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Is it possible to be grateful for pain? It's all about perspective. We are all willing to endure pain if we believe the final result to be worth it. Hawk Nelson's song, "Diamonds," has me thinking about the refining process. This song, and the Scripture we uncover on this episode, may be the revelation you need to make it through whatever fiery trial you are enduring.

Stick with me and you will see that God has a "place of abundance" for you on the other side of this refining.

On this episode I discuss:

• The difference between un-biblical and non-biblical
• The article I used as inspiration for my main points today - Blog Article by June Hunt
• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Explore a topic
  • Make a list
• Psalm 66 with our focus area - Psalm 66:8-12
• God as our Refiner - Psalm 66:10
• Allowing God's Word to break us - Jeremiah 23:29
• The crucible (a fireproof melting pot able to withstand extreme heat) - Proverbs 17:3
• Removing dross (impurities) so that we can be formed into a useful vessel - Proverbs 25:4
• How the refining process is not a one-and-done affair - Psalm 12:6
• How God wants to use our affliction to refine us - Isaiah 48:10
• How our afflictions and trials refine our faith - 1 Peter 1:6-7
• That although Psalm 66:12 speaks of going through fire and water, Isaiah 43:1-4 speaks of God's redemption of these circumstances because we are precious in His sight (might I add, not unlike diamonds!)

 

  Additional Resources

• Lyrics
• Story behind the song "Diamonds" by Hawk Nelson - YouTube Video

This Week's Challenge

Ponder this topic of refining. Read Psalm 66 in context and then follow up on the other references I list in the show notes. Allow God's Word to break you so that He can refine you and remove the dross from your life. Be patient in this process. The Refiner will repeatedly subject you to high heat to refine you, but all of this is because you are precious and honored in His sight -- and He loves you.

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I'm sick and tired of being a prisoner of war. I'm ready to send my enemy running for the hills, aren't you? Crowder, in his new song "Run Devil Run," inspired me to create a strategy against the devil. It's all laid out for us in Scripture.

It's time to get serious about our strategy against a very real enemy. Are you ready?

On this episode I discuss:

• Story behind the song "Run Devil Run" - YouTube Video
• The enemy has a strategy - Ephesians 6:11
• The main weapon of the devil is the LIE
• Department of Defense Strategy for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction
• Our formidable foe - Ephesians 6:12
• Our strategy to fight the enemy
  • Prepare
  • Prevent acquisition
  • Contain and reduce threats
  • Respond to crises
• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Slow down
  • Read in various translations
  • Repetition
• We are soldiers of Christ - see Episode 104
• Studying a previous battle plan of the enemy - Genesis 3
• The Lie: Destruction of Relationship - a video resource by my mentor
• How our strategy must include others - Ephesians 6:18
• How we must be flexible and maintain robust situational awareness - Ephesians 6:18

  Additional Resources

• Lyrics

This Week's Challenge

Be a good soldier this week. Spend some time preparing by studying a common battle plan of the enemy in Genesis 3. Prevent acquisition by filling your heart and mind with the truth of God's Word on a consistent basis. Contain and reduce threats by daily (even many times a day) putting on and securing the armor of God found in Ephesians 6. Respond to crises with flexibility, maintaining situational awareness and working with fellow believers. Don't hide. Don't blame. Know truth. Don't give up.

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My favorite musical of all time is "My Fair Lady." Sometimes I feel like Eliza when she sings, "Words, words, words, I'm so sick of words!" You may find that strange considering the number of words I speak and write each week. We are inundated with SO MANY WORDS every moment of every day, and God patiently stands in line waiting for us to listen to HIS WORDS. Third Day sings about God's Word in the song "Your Words," and we will use this song to inspire us to read God's Word for ourselves.

God's Words have a purpose and they will accomplish what God desires. It's probably a good idea, then, to know God's Words and their purpose. Let's dive in!

On this episode I discuss:

• A beautiful Scripture that my youngest used to read daily - Isaiah 55:10-11
• We can't speak words we don't know, and we can't KNOW them by reading them once (or never at all)
• Introduction to the Book of Isaiah - Bible.org
• God's Word nourishes better than food
  • Isaiah 55:1-2
  • Jesus said it in Matthew 4:4 when he referred to...
  • Deuteronomy 8:3
• God must discipline us for disobedience
• God's discipline is not to punish, but to call back to the standard of obedience
• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Read in context
  • Review an outline overview
  • Chase rabbits (also known as cross references) - favorite tool is BibleHub.com
  • Pray Scripture
• We don't hunger anymore
• Heeding God's call to listen to Him - Isaiah 55:3
• Rejoicing in the fact that we don't always understand God - Isaiah 55:8-9
• An example of fighting back with the very words of God
• A revelation of what God's Word will accomplish - Isaiah 55:12-13

  Additional Resources

• Lyrics

This Week's Challenge

Use this week's podcast to guide you to Isaiah 55. Read it all the way through (in context). Follow my rabbit trail (also known as cross references) to Matthew 4 and Deuteronomy 8 and back to Isaiah 55. Fight against the enemy with God's very words. Wait expectantly for the fruit to grow...for God's Word to accomplish all that He wants it to.

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I have always loved the word abide. So many times English words don't give enough umph as compared to their Greek or Hebrew counterparts, but abide is a good one. I wish it was as easy to accomplish as it is to understand the definition. "Abide With Me" by Matt Maher leads us to a conversation Jesus had with his disciples in a vineyard.

It is with this metaphor that we learn some significant lessons about abiding. It is here we also learn what kind of impact it could have on our lives if we can get it right.

On this episode I discuss:

• The book I used extensively to prepare for this podcast - "Secrets of the Vine" by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson
• Singing this song as a prayer to God, always remembering it is also a request from our Savior
• Searching for terms online like "abide with me in Scripture" to find John 15
• Considering the context before and after the conversation Jesus had with His disciples in John 15 (jumping up to John 12 all the way through John 18)
• Our focus conversation in a vineyard - John 15:1-11
• Our roles in Jesus' metaphor
  • Jesus is the vine
  • We are the branches
  • God is the vinedresser
  • The goal is to produce LOADS of fruit
• The word study that changes everything - find it here in BibleHub
• How Jesus gave the directive to abide by using the term TEN times!
• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Get up early to read God's Word
  • Write in a daily spiritual journal
  • Pray (and seek God until you find Him) - Jeremiah 29:13
• Becoming an expert at being God's friend

 

Additional Resources

• Lyrics

This Week's Challenge

John 15 and the chapters surrounding it are a powerful place in Scripture to sit and ponder. Consider implementing the BITEs this week -- get up earlier to read God's Word, write in a daily spiritual journal, and seek Him with all of your heart. These steps might just be what you're missing to put you on the path to abiding.

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Over and over in Scripture God instructs His people to remember. He tells them set up markers so they remember. He institutes festivals so they remember. He gave us symbols and ceremonies even going so far as to say, "This do in remembrance of Me." On this episode I take some time to recount where this whole podcast even began and to rejoice in impacted lives.

Join me in following the pattern that God has set out for His people. Join me in remembering.

On this episode I discuss:

• God's instructions to be careful not to forget the Lord - Deuteronomy 6:10-12
• Using Deuteronomy 6:10-12 I consider:
  • Large and prosperous cities I did not built - God's story in me
  • Houses stocked with goods that I did not produce - the songs I highlight on this podcast written and sung by others
  • Drawing from cisterns I did not dig - the knowledge I gain from the wisdom and revelation of others
  • Eating from vineyards and trees I did not plant - YOU! (my listeners)
• The Scripture that inspired it all - Psalm 119:15
• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Read in context
  • Complete a word study
  • Meditate on God's Word
• The power of a song to stay with us and impact us for years to come

 

 

Additional Resources

• Lyrics

This Week's Challenge

A great place to sit for a while this week is Psalm 119. It holds 176 verses of meditations and prayers relating to the Word of God. The psalm is an acrostic of twenty-two stanzas, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The eight poetic lines of each stanza begin with the same Hebrew letter. Let the words of this Psalm become the meditations of your heart and don't forget to listen to what God may be saying to you!

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Chances are that even today you have had an experience with relationships that fills you or drains you. We can be filled up by people we've never met in person in a private Facebook group and drained with merely a look by those closest to us. Because of the unpredictability of others, we often build up walls that keep us from truth and freedom that God has for us through others. Francesca Battistelli's song "If We're Honest" opens up that discussion for us as we seek truths in Scripture that will help us experience relationships like we never have before.

God's Word holds truths and principles that we can follow to unlock a beauty in relationships that may still be hidden from view.

On this episode I discuss:

• The genesis of this song as told by Francesca Battistelli - YouTube Video
• Confessing our sins and struggles to each other - James 5:16
• The enemy's plan to keep us isolated, not in fellowship
• Being a trustworthy friend
• Two special roommates - wisdom and prudence - Proverbs 8:12
• Steps to fulfilling relationships with others who long to know and follow hard after Christ
  • Vulnerability
  • Honesty
  • Accountability - Proverbs 27:6
  • Intentionality
• Spiritual partnership and fellowship as referenced on Episode 119
• Elements of some special friendships that have grown into accountability relationships
  • Growing together
  • Serving together
  • Reading the same book or devotion
  • Fasting together
  • Working hard at it
  • Thinking the best of one another
  • Being committed and celebrating that commitment
• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercise this week is:
  • Using section headings to get your bearings
• Matthew 18 Principle - Matthew 18:15-20

Additional Resource

• Story behind the song "If We're Honest" by Francesca Battistelli  with lyrics - New Release Today Article

This Week's Challenge

Meditate on some of the areas of Scripture referenced on this episode. James 5 is where we learn to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another. Matthew 18 teaches us a profound principle for relationships. There are many Proverbs you could explore topically that will give you wisdom in relating to one another. The best thing you can do, along with meditating on Scripture this week, is to pray for one another. Be FOR each other enough to do the hard things.

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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

 

Additional Resources

• Story behind the song "Great Is Our God" by Plumb with lyrics - New Release Today Article

This Week's Challenge

Get inspired by this week's song to dig into Psalm 145. Spend some real time in it. Try using the Bible Interaction Tool Exercise of reading it out loud. Don't just do a quick drive by. Meditate on the words and even try to remember what you've read! Make a list of your own of personal examples of God's goodness in your life and share them with others...proclaim them. May you bless His holy name forever and ever.

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"Thanks for reading this, I am thrilled to introduce you to the God I know," says the apostle John (basically) as he opens his letter to believers in 1 John. The duo, Love & The Outcome, seems equally as thrilled to introduce us to God through the lyrics of their song, "The God I Know." As we continue to read 1 John, however, we are drawn into a deeper understanding of where this "knowing" might lead.

It's pretty exciting. We get introduced to a pretty powerful word. Ready to jump in?

On this episode I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Pray before diving into God's Word
  • Complete a word study
• Praying using the acronym P.R.A.Y.
  • Power
  • Revelation
  • Application
  • Yielding
• John testifies to the God he knows in 1 John - 1 John 1:1-3
• One word is repeated four times in 1 John 1 - fellowship - koinónia
• Word study for koinónia in BibleHub.com
  • spiritual partnership
  • join participation
  • contributory help or assistance
  • sharing in communion
  • intimacy in relationship
  • a bond for a united purpose
• Considering the opposite of fellowship/koinónia
  • disunity
  • going it alone
  • entitlement
  • surface relationships
  • two agendas
• Three (of the 19) references that use koinónia
  • Acts 2:42
  • Romans 15:26
  • 1 Corinthians 1:9
• We see in Corinthians that we are "called by God" to have fellowship with Him and John further clarifies what this looks like - 1 John 1:5-7
• If you are struggling to have koinónia with other believers consider 1 John 1:8-10

 

Additional Resources

• Lyrics

This Week's Challenge

Read all of 1 John, then focus in on chapter one. Try looking at the word study for koinónia in BibleHub.com. Track down some more of the references to deepen your understanding of this Greek word. Don't forget to pray each time you pick up God's Word. Consider referencing the acronym P.R.A.Y. to ask God for power, revelation, application and a yielded spirit.

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Do we have an intellectual devotion to God or a heart-wrenching allegiance to Him? Follow me to the Book of Ruth this week as we explore big themes using "I Will Follow" by Chris Tomlin as inspiration.

Ruth's total devotion and life of submission have challenged me this week. I hope her story impacts you as well.

On this episode I discuss:

• My daughter, Meredith's, memory verse - Ruth 1:16-17
• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Reading in context
  • Repetition
  • Listen to the Scripture
  • Read (or listen) in a variety of translations
  • Concentrate on big themes
• The deep love and devotion Ruth had for Naomi - Ruth 1
• Putting our feet on a path to deep, abiding love for our Father rather than just cultural and intellectual devotion
• The theme of submission to authority
• Following God's instructions for our lives without "customization" (also known as disobedience)
• How God doesn't make mistakes - sometimes His will IS the long way around
• Exploring the themes in Ruth (not an all inclusive list)
  • Redemption
  • Joy
  • Legacy
  • Submission without customization
  • Deep, abiding love
• The "could haves" in Ruth's story

Additional Resources

• Lyrics
• Story behind the song "I Will Follow" by Chris Tomlin - YouTube Video

This Week's Challenge

Read in context - all four chapters of Ruth. Read it several times. Listen to it. Read or listen to it in several versions. Concentrate on the big themes. Maybe even pick one big theme I have listed this week and read and listen with only that theme in mind. It's going to be an exciting week!

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I don't think we fully comprehend how valuable we are to God. He tells us in many different ways and contexts and this week's song, "Sparrows" by Jason Gray, leads us to one of those sections of Scripture where Jesus makes it very clear how valuable we are to our Father.

The reason it is so important that we understand our value to God may surprise you, however.

On this episode I discuss:

• You can't add a single day by worrying - Matthew 6:27
• Don't worry your life away, don't let the trouble win - Matthew 6:34
• Not a field or flower escapes His  notice - Matthew 6:26, Matthew 6:28-30
• I chose Matthew 10 because Matthew 10:29 mentions sparrows and so does our song
• How amazing it must have felt to the disciples to be bestowed the authority to do amazing things like Jesus
• Relying on God's provision instead of financial buffers - Matthew 10:5-10
• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
• • Reading in context
  • Asking questions
• Breaking down Matthew 10:11-15 by asking questions
• Understanding our value to God
• Random facts
  • 540 million house sparrows in the world
  • 7.4 billion people in the world
  • 150,000 hairs on each of our heads (on average)
  • 1.11 quadrillion hairs are numbered by God
• Nothing you are going through escapes His notice

 

Additional Resources

• Lyrics

This Week's Challenge

Read all of Matthew 10 in context, of course! Ask questions while you are reading. Seek first to understand the Scripture before you seek to understand what it might mean for you. After you break it down with your questions, it will be easier to discover revelation and application for your life.

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