Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 83

Jesus declares in John 12:24, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain."

In order for a seed to produce life, it must be willing to lay down its life. As we go back into the classic sermon archives, Major Ian Thomas—a British preacher who knew what it meant to be completely focused upon and obsessed with Jesus—preaches a powerful sermon entitled "A Grain of Wheat."

Ian Thomas reminds us that "the life that [Jesus] lived qualified Him for the death that He died; the dead that He died qualifies you to receive the life that He lived." Truly a profound statement.

Would you be willing, as Ian Thomas exhorts, to lay down your life before Jesus Christ and allow Him to produce His life in and through you? For this truly is the essence of Christianity.

Download the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/83/

Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 82

In this classic Bravehearted Thot, my friend Eric Ludy uses several concepts from missionary CT Studd to ask us a few tough questions—such as:

• What are you attracted to?
• What moves you?
• What gets you up off the couch? Is it gold or is it God?
• Which one gets you up in the morning and cause you to risk life and limb?

Originally taken from the graduation message of the first Ellerslie Discipleship Semester in December 2010, Eric reminds us that we must give up our lives and surrender our will to the call of God. We must not have a limit to our obedience but rather be willing to give up the short season of our lives to serve our King no matter the cost.

Download the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/82/

 Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 81

American Ninja Warrior, one of my favorite shows, ended this week. While watching the final competition, I was struck by how the challenges and obstacles these athletes face is similar to our spiritual lives.

In this episode, I talk about how American Ninja Warrior can challenge our spiritual lives as we seek to be trained daily and allow God to prepare us for any challenge and obstacle that may lie ahead in our lives.

I also give seven ways God often trains us spiritually so we can purposefully choose transformation and growth in our spiritual lives.

Download the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/81/

Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 80

As Christians, the way we approach the Bible is important. Do we read or study God's Word flippantly, casually, or merely because we have to? No, of course not. 

The way we approach Scripture will affect what we get from Scripture. 

In this episode, I offer nine ways we as believers need to approach the Word of God—whether we read or study it.

Learn why you should become a journalist, detective, student, child, fertile soil, cow, teacher, servant, and a Christian in the reading and study of God's Word.

Download the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/80/

Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 79

Most Christians recognize that we (both personally and as the global Church) need revival. But what IS revival? 

In this episode, we listen to a classic sermon by Leonard Ravenhill entitled: "True Revival: The Presence of God."

Leonard Ravenhill (1907-1994) preaches from Isaiah 4:1-4 and explains that revival isn't something we manufacture, rather revival is all about the presence of God.

Yes, our world, our country, and the Church desperately need revival, but let revival and transformation first start with each of us personally.

Download the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/79/

Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 78

I've been working on my upcoming book covering a simple and practical system to study the Bible … but before I finish, I need your advice to make sure I'm not missing any key concepts. So I encourage you to help me out by taking a moment to answer this question: "When it comes to how to study the Bible, what is the single biggest challenge, question, frustration, or problem that you've been struggling with?" » To leave a response, please visit the shownotes for this episode at https://deeperchristian.com/78

Download the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/78/

Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 77

We know we are supposed to pray.

In fact, Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 that we are to pray without ceasing. But WHAT is it that we are to pray?

Though there are a variety of types of prayer, one method you could try is to pray Scripture itself.

When you take the words of God and use them as the basis for your prayer, you are merely crying out what God already wants to do and accomplish in your life.

In this episode, we use Ephesians 3:16-21 as an example of how you can take the Bible and use it to pray.

Download the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/77/

Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 76

In this short episode, I walk through the latest of Deeper Christian and talk about the new website update we are about to launch, my new book, and the next Israel trip.

Download the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/76/

Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 75

Many of us get stuck in our Bible study because we feel we need certain resources and tools to study well.

While Bible resources are great (and if you have access to them, you might as well use them), but the truth is that you don't need Bible resources to study the Bible.

The last couple days, I've been in training for how to use Logos Bible Software and while I love the program and what it can do, it reminded me that the most important thing for Bible study is not software, tools, or resources it is the Author Himself. And that's what I talk about in this Deeper Christian Podcast episode. 

Download the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/75/

Deeper Christian Podcast • Episode 74

We are not to be parrots.

Perhaps that is obvious, but too often in the Christian life, we "parrot" our faith rather than allow the Spirit of God to indwell and direct our lives.

In this teaching session I gave at the Cross Style Training Camp, I walk through Creation and the seven levels of lifeforms mentioned in Genesis 1-3 and show how trying to mimic God (which we often call "WWJD") is no different than a parrot trying to mimic a human.

We also discuss the two trees in Garden showing how one is a picture of dependence (the life of a Christian) and the other a life of independence.

Whether you listen to the episode or watch the video version on the show notes page at deeperChristian.com/74/ (which is encouraged since I use a whiteboard to teach the session), this episode will enunciate what it means to be a Christian to live by and in the Spirit of God.

Download the shownotes for this episode and get other Christ-centered teaching and resources at: deeperChristian.com/74/