The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

Episode 343 -  Show Notes: Given to us by Jesus himself, this is the Christian ethic. How you would like to be treated, that’s how you should treat others.” Obedience to Jesus’ “Golden Rule” has the power to transform all of our relationships. It is a call to put God and others first in all that we do. This verse shows us how to truly love our neighbor as we love ourselves. We must remember this v...

Episode 342 -  Show Notes: Isn’t it true that we grow the most in the hard times? When going through a struggle or a difficult season, I often ask myself, “What is God saying to me? What can I learn from this?” I don’t want to miss the lesson. Sufferings can lead us to God, cause us to pay more attention to his Word, and lead us to open our ears to his voice.  So many people have the testimony of...

Episode 341 -  Show Notes: There are many personal implications for the doctrine of God’s omniscience. One is that our lives are an open book before God. We cannot hide from him. He knows what no one else knows about us. He knows the complete truth. He even knows the motives of our hearts. This truth should humble us and bring us to a place of repentance and surrender. We can’t hide from God and w...

Episode 340 -  Show Notes: You and I have a God-given design. He created us as he desired. This is so important for us to understand, to believe, and to accept. So many today are confused about who they are. We have clarity when we understand we have a creator. Imagine this…the God who is so powerful that he spoke and the world came into existence is still personally involved in the details of our...

Episode 339 -  Show Notes: While forgetting things is common, there is one thing we must not, and cannot forget, and that is the Word of God. Sometimes I’m guilty of the same thing. I get my eyes on the storm. I’m overwhelmed at my circumstances. I become anxious and afraid and I temporarily forget what God has said. My thoughts, emotions, circumstances, problems, struggles, and uncertainties don’...

Episode 338 -  Show Notes: Not only has Jesus taken your place on the cross, not only has God forgiven you of your sin, but on the basis of the cross, God has declared you innocent and the record of your offense has been erased. The simple way to think of justification is a play on words: just as if we had never sinned. Sinners are in the wrong before God. They have broken his laws, they deserve p...

Episode 337 -  Show Notes: As we grow to become more like Jesus, an attitude of humility is something we should aspire to. We can pray and ask God to give us a humble spirit. It’s always challenging to talk about humility. How do you know if you are humble? In fact, if you think you finally exhibit humility, it’s in that moment you have probably lost it. Humility is an accurate estimation of our s...

Episode 336 -  Show Notes: The Israelites never knew when the pillar of cloud or fire would move. They didn’t know from day to day what God would do. So, it was essential they stayed near the cloud and the fire. When it was time to move, God would move and the people would follow. While God doesn’t manifest himself today as cloud or fire, the principle is still the same. It’s vital that we stay cl...

Episode 335 -  Show Notes: Wouldn’t you all agree that we need a cause, a cause to believe in, a cause that in greater than ourselves, a cause to live for and even to die for. We have a cause. That cause is our participation in the building of God’s Kingdom. We each have a role. We each play a part in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. Imagine the impact we could make if every day we looked for...

Episode 334 -  Show Notes: At some point in just about everyone’s life, we ask the question: Where is God when I am suffering?” Life brings suffering to us all. Whether it’s sickness, family issues and struggles, financial problems, loneliness, stress, or fear; suffering comes to everyone.  The Bible never promises us we won’t face hard times. As we read the Bible we learn all the men and women of...

Episode 333 -  Show Notes: “Fasting is a matter of exchanging one form of hunger for another. By withholding physical food from our bodies, we elevate the likelihood of developing a spiritual appetite.” - Ben Patterson Notice Jesus says, “When you fast…” He’s not saying if you fast, but when. Jesus assumes we will fast and pray as a spiritual discipline. He tells us this is something we should do...

Episode 332 -  Show Notes: How many times has it taken a crisis to bring us to our knees in prayer?  When we are pushed to the brink.  When our back is to the wall.  When all the escape routes are closed.  It seems that then and only then do many people call on God for help.   I hope today that you are desperate for more of God. I pray you are desperate for his power in your life. I hope you are d...

Episode 331 -  Show Notes: I will be the first to admit that I don’t understand everything about God. I don’t know why he does certain things. I don’t always see how he is working. But I stand today upon the truth of scripture and believe that God’s ways are perfect. At some point in your life you have probably said the words, “I’m not perfect.” Usually, we say this as a defense mechanism when we...

Episode 330 -  Show Notes: Anxiety is something we all face. It’s likely that this week you have been anxious about something. Maybe it’s your health, your family, your finances, or your job, but anxiety is something we are all familiar with. Present your request to God through prayer. God is inviting us to bring our needs to him. He says in every situation, prayer is the answer. This is something...

Episode 329 -  Show Notes: We need to believe that our God is a God of miracles. He has all power. He can provide, heal, deliver, protect, open doors, and meet any need. Some say the days of miracles are over, but my Bible says in Hebrews 13:8 - “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, and today and forever.” Let’s put our complete trust in God and believe him to do miracles. Remember, nothing is imp...

Episode 328 -  Show Notes: Discouragement is something we will all face. We don’t have to give into the discouragement. We are not powerless. It’s a matter of focus and perspective. Fighting discouragement is not about pretending you problems are not there. Fighting discouragement is about recognizing the resources of God that are available to you in the midst of your suffering.  Determine that yo...

Episode 327 -  Show Notes: Do we have a battle cry?  Those of us whose lives have been transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ, whose sins have been forgiven, do we have a battle cry?  As Christians, we do have a battle cry, and our battle cry is that WE ARE FREE!  On the cross, Jesus took our condemnation. Because of our sins we were condemned already, but Jesus stepped in. He took our condemna...

Episode 326 -  Show Notes: God knew that the fear of man would be a struggle for us. While we struggle to varying degrees, it’s our inner insecurity that causes us to want to please people. The fear of man manifests itself in many ways: the need for approval and the fear of disapproval, the need for acceptance, peer-pressure, fear of criticism, need for recognition, and so much more. We overcome t...

Episode 325 -  Show Notes: We don’t always understand why God asks us to do something, but our simple obedience leads to God’s blessings.  With limited human understanding, we can’t possibly understand everything about why or how God does what he does. Since we can’t know it all, understand it all, or see it all, have have to trust. We need faith. It’s a decision to believe in God, but it’s also a...

Episode 324 -  Show Notes: The writer of the book of Hebrews identifies two things we need to let go of. These two things easily entangle us and keep us from running the race God has marked out for us. The two things are sin and everything that hinders. Repentance is turning away and letting go of sin. When the Holy Spirit makes us aware of our sin, we confess it to God and offer our repentance. T...

Episode 323 -  Show Notes: No one has a conflict free life. It’s a part of living in a sinful world. There is conflict in our political system, conflict in our culture, conflict at school and conflict at work, and I know there is conflict in your family. We all experience it. Conflict happens because we have free choice and we sin.  There are 7 billion people on this planet with the freedom to ful...

Episode 322 -  Show Notes: Like the young man in the story, we find ourselves in a famine. So many today live in a spiritual famine. They are hungry, they are desperate, and they are eating what the devil offers but it only increases their hunger. Maybe you are way from God and you wonder if he would accept you and forgive you again. Maybe you wonder after all that has happened does God still love...

Episode 321 -  Show Notes: You are going to become discouraged if you put your hope in something God never intended you to hope in. Without a relationship with Christ, we have no hope. We have no peace. We have nothing to put our confidence in. Hope is a confident expectation based on the unchanging character of God. Since God never changes we can put our complete trust and hope in him. We have a...

Episode 320 -  Show Notes: The Christian life is fundamentally a changed life.  His change is not something that you can simply do by yourself.  It’s going to take the power of God in your life and it’s going to require you to cooperate with God. God wants to change us so that we will be like his son, Jesus Christ, but the Spirit of God will not force these changes upon our character. We must allo...

Episode 319 -  Show Notes: “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” - Corrie Ten Boom As we read the Bible narrative, we learn that God rarely shares with us the big picture. We don’t see what will happen way down the road, but he always shares the next step.  Either we control our fear, or our fear controls us. Identify the fear that is keeping you from stepping out in faith a...