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

Send us Fan Mail We can see what a heart filled with expectation looks like when we observe children's faces on Christmas morning. May our hearts burst with childlike levels of anticipation for the return of Christ. "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus," as sung by Meredith Andrews, reminds us that while the Advent season may have come to a close for 2017, we still eagerly await Christ&ap...

Send us Fan Mail I have been keeping Jesus small. I have found myself saying things like, "He started as a baby." Fortunately for me, I allowed Scripture to reshape my thinking this week. Inspired by downhere's song, "How Many Kings," I considered what sort of king Jesus is to emphasize the tremendous sacrifice it was for Him to come to earth as a human (much less a baby)....

Send us Fan Mail What if Jesus had come to earth in another way? He is God after all. He didn't HAVE to plan to come as a baby. Have you ever considered why? Jason Gray's song grapples with this idea in his song "I Will Find a Way" based on a short story, "An Advent Monologue," by Walter Wangerin Jr. Join me on a journey to Isaiah 43 where we hear the loving voice of...

Send us Fan Mail There is such a sense of expectancy in the Christmas season. We hope our gifts for others are "just right," we hope everyone gets along at our various gatherings, we hope to make lasting and meaningful memories, and sometimes we hope for that perfect gift. Before Jesus came the first time, all of creation hoped for God to send the One that would rescue the world. Kari Jo...

Send us Fan Mail There's a problem in our hearts that is not a new problem. We have hearts that are prone to wander from God. Hillary Scott & The Scott Family sing of this very thing in their rendition of the famous hymn, "Come Thou Fount." These lyrics will take us on a wonderful journey through Scripture this week. Perhaps you'll find a place to sit and stay for awhile wi...

Send us Fan Mail Sometimes my grandmother bemoans the repetition in contemporary worship songs. Once she mentioned she felt like the worship team might just "sing of your love forever"...forever. I'm pretty sure she'll excuse the repetition in the classic hymn "Nothing but the Blood" as it leads us to consider the significance of the blood shed by our Savior. No matte...

Send us Fan Mail Let's develop a sense of wonder, shall we? The famous hymn "How Great Thou Art" leads us to consider God with a sense of "awesome wonder." I chose Carrie Underwood's rendition to meditate on Psalm 145. David sat in awesome wonder of God and gives us a host of truths to meditate on in just one Psalm. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of...

Send us Fan Mail From time to time I enjoy a few (or a bag) of Oreos. While they are enjoyable, they are not nourishing. The hymns of old are full of rich nourishing doctrine that help form a strong foundation for the believer. This week I use Rend Collective's rendition of "You Are My Vision," a classic hymn versified by Eleanor Hull in 1912. Join me as I uncover the Scriptural rec...

Send us Fan Mail I've always wondered why it is more acceptable to express our joy over a touchdown (in my case an LSU Tiger touchdown) than in our salvation. MercyMe's new song, "Happy Dance," challenges us to let our joy out! Join me as we head over to 1 Peter to explore unspeakable joy. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible In...

Send us Fan Mail The waters of our soul are deep. The cry of the song "Oh My Soul" by Casting Crowns reminds us that we can bare our souls to the One who created us inside and out. If we spend some time tending to our souls, we can experience the faithfulness of God in the deepest places of our being. The Psalms include many soul-baring moments, and Psalm 42 contains and example of this....

Send us Fan Mail There are some nights when the moon shines so brightly I don't even have to turn on the outside lights to pick my way across my back deck. It's like a spotlight in the sky. Except that the moon doesn't have any light of it's own. The moon merely reflects the light of the sun. When we sing Hillsong Worship's song, "This I Believe (The Creed)" or r...

Send us Fan Mail God's Word challenges and convicts, reveals and comforts. It is an amazing privilege to have access to the words God has preserved for us. Jeremy Camp's song, "Word of Life," sings of effects God's Word can have on our lives. Our efforts this week can bring that impact to life. Join me as we follow a repeatable pattern to interact with God's Word. On...

Send us Fan Mail What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. This is not merely a cliche -- it is played out in every epic story in history. NEEDTOBREATHE's song "Hard Love" reminds us that the difficult obstacles just may be a part of God's design in making us stronger. We discover a valiant warrior in 2 Samuel 23. The real challenge is when we consider what he had to go thro...

Send us Fan Mail The Bible has a lot to say about functioning in vibrant relationships. While the song by Casting Crowns, "Broken Together" speaks of a couple dealing with brokenness in marriage, we will use it to uncover some gems that will help us in ALL of our relationships. Great relationships (especially great marriages) don't "just happen." Allowing Scripture to defi...

Send us Fan Mail Sometimes we try to dress up sin to make it acceptable, or even worse, don't address it at all. "Poison Tree" by Ghost Ship doesn't play that game. The song describes the poisonous and ugly nature of sin while contrasting it to the new life Christ offers. If we never inspect sin closely, we'll keep excusing it and miss out on the fruit our lives could bear...

Send us Fan Mail Tragedy changes the way we see things. Most often in the midst of tragedy, what is MOST important rises to the surface. Unfortunately, that clarity is often temporary when the "new normal" takes over. Meredith Andrew's song, "Spirit of the Living God," calls on the Holy Spirit to change "what we see and what we seek." My prayer is that it will be...

Send us Fan Mail Old Testament Scripture is full of models and examples of the things to come -- things that are ultimately fulfilled in Christ. Hebrews even says they are "a shadow" not the "realities." Elevation Worship's song "O Come To The Altar" sent me on a journey to discover the significance of two altars found in the tabernacle of old. Come with me as we...

Send us Fan Mail There is a cultural gap between people grounded in the Christian faith and those who are discovering it for the first time, and the language we use contributes greatly to that gap. The lyrics of Selah's song "I Got Saved" may bring joy to the heart of some and confusion to the minds of others. Saved from what? Paul brings clarity to that question in the book of Roma...

Send us Fan Mail Today's most popular songs, like the Psalms, are often reflective of the times. For King and Country's song "O God Forgive Us" reflects the issues of our time, but includes an age-old prayer of repentance. We see a cry for deliverance from a very desperate situation in Psalm 79 this week. Perhaps you are crying out from a place of desperation, too. You can recl...

Send us Fan Mail I love it when God weaves memories, music, and Truth together to reveal a beautiful tapestry. I often step back and think to myself, "You've had this picture planned all along." Shane & Shane's rendition of "Psalm 91 (On Eagle's Wings)" takes me back in time. Only this time, God has something new to say through His Word in this season of my l...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever said a word and all of a sudden begin to question if you are using it properly, or if it's really a word at all? Maybe that's just me, but sometimes I wonder if we really understand the gospel. This week's song, "The Gospel" by Ryan Stevenson, drew me to Scripture to explore and confirm what the good news really is. Come with me on a journey...

Send us Fan Mail Sometimes we get lulled into thinking God is only in control in certain situations, but not in others. This is a lie direct from the enemy's playbook. Tauren Wells' new song "Hills and Valleys" reminds us that God is the supreme authority over all terrain in our lives. There was a group of Arameans in 1 Kings 20 that learned this same lesson the hard way. I kno...

Send us Fan Mail "That's the way we've always done it" has often caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand up. Not that tradition is bad, but understanding WHY we do things should be our motivating factor, not custom. I pray in Jesus' name, but there is a Scriptural reason why. Lincoln Brewster's song "There Is Power" reminds us of the power found in t...

Send us Fan Mail The Bible is rich with characters we can identify with. While individually we are unique, as a human race we often struggle with similar sins and responses. I am encouraged by the words of Crowder's song "Forgiven," and am even more encouraged by the truths in Scripture it leads us to examine. There is not a sin you struggle with that has not beset many before you....

Send us Fan Mail When such a short Psalm reveals so many inspiring characteristics of God, it's worth our time to spend some time in it. This week's song, "Shoulders" by For King & Country, leads us right to Psalm 121. In fact, the song begins by quoting the opening verses of Psalm 121! **This is a repost of Episode #70. I am on vacation in Alaska this week with my family,...