The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

The Big Idea:  What a revelation! What a promise! What a life-changing truth! We have a God who is with us. God is not distant. He has not isolated himself from his creation. No, he is Emmanuel, God with us. Main Points: 1. Loneliness is not just our separation from one another (meaningful relationships), but ultimately our separation from God.  Jesus has come to restore us to God. If we miss this...

The Big Idea:  How do we define our neighbors? Are our neighbors people we know and trust? Are they actual neighbors who live near us? Can anyone be a neighbor? What is Jesus getting at? The definition is very important because whoever our neighbor is, Jesus is calling for us to love them as we love ourselves. I mean, that’s asking a lot, isn’t it? Main Points: 1. It’s natural to be selective in o...

The Big Idea:  Our God is a God of wonder. He is so great, so powerful, and so creative, we cannot fully understand him with our finite minds. Yet, he engages with us on a personal level so that we can know him. How is this possible? He is a God of wonder. Main Points: 1. Think about this: God is without limits. What an amazing thought that is! God has no limits. We are limited in every aspect. We...

The Big Idea:  Joy is given by God.  It is a gift, a benefit of our salvation, and a fruit of the Holy Spirit.  Joy is evidence that the Holy Spirit is in your life.  It is not an emotion.  It cannot be taken away from you, but you can relinquish it.  You can choose to live in the joy of the Lord at any moment, no matter what your circumstances. Main Points: 1. Joy in the Biblical context, is not...

The Big Idea:  In this spiritual battle, we need something that will give us stability. We need something to stand on. What are you standing on? What anchors your life? What gives you stability in the ups and downs of life? What is your foundation? Main Points: 1. In Ephesians chapter 6, the Bible teaches us that we too are in a battle. It’s also a fierce, spiritual battle. We too, face an enemy w...

The Big Idea:  As Christ-followers we are called to live with an eternal perspective. We live our lives with Heaven in view. We submit to God’s will and his purpose for our lives, which is always about the Kingdom of God. Main Points: 1. The challenge, of course, is that we live in this natural, earthly world. It’s what we see, what we know, and what we experience. But the Bible teaches us that th...

The Big Idea:  Let me ask you, “How close are you to God? Was there a time when you were closer than you are right now?” You can decide today to be intentional about your relationship with him. Pursue Him. Read his word. Make God a priority in your life. I know God will reward your seeking with more of himself. Main Points: 1. When it comes to being close to Jesus, there are degrees of relationshi...

The Big Idea:  The church community still matters because we need one another. We need encouragement, support, accountability, and fellowship. All of these ideas are biblical. Not only do we need to receive this support, but we are called to give it to others. We cannot do this if we fail to gather together. Main Points: 1. With the technology of our day, you don’t have to physically go to church...

The Big Idea:  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 because you have a right view of God.”  Humility is not thinking too highly of yourself. It’s also not thinking too low of yourself. Main Points: 1. To God, humility is a virtue. It’s a Christ-like character t...

The Big Idea:  Recognize the power in Scripture. Don’t be afraid to share the Word of God with others. As you do, the Holy Spirit will use God’s Word to impact their heart and life.. Main Points: 1. When sharing your faith with others, I want to encourage you to ask this question: “Can I share with you some scriptures that have changed my life?”   2. Understand and believe that faith begins to tak...

The Big Idea:  There is a connection between our trust in God and inner peace we experience. The more I trust God, his plan, and his purpose, the more I can rest in him. I can give God my fear, anxiety, worry, and frustration. I can find comfort in the deep knowledge that He is in control and that He is with me. Main Points: 1. One of the primary messages of Christmas is peace. The truth the Jesus...

The Big Idea:  The Roman soldiers meant the crown of thorns to be, not only painful, but also shameful, and that may have been how those watching would have observed it.  But, Jesus on the cross was already a king. He was already majesty. His death of cross was his demonstration of love for the world.  Main Points: 1. The crown of thorns Jesus wore while being crucified on the cross reminds us tha...

The Big Idea:  While we grasp the reality of loving someone for what they have done, we must understand God’s love for us is not in response to our goodness. No, God initiated his love for us because that is who He is. 1 John 4:16 says, “God is love.” Main Points: 1. What a deep and profound truth. God loves us even when we don’t deserve his love. This kind of love is not natural. It is supernatur...

The Big Idea:  There is a longing in the human heart for Christ. At first, it is often unrecognizable. We don’t perceive what we feel as a longing and desire for relationship with God. But we know it’s there. We might describe this feeling as an emptiness, a loneliness, a search, a journey, or an ambition. But there is an unmet need inside of us that only God can fill. We later learn that this dee...

The Big Idea:  If you are feeling the weight of worry today, know there is a peace God wants to give you. He wants to relieve the anxiety that has filled your life. The place of peace is prayer. You can cast your anxiety on God. Whatever you are facing invite Jesus into it and let him handle it. Main Points: 1. Crisis comes to us all. No one is immune. It seems our natural response is to worry. 2....

The Big Idea:  Like the natural circadian rhythm of the sunflower, I believe God has placed the same rhythm inside you and me.  Every morning and every evening we are to turn our face toward the Son of God. We are to recognize Him as the source of life. It is in the consistency of our turning to Jesus that we grow spiritually and become healthy. Main Points: 1. If a flower can recognize the necess...

The Big Idea:  As Christ-followers, as disciples of Jesus, we are called to live our lives with integrity. Integrity is not just seen in the big things of life, it’s most often seen in the small things and in how we live daily. Would others around us say that we are people who keep our word and fulfill our promises? Would they say we are worthy of their trust? Main Points: 1. When someone gives yo...

The Big Idea:  Guard your heart against the lure of instant gratification. While recognition feels good, know that you don’t need it. Let your heart say focused on doing the right thing for the right reasons.  Main Points: 1. We live today in a culture of instant gratification. We want to be validated for who we are and what we do and we want that validation right now. 2. The desire for instant gr...

The Big Idea:  You and I are able to put the past behind us because it has been forgiven. Every day we experience new mercy and grace. We let go of old hurts, habits, and hangups. Sometimes we have to daily, intentionally let go of the old life. We choose new life in Jesus. We refuse to go back to who were and what we were.  Main Points: 1. There are many cautions in the Bible about looking back....

The Big Idea:  Courage is not just seen in the big things. Courage is demonstrated every day. When you keep trusting God you have courage. When you don’t give up on your God-given dreams, you have courage. When you step out in faith and obedience, you have courage. When you persevere and refuse to quit when it’s hard, you have courage. Main Points: 1. If we know we are doing the right thing, we ne...

The Big Idea:  God never intended us to practice our faith in isolation. This concept is not in the New Testament. Sometimes today I’ll hear people say, “I don’t need the church. I don’t need to be around other Christian. Jesus himself is enough for me.” While you may not feel you need other believers in your life, other believers do need you. In the Bible, wherever we see Christians, we see them...

The Big Idea:  We can become comfortable and complacent and in the process lose our vision. We hear a lot about having a vision these days, so what is vision? The simplest definition of vision is the ability to see. In the Christian sense, vision is the ability to see God’s preferred future for your life. We hear it all the time. God has a plan, but can you see it? Main Points: 1. When we have no...

The Big Idea:  Solitude and silence before the Lord are helpful because it quietens our soul. Even if you find a place to be alone and there is no external noise, you still have to quieten the noise inside. Within us, there are the sounds of stress, anxiety, fear, and worry. Sometimes it’s harder to silence the inner noise than it is the external. Main Points: 1. Our days are long and full. They a...

The Big Idea:  Like a shipwrecked person on a deserted island, apart from a relationship with God we too are alone and isolated. But God, in His love for us, has come to rescue us. We are not abandoned in the darkness of sin’s power. Jesus has come to our rescue. Main Points: 1. Jesus rescues us from the power of sin. 2. Jesus rescues us from the penalty of sin. 3. To be rescued, we must accept Hi...

Episode 469 - Show Notes God has promised to meet ALL of our needs. Not just our financial needs. There are things you need that are more valuable than money and possessions. You have spiritual needs, relationship needs, and the need for physical, mental, and emotional health. But God has promised to meet them all. Let’s walk through this promise together.  Paul says, “And my God will…” This is an...