, and the words of Christ.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Read in context
  • Reference section headings to get your bearings
  • Follow the cross-references
  • Compare and contrast
  • Make a list
  • Utilizing outside resources (after you are familiar with the text)
• The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE
• Jesus command to love God and love people - Matthew 22:22-40
• Reading Matthew 21-23 to get the context of what was going on leading up to this scene and what happens after
• Understanding that the question that was asked of Jesus was intended to trip him up
• Resisting the temptation to "fill in the blanks" when we read a similar account in multiple gospels - "How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth" by Gordon and Fee
• Reading the same account in the Gospel of Mark - Mark 12:28-34
• Comparing and contrasting the details of each account
• Following up on discoveries with further research (i.e., reading up on scribes vs. lawyers using a Bible Dictionary found at BibleStudyTools.com)
• How Jesus is quoting the Shema as found in Deuteronomy 6:30
• Learning more about the Shema through outside resources - Bible Project Shema

Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today!

Send us Fan Mail

I need a reset sometimes. Instead of looking at myself, I need to look up. Perhaps when I do, I can reset my perspective as I consider God's greatness and my insignificance in comparison to Him. And yet, as NEEDTOBREATHE sings about in "Who Am I?", and David writes about in the Psalms, God thinks of me and cares for me. Mind blown.

Let's look up together and consider the heavens and the work of God's fingers in Psalm 8.

On this episode I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Read the text aloud
  • Repetition
  • Meditation
  • Consult outside resources
  • Follow the cross-references
• The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE
• How King David asks the same question found in our song in Psalm 8
• Letting Scripture speak louder than any lyric in our lives
• If you know how to worry you know how to meditate
• David "considering" the heavens and the work of God's fingers
• Allowing God's creation to lead us to worship of God's splendor and majesty - Psalm 8:1, Psalm 8:9
• Louie Giglio's presentation "Indescribable" - YouTube Video
  • A shorter option - Louie Giglio on the Star Maker - YouTube Video
• "What if the primary purpose of the universe is to display the splendor of God?" - Louie Giglio
• How God calls every star by name - Isaiah 40:25-26
• How God measures the universe in His hand - Isaiah 40:12
• How God reminds Job that he has no agency in the creation of, sustaining of, or future of the universe - Job 38:31

Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today!

Send us Fan Mail

What if Lazarus never came out of the tomb? When Jesus made Lazarus alive again it wasn't so that he could lie there wrapped in burial clothes, it was so he could walk in newness of life. The CAIN band sings of this in their song "Rise Up (Lazarus)". We, too, are called to walk in newness of life.

Join me on a journey through the New Testament to explore what we are to "rise up" to do.

On this episode I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Explore a theme/topic in Scripture
  • Reading in context
  • Following the cross-references
  • Slowing down
• The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE
• How we are dead in sin apart from Christ - Ephesians 2:1-10
• Considering ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus - Romans 6
• Dying to sin IN ORDER THAT we might walk in newness of life - Romans 6:4
• Slowing down in Romans 6 to see God's grace, what's on the other side of walking in newness of life, freedom, fruit, and eternal life in Christ
• Being crucified with Christ - Galatians 2:20
• Opposition to walking in newness of life - Galatians 5:16-25
• Putting off our old self - Ephesians 4:17-24
• Reading the story of Lazarus' resurrection in John 11 in light of all we've studied

Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today!

Send us Fan Mail

When I write the word "discipline," what do you think of? Do you think of correcting disobedience or do you think of training toward a good habit? Prayer is a spiritual discipline that is modeled by our Savior and sung about by Koryn Hawthorne in her song, "Pray."

Let's explore what Scripture has to say about this spiritual discipline.

In this episode I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Explore a theme/topic in Scripture
  • Reading in context
• The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE
• Spiritual disciplines essential to our walk with Christ
• Unpacking some of the phrases found in the chorus
  • The Lord hears us when we pray - 1 Peter 3:12, 2 Corinthians 5:21
  • God responds when we pray - Jeremiah 33:3, Mark 11:24
  • Pray when we feel like we're not going to make it - Philippians 4:6-7
• HOW to pray - Luke 11:1
• How prayer is something that can be learned and needs to be practiced
• Timothy Keller's book, "Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God"
• Jesus' model for prayer - Luke 11:2-4
• Another location for Jesus' prayer model - Matthew 6:5-13
• Breaking down the model Jesus gave us to pray
  • Adoration
  • Reorienting our view to God's priorities
  • Asking for our daily sustenance
  • Prayer of watchfulness

Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today!

Send us Fan Mail

Oh, that I would make the mantra in the chorus of Chris Renzema's song the TRUE mantra of my life. When I sing along with "I Don't Wanna Go," I put God in the driver's seat. Too many times, however, I rush ahead of God and then ask Him to bless my efforts.

Let's explore a time when King David got it right in 2 Samuel 7.

On this episode I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Explore a theme/topic in Scripture
  • Reading in context
  • Following the cross-references
• The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE
• Examples from our song of people NOT getting ahead of God
  • David and the temple - 2 Samuel 7
  • God's ways not being our ways - Isaiah 55:8-9
  • Israel on the shore of the Red Sea - Exodus 14
  • Moses observing the promised land from the mountain top - Numbers 27 and Deuteronomy 34
  • Peter on the mount of transfiguration - Matthew 17:1-9 and 2 Peter 1:16-21
  • Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane - Matthew 26
• David wants to build a house for God
• God wants to build a house for David
• Solomon is slated to build the temple because David was a man of war - 1 Chronicles 22
• The things we see in this account that include"
  • God's sovereign will
  • A link to the Abrahamic Covenant
  • An introduction to the Davidic Covenant
  • A link to our song
  • An example of praying in God's will by praying His words back to Him
• The confidence we can have when praying in the will of God - 1 John 5:14-15

Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today!

Send us Fan Mail

The Bible is full of songs of praise. When we consider the words of these songs, we see deep, rich, pattern-altering examples of how to appropriately respond to our great God. The lyrics of "Great Is Our God" by Plumb are reflected in a song written by David and given to us as Psalm 145.

Sometimes we blow past these meaningful songs without letting them sink in and transform the way we think. This week we will slow down.

On this episode I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Read in context
  • Repetition
  • Read the text aloud
• Reading through this Psalm and not remembering what I read the next day - Psalm 145
• Noticing how my character traits do not match the traits of my heavenly Father
• How praying for others and sharing the verses you are reading can help you retain
• A "hidden" promise in this Psalm that God will satisfy our hunger for Him - Psalm 145:16
• How I understand the struggle to keep daily time in God's Word a priority
• Considering the many ways the psalmist reflects proclaiming the greatness of God
• As a faithful follower of God, we should be prepared to speak of the examples of God's power
  • specifically
  • personally
• Teaching our children to "See God" - Give Them Wisdom Video by Merida Brooks
• "Magnolia spotting" with my daughter, Meredith

Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today!

Send us Fan Mail

Our world is full of "that may be true for you, but not for me" conversations. However, when it comes to God, His characteristics don't change based on my perception of them. In their new song, "Who You Are To Me," Chris Tomlin and Lady A aren't suggesting God can be one thing to you and something else to me. Rather, they are giving us lyrics to rehearse the goodness of a very personal God who longs to make His home in our hearts.

In fact, let's explore the topic of Jesus living inside of our hearts through Scripture.

On this week's episode I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
  • Exploring a topic
  • Marking up the text
  • Making a list
  • Meditating on Scripture
• The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE
• How almost every phrase of this song came up in conversation this week
• Enjoying declaring the names and characteristics of God through song
• How God's characteristics don't change based on my perception of them
• How Scripture is God's revealed Word to us, not just stories on a page
• How the question, "Am I still worthy of God's love?" is the wrong question - God's love is not bestowed based on worth
• Getting down on my knees as a physical posture that represents my desire for the posture of my heart
• Praying for a hunger and thirst for more of God...He will not leave you empty
• Exploring the topic of Jesus living in our hearts
  • Romans 8:9-11
  • Ephesians 3:14-19
  • Colossians 1:24-29
  • Galatians 2:19-21

Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today!

Send us Fan Mail

Have you ever been asked to define a word you're familiar with, but don't have the depth of knowledge and clarity to actually put it into words? This week's song "Promises" by Maverick City Music sings of some characteristics of God that inspired more scrutiny on my part.

Join me in exploring the God of covenant in Genesis and Romans this week.

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
  • Consult an outside resource
  • Get your bearings with section headings
• The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE
• The value of rehearsing the faithfulness of God using specifics from the Bible and our own lives
• Positioning yourself to be held accountable for staying in God's Word
• Getting bold and creative in whatever season you're in to commit to interacting with God's Word
• An overview of the life of Abram in Genesis up to God's covenant with him
• What a covenant is and learning more about covenants in the Bible
• Outside resources I used this week
  • Table Talk Magazine
  • GotQuestions.org
  • Timeline for Abraham
• How God pursues covenant with people and not the other way around
• The covenant ceremony between Abram and God in Genesis 15
• Details of how covenants were ratified in Biblical times
• Reading Romans 4 in light of what we learn in Genesis 15-17

Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today!

Send us Fan Mail

Tragedy can rock us to our very core. How will our view of God change when our circumstances change? Ryan Stevenson sings of this in his song, "Amadeo (Still My God)." It is a declaration that is echoed in Scripture as well.

Join me as we explore the Book of Job to see what we can learn about God and how we should respond.

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
  • Read and keep on reading
  • Consult an outside resource
  • Read Scripture out loud
• The 30 Day Music Challenge - ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE HERE
• My family's catastrophic loss due to Hurricane Laura
• Job's profound loss - Job 1:13-19
• Job's anguish echoed in the lives of those affected by tragedy - Job 3:24-26
• Despite misery, tragic circumstances, and unimaginable loss...Yahweh is STILL MY GOD
• Watching the Bible Project's Overview of Job video before reading the book of Job for yourself - YouTube Video
• The idea that "the satan" referenced in Job may merely be "the one opposed" giving an opposing view to set the stage - BibleProject Blog Post Part One, BibleProject Blog Post Part Two
• The idea that the book of Job gives us answers we need to a question we rarely think to ask (John Walton)
• Honestly bringing our pain and grief to God, trusting that He actually cares and that He knows what He's doing
• Remembering that the speeches given by Job and his friends are not God's words -- God speaks at the end
• What retribution theology is and how Job and his friends su

Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today!