The Pure Worship Podcast

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Hey, I don't know how you grew up, but I didn't grow up understanding the power of my voice to BRING LIFE in the supernatural. I was turned off by the abuse of this principle by the "name it, claim it" camp, and I allowed this to stifle a very good thing. In this podcast, we discuss the power of keeping yourself moving in the right direction by using your mouth to agree OUT LOUD with the things God has said, with His promises AND His principles. It seems every day that someone new walks away from Christianity, and you gotta wonder what we can do to keep ourselves from letting this happen to us and those we love! If you're concerned, like me, you simply MUST listen to this conversation. The principles we outline here will help keep you running in the right direction, no matter what craziness is happening around you.  Don't forget to subscribe to our email newsletter here: http://www.jeffdeyo.com/join-jeffs-email-list/ And make sure you follow Jeff and Josh on social media: @jeffdeyo @joshua.n.edwards

Have you ever considered the fact that the beautiful symbols of Christianity—the cross, communion, and other sacraments—can turn into a HUGE stumbling block toward real, vibrant relationship with God? Seems like we—along with the Israelites—are often dead set on finding something we can see, feel, or touch to engage with, instead of being content to connect relationally with our invisible God. Many of us even worship our emotions or our church experiences rather than attempt to take the time to learn to actually BE WITH the person of God. One on one. Granted, it is fairly difficult to wrap our minds around HOW to engage with the Being who spoke life into existence, and it is much easier to attempt to walk in close fellowship with religious activities. And so, in this podcast, we've determined to expose the unintentional golden calves that can easily "stand in" for true relationship with God. **Don't forget, you can join our family in providing clean water for those who don't have any by giving toward our 10K run here: https://celebrationmn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/stl-fundraiser-deyos

So many times, we find ourselves needing to UNLEARN things we've previously learned about God, that is, especially if we're hoping to approach Him with the FREEDOM He desires. Unfortunately, we end up making up our own rules and procedures, often because of our own insecurities and failings. All the while, God has already done everything that is necessary to break down the barriers between us, to wash away our shortcomings, to tear away the veil, to make a way!!! And he simply invites us to accept his invitation to come to Him. In this week's podcast, Josh and Jeff explain what it means to come boldly before the throne of God, dispelling the notion that shame should keep you from coming or that coming boldly equates to coming with arrogance. Let's go! Also, please join Jeff and his family by giving TODAY as the run a special 10k this Saturday, November 16, to raise money to build water wells for people who don't have clean water, ultimately opening the door for them to hear the Gospel. You can contribute here: https://celebrationmn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/stl-fundraiser-deyos

There's much that can be said about hunger and thirst, but it might surprise you to hear us say that they aren't actually bad! In fact, would you believe us if we told you that hunger and thirst are an enormous blessing from God?? Yep, in today's podcast Josh and I are going to debunk a myth about these two concepts as well as encourage you to refresh yourself spiritually by drinking deeply and continually from the rivers of God's living water. Many of us walk around dry and cracked, literally dying of thirst, completely void of spiritual water in their lives – spending vast amounts of time drinking from the wells of this world, only to find ourselves spiritually parched. Psalm 63:1 declares, “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” The only difference between us and the psalmist is that many of us don't recognize our own depravity. Join us today to learn more. Please help me celebrate my 50th birthday (today, Nov. 5) by giving to support my family's efforts to raise money to build water wells for needy families as we run a 10k on Sat Nov. 16. My goal is to raise $2,500 for my birthday, but any amount helps! Please partner with us by giving here: https://celebrationmn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/stl-fundraiser-deyos ALSO, if you would like to help Josh's friends feed the hungry, please, please reach out to them at JesusFood.org.

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Oh, I hope God doesn't come back just yet; I'm really looking forward to that 10 day Bahamas trip next summer.” Or, “I really hope Jesus doesn't return in the next 30 days; I just can't wait to get that new iPhone!” There's something not quite right when we're more excited about this earth than we are about Heaven. We know Paul said to live is Christ and to die is gain. So he clearly had the perspective that moving on from this earth is a big time promotion. So why all the fuss? Is it the unknowns, or is it something deeper? In this podcast, Josh and I are going to take a closer look at the most amazing thing about Heaven. Spoiler; it's not the golden streets! By the way, if you would like to get a copy of Jeff's book, Awakening Pure Worship, you can visit www.jeffdeyo.com or purchase one on Amazon. If you have any questions about today's or any other episode, feel free to comment on the app or email us here: info@jeffdeyo.com. Thanks!

No doubt, you've heard us talk about the importance of fostering a REAL relationship with God. No doubt you know that Josh and I believe the Bible reveals this endeavor to be the most important thing we can do in life. No doubt, you can expect us to continue to press the issue in different ways again and again—especially since most of us are still making excuses, all the while spending our most precious resource—our time—in much less worthwhile ways. In this episode, we take a look at the touching and inspiring lyrics from a brand new song from NCU, entitled "Come Away with Me." You've just got to hear it! The lyrics are inspired by Song of Songs chapter 2, and even if you didn't grow up reading the book that causes middle school boys to get red in the face, you need to get ahold of this concept. Enjoy! Also make sure you take check out the NEW video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fGN51uiPVo Finally, join the Deyo family by supporting us as we run a 10k on Saturday Nov 16 to raise money to build fresh water wells for people who have no access to clean water, with the hope of opening the door for them to hear the Gospel. Donate here: https://celebrationmn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/stl-fundraiser-deyos

The enemy of our souls is hard at work to destroy the image of our heavenly Father. He realizes if he can distort that image, our connection with the “God as Father” metaphor will likely derail our ability to walk closely with our Creator based on toxic issues we've had with our earthly fathers. Why would we find any enthusiasm about embracing the #1 most important purpose of our lives—to come to the Father in relationship—if we've already embraced a sour image of Him? If the enemy is allowed to take this away, He is essentially taking everything away! Our only hope is to renew our minds on the truth—the truth that our God is the foundational embodiment of what a loving father SHOULD be, rather than an extension of the bad examples of other poor fathers and leaders we've had in our lives. Tune in today to refresh your heart toward your Father in heaven. WATER WELLS: Don't forget to join the Deyo's by giving to Speed the Light through their home church, Celebration Church, as they run a 10k this Sunday, October 20 to raise money to provide clean water for those who have none. Here is the link https://celebrationmn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/stl-fundraiser-deyos Thank you!

Hey we're baaaaaaack! And we're wondering, is it possible? Can we really live life with the idea that spending one day with God is infinitely better than spending 1,000 days doing the thing on the earth we love most? If we're honest, it can be hard to imagine. But what if we could change our perspective so this type of thing sounded less like a fairy tale and more like a clear and obvious fact? A fact we were compelled to live out in everyday life? We'll put fresh eyes on a couple of familiar scriptures as well as take a look at one of Cory Asbury's lesser known songs that you're going to love! If this peaks your interest, join Josh and me as we crack silly "dad" jokes while discussing the beauty of being a door keeper for Jesus. We'll also give you some ideas on how to flip the script on your attitude toward God.

There's an insane amount of misunderstanding concerning God's laws and guidelines. It's wild. We have no real concern with the many regulations that weave their way back and forth through the fabric of our society, yet we are often extremely irritated by God's laws even while embracing the rules of the road, the movie theater, and the courtroom. Question is; why all the hypocrisy? Why the frustration? Why all the hostility? What if we're completely misinterpreting God's guidelines? What if the foundation of God's commands is not power or control, but LOVE? What if—just like the majority of our laws worldwide—goodness and kindness are the soul force behind every word of God's directives? What if, like sports, God's laws are meant to help us fully comprehend the game of life, as well as to better understand his most misunderstood commands, even one as controversial as sexual orientation. Well, this is exactly what we're going to talk about on today's podcast. Why? Because it's high time we begin seeing God's guidelines as the LOVE LINES they are.

Do you know what you carry? Or better said, WHO you carry? On the inside? Do we really understand the power we have to shift spiritual atmospheres? That we actually bring the presence of a supernatural world with us everywhere we go? To work, to school, to the grocery store? The question is: does the Christ living in you make any difference—to those around you? Or is He hidden so none can see? I mean, when we walk into a room, do things change? Do people take notice? Does the darkness tremble? It's true. We, as believers, have the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead living inside of us. Truthfully, when darkness has crept in and all hope is lost, you should be able to show up and BOOM the light of Christ floods the room, bringing joy, peace, and life in place of gloom, fear, and death! This is what you were REBORN for! So let's talk about this crazy idea of shifting spiritual atmospheres so we can realize it's not as crazy as it seems.

I remember years ago I stumbled upon the idea of Worship/Evangelism, and it rocked my world. I had always thought of these two things as two completely opposite ideas. Worship music was something only relevant to believers, while evangelism was something aimed at unbelievers that would be rendered ineffective if it included musical worship. But then I started seeing this idea challenged right before my very eyes. I'd be leading worship with my old band, Sonicflood, and people would come up to us afterward with testimonies of how they had given their hearts to Christ during our worship “concert” or how they had been powerfully drawn into our outdoor worship nights as an unbeliever. It was like the very thing I thought would turn them away—lame worship music—was touching these pre-saved people in ways few things could. As they ventured into an environment where Jesus was being lifted up, he was actually accomplishing exactly what his Word says in John 12:32, and drawing all people to himself. Listen to today's podcast to see how you can get involved! And stay tuned to the very end for a special clip of North Central University's touching brand new NCU Worship Live single "Breath of Heaven (It Is Well)."

It's super common. Despite what people might think, many of us find it difficult to remember to engage with God on the daily. We only think of doing this AFTER the moment has passed. “Oh, shoot, I should have asked God about that!!!” But we've got to stop leaving God in the secret place and start thinking differently—we've got to start realizing that God wants to help us get through all kinds of different moments in our lives—from big to medium to small decisions. He has answers and tactics that are uber practical—things that are meant to make our lives and our struggles much easier to manage. Yet, we still believe we're all alone, when all God is wanting us to do is ASK HIM. He is soooooo ready to help us, whether it's knowing what to say in that important meeting, remembering that thing the boss told you as you were passing in the hallway, knowing how to respond to an angry friend or coworker, or simply recounting that one missing item on your grocery list. GOD IS A RIDICULOUS RESOURCE JUST WAITING TO BE TAPPED. But, we've got to get him out of the secret place and into our everyday lives! Let's talk.

Have you ever noticed that God seems to do things backwards? I mean, every time you think you have this Christianity thing figured out, you end up feeling like you're flipped upside down. And then, just when you get yourself turned right, you suddenly realize you're swimming upstream while everyone else seems to be going downstream. Well, this is exactly what we're going to cover in today's podcast. It can be easy to get super confused when the world is constantly screaming bad, and God is whispering good, and when God is calling things sweet when the world is calling them bitter. It can even go as far as the world labeling the very things God labels good, as evil! Crazy, right? We call this Reverse Godology; a condition by which the devil has upended truth so successfully, that God's ways actually appear strangely opposite to the “truth” we have come to believe. Come along for the ride, and we'll figure out how to get it all turned God-side up again.

If you aren't singing in your time alone with God, you need to be. And we want to help you navigate this by giving you some practical strategies for breathing life into your musical worship time. We know everyone out there isn't a “singer." But you've got to know that there's a HUGE difference between being a singer and a worshiper. I know lots of non-singers who are incredible worshipers, and sadly I know many amazing singers who aren't very passionate worshipers. Imagine, never utilizing the other half of what your vocals cords were designed to do? Why would God give us a voice to sing (and command it in the Word) if he didn't want us to use it? REMEMBER: worship isn't so much about the music. It's about relationship. But music was certainly created by God as a tool to help us engage with Him. And of course, in order to become a true worshiper, you don't need to sing in tune or with beautiful inflections. You only need to make a JOYFUL NOISE. So let's do this!

On today's podcast, Josh and I are asking you to join us on a journey to the person of the Word, to a total recalibration of our understanding of the purpose of the Bible so that whenever we read it, we're actually hearing it as a letter written straight to our heart from our very best friend. Every word, every story, as if God himself were sitting right there talking to you…personally. Because that's exactly what's happening—if you will let it! One thing for sure! As believers, we must cultivate an appetite for the Word of God. Period. Thing is, a lot of folks still think of God's Word as a book with lots of rules and regulations, do's and don'ts in it. But the Bible is a PERSON. John 1 reminds us that Jesus is the Word made flesh. The Word of God come to life. So listen in as we give you some new ideas for keeping the Bible real and fresh in your everyday time alone with God, whether for the first time or for the 100th time!

Prayer can be an awkward topic, almost like talking about money, because we may not want to ask for help when we need it. Because of this, we can easily go through life not knowing what we don't know—unaware of the many ways other people improve their time with God through prayer. Some folks imagine prayer as a boring experience where we list all of our needs to God or lift up all the hurting people in our lives. And of course, requests are a part of our prayer time with God. But what if there is more to it? What if prayer is simply a name we give to an activity that involves simply hanging out with God, talking to him about life—you know, much like the conversations we might have with a friend at a coffee shop? So, what does your prayer life look like? Is it regular or random? Is it relational or impersonal? This is what we want to discuss—and above all else, we want to share some of the strategies that have helped us take our prayer lives from mundane to meaningful, all so you can get your prayer life up and running again!

Do you ever get tired of hearing the word revival thrown around like it's some kind of 3-day special gathering? Do you long for God to move in a way that isn't manufactured by man and that has his supernatural fingerprints all over it? Unfortunately, we've grown a little jaded toward the hope that God is capable of touching us so deeply that we could be ripped out of our zombie-like state. And still, there is a lingering hope that endures—just daring us to believe it's possible for complacency, mediocrity, and ungodliness to be shattered while joy and peace and purpose become our true eternal reality. In today's podcast, Josh and I challenge each one of us to learn to be a part of the solution, where we open our mouths to declare God's goodness to those around us. Even so, we cannot declare that which we do not cherish! The Apostle Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 1:21, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” Who knew God wanted to use your "foolish preaching," as directed by the Holy Spirit, to bring about real revival to those around you. Tune in to learn more!

Isn't it crazy how paralyzed we become when someone mentions the idea of sharing the Gospel? It's like there's nothing we fear more than opening our mouths to talk to a friend, a neighbor, or a stranger about the One we love so much. Trust me, I get it. There have been many times I've done just about anything I could to avoid talking to someone about Jesus—even when I knew the Holy Spirit was leading me. On today's podcast, I switch things up and interview Josh about the incredible ministry he is now partnered with that has completely revolutionized his approach to sharing his faith in Christ with others. We demystify things a bit and also share some easy to follow ideas for getting the conversation started with unbelievers. Whether you're looking to increase your courage in sharing your faith or you're interested in supporting Josh and Megan Edwards in prayer or financially, you're going to be blown away by the inspiring stories we share!

Life can be eternally complicated, and we're always looking for direction when it comes to the main purpose of life. Chances are, you're a lot like me. You don't want to arrive on the last day of your life only to find you've missed the main point! To find you've missed the ONE THING—or to find you've abandoned your FIRST LOVE. The Bible helps us keep from being distracted by things that don't matter—even when the whole world seems to be chasing after those things. The good news? Once you realize that God made worship for you and that he made you for worship, accepting his invitation to intimacy no longer seems like a burden. And it becomes a blessing. It's like you can finally stop wishing you were close with God and start being close with God. How will you respond?

Can you imagine? Looking GOD right in the eye—drawing so close to him that you can actually see the brilliant details in his supernatural pupils? Terrifying, right? I mean, we struggle to look each other in the eye at times—but God? THE God of the universe? That seems eternally intimidating! Then again, what if we did? What if we ventured so close to our Lord and Savior that there was nothing between us and him? So close that we were completely exposed. Completely bare—right there before him, in his presence? What if he saw everything, and nothing was hidden—what if we willingly invited him to see every part of us—everything he already sees. It would be scary, and there could be consequences, but it would be beautiful. In the end. Because there would be mercy. Grace. Love. Tenderness. Forgiveness. And 100% complete healing. Learn how to step out into face to face relationship with God on today's podcast.

Are you unimpressed with God? Or maybe just a little blah toward Him? Have you grown numb to His grandeur or lost the wonder of all He is? Maybe we've fallen prey to the latest epidemic of wrong-sizing God. It's so easy to let this happen. To come to the place where we perceive God as just a tiny bit bigger than ourselves. To come to the place where we are no longer amazed by all He's done and all He is. Maybe even to a place where in our minds we begin to exalt ourselves more than we exalt God. If so, are you interested in reawakening your soul to the brilliance of our Creator? Honestly, the question is not whether He has lost any of His glory, but whether we have lost our ability to see it! Join us for today's podcast as we discover how we can begin right-sizing God again.

Ever fall prey to your feelings? Ever let them dominate your decisions? Of course, it's the most obvious way to live in this me-first generation. We've all struggled—who hasn't? But what do we do when we don't feel like worshiping God? Or feel like reading his Word? Or feel like praying? Do we just fake it and hope no one notices? Do we shrug our shoulders and move on to something else? Or could it be that God has made us in such a way that the worshipers he is seeking understand that feelings always follow actions. That cravings can be shaped much like clay on a potter's wheel, by faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit. In today's podcast, God is bringing supernatural revelation to our hearts to help us grasp—once and for all—that we can walk in obedience to God and that we can become true and passionate followers of Christ. All you've got to do is faith it to make it!

It's interesting to think about. The greatest in the Kingdom. What or who does Jesus say qualifies? Not surprisingly, it's different than we might expect. God is always flipping things on us concerning his Kingdom. Just when we think it's about being religious and holy or following all of the rules, Jesus throws us a huge curve ball. Become like a child, he says. Whatever that means! Still, he doesn't stop there. He ventures even further out onto the limb. It's true. Not only does he give us the ultimate paradox of equating living for God with becoming like a child, he also ties entrance into the Kingdom to this strange, supernatural phenomenon. How can it be? We spend our whole lives trying to grow up, putting our childish ways behind us; then Jesus comes along and messes everything up. But wait. Maybe there's a difference between being childish and being childlike. Maybe there's a few secrets here that can transform our lives and help to save our souls. A few secrets hidden in this message that reveal who the true greats in the Kingdom really are.

Once again Josh and Jeff extract some incredible personal and practical nuggets from a major story that Jesus highlights—yet one, honestly, that many of us would prefer to gloss over. It makes us a bit uncomfortable, and we tend to dismiss it as one in the worship extremist category, all the while, Jesus is trying to highlight it as just the type of worship he's looking for. Sooner or later we've got ask ourselves, why we are so uncomfortable with those who go all out for worship? Is it simply a matter of cultural differences? Or personality difference? Or could it be it's just easier to dismiss them as “quacks” than it is to admit our own need for growth and Kingdom maturity? Jesus certainly doesn't call it a matter of culture—he calls it a matter of “love.” This is the moment you've been waiting for. It's finally your time to get out of your comfort zone and get into extravagant love for your Father in heaven.

Guys, we don't like being told how to worship. We might even get a little ill-tempered about the whole thing. But what if the Bible is calling us to be willing to go where our natural personalities don't really want to go? Don't we trust the Lord? Don't we believe he has our best interest at heart? If he's asking us to break outside the box to sing and dance or bow and be still, don't we trust it's because he is doing it for our benefit? He certainly doesn't ask the quiet person to shout out to hurt them, and he doesn't ask the loud person to be still to punish them. He does it all for our good! Truth is, any time we find ourselves aiming toward comfort in the Kingdom, we know we're likely getting off point. Most times, we should avoid approaching God in worship simply in the way that is “comfortable”—God's ways may seem uncomfortable at first, yet we can know that they bring true comfort in the long run as we trust his directions. NOTE: We are taking 2 weeks off for Christmas and New Years, so we'll see you again for our next episode on January 8, 2019!

We may not realize it, but our perception of God—based on how we were raised as well as our own natural disposition—has a profound bearing on the way we worship him—for better or for worse. Is God friend or King? Most of us gravitate toward one extreme or the other. Even so, some folks feel largely uncomfortable when God is referred to as lover or close friend—as if somehow He's being disrespected. Others mourn deeply as those around them seem to view God as a distant, relationally detached, “big man upstairs.” In this engaging episode, Jeff and Josh beg us to reset our God-perception in an attempt to reconstruct a full-picture, Biblical understanding of exactly who He is. Why? So we can avoid falling into the obvious trap of excluding great portions of His goodness that can circumvent our ability to respond to Him properly in relationship. Now is the time.

Wow, I'm so grateful to my cohost, Josh Edwards, for being willing to invite us into his not-so-perfect journey with God as he shares an incredible personal testimony of how reading my book on an airplane helped give him a total reset in the time he spends alone with God. You're gonna want to listen to this one over and over! His story really challenges us to be brutally honest about our own messes and in turn, invite God to revitalize our secret place time with Him once and for all! Many of us are unaware that our secret place time with God is under heavy fire—that the enemy is highly interested in guiding us coyly away from this burst of oxygen for our soul. It's time to stop making excuses. It's time to carve out time for God in our lives. And it's time to stop wishing we were close with God and start becoming close with him as we make the choice to encounter him daily in walking and talking relationship. Let's go!

As soon as someone starts talking about idolatry we tune out. I mean, what could idolatry have to do with us? We don't worship idols. Or do we? Don't be fooled. Idolatry may seem like a thing from the Old Testament or for those in third world countries, but everyone wrestles powerfully with the temptation to put things above our Creator. It's clear that we each have a deep, deep longing—put there by God himself—to be amazed, to be wow'ed, to stand in awe of something. It's like we're always looking for that next big thing, hoping to satisfy our souls. Yet it always seems just out of reach. And if we're not careful, we'll spend our entire lives scouring the earth endlessly searching for that one thing that could blow our minds—chasing earthly idol after earthly idol, always coming up short—when the very thing we're searching for is the true fulfillment and wonder that comes from intimate fellowship with the God who made us. Tune in as Jeff and Josh break it all down!

Ever run across this verse in 1 Corinthians 15:28? Most people we've met haven't. And it's a doozy! "Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God's authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere." Somehow, many of us have allowed the enemy of our souls to distort our view of Jesus and in turn erode our understanding of the role of God the Father as the universe's ultimate power source. In the same manner, we've been tricked out of pursuing intimate fellowship with God the Father in order to fellowship primarily with the Son. In this week's podcast, Jeff and Josh hit on the second of two halves in a podcast that seeks to remind us that Jesus and the Holy Spirit exist for one purpose; to invite us into sweet fellowship with God the Father. Together with them. So go ahead. Join the conversation now!

It can be frustrating to find that we've held to beliefs for most of our lives that turn out to be faulty or a little sideways—especially when they involve Jesus. But when it comes to relationship with God, we simply cannot afford to be off in our understanding in the slightest. And we cannot stress enough how important it is to truly know the WHO of worship, because if we find that we know the what, why, and how of worship, but miss the WHO, it's all for not. This is even more important since our world is often in harsh disagreement with what the Bible reveals about God. In this episode, Jeff and Josh uncover some startling revelations concerning Jesus that help us drastically refocus our efforts toward establishing a true and vibrant relationship with our Creator.

What were you born for? What's your biggest dream? What are you hoping to be known for? Are you ready to give it everything you've got? OK. Cool. What if you discovered that your top design characteristic as a human being is to worship God with every breath? With every heartbeat? With your songs AND your life? Would this bum you out? Or would you embrace your calling with absolute gusto? What if you discovered that every person on the planet has one single calling that trumps every other passion in life? To love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength. The most important reason for your existence. Your greatest calling. Your greatest assignment. This one thing. The thing that God hardwired into your spiritual DNA. For better or for worse. Will you embrace your destiny? Will you allow it to powerfully impact everything else in your life? It's time. Because you were born for this.

Are you or someone you know struggling with fear, panic attacks, sleeplessness, or anxiety? It may seem too simple a fix, but in this week's podcast, Josh and Jeff put forth the scriptural notion that engaging in intimate relationship with the Prince of Peace is the answer to many of today's issues, whether it's danger from terrorists and natural disasters or problems with mental health. We're way too quick to attempt to tap into natural solutions when God is calling us to reach out for his supernatural help. We look to medicine and counseling without truly developing deep and personal relationship with the God who is our Great Physician and who's Spirit is our Comforter and Counselor. It's simply not enough to say a few prayers and then move on to other means. God is inviting us to dwell daily in his presence in order that we walk in freedom and healing, protection and security in every area of our lives.

In many ways, choosing to worship God is the ultimate act of selfishness! How? Because when we worship him by faith—even when we don't feel like it and even when we don't understand—it not only benefits the Kingdom of God and everyone around us, it also benefits us! In the same way, choosing not to worship God—choosing not to respond to his invitation—keeps us from receiving everything God has for us. It's true. We often have it backwards. We imagine worship is something we do in order to get God's attention or something we do in order to punch our ticket to heaven, but Christ Dupre says it this way; "We don't worship God to gain his affection, but because we already have it." Yes! Worship is always a beautiful response to an incredible revelation of who God is—to how much he loves us and how much he has done for us. The only question is, how will we respond?

If you don't know where we're headed with the title of this podcast, you could already be fuming. And we're super sorry about that. Truthfully, that is not our intention. In fact, we promise, we're not trying to tick you off at all, and we're definitely not trying to make worship about us. There's no doubt. Worship is always 100% ABOUT God and TO God, but it was designed FOR us. Thing is, God did not create this incredible thing called worship to build up his ego, but to build up our lives in Him. See, while he does want relationship with us, he doesn't need it. On the other hand, we simply cannot survive without worship, because he wired us with a foundational need to worship Him. This is our very life blood, and without relational worship, our spirits will shrivel up and die. So, grab your ear buds, open your heart, and jump in with us on the conversation!

Holy cow, have we ever underestimated the power of singing! In our first five podcasts, Josh and I have been pounding away at the idea that worship is sooooooo much more than a song, but now it's time to be reminded why singing is truly unlike any other expression in worship. There are incredible bondage breaking, burden lifting truths scattered all throughout the scriptures that are literally going to set us free. If you've been in bondage to certain sins or fear or anxiety or insecurity for years, we're going to show you how to break free from these chains once and for all. It's so simple you probably won't even believe it. But you and I are no different from the travelers we find in the Bible. If their chains can be broken through musical praise and worship, ours can too. Don't believe it? Try us and listen in to our latest podcast. You won't be disappointed!

Is worship a song, or is it something that happens in every facet of our lives? There seems to be much confusion on the topic, forcing many to choose sides. But, as you might expect, worship is both something that can happen with singing and in services as well as something that happens as we live our lives in worship. In this episode, Josh and Jeff break it all down, helping us remember that God is not only involved in the "spiritual" elements of our lives, but also powerfully in our work, our play, and our day to day activities. They challenge us not to push God out of the "normal" parts of life, but to invite him into all aspects of our lives to help keep us accountable so we are only engaging in activities that bring glory to God, whether in the majestic or the mundane!

As we know, there are many roadblocks standing in the way of true fellowship with the Father. The enemy is all over this! In this podcast, Josh and Jeff unpack one of the big ones. And even though it is one of the least discussed, it is certainly one of the most important, especially for leaders and seasoned believers. We have a huge propensity toward attempting to bolster our identity through DOING for God rather than through BEING with God. This is fairly common and yet very dangerous, and God, because of his great love for us, is not going to allow us to live in this deception. Why? Because he knows we will derail our lives if we try build them on anything other than true, unadulterated relationship with him. Let's talk!

What exactly is the presence of God? Does it come? Can it leave? Is it an “it”…or what? What if we came to grips with the fact that it is possible to spend time singing worship songs, reading the Bible, and going to church and yet never actually enter God's presence? What if we really understood that God's presence isn't actually found in the soft music we often hear at the end of a service? As Christians, we often use words and phrases we don't completely understand, some of which have taken on different meanings then originally intended. In this podcast, Jeff and Josh look into exactly what God's presence is. Their findings will surprise and free you in ways you wouldn't imagine.

The heart behind this podcast is to remind us that everyone is invited to the party, to cultivate a face to face walk with God. Not just Abraham and Moses, not just Paul and the Apostles. But you, too! Josh and Jeff share personal stories from their lives of exactly how God awakened a heart of biblically based, relational worship in them. These stories will without a doubt inspire you in your journey, helping you understand how you can experience the same close friendship with God you were created for. You may be disenfranchised as you hear preachers, authors, and other podcasters talk about their close walks with God, wondering if this is beyond your reach. But this podcast will help you rekindle that hope—a hope that says you are not left out from real and tangible, close fellowship with God. He is for you, and he wants this intimate friendship with you as much as with anyone.

In this modern age, so few of us understand the idea that there is nothing more important in life than being with God in the secret place. The secret place represents the time we spend alone with God in fellowship, studying the Bible, praying, worshiping in song, being still, listening to his voice, etc. Everything else in life flows powerfully and purposefully out of the time we invest in communion with God, in in our alone time with him. This is how God designed us, to funtion best, to be most fulfilled, and to be most fruitful when we're living out of the beauty of the secret place. This is where mental and physical healing arise, protection is found, and strength in life is born. Tune in as Jeff and Josh chat about this foundational, life-giving space. The secret place.