The 2nd Mile Podcast

Many disciples of Jesus have a desire to grow or at least a guilt when they aren’t doing so, but we rarely design a plan to help us in our efforts. To be successful in spiritual disciplines, you need to evaluate what you need to start and what you need to stop.

Do you struggle to make progress in the most important things? People often miss the essentials due to distraction, laziness, or busyness. Don’t allow these mindsets to rob you of accomplishing great things with the time you have this very day.

In our younger years, we obsess greatly about who are the people we consider as our best friends, yet, we become more relationally isolated as we age. Many of us miss a key aspect of life by failing to make and keep deep friendships.

Whether or not we acknowledge it, many of our conflicts aren’t against physical powers but spiritual forces. As spiritual beings, we fight spiritual battles, but if we ignore the reality of them, we are probably losing ground all around us.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year (if you consider being stressed, busy, and broke as wonderful). While there are so many exciting moments to enjoy, our culture has structured this time of year to hinder our commitment to ministry.

Your hopeful plans for your life, job, or ministry may be immense, but they honestly may not be sized correctly. When we attempt something that God desires to be done, our grandest plans might potential.

We have more ministry programming for the next generation than ever before, but our kids aren’t staying connected to the church. We are expecting programs to do what God expects parents to do. It’s time to go the second mile in partnering with the home and the church for the sake of our children.

The United States has survived another election day, but there are plenty of questions still to be answered in the days to come. As citizens of this country, we are called to live according to our heavenly citizenship regardless of the outcome.

In hostile political times, Christians can get sucked into the vitriol that is consuming the United States of America. Instead of reflecting the words, attitudes, and actions of the culture, the Scriptures provide another path.

With all the ethical battles being waged in our culture, many people remain in a state of political outrage and intense disagreement. While men may speak their minds on the issues, few discuss them biblically in the home.

As we navigate another contentious election season, Christians should be a voice of reason, sensibility, and hope. Instead of being sucked into the outraged culture, disciples of Jesus should prove themselves different.

Maybe you feel like you have too many responsibilities and not enough time to address everything you have to do. Before you start making fixes, you first need to identify the problems that you are experiencing. It’s time to go the second mile in fixing what you finally admit is broken.

All of us talk about how stressful our lives are as we seek to work through frantic schedules and numerous tasks. The fact is that nothing gets more orderly by accident, and we must be proactive to make the most of the time we have. It’s time to go the second mile in personal discipline.

We talk about laziness as if it is a character trait that some people just can’t help, but that doesn’t address the seriousness of the issue. If you lag around life, you miss out on the wonderful opportunities God has given you. It’s time to go the second mile and stop making excuses for laziness.

If you are a parent, you understand that the days are long, but the years are short as you seek to raise the children entrusted to you. Your availability is directly related to your capability as you set out to disciple your kids well. It’s time to go the second mile in parental availability.

You may not feel trained as a counselor to assist in crisis situations, but you probably can do more than you give yourself credit. Discover how you do these four simple things and help someone in desperate need better than you think you can. It’s time to go the second mile in counseling someone in crisis.

Many people feel stuck in a marriage that they seek to improve, only to be met with resistance or complacency from a spouse. While a healthy marriage depends on two people putting in the effort, you might have to resort to an individual strategy. It’s time to go the second mile in working on your marriage.

We are all prone to wander, but we are each prone to wander in different ways. We have to evaluate our habits to find victory against temptation. It’s time to go the second mile in fighting tempting situations.

Many people count teenagers out when proving themselves to be productive disciples of Jesus Christ. Instead of expecting less from these students, the church needs to raise the bar for their expectations and open the door for their opportunities.  It’s time to go the second mile in equipping teenagers with radical discipleship.

What’s the difference between a class and a group? One is where you listen to a teacher, but the other is a people to belong. We need more than just a class to attend and record our attendance. We need people to encourage our spiritual growth. It’s time to go the second mile in small groups.

Most Christians admit that we are supposed to share the good news with others, but fear often paralyzes us from doing just that. Instead of remaining in guilt, what if there was a way for you to unlock your potential for sharing the gospel?

People typically don’t spend their wedding day planning on how they can have an affair in the near future, but that doesn’t stop the unfortunate sin from transpiring. With affairs, common traits are typically present and must be avoided.

Having stuff isn’t sinful as long as it doesn’t have you, but we often feel like our worth is wrapped up in what we own. Instead of thinking about what we can give, we focus on what we can get and miss out on a better path. It’s time to go the second mile in learning biblical contentment.

Jesus spoke of His way being a narrow path that few find themselves upon, and our world is full of people who create their own paths of distorted Christianity. If the religious way is popular, it’s probably not the Jesus way.

Prayer is not an emergency hotline only to dial when we get in trouble; it is an ongoing connection with our Father so we can stay in step with His Son. If we want to learn how to pray well, we best go learn from Jesus.