The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

Jesus prayed for the unity of His disciples. He knew if they would work together in unity, a unity that comes from the love of Christ, that they would be effective in their mission. But if they allow division to come into their midst, if they begin to fracture their relationships, they would be ineffective.  Main Points: 1.  As encouraging as it is to have a friend pray for you, there is someone e...

Grace is God's undeserved kindness. The doctrine of grace is that God treats us better than we deserve to be treated. Grace is "the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it.”  Grace comes from the Greek Word “ charis ” literally meaning “gift, kindness, generosity.” Main Points: 1.  God’s Word teaches us that we...

Can I encourage you today with a powerful truth? The same power of the Holy Spirit that enabled Jesus to resist temptation lives in you. Christ was tempted, so you will be tempted. Jesus overcame temptation and so can you. Main Points: 1.  Satan’s attacks are not random, nor are they generic. They are specific attacks against your soul. Satan goes after your most vulnerable spot. Your enemy knows...

Perhaps the lack of silence is due to our inability to find stillness and solitude. Yet, in my experience, it’s in the silence that we can hear the voice of God. Sometimes we expect God to show up and speak up in loud and dramatic ways. He certainly can do that, but in my life, I’ve heard God speak mostly in the quiet times.  Main Points: 1.  Isn’t life loud? It seems everywhere we go there is noi...

Anxiety is a false prophet - It offers false solutions, makes false promises, and offers false predictions. Anxiety leaves us with an open-ended question…what if? Main Points: 1.  If you have battled anxiety. You are not alone. We all struggle from time to time, whether as a way of life or due to particular circumstances beyond our control. It brings about physical reactions like shaking, increase...

God is at work in our lives, sometimes in unseen ways. He is preparing us for His plans. He is putting us in environments and allowing us to experience certain situations. God is allowing us to meet people. He is at work opening doors of opportunity and closing others. God is preparing us to do His will. Main Points: 1.  This is easy to forget, isn’t it? Even though we are Christians, we can somet...

There is no place to stop, plateau, or think we have arrived in our spiritual lives. We are to never stop growing. There is always more we can learn, more we can experience, more steps of faith to take, and more character to be developed. Main Points: 1.  There are people who once served God. They were faithful to the Lord. They loved God, but today they have abandoned their faith. Somewhere along...

When the church prays together, powerful things can happen. The power of a praying church cannot be underestimated. While our individual prayer and personal time with God is essential, it can never replace the significance of praying together as a congregation. Main Points: 1.  Today, we live in a society marked by isolation and digital interactions. Technological advancements have brought about a...

As Christians, we put the future in God’s hands. We cannot predict the future. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow. Many will choose to worry about the future, but instead, we can choose to trust our Heavenly Father. We trust His will, His plan, and His purpose for our lives.  Main Points: 1.  Tomorrow is on our minds. It’s likely you are thinking about the future as it relates to your family,...

Regardless of what our culture has come to believe, as a Christian, you have a mandate from Christ himself, to share the gospel with others. We cannot believe that evangelism is a calling for someone else. We cannot leave the responsibility to others. No, we are all called by Jesus to be His witnesses. Main Points: 1.  In my lifetime there has been a growing sentiment in our society that it’s wron...

Like David, we too face moments of pain, suffering, and sorrow that seem to linger like the darkness of the night. Yet, the promise lies in the certainty that these hardships are temporary, and brighter days will eventually dawn. Main Points: 1.  Everyone has “night seasons” in their lives. These are the times when all we can see are storm clouds on the horizon. The night season is when life seems...

As Christians, we must allow the Word of God to determine how we see and interpret the world around us. This will only happen if we consistently read and meditate on scripture. As we do so, the Bible influences our thoughts, our understanding, and our actions. Main Points: 1.  Your worldview is shaped by influences. This can include how you were raised by your parents, the culture you grew up in,...

As Christians, we have been given a mission. Jesus gave us guiding instructions on how we are to live and what we are to do. But I wonder if we have come to believe the mission to make disciples is for others, and not for us. Main Points: 1.  Today it seems as if maybe we have forgotten our mission. Those who follow Christ, those who have been saved and forgiven have received a mission from their...

Physical hunger is not your only craving. You also possess a spiritual hunger. This appetite also cries out to be fed. Both types of hunger were created by God. Physical hunger can only be satisfied by food. Spiritual hunger can only be satisfied by God. Main Points: 1.  You have a longing in your soul for God. Many feel the yearning but do not recognize that it is spiritual in nature. They feel a...

Do you ever struggle to keep the faith? We’ve all been there, haven’t we?  Those days, weeks, and months where it seems like we are hanging onto the rope of faith and we are at the last knot?  Haven’t you been there?  I know I have. 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...

It’s always better to listen to the caution of the Holy Spirit and to guard our hearts against pride. If we do not live in humility before the Lord. God himself will humble us, and it will not be pleasant. Main Points: 1.  What is Humility?  Humility is an accurate estimation of our self-importance in relation to God and others.  Here’s another definition I like… “Having a right view of yourself b...

This is a story of Jonah is about obedience.  It’s about someone who loves God, someone who has been used by God in great ways, and someone who wants to serve God with all of his heart.  It’s a story about a man who hears from God.  But the big point of this story is that it’s a man who doesn’t want to do what God is asking him to do.  Instead, he runs away. Main Points: 1.  The Old Testament stor...

Without reading the Old Testament we cannot see the full plan God has for His people. Don’t just read half of the story. Read the beginning. Discover what God has said and what He is doing in the lives of those who will trust Him.  Main Points: 1.  The practice of neglecting to read the Old Testament is not unusual. With the exception of the books of Psalms and Proverbs, many Christians do not rea...

The hopeless can begin to experience hope when they turn their attention back to God. We choose to believe before our situation changes. Anyone can believe in God after He works a miracle, but faith is to be exercised before the prayer is answered. Main Points: 1.  Have you ever felt hopeless? As you looked at your options and considered the future, there seemed to be no hope. It’s a terrible emot...

The most important decision any of us will make is the decision to place our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. All other decisions pale in comparison. Why? Because this decision has eternal implications. Placing our faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection for our sins provides us with forgiveness of our sins, and gives us the promise of eternal life. Main Points: 1.  While many have kno...

Faith requires courage. Faith is not something that we hold in our hearts and minds. True faith is something that is lived out. Faith calls us to action and this requires courage. Main Points: 1.  God’s desire is for you and me to demonstrate courageous faith? Anyone can have a timid or fearful faith. Anyone can have faith in isolation. But will we live our faith out loud and in public? Will we be...

When you study a verse from the Bible, it can only mean what it means in the context of the surrounding verses. It can only mean what it means in the context of the chapter, the book, and even the whole Bible. When we struggle to understand a particular verse, we should immediately read the verses that come before and after it.  Main Points: 1.  One of the critical tools needed to interpret and un...

Forgiveness is a decision you make to refuse to live in the past. It’s a conscious choice to release 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 freel...

I believe in the imminent return of Christ, meaning I believe Jesus could come back at any time. Today could be the day of Christ’s return. Today could be the day of the rapture of the church. Are you ready for Jesus to come back? Are you living like Jesus is coming back today? Main Points: 1.  Let me remind you that Jesus is indeed coming back. Scripture foretold the birth of Jesus, and it was fu...

Receive this truth: God is standing beside you. He is there. Can you acknowledge His presence? Everything you need He will provide. Repeatedly in the Bible, He promises that He will be with us. Main Points: 1.  When everyone leaves when you feel abandoned, and when there is no one else around, God will remain present in your life. In fact, He has promised in Scripture that He will never leave us,...