Many Christians say Jesus is the center of their lives, but what if He's not actually at the center of the center?

In this episode, we examine what it truly means for Christ to be all and have first place in everything according to Colossians 1:18 and Colossians 3:4-11, and why so many believers unknowingly substitute legalism, religious duty, or fear for genuine Christ-centered living. Drawing from Oswald Chambers' challenge about what we're truly obsessed with, this episode will help you honestly evaluate whether Jesus is your life or merely a part of it—and what to do if you've been turning Him on and off without realizing it.

If you're serious about authentic Christian discipleship and want to move beyond surface-level faith to making Jesus truly preeminent, this teaching will challenge you to examine what's really at the core of your spiritual life.

1. Watch this episode as a video on YouTube
2. Check out the study notes for this episode

Video mentioned at the end:

1. Four Ways to Know if Jesus is Your True Obsession and Passion

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» Join the Deeper Christian community and receive the Deeper Digest each Saturday, which includes all the quotes, articles, podcasts, and resources from Nathan and Deeper Christian from the week to help you grow spiritually.

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Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 371

View the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/371

What can the book of Jonah teach us about God’s mercy, our resistance to obedience, and the transforming power of repentance? In this episode, Nathan Johnson shares three key lessons and fresh insights drawn from his in-depth study of Jonah. Discover how this little (and funny) Old Testament book reveals the humor of God, the stunning depth of God’s mercy toward both rebels and the religious, and how it confronts us to live like Jesus.

1. Watch this episode as a video on YouTube
2. Check out the study notes for this episode

Bonuses

1. Listen to the series on hesed (God's lovingkindness)
2. Watch the 8-part study in Jonah

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» Join the Deeper Christian community and receive the Deeper Digest each Saturday, which includes all the quotes, articles, podcasts, and resources from Nathan and Deeper Christian from the week to help you grow spiritually.

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Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 370

View the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/370

In this concise, Christ-centered overview of the Gospel of Mark, we trace the “beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1) and see why Mark presents Jesus as the triumphant Suffering Servant—One who did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life “a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

You’ll get the big-picture purpose, audience, and driving themes of Mark’s fast-paced narrative (action, urgency, discipleship, the Kingdom of God, and the central question: Who is Jesus?), along with a simple outline that helps you read Mark with clarity and structure—especially as the Gospel presses us toward a decision about Jesus and a willingness to follow Him in the way of the cross (Mark 8:34–35).

If you'd like a longer (more detailed) overview, I preached an hour-length message on the Gospel of Mark and encourage you to check it out here.

1. Watch this episode as a video on YouTube
2. Check out the study notes for this episode

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» Join the Deeper Christian community and receive the Deeper Digest each Saturday, which includes all the quotes, articles, podcasts, and resources from Nathan and Deeper Christian from the week to help you grow spiritually.

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Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 369

View the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/369

You are blessed!

What a phenomenal promise in Scripture. But the blessing is probably not in what you are thinking.

In Ephesians 1:3–14, the Apostle Paul declares a staggering truth: every spiritual blessing we receive from God is found and fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

In this Christ-centered Bible teaching, we explore what it truly means to be “blessed” and how our blessing is not in something but in Someone (Jesus).

As we step into a new year filled with noise, busyness, and distraction, this passage calls believers back to the supreme focus of the Christian life: delighting in Christ, resting in what He has already accomplished, and living for the praise of His glorious grace.

If you want to grow spiritually, understand your identity in Christ, and anchor your life in the unshakable blessings of the gospel, this study from Ephesians will reorient your heart and mind around the preeminence, majesty, and glory of Jesus Christ.

1. Watch this episode as a video on YouTube
2. Check out the study notes for this episode

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» Join the Deeper Christian community and receive the Deeper Digest each Saturday, which includes all the quotes, articles, podcasts, and resources from Nathan and Deeper Christian from the week to help you grow spiritually.

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Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 368

View the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/368

In this Bible teaching, we explore the often-overlooked story of Zechariah in Luke 1 and discover how his faithfulness, misunderstanding, and expectancy prepare the way for the Advent of Jesus Christ.

Far more than background characters in the Christmas story, Zechariah and Elizabeth stand at the threshold of redemptive history, where God breaks centuries of silence and announces the coming of the Messiah. This study walks through Luke 1, drawing out theological depth, historical context, and spiritual application—showing how Advent is not merely about waiting for Christmas morning, but ultimately about our anticipation of Jesus' second coming and learning to trust God’s promises when they feel delayed, improbable, or costly.

If you desire a deeper, Christ-centered understanding of Advent, the birth of Jesus, and how God prepares hearts for His redemptive work, this teaching will help anchor your faith in the faithfulness of God and the certainty of His Word.

1. Watch this episode as a video on YouTube
2. Check out the study notes for this episode

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» Join the Deeper Christian community and receive the Deeper Digest each Saturday, which includes all the quotes, articles, podcasts, and resources from Nathan and Deeper Christian from the week to help you grow spiritually.

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Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 367

View the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/367

Happy Thanksgiving!

But is your thanksgiving celebration a once-a-year feast or an everyday focus?

In this special (and short), thanksgiving episode, Nathan gives a quick overview of thanksgiving in Scripture, why it should mark our lives, and how it is connected to our celebration of Jesus Christ.

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» Join the Deeper Christian community and receive the Deeper Digest each Saturday, which includes all the quotes, articles, podcasts, and resources from Nathan and Deeper Christian from the week to help you grow spiritually.

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Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 366

When most people think of Jonah, they picture a fish. Yet the fish appears in only three verses of this profound prophetic book. So if Jonah isn’t really about a fish, what’s it about?

In this special (short) episode, Nathan invites you to join him in a verse-by-verse study of the book of Jonah where we discover that Jonah is a book about the Living God who relentlessly pursues the lost, even when His own people would prefer He didn’t. And woven throughout this humorous yet convicting narrative, we’ll see stunning shadows of Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

• Watch the study series on YouTube
• Check out the Jonah series (called Swallowed by Mercy)

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» Join the Deeper Christian community and receive the Deeper Digest each Saturday, which includes all the quotes, articles, podcasts, and resources from Nathan and Deeper Christian from the week to help you grow spiritually.

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Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 365

Names in the Bible are far more than labels—they reveal character, nature, reputation, and identity.

In this episode, Nathan Johnson explores why the names of God are vital for knowing Him personally and growing spiritually.

When you truly understand God's names, you gain greater clarity of His character, deeper intimacy in relationship with Him, increased awe and worship of Him, and you’ll find that knowing His names practically transforms how you live daily for His glory.

If you want to deepen your walk with Christ and experience the richness of Scripture in a fresh way, studying the names of God will revolutionize your spiritual life and ignite authentic worship from a heart that truly beholds His majesty.

• Watch this episode as a video on YouTube
• Check out the study notes for this episode

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» Join the Deeper Christian community and receive the Deeper Digest each Saturday, which includes all the quotes, articles, podcasts, and resources from Nathan and Deeper Christian from the week to help you grow spiritually.

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Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 364

View the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/364

George Müller (1805–1898) was a man who lived fully by faith and prayer, caring for over 10,000 orphans, giving away hundreds of thousands of Bibles, and inspiring generations to trust God’s promises.

In this episode, Nathan Johnson explores the incredible life and legacy of Müller—once a liar, thief, and drunkard who was transformed by Christ into a humble servant of God. From his radical dependence on prayer, to his refusal to ask for money, to the miraculous ways God provided for thousands of children in Bristol, Müller’s story continues to challenge believers to live a surrendered life of faith, prayer, and obedience to Jesus Christ. Join us as we unpack his biography, his lessons on faith, and the powerful truths from Scripture that shaped his life.

• Watch this episode as a video on YouTube
• Check out the study notes for this episode
• Get the suggested resources mentioned in this episode

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• Saturation Bible Study (by NRJohnson) … discover the adventure of knowing Jesus more deeply through time in the Bible. Get the book or the quickstart course.

• George Müller Books + Bios
• The Autobiography of George Müller
• George Muller: The Guardian of Bristol's Orphans (Christian Heroes: Then and Now) – by Janet and Geoff Benge
• George Müller of Bristol: His Life of Prayer and Faith – by AT Pierson
• George Müller: Delighted in God – by Roger Steer
• Release The Power Of Prayer – by George Müller
• Movie: Robber of the Cruel Streets

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» Join the Deeper Christian community and receive the Deeper Digest each Saturday, which includes all the quotes, articles, podcasts, and resources from Nathan and Deeper Christian from the week to help you grow spiritually.

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Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 363

View the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/363

Most people think worship means singing songs—but the Bible reveals it’s far deeper. True worship is a lifestyle of beholding, intimacy, and sacrifice. In short, it must become the posture of your heart, the focus of your life, and the daily offering of yourself to God.

In this Christ-centered Bible teaching, Nathan Johnson explores what biblical worship really means, uncovering its rich depth in Scripture through the ideas of beholding, kissing, and sacrifice. Discover how worship is a lifestyle that transforms every area of your life, helping you glorify Jesus Christ in everything you do.

Whether you’re a new believer or a mature Christian longing to go deeper, this message will help you understand that worship goes beyond music and will inspire you to live fully for the preeminence, majesty, and glory of Jesus.

• Watch this episode as a video on YouTube
• Check out the study notes for this episode

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» Join the Deeper Christian community and receive the Deeper Digest each Saturday, which includes all the quotes, articles, podcasts, and resources from Nathan and Deeper Christian from the week to help you grow spiritually.

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Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 362

View the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/362