The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

As we read the Bible, it is very clear, Jesus is coming back. While many scoff and disbelieve, it doesn’t change the truth of what Jesus has said. We don’t know when He is coming, but we do know He is coming soon.  Main Points: 1. We live in a world today that scoffs at the idea of Jesus returning. Their cynicism fulfills the prophecy scripture gave concerning the end times.  2. I believe in the i...

Often in Scripture, our relationship with God is described as a walk. Sometimes we’ll use the phrase “we are on a journey.” This idea goes back to the relationship Adam and Eve had with God in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:8 - “God, as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day.”  Main Points: 1. When I preach funerals, I’ll often say, “The best gift you can give your family and friends i...

Have you ever encountered someone who simply wouldn’t listen to wise advice? Or what about you? Have you ever refused to listen to words of wisdom?  The Bible calls this decision "foolish." Main Points: 1. The Bible teaches us that a foolish person is the one who leaves God out. In fact, Psalm 14:1 - “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.” According to the Scripture, the fool...

Today, you and I will face things that will threaten our faith, especially our faith in God’s protection. You might be worried about your marriage, the decisions your children are making, the future of your career, the economy, or even your physical safety. You might be worried about your retirement account, the increase in crime in your neighborhood, or an upcoming medical test. There are so many...

The presence of God is an amazing thing. To think that God is with us is incredible. God is omnipresent. He is always with us. In fact, He promised to never leave us or forsake us. But if that is true, why don’t we experience more peace? The answer is that we are not always aware of God’s presence. Main Points: 1. J. Oswald Sanders - “Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God.”...

Remember this: our hope in God isn't just a wish or a dream, but a sure confidence that what God says will happen. Every other hope will disappoint. Every other hope will come up short. God is the one who never fails, he never leaves us, and he never forsakes us. Main Points: 1. Today, I ask you to let the Word of God penetrate the dark place in your soul. Let the light of God’s truth illumin...

I’m fascinated with the idea that we are to love God with all of our minds. The Bible sees the mind as a place of our thoughts, judgment, and intention.  Our minds allow us to be rational, weigh evidence, make decisions about right and wrong, and to develop opinions.  Our minds allow us to worship, praise God, love, repent, and trust. Main Points: 1. Why is it important to consider loving God with...

Know this: God always has a next step for us. Until we see Jesus in glory, God is not finished with us. This work of ongoing spiritual growth and development is called sanctification. Main Points: 1. The basic meaning of "sanctify" is to set apart to God, for His use. This work of “setting us apart” is the ongoing spiritual growth that makes you and me more like Jesus. 2. Sanctification...

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 is not pleasant. Main Points: 1. What is Humility?  Humility is an accurate estimation of our self-importance in relation to God and others.  Humility is having a right view of yourself because you have a right view...

In my life, I have discovered that when it comes to the choices of fear and faith, it’s not always one or the other. Life produces fear, it’s an emotion we feel, but with God’s help, I can choose faith anyway. Though I may feel fear, I choose to trust God.  Main Points: 1. As Christians, we acknowledge that fear is a choice. We can also make another choice. It’s the decision to live by faith.  2....

There is a very common type of fear identified in the Bible that is not talked about much. It is the fear of man. It’s a fear of people and it can include intimidation, peer pressure, social anxiety, isolation, and insecurity. The fear of man can lead us to make choices that aren’t right for us or avoid making decisions at all.  Main Points: 1. When we are filled with the fear of man we are no lon...

I discovered that Jesus could offer me something that nothing or no one else could offer.  He could quench my spiritual thirst.  He offered me a relationship.  He offered me purpose for my life.  As I began to sincerely follow him, my life was filled with contentment.  I realized that Jesus could satisfy the thirst and the longing that I had inside. Main Points: 1. You and I have experienced physi...

According to the Joshua Project, there are still 7,415 unreached people groups around the world. An unreached or least-reached people is a people group among which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group without outside assistance. Main Points: 1. Why should we care? Why should this be a priority for the church? B...

From generation to generation, the Word of God endures. It is timeless in its relevance. It speaks to the hearts of men, women, teenagers, boys, and girls. Seasons come and go, but the Scripture is still powerful in its application to the human condition. Main Points: 1. The Word of God we have is precious. God has spoken and we have it in print and in digital form. It cannot and will not be destr...

Offense is a growth opportunity. How will you respond when another Christian hurts you? Will you become offended and bitter? Will you ignore them and refuse to talk with them? Will you leave the church in an attempt to find a better one?  Or, will you allow the experience to become a tool that helps you grow spiritually?  Main Points: 1. Every Christian is in process. We are not who we used to be,...

Character is never built in a classroom. Character is built in the circumstances of life.  God builds character in our lives by allowing us to experience situations where we are tempted to do the exact opposite of the character quality. Character development always involves a choice. When we make the right choice, our character grows more like Christ.   Main Points: 1. We don’t know why tragic cir...

Do you ever wonder what God is up to? When there is a path forward that seems to be logical, rational, and reasonable, yet God takes another path? What is God’ doing? Where is He taking us? These are questions we all ask. But here is a better question for  us to consider: Will we trust God’s plan? Will we trust our lives to a sovereign God who sees and knows all things? Main Points: 1.Our decision...

When we live out our faith in public, it naturally produces questions in the minds of unbelievers. We’ll likely hear questions such as: Why are you a Christian? What do you believe about God? Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God? Why did Jesus die on the cross? Where is God in this messed up world? Why do you go to church on Sundays? Main Points: 1. We need to reject the cultural pressure t...

As we read the four Gospels, we see Jesus modeling prayer and teaching His disciples to pray, but did you know that Jesus gave us only one prayer request? Yes, Jesus himself asks us to pray for something. Main Points: 1. As Jesus speaks about the lost, those who have not put their faith in God, he uses the metaphor of a field of crops that are ripe and ready to be harvested. He said the harvest is...

When we see all God has created, simply by speaking a word, we recognize his existence, his majesty, and his power. I believe there is a natural curiosity in our hearts that cannot be completely satisfied by anything else but a belief in the existence of God. Main Points: 1. Listen again to those powerful words: “The heavens proclaim the glory of God.”  David looked to the heavens – not the spirit...

When we recognize how great God’s love is for us, the only response is to love him in return. No one has done for us what God has done. No one has given to us what God has given. Jesus laid down his life as a sacrifice for our sins so that we could have forgiveness and eternal life. It is the greatest demonstration of love the world has ever seen. Main Points: 1. Loving God is our great motivation...

What Jesus did for us on the cross was a complete work. It is a finished work. While Jesus hung on the cross he said these words, “It is finished.” There is nothing more to do. He obeyed his Father completely. Our debt of sin is paid in full.  Main Points: 1. How foolish it would be to continue to try and pay for something that has already been paid for, yet that’s what many people do with their s...

Which physical posture of prayer is the right one for you?  I would say, none of them! Rather than the external posture, 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.  Main Points: 1. True prayer is characterized by the posture of the heart, not the physical p...

 I want to assure you today that no matter what you are experiencing or what you feel, God’s face is turned towards you. He does know what you feel and He cares. Main Points: 1. 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 u...

I started this episode talking about how the world calculates self-worth, but the truth is, you can’t calculate your self-worth. It’s already been determined. Your self-worth was set by Jesus. You are so valuable Jesus laid down his life for you. Paul said, “I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave himself for me.” Main Points: 1. Don’t buy into the lies that your value is determine...