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

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I'm on a mission to allow awe and wonder to be a part of my daily existence. I don't have to look far, I just have to let it in. I also have to reorient where I'm looking. Most of all, I need to lay myself down. In Matt Redman's song, "Let There Be Wonder," he calls us to worship the King in reverence and awe.

The lyrics of this week's song also brings us to the birthplace of the Christian church. The perfect segue post resurrection Sunday.

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
  • Meditate on Scripture
  • Storying - retelling the story of Scripture in your own words
  • Utilize outside resources
• Luke as the author of both Luke and Acts - Acts 1:1-3
• Considering the end of Luke before diving into Acts - Luke 24:44-53
• Following the cross reference to Luke 3:16 in anticipation of baptism of Holy Spirit
• Jesus ascending to heaven on a cloud...a HUGE source of wonder - Acts 1:6-11
• Letting yourself sit in the scene of the narrative
• The relevance of what comes after the BUT in Acts 1:8
• Becoming familiar enough with the scene to retell the story in your own words
• Discovering what happened in the upper room - Acts 1:12-14, Acts 2:1-3
• Learning more about the day of Pentecost from gotquestions.org

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God is not a "because I said so" Father. He is patient with our shortcomings and proves Himself over and over. He explains, and displays, and explains again. Tauren Wells in his song, "Like You Love Me" reminds us that every moment given to worry is wasted time. Jesus makes the same argument...and several others to support His instruction not to be anxious.

In these times of uncertainty, let's look to what Jesus teaches as arguments why we should NOT be anxious.

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
  • Ask questions
  • Remember the people you're reading about were real
  • Follow the cross reference
  • Compare and contrast
• Reading the Sermon on the Mount in its entirety - Matthew 5-7
• Asking the questions, "Who are Jesus' disciples?" and "What would their needs be as they are listening to this sermon?"
• Our focus text - Matthew 6:24-34
• Jesus' main point repeated FIVE times - "DO NOT BE ANXIOUS"
• A valuable video resource by John Piper called "Look at the Book" - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
• The nine arguments of Christ to prove that we should not be anxious
• Following the cross-reference to 1 Kings 3 to study about how Solomon asked for wisdom, but God lavished more
• The final argument that there will be trouble every day, but Lamentations 3:20-24 reminds us that His mercies are new every morning

• Lyrics - Klove
• "Do Not Be Anxious About Your Life" - audio and transcribed sermon by John Piper - DesiringGod.org

Read the entire sermon of Jesus beginning in Matthew 5 and ending in Matthew 7. Take your time considering the section of teaching found Matthew 6:24-34. Consider the main point that Jesus is trying to make -- "Do not be anxious." Analyze the supporting arguments found in this text. Contemplate if you have fully received each argument and been transformed by its teaching and truth.

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"Did you hear me?" When I don't receive a response from my husband or my children after I asked them to do something, I often ask, "Did you hear me?" How many times do we wonder if God hears us? Big Daddy Weave's song "I Know" recounts the goodness of God, but it's a lyric in the opening verse that caught my attention this week.

Join me in exploring Solomon's prayer of dedication of the newly constructed temple. His prayer repeats a request that God would hear when we call to him.

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
  • Reference section headings to get your bearings
  • Mark up the text
  • Make a list
  • Repetition
• Reading the Bible through in a year by reading for a set amount of time vs. a specific number of chapters
• Getting our bearings in 2 Chronicles using section headings to bring us to the prayer of dedication for the temple
• Marking up the text in 2 Chronicles 6, noting every mention of the word "hear"
• The poetic form and structure of Solomon's prayer - 2 Chronicles 6
• Making a list of "if" and "when" statements in Solomon's prayer
• Noting that almost every request for God to "hear" is paired with a request for forgiveness due to a heart of repentance
• The prayer that God would give according to our hearts and our ways (a.k.a. scary prayer) - 2 Chronicles 6:30
• Acknowledging God's power - 2 Chronicles 6:3-4
• A sincere desire to glorify the name of God - 2 Chronicles 6:7-9
• God's response to Solomon's prayer - 2 Chronicles 7:12-14

• Lyrics and chords - Praise Charts
• The Story Behind the Album with "I Know" by Big Daddy Weave - TheChristianBeat.org

Read 2 Chronicles 1-7. Sit awhile in chapter 6 as you read, study, and interact with Solomon's prayer of dedication of the temple. Consider the Lord's response in chapter 7 in context of the prayer. Ask the Lord to hear your prayer that He would reveal your ways and your heart. Repent, and then ask Him to align your heart and your ways to HIS ways.

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God is worthy of our praise. If He did nothing else for us until the day we see Him face-to-face, we could spend the rest of our days praising Him because of Who He is and what He has already done. Matt Maher's song "Alive and Breathing" reminds us of this truth and then leads us in praise to The One Who is worthy.

Follow me to the psalms as we interact with God's Word 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:
  • Consult outside resources
  • Slow down
  • Write out Scripture by hand
  • Write out Scripture in your own words
• The current world pandemic and how if we're still alive and breathing we need to be praising the Lord
• How Matt Maher mentions Psalm 150 in an interview about the song - Psalm 150
• The introduction to Psalm 150 in The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon
• A previous episode where I dove into Psalm 150 in depth - Episode 280
• Everywhere, in every way, for who He is AND what He does…if we have breath in our lungs we are to PRAISE. THE. LORD.
• Writing out Scripture by hand and then writing it out in our own words
• How the lyric "joy still comes in the morning" sent me over to Psalm 30
• Joy coming in the morning and Jesus being our bright and morning start - Revelation 22:16
• God's Word and current revelation is a lamp, but Jesus' return is the day dawning - 1 Peter 1:16-21
• A new resource I tried - Ask Ligonier
• Taking off our funeral clothes and putting on a garment of gladness and praise

• Lyrics, chords, and song session - Essential Worship
• The Story Behind the Song "Alive and Breathing" by Matt Maher - Radio Station Article

I hope that you can take some really intentional time this week to sing your praises and not be silent. If you are still alive and breathing, PRAISE THE LORD knowing that joy comes in the morning. Write out Psalm 150 — then write it out in your own words. Study Psalm 30 and meditate on the glory of our bright and morning star, Jesus Christ.

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There are times in life with something Scripture teaches smacks you right in the face and causes you to sit up and pay attention. When I was growing up in church people would say the pastor was "stepping on their toes" in a sermon. The lyrics in the song "Smile" by Sidewalk Prophets are reflective of truth found in Scripture. Perhaps choosing joy during difficulty is easier to sing about than do.

Come spend some time in a few verses in the book of James with me this week as learn more about choosing joy.

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
  • Listen to an audio version of Scripture
  • Read the envelope
  • Review the introduction in your study Bible or online
  • Consult a variety of translations
  • Complete a word study
• A women's conference next month where I am the guest speaker - Event Information
• The coronavirus pandemic causing us all to sit up straight when we read in Scripture to choose joy - James 1:2-4
• How the Bible has a lot to say about joy (59+ occurrences in the New Testament and 93+ in the Old Testament)
• Reading the envelope of the letter from James - who is the letter from, to, and when was it written?
• How scholars believe the letter from James was the first of its kind as it is probably the oldest book of the New Testament
• The joy that James is talking about is not an emotional response, but rather a deep seated sense of confidence and well-being that transcends circumstances
• Reading in a variety of translations to get a fuller picture of a word or phrase - BibleHub.com
• Letting joy have authority in our lives when we face trials - Episode 224
• Doing a word study on "steadfastness" - BibleHub.com
• Doing a word study on "perfect" - BibleHub.com
• Christ-like character as my ultimate destination

• How do I know James is possible the oldest book in the New Testament? - BibleStudyTools.com Article
• Lyrics - Klove.com
• The Story Behind the Song "Smile" by Sidewalk Prophets - New Release Today Article

Dive into the letter from James this week. If you’re like me, you read it through once (or listen to it in less than 15 minutes) and then sit and soak in verses 2-4. Read in a variety of translations. Take a shot at reading

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I want to increase my "wonder level" when it comes to how I view my God. TobyMac sings of a change of posture in his song "Edge of My Seat." Lean in to Scripture with me this week. Let's sit on the edge of our seat in anticipation and appreciation for all the Lord will do and has done.

Explore Psalm 40 with me this week and see where it connects in the New Testament.

On this week's episode I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
  • Restate the Scripture in your own words
  • Write your prayers around the Scripture you are studying
  • Follow the cross references
  • Make a list
• The book I've been reading about awe - "Awe: Why It Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do" by Paul David Tripp
• The story behind the song "Edge of My Seat" by TobyMac - YouTube Video
• Viewing life from the edge of our seat is a posture of the heart
• My own "edge of my seat" experience, and what I learned - Jeremiah 29:13
• Simeon as a biblical example of someone sitting on the edge of their seat - Episode 303
• Our inspiration verse that places us in Psalm 40 for the week - Psalm 40:5
• Writing this verse in my own words and composing prayers along the way
• Discovering Jesus in this Psalm as proven by the cross reference in Hebrews - Psalm 40:6-8, Hebrews 10:1-18

• Lyrics - Klove.com
• "Edge of My Seat" by TobyMac Song Story - YouTube Video

Study Psalm 40 this week. Interact with God’s Word. Restate these verses in your own words. Add your prayers back to God in what you are writing. Follow the cross reference to Hebrews 10 and see the wondrous act of our Savior as the final sacrifice for our sin. May our posture be that of wondrous expectation, and may God meet us there.

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In the 1970's and 1980's there was an ad that ran for a brokerage firm that said, "When E.F. Hutton talks...people listen." May the same be true for us as it relates to the God of the universe! He has spoken, may He find us listening. Chris McClarney and Hollyn sing of this in the song "I'm Listening."

Let’s discuss the ways God speaks and be reminded of the importance of His written words in our lives.

On this week's episode I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
  • Utilize an outside resource
  • Read in context
• Using Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology to guide our discussion on the different forms of the Word of God
• That the Word of God is Jesus - John 1:1-14
• That God's decrees are words of God that cause something to happen like "let there be light" in Genesis 1
• How God would sometimes speak directly to people - Genesis 2, Exodus 20, Matthew 3
• That God would speak through His prophets - Jeremiah 1:4-9
• That we have God's words in written form
  • God wrote them with His own finger - Exodus 31:18
  • Moses wrote down words of the law - Deuteronomy 31:9-13
  • Joshua wrote down words as the people entered the promised land - Joshua 24:26
  • Jesus told his disciples that the Holy Spirit would bring back to their minds all that happened - John 14:26, John 16:12-13
• "The opportunity for repeated inspection of words that are written down permits careful study and discussion, which leads to better understanding and more complete obedience," says Wayne Grudem
• A matter of further explanation from Peter - 2 Peter 1:16-21
• The 4 questions concerning the word of God out of the Westminster Longer Catechism
• Wayne Grudem's question, "Do you think you would pay more attention if God spoke to you from heaven or through the voice of a living prophet than if he spoke to you from the written Words of Scripture?" - Luke 16:19-31

• Lyrics and Chords - WorshipTogether.com

Read the story Jesus tells in Luke 16 about the rich man and the poor man named Lazarus. Ponder the ultimate lesson that it teaches. Look up and examine the Scriptural proof texts for questions 3 through 6 of The Westminster Larger Catechism. Consider why it is profitable for us to study God’s words as written in the Bible. Don't just read God's words, really listen to them and let them change your life.

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Have all the songs been sung? Is there anything of value high enough to raise another song? YES! Casting Crowns, in their song "One More Song for You," reminds us that our God is worthy of a lifetime of songs sung to glorify Him.

Even though every Psalm is a song, let's explore Psalm 104 this week and let it lead us to awe and one more song for Creator God.

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
  • Get up early to read your Bible
  • Mark up the text
  • Write in your Bible
  • Make a list
• Studying a smaller chunk of Scripture like a Psalm
• Trying to find a time of day to dedicate energy to studying the Bible
• Marking up our focus text of Psalm 104 to find a list of God's attributes
• Studying the psalm, remembering the genre, and enjoying the artistry of the writing (instead of being frustrated by it)
• Allowing what the psalmist describes about Creator God to lead us to awe and worship - Psalm 104:1-4
• Pondering creation and the flood - Psalm 104:5-9, Genesis 1:1, Genesis 9:11
• Why I think this is the "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" of Psalms - Psalm 104:10-13
• A description of things in life that "gladden the heart of man" (and a reminder that they come from the Lord) - Psalm 104:14-15
• A challenge to look up images or videos of things described in the Psalm with the express goal of sitting in awe and wonder - Psalm 104: 16-18
• Allowing our meditations to be pleasing to God - Psalm 104:31-35

• Lyrics and Chords - GuitarTabsExplorer.com
• The heart behind the song "One More Song for You" by Casting Crowns - YouTube Video

Spend some time in Psalm 104 this week. One thing we didn’t get to on this episode is to highlight the verbs or action words that describe how God acts. What aspects of God’s actions can lead you to wonder and praise this week? Identify parts of creation that strike you as magnificent and review images or videos and allow them to lead you to give praise to Creator God.

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God will make a way where there seems to be no way. He proves it over and over throughout Scripture. He will make a way for His purposes to be accomplished. He truly is a "Waymaker" as Leeland sings about in this week's song.

Join me in 1 Samuel as we see David walking through some treacherous and emotional times where He really needed God to make a way.

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 while listening to an epic soundtrack
  • Remember the people you read about in Scripture were REAL
  • Read and keep on reading
  • Read in context
  • Consider the grand story of Scripture to ground you
• Reading the Bible in chronological order (check out the Rapid Bible Read Through method here)
• Experiencing a different "feel" while reading epic stories in Scripture to epic music
• How God makes a way for HIS story to move forward to fulfill HIS purposes for HIS glory first
• Studying individual stories with the big picture in mind
• Discovering Saul being installed as king in 1 Samuel 8
• Seeing God reject Saul as king - 1 Samuel 15:10-11
• Experiencing David's anointing as the new king - 1 Samuel 16:12-13
• Seeing the relationship between Saul and David take a turn in 1 Samuel 18:6-16
• David becoming a fugitive in 1 Samuel 20
• David's band of rebels growing in 1 Samuel 22
• David sparing Saul's life in 1 Samuel 24
• David's heart laid out in Psalm 56

• Lyrics and Chords - WeAreWorship.com
• The story behind how the song "Waymaker" made it onto the album - Thir.st Talks

Become familiar with the story of David and Saul by reading in 1 Samuel. Rest in the knowledge that even for King David the struggle was real. Speaking of real…don’t forget that the people in these stories were real. Read and keep on reading, and then take the time to consider how God proved Himself a “Waymaker,” a Miracle Worker, and a Light in the darkness for David. Finally, take time to declare God’s goodness. Render thank offerings to a worthy Savior Who has delivered our souls from death that we may walk in the light of life.

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There are so many words we use to describe our faith. Repentance. Redemption. Reconciliation. Just like the word "gospel" itself, it's important to really know, not only how to define these words, but to understand what they mean for us as believers in Christ. Hillsong Worship's song "King of Kings" takes us on a journey using these words. Let's discover what they mean in Scripture.

Let's continue to use our song to inspire us to skip through Scripture to understand the good news of Christ.

On this week's episode I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
  • Meditation
  • Read and keep on reading
  • Follow the cross-references
  • Considering the big story (metanarrative)
• How Jesus took up the mantle of His forerunner to declare the kingdom coming - Mark 1:14
• How Jesus revealed the kingdom of God through parables - Mark 4:10-12
• The study challenge of finding and studying Christ's parables about the kingdom of God (hint: there are several in Mark 4)
• Reconciliation as the restoration of a broken relationship
• How Jesus came to reconcile the lost - Romans 5:6-11
• How we have been given the ministry of reconciliation - 2 Corinthians 5:17-20
• The definition of redemption and how Christ came to pay the price our sin demanded - Colossians 1:15-23
• Jesus enduring the cross, despising its shame - Hebrews 12:2
• The transformational impact in our lives in the context of Hebrews 12:1-4
• Reading about the resurrection in Mark 16, Matthew 28, Luke 24, and John 20
• Reading about the birth of the Church in the book of Acts
• The Spirit's flames in Acts 2:1-3

• Lyrics and Chords (and piano tutorial in the New Song Cafe) - WorshipTogether.com
• The story behind the song "King of Kings" by Hillsong Worship - New Release Today article

Choose one of the places we’ve gone in this episode and in Episode 309 and study and soak. Use Bible Interaction Tool Exercises (I call them BITEs for short). Try the BITE of meditation -- really ponder and think, don’t just read or listen in soundbites and move on. Use the BITE of following the cross-references -- I mentioned one from Isaiah on today’s episode. Use the BITE of read and keep on reading -- perhaps you start reading Acts because of the lyric, “the church of Christ was born and the Spirit lit the flame,” and you just keep reading that amazing book.

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