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

Send us Fan Mail 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 en...

Send us Fan Mail 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 di...

Send us Fan Mail 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 WOR...

Send us Fan Mail 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 tha...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 othe...

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 trans...

Send us Fan Mail "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 unde...

Send us Fan Mail 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&apos...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail Our society celebrates a lack of margin with hashtags and t-shirts while sacrificing health and relationships along the way. This week's song, "Breathe" by Jonny Diaz reminds us that we need to stop and sit at the feet of Jesus and just be. This, however, will take a purposed effort on your part. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, gives us a secret to contented...

Send us Fan Mail In difficult seasons of life we often seek to know "why," oreven blame someone or something as if it makes it all better. Thisweek's song "Thy Will" by Hillary Scott is a moving ballad ofsurrender to the will of a God we can trust. I use this song tointroduce us to Hagar, who had to do a little submitting to God'swill herself. I find it so interesting...

Send us Fan Mail "I don't want to have bumper sticker theology." This term a friend used recently has seared into my brain this week. I don't either! So, how do we fight the temptation to boil down all of our deeply held beliefs based on the truths of Scripture into catch phrases, platitudes or misused verses? We fight "bumper sticker theology" by understanding the fu...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever told a part of your story that you have been keeping inside? There is a freedom that comes in the telling. Big Daddy Weave capture the power of testimony in their song, "My Story." I've been greatly impacted by the testimony of others recently. It sent me to explore the story of Solomon. On this episode I discuss: Spiritual Emphasis Week at the Christi...

Send us Fan Mail Trust is a key foundation to our relationship with God the Father, Son AND Holy Spirit. When we allow our circumstances to define the character of God rather than His Word, we can easily be led to fear and doubt instead of trust. "Trust in You" by Lauren Daigle is a profound proclamation in song of our trust in God despite our circumstances. We will once again use the gi...

Send us Fan Mail Our existence here on earth is temporary. God's ultimate plan for our lives is for us to live on forever with Him. He calls it eternal life and that is the topic of this week's song by The Afters. "Live On Forever" inspired me to read about the life of Enoch. I can't wait to explore this interesting and stirring story about a man who walked with God. On th...

Send us Fan Mail When a song like "Alive In Me" by JJ Weeks Band can so clearly list out truths found in God's Word, I can't help but be inspired to jump right in. When you take the time to dwell in the same places the songwriters did, the meaning gets deeper, the lyrics seem richer and the Truth invades your memory. Join me as I use this week's song to "prove" t...

Send us Fan Mail There are many sorrows in the world today that we can point to, but even in the midst of the sin trouble we see around us, it is evident that God is still on the move! That is why the message of this week's song by 7eventh Time Down, "God Is On The Move," is so powerful. Even though the Bible is FULL of examples of God being "on the move," one of the most...

Send us Fan Mail If we want God's praise to "ever be" on our lips, then we need to develop patterns to help make it happen. This week's song, "Ever Be" by Aaron Shust led me to Psalm 22 where I uncovered a powerful pattern for prayer. The Psalm itself details how we can be fooled into defining the character of God through the lens of our circumstances. Don't make...

Send us Fan Mail On the other side of our confidence that God will never leave or forsake us is often the desperate cry, "Lord, don't leave me alone." This cry is found in the lyrics of our feature song this week, "Alone" by Hollyn featuring TRU. It was the call of a very famous character in the Bible, too. Moses' appeal to the Father was even deeper. It was not only...

Send us Fan Mail The topic of identity is blazing across headlines daily these days. It's always been an issue. How do we define who we are? Do we identify with this group or that group? Are we defined by what we do or how much we make? As Christians we need to get a grip on this very important topic. Blanca's song, "Who I Am" brings us to our senses and reminds us that we need...

Send us Fan Mail Our natural tendency is to hold tightly to our lives. We grip our hopes and dreams so tightly often little life remains in them. We cling to our way of thinking, our eyes squeezed tightly shut. All the while, our Savior reaches out to us with grace, mercy, joy and hope on the other side of our obedience to HIS way.  This week's song, "Touch the Sky" by Hillsong Unit...

Send us Fan Mail There are many times when I am cemented by the enormity of the obstacles in front of me. I am terrified, or overwhelmed, or saddened or any other host of immobilizing emotions. This is why I enjoy the song, "Move (Keep Walkin')" by TobyMac. I use the song to deploy us to 2 Timothy, where we can get "unstuck" by simply following Paul's advice to Timoth...

Send us Fan Mail This week's song, "You Are Loved" by Stars Go Dim, has a simple but profound lyric that leads us to a conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus in John chapter 3. We don't stop there because Jesus uses an analogy that sends us scurrying to Numbers 21 and then back to John 3 to deepen our understanding of love and salvation. I was thrilled at the depth this wee...

Send us Fan Mail Why is easier to trust God for some things than for others? Do we believe He is all powerful or not? Do we trust His authority over our circumstances or not? God sweeps Ezekiel into a valley to show him the most amazing resurrection scene. This week's song, "Come Alive (Dry Bones)" by Lauren Daigle sweeps us into Ezekiel chapter 37 to encounter God's sovereignt...