The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

As we cling to Christ, we put to death our old life, our old ways, old sins, and old values. In this way, we are crucified with Christ. Our new life is found through faith in Christ. Main Points: 1. I have often thought, “If Jesus would go to the cross for me if He would lay down his life as a sacrifice for me, is there anything I would not do for Him? If He would demonstrate His love for me in su...

Regardless of the circumstances of your conception, you were created by God. You were created for purpose. Your life has meaning and value. Along with all of humanity, you deserve dignity and respect. Whether you receive these gifts from people around you or not, they are God’s gifts to you. Main Points: 1. In the book of Genesis we read the triune God created man in His image, and after His liken...

We might be tempted to think that careless and idle words don’t really matter, as long as they are spoken in private, or if they are spoken to someone who would agree with our sentiments. But that would not be true. Careless words do matter. They matter to God. Main Points: 1. So what are careless words? Careless words are those expressions that are uttered without proper consideration or thoughtf...

I remember my Dad saying, “If God can get it through you, God will get it to you.” If God knows you and I can be trusted to be His channel of blessing through generosity, He will continue to provide the resources to do so. In other words, you cannot outlive God. Main Points: 1. When it comes to generosity, I don’t believe the struggle for most people is greed. I think the bigger struggle is fear....

Today, regardless of your present circumstances. You have a reason to rejoice. If you know Jesus, if your sins have been forgiven, if you have the presence of God in your life, and if you have the promise of eternal life, you have a reason to rejoice. Main Points: 1. Anyone can rejoice when life is good, but to rejoice when life is hard is a deliberate act of faith. You are deciding that your trus...

I believe some of you listening today are discouraged. You have lost your hope and confidence in God. But no matter what your visible circumstances might be, God has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Today regain your hope in Him. Put your confidence in him. In God’s time and in His way, He will come through. Main Points: 1. Instead of grumbling, instead of complaining, in...

Why has the Lord blessed us with so much? Why has God been so generous to us? Why has He met our needs and so much more? The answer is, so that we will use the blessings we have been give to be a blessing to others. Main Points: 1. God wants our lives to be a conduit or a channel of blessing to others. If God can get it through you, God will get it to you.  2. One of the fears that keep people fro...

Forgiveness is a decision you make to refuse to live in the past. It’s a conscious choice to relate others from their sins against you, so that you can be set free. It doesn’t deny the pain or change the past, but it does break the bitterness that holds you to the wounds of the past. Forgiveness allows you to let go and move on. You offer this forgiveness freely because God has forgiven you freely...

Anger is a God-given emotional response that is usually tied to a goal, a value, or an expectation.  It usually ignites when we feel invalidated, disrespected, or rejected.  We express anger, depending on our personality, in two ways: by exploding or imploding. Main Points: 1. There is one form of anger that we might call “righteous anger.” This is anger directed at injustice.  It is anger at acts...

I truly believe God still heals the sick. I’m aware there are those who do not believe God heals the sick today. Some say miracles only occurred in the New Testament times. Some say healings are only coincidences, but it’s amazing how many coincidences we have when we pray. Main Points: 1. Divine healing is a gift of God’s grace for all.  Just as salvation comes to us by God’s grace, healing does...

As I think about surrender, I’m reminded of how much of a struggle it can be for us. After all, surrender feels like losing. No one wants to raise the white flag of surrender. Main Points: 1. We must see that everything we need is on the other side of surrendering our life to Jesus. As long as we are resistant and focused on ourselves, we’ll miss out on what God could have done in and through our...

Today, you and I live in the river of a rapidly moving culture.  It’s a culture that is rapidly moving away from truth, righteousness, and morality. It’s a culture as the Bible defines that “does what is right in its own eyes.” As a Christian, who has been called by God and identified by God, you have to swim. With the power of the Holy Spirit, you can swim against this culture. You don’t have to...

The need for careful and diligent study of the Bible has never been more important than it is today. There is an all out attack on the authority of God’s Word and as believers we need to know what the Word says and how to articulate it to others. This requires the study of God’s Word. Main Points: 1. First, purposefully set aside some time to study. Without an appointment with God, it’s not likely...

Which physical posture of prayer is the right one for you? I would say, none of them. Rather than external positioning, the Bible emphasizes the posture of the heart. Whether you are standing, sitting, or lying down, the important thing is that your heart is bowed in submission to the lordship of Christ. False religions place an emphasis on external behavior, while true Christianity is concerned w...

Perhaps you feel down today, thinking all your hope is gone, that even God has abandoned you. Yes, you may feel those things, but that doesn’t mean your feelings are true. The God of Heaven knows what you are feeling. He understands the pressure you are feeling. Most of all, He is there. He cares and He is with you. Main Points: 1. One of the most difficult emotions we experience is loneliness. No...

You are God’s greatest investment!  In nothing has God invested more than in you.  Think about it for a minute.  God permitted his only son, Jesus Christ to become a man, and to endure the worst that evil could conspire.  He allowed him to become your sacrifice, to pay your penalty, and your death sentence.   Main Points: 1. We live in a culture where self worth is calculated by a simple equation:...

The Bible teaches us that God is faithful. This means God is always reliable, all of the time.  He does not fail or forget.  He always keeps his word.  His character is consistent and He never changes. Main Points: 1. Think about the implications of this wonderful truth. If God never changes, his love never changes. His grace never changes. His forgiveness never changes. His power and his presence...

Here’s an important spiritual truth: God wants your life to bear fruit. He wants you to be a blessing to others. An appropriate question right here would be, “What kind of fruit does God want my life to bear?”  Main Points: 1. In scripture we learn that Jesus is our source of life. He is our vine. If we are connected to him we have the life-giving power of God within us that make our lives fruitfu...

When we have a proper heart for worship we’ll see that worship is not for us. Worship is for God. We worship for an audience of ONE!  He is the audience, we are not. As our hearts are directed in praise, adoration, gratitude, and love for God, in return we experience joy. Main Points: 1.  Do you have a heart for worship? Let me encourage you to include worship in your daily spiritual disciplines....

In the biblical sense inspiration is unique.  God was the primary author of the Bible; He was the One who inspired the writers to speak truths.  He was the initiator.  God was the source, the writers were the recipients. Main Points: 1.  The Bible is the product of God himself.  The ideas are not human thoughts but come from God’s will.  We also need to understand though, that the writers of the B...

We want to believe, but sometimes faith is a struggle. When you have been through so much, when you are weary, and when it seems like options are few, it can be hard to believe. Main Points: 1.  It’s in those moments that I have to go back to God’s Word.  This is where my faith is strengthened.  I have to be reminded often of who God is, what he has already done, and what he has promised to do. 2....

Our words have the power to build up and the power to tear down. You and I have likely been on the receiving and giving end of both. You can remember words spoken from years ago that encouraged and inspired you. You can probably also remember words that brought deep pain and suffering. Main Points: 1.  Throughout the day, I’ll have the opportunity to speak to a lot of people. I’ll speak with my fa...

Jesus said to his followers, “A new command I give you.” New? A new command? Do we need a new command? Jewish religious leaders had identified 613 distinct laws. Who could keep up? Do we really need another command? The current list of laws had been keeping them busy. Earlier in the Gospels, Jesus had reduced the list of laws to two commands: love God and love your neighbor.  But now, Jesus gives...

If you have placed your faith in Jesus, you are a child of God. This is your God-given identity and purpose. You are to live for God and his glory. You are to fulfill His purpose for your life. There is no higher calling and no greater joy than to live for God. Main Points: 1.  For the Christian, identity shouldn’t be an issue. The Bible makes it very clear. We have been created in the image of Go...

Does God hear our prayers? Does He hear every prayer? More importantly, I want to know, does he hear my prayer.  According to the Bible, God hears everything, including prayers. He is God. Nothing gets by Him. Nothing escapes the eyes and ears of God.  Main Points: 1.  God wants us to pray. He created prayer as means by which we can communicate with Him and enjoy Him. Through prayer we confess our...