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Do you remember the last conversation you had with a loved one who is no longer with you? Well, Jesus' words at the Last Supper were memorable and important enough to be carefully recorded by John and give us our Scriptural challenge this week. "Evidence" by Citizen Way reminds me of Jesus' new command to his disciples every time I hear it.

I hope you are as challenged by the words of Jesus during this last meal with His best friends as I am.

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• My goal to keep an eye out for references to "love" in my Bible Read Through this year
• Citizen Way's YouTube video discussing the inspiration behind the song
• Citizen Way's inspiration - 1 John 4:19
• Paul's challenge to continue to love and to love even more - 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10
• The Bible interaction tool of lining your OWN life up with Scripture...this journey is your own
• Jesus' new command to love - John 13:34
• The importance (and delight) of context
• Jesus' promise that we will be filled with His joy - John 15:11-12
• It is a sin NOT to obey commands we know to do - James 4:5, 11, 17
• Love is the EVIDENCE of Jesus in our lives...this is the reason for Jesus' new command - John 13:35

Additional Resources

• Lyrics
• Citizen Way's "Evidence - Behind the Music"
• Keith Moore's Sermon The Love Command - Preferring Your Brother
• Radical Together - A Humbling Start to a New Year - David Platt
• The Bible Read Through I am participating in with Keith Ferrin

This Week's Challenge

Spend some time in John 13-17. These are the chapters that hold the words of Jesus during the Last Supper, where He gave this new command. Also, make it a priority to commit to infusing your life with God's Word every day this year...through Bible reading, study, and listening to the Word...use it all, but commit to God's glory today!

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One of the best practices in life is to decide what your response will be when faced with a circumstance BEFORE facing the circumstance. At the beginning of a new year we often make resolutions. This week's song "Resolution" by Everfound leads us to examine the life of Peter.

I hope this week's song will lead you to Scripture and to being RESOLUTE in your walk with Christ.

On this week's episode, I discuss:

• My personal resolution to begin this podcast in November 2013!
• Roadblocks to our resolutions
• The film "Apostle Peter and the Last Supper"
• When Peter meets Jesus - John 1:42
• Peter walking on water - Matthew 14:28-31
• Peter's response when others began to desert Jesus - John 6:66-69, Matthew 16:17
• Peter pulling Jesus aside to rebuke Him - Matthew 16:17, 21-23
• Peter with Jesus at the transfiguration - Matthew 17:1-9
• This scene from the film that brought up "ghosts" from Peter's past
• Philippians 3:14 - pressing on to the end of the race 

Additional Resources

• Lyrics and the story behind the song from NewReleaseTuesday.com
• The Life of Peter Scripture References from City Light Church
• Link to the trailer for the film "Apostle Peter and the Last Supper"

This Week's Challenge

Use this week's study resource as a tool to read over the areas of Scripture that highlight Peter and his experiences. Pick at least one gospel to review the Scriptures in context; if you make time, compare them all!

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What is it about this time of year that we are so willing to try new things? I'm not sure, but it's as good a time as any to jump into Scripture, and Royal Tailor's song, "Making Me New," helps us do just that!

In Christ, we are a new creation, and that is a reason to get up and celebrate!

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• The story of Nicodemus and Jesus and their discussion about being born again
• John 3:1-21
• If you saw Jesus' answer prior to hearing the question, what do you think the question was?
• Jesus left everything for us
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 - In Christ, we are a new creation
• The Stupendous Reality of Being "in Christ Jesus" article on DesiringGod.org

This Week's Challenge

Spend some time in John 3:1-21 and ponder the interaction between Jesus and Nicodemus. Or you can use the DesiringGod.org article to lead you to 13 Scripture references about being "in Christ".

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When you strip everything away and focus intently on the baby Jesus of the Bible, you will see what For King & Country describes in their song, "Baby Boy" -- you will see a king without a crown, a baby boy without a bed, and unexpected majesty.

Hopefully, at the end of our study, we will respond as the band does with a resounding, "Alleluia, what a King!"

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• The epic crescendo of the arrival of baby Jesus
• How God had this plan from the beginning
• The fullness of time found in Galatians 4:4-5
• How God began with the end in mind even before He made the world in Ephesians 1:4-5
• God's plan is all about relationship
• Jesus was not just a willing participant but was in on the planning John 1:1-5, 14
• Focusing on the details of Jesus revealed in Luke 1 & 2

Additional Resources

• Lyrics
• New Release Tuesday article behind the song "Baby Boy"

This Week's Challenge

Read Luke 1 & 2...again. This time, focus on ANY reference to Jesus. Write each mention in a list, either in your journal or on a scratch piece of paper. 

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I love how this week's song leads us to the Christmas story AND deep into God's Word, searching out details about the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.  Lauren Daigle's "Light of the World" includes lyrics we can relate to and that point us back to God's Word.

If you feel like you are walking in darkness, please know that the sunrise has visited us from above to give you light and guide your feet into the way of peace.

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• Our desire for the "next thing"
• Giving yourself the margin to allow truth to sink in
• Luke 2:13-14 where the multitude of angels appeared to the shepherds
• Zachariah's prophecy over John that includes details about Jesus in Luke 1:76-79
• Matthew 4:16 describing the Light that has dawned (cross reference in Isaiah 9:2)
• Jesus referring to Himself as the Light of the World in John 8:12

Additional Resources

• Lyrics
• New Release Tuesday article behind the song "Light of the World"

This Week's Challenge

Read Luke 1 & 2...again. This time, focus on the areas we talked about today -- Zechariah's prophecy, the angels and the shepherds, or any other part you find yourself skipping over. Want to go deeper? Do a search in BibleHub.com or BibleGateway.com for "light of the world". Read the verses you find in context and chase down some cross references.

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I am ruined! Now that I have spent so much time in God's Word studying the details of the Christmas story, I cannot look at a nativity scene the same! However, I can choose to see all of the details that don't line up with Scripture, or I can choose to use the nativity scene as a reminder of all I've learned through my own studies. And I can use songs like "Be Born in Me" by Francesca Battistelli to lead me back to those Scriptures and identify with this REAL girl, Mary.

I hope this week's episode and song inspire you to do the same.

On this week's episode, I discuss:

• My choice to use the nativity as a tool instead of getting aggravated
• Reminding you of the importance of context
• My treasure-hunting path in God's Word this week
• Matthew 1:20-23 where the angel tells Joseph the baby fulfills a prophecy
• BibleHub.com as a study tool, especially for cross-references
• Isaiah 7:14 where the original prophecy about Immanuel being born to a virgin is recorded
• Luke 1:26-38 where Mary encounters the angel Gabriel and then runs off to Elizabeth's house
• Elizabeth's greeting after the filling of the Holy Spirit
• WHY Mary is "blessed"
• Offering our vacant hearts to God's purposes

Additional Resources

• Lyrics
• New Release Tuesday article behind the song "Be Born in Me"

This Week's Challenge

Study Mary's song in Luke 1. A fun experiment might be to use a tool like BibleHub.com and look at a verse and then look on the right to see where the cross references might lead you. If something catches your eye, go read those verses in context. It may have NOTHING to do with Mary in the end, but that's okay! The goal is to have fun interacting with God's Word!

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How many times will you walk by a nativity scene this Christmas season? Are you like me? Have you become numb to the REAL story behind the figurines? This week's song, "Real" by Nichole Nordeman, reminds us of the REAL people in this familiar scene.

I hope this song will inspire you to take a closer look at Scripture and give you a tool that you can use EVERY TIME you read the stories of Biblical characters.

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• The tool of remembering that Biblical characters are REAL
• Al Andrews's short story, "Real - A Christmas Story"
• Luke 2:1-7
• What Mary may have experienced and felt
• Luke 1:28-38
• A closer look at Luke 2:7
• What we can do to ensure Biblical characters stay "real" to us
  • Read the details that are really there
  • Do a little research
  • Take time to imagine how you would feel in their situation and overlay that with historical details the character may have had to endure

Additional Resources

• Lyrics
• The story behind how the song came to be
• Article from ChristianAnswers.net on Myths About Christmas
• An article from CatholicIreland.net on the details of the journey shown in the Christmas story

This Week's Challenge

Read the Christmas story details in Luke and Matthew in various versions. Consider another "character" in the Christmas story and follow the three steps outlined in today's episode to ensure this character comes to life in your mind because, after all, they were REAL.

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I love descriptive word pictures. This week's song, "King of My Heart" by Love & The Outcome, points us to a familiar story that may even lead you to a picture in your mind...but is the picture in your mind accurate to Scripture? Find out as we dig around in 1 Samuel this week using "King of My Heart" as our catalyst to jump into Scripture.

You might be surprised at the details you never noticed before!

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• The battle described by Love & The Outcome in their interview with New Release Tuesday
• The battle I face daily at every turn with things fighting for my attention
• The story of David and Goliath
• Glo Bible as a study resource
• 1 Samuel 16:18
• The details of David we may not have noticed before
• Israelites rejecting God for a human king
• 1 Samuel 8:10-22
• Be careful what you wish for
• Anointing Jesus as the King of our hearts

Additional Resources

• Lyrics

This Week's Challenge

Start reading in 1 Samuel chapter 8 and make your way through until you reach the story of David and Goliath in chapter 17. Feel free to "chase rabbits" along the way!

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This week's song leads me down memory lane to one of my favorite childhood songs, "The Little Light of Mine." The band Unspoken, however, makes a bolder request when they sing out "Start a Fire." Happily, both songs lead us to our desired destination...God's Word.

Join me on a journey to one of Jesus' most famous sermons and Paul's last letter.

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• A childhood song this song reminds me of
• The story shown in the music video
• Letting your light shine right where you are
• Matthew 5
• The cost of letting our light shine
• The reward of letting our light shine
• Prayers for the persecuted
• The word "blessed" found in the beatitudes in the Amplified Bible
• "Fan into flame" found in 2 Timothy 1
• 2 Timothy 1:6 in the Amplified Bible
• Following Paul's direction to "fan the flame"
• Sowing the seeds we have received

This Week's Challenge

Spend some time in Matthew chapters 5-7 and study the Sermon on the Mount. Meditate on our focus area and determine if you let your light shine. If your light seems more of an ember these days, hop on over to 2 Timothy and learn from Peter's last letter how to fan into flame the gifts that God has already placed in you.

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This week's song,  "Just Say Jesus" by 7eventh Time Down, is a wonderful anthem to everyone who has come to the end of our rope. The name of Jesus is a powerful representation of God and holds power in our lives. In today's episode, we see proof of this power in Scripture.

I  hope you will release this same power in your life through the name of Jesus.

In this week's episode, I discuss:

• The study tip of using the section titles in your Bible to help you find your way
• An interview with the band from Creation West 2014
• A mini-lesson from the lives of Peter and John found in Acts 3
• The time when Peter and John are arrested in Acts 4
• A name as authority
• Peter's cross-reference to Psalm 118
• The enemy's tactic of limiting the use of the name of Jesus
• Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life - John 14:6

Additional Resources

• Lyrics

This Week's Challenge

Read Acts chapters 3 and 4 and Psalm 118 for yourself.

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