The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

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Christianity
**The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast**

Daily episodes are hosted by Pastor Loren Hicks. This podcast will challenge you to go deeper into your Christian faith. The goal is to inspire you to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. Episodes have been downloaded over 750,000 times.

Latest Episodes:

#466: Portraits of Grace Nov 26, 2021

Show notes

Episode 466 - Show Notes

Grace is often defined as the unmerited, unearned, and undeserved kindness of God. 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.”
At 50 years old, I’m still trying to understand God’s grace. My natural tendency is to think I need to work for or earn the goodness of God. Show me what to do, and I’ll do it. I’m still trying to understand why God would love me as he does. What would compel him to give me so much grace, mercy, and kindness?
Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more—no amount of spiritual disciplines, no amount of Bible knowledge gained, no amount of serving or helping the poor.
And grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less. Grace means that God already loves us as much as an infinite God can possibly love. When we were at our worst, Jesus loved us the most. Paul said in Romans…While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
To say that someone deserves grace would be a conflict of terms.
Grace is the offer of exactly what we do not deserve. It cannot be recognized or received until we are aware of how undeserving we really are.
So, how do we receive God’s grace? Grace is received as we acknowledge Jesus as God’s Son. It begins with faith. Grace is activated in our life when we place our faith in Jesus Christ – a decision to believe that Jesus is who he says he is. Grace begins with a decision to trust in his death on the cross for the payment of our sins.

John 1:16 says “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

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#465: Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus Nov 25, 2021

Show notes

Episode 465 - Show Notes

I often think of the 12 disciples of Jesus. Each of them was personally invited by Jesus to follow him. None of them put in an application. None of them were interviewed to see if they would be selected. No, they were asked by Jesus to follow.
Over the next three years, they would follow closely. Certainly, they would learn from the preaching and teaching of Jesus. But they also learned by watching. They would watch his lifestyle, his prayer life, and his interactions with people. They would learn from his responses, his attitude, and his conversations. By following closely they would see his character up close and personal. How would Jesus act when he was happy, angry, tired, and hungry?
The knowledge and relationship gained only happened because of their close proximity to Jesus. There were others around Jesus, even crowds of thousands of people, but they did not have the same experience as the disciples because they were not following closely.
You and I have been invited to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. By his grace, he invites us into a relationship as we trust his death and resurrection for our salvation. While we don’t follow him physically as the original 12 disciples did, we do follow his teaching, his way of living, his character, and His purpose for our lives.
Can I ask you a personal question? How closely are you following Jesus?
To truly follow Christ means we become like Jesus. To follow Christ means we do not follow anything or anyone else. To follow Jesus means that we make him the “Lord” of our lives. Jesus becomes the most important thing in our lives.
Becoming a disciple requires an unwavering commitment to submit to our rabbi’s authority. It meant that every day is full of opportunities to learn new things about God.
When we follow Jesus we do so with a sense of abandonment. The gospels tell us that the 12 disciples left their old lives behind for a new one. We too are leaving the old life behind. Old values, old sins, old pursuits, and follow a new way of living. God may ask you to abandon old plans and dreams. He’ll call you to leave a self-centered life for a Christ-centered life.
So, our daily goal…to pursue Jesus, and to do so closely. We follow his teaching, his way of life, and his example. A follower’s desire is to “be like Jesus.”

John 12:26 - “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”

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#464: Daily Gratitude Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

Episode 464 - Show Notes

True, biblical gratitude is much more than an attitude, it is a lifestyle. When we commit to honoring God as the source of all blessings, a real transformation takes place. The daily practice of living with a thankful heart impacts every part of our lives.
As you look back over this past year, there may be things you find deeply discouraging. Yet, we know that despite the things we have faced, God has been faithful. His grace is abundant. His love is unending. His mercy is new every day. God has provided for us. He has protected us. He has given us daily strength, guidance, and wisdom.
When you stop and think about it, you realize we have so much to be thankful for. No matter what we face, God has promised to never leave us or forsake us.
Right now, whatever you are going through, I encourage you to take a moment to express your gratitude to God. Not only is God worthy of your thankfulness, gratitude is good for your soul. To stop in the midst of a situation and simply breathe a three-word prayer, “Thank you, Lord,” can change everything. If you want to be a joyful person, you must develop a spirit of thanksgiving.
What would your life look like if you lived with more gratitude? What if you chose to express more thanksgiving to God? How would it impact your soul? What if you chose to verbally express more gratitude to your family and those you work with? How would it impact your relationships?
In every situation, every season, and every circumstance, you can find a reason to be thankful. As you do, God is glorified, and you are blessed.

Colossians 3:15 - “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 - “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Psalm 136:1 - “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

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#463: Designed to Make a Difference Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

Episode 463 - Show Notes

I’ve never met a person who didn’t want to make a difference in their life. It’s a sincere desire we have. It’s a God-instilled desire. But for many of us, we don’t know how to make a difference.
What you have to offer God matters. Your life matters. It matters to those you serve, those you help, those you pray for, those you encourage, those you bless. Your life matters. Only eternity will reveal the difference you have made with your life.
I believe we have been designed by God to make a difference. Paul said in Ephesians that we were created to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. Before you were born, God already knew how he wanted to use your life. I believe that while in your mother’s womb, God blessed you with aptitudes, skills, and talents that would be developed over the course of your life. God put in you what you would need to fulfill his purpose.
So, how do we make a difference? It begins by making yourself available to God. He can use any of us, but we must first make ourselves available to him.
God is not looking for ability. He is looking for availability.
God loves to use weak people. Everyone has weaknesses. God has never been impressed with strength or self-sufficiency. The Bible is filled with examples of how God uses imperfect, ordinary people to do extraordinary things in spite of their weaknesses.
Think about this: If God only used perfect people, nothing would ever get done. God is not limited by our limitations.
We make a difference by using the talents God has given us.
The world defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige, and position. Jesus, however, measured greatness in terms of service, not status. God determines your greatness by how many people you serve, not how many people serve you.

1 Peter 4:10-11 - “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 1:27 - “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
Romans 12:6 - “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.”

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#462: Why be Baptized in Water? Nov 22, 2021

Show notes

Episode 462 - Show Notes

I’ve met people through the years who love Jesus and who serve God but they have never been baptized. They never saw the priority of baptism.
Baptism is something Jesus commanded us to do. It’s not an option for the believer. It’s something we do as soon as we believe. In fact, the word baptize is found 77 times in the New Testament.
Baptism is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. In other words, baptism is a sign or symbol that represents our acceptance of God’s grace.
I love the story in Acts 8. Philip had been preaching in Samaria when the Holy Spirit spoke to him to travel out into the desert on the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza. It was there, by divine appointment, he met an Ethiopian eunuch who was on his way home to Ethiopia. He was riding in his chariot reading a scroll from the prophet Isaiah. The Holy Spirit spoke to Philip to approach the man. Philip explained that the prophecy he was reading was about Jesus, the Messiah, and the Ethiopian man believed in Jesus.
The New Testament pattern – Reading through the New Testament you notice that people were baptized quickly after placing their faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, n the New Testament church, there was no such thing as an unbaptized Christian.
The disciples in the early church seemed to know how subtle the enemy is, that delaying obedience to Jesus’ command to be baptized in water opens the door for doubt and spiritual failure.
As new followers of Jesus, we need to quickly make a public statement of our intent to follow Christ. The longer we wait for baptism, the less likely we feel the need for it.
Baptism is not a mark of spiritual maturity, but rather a statement of personal identification with Jesus Christ. You don’t have to wait until you feel like you are a spiritually strong person. It’s an obedience issue, not a maturity issue.

Acts 8:36 - “As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”

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#461: Our Commitment to Love God Nov 20, 2021

Show notes

Episode 461 - Show Notes

Notice that our love for God is to be comprehensive. The word “all” is used three times. If we love God with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our strength - no area is left out.
Why love? Why not duty? Why not create a religion where we work for our salvation? The answer is because God has created us to be in relationship with himself. It would be possible to fulfill religious duties and obligations and have no relationship. God is not interested in this.
When we truly love we are devoted. We are committed. We are loyal. Love is not a temporary feeling. We hear people say the fell into love and they fell out of love. They are referring to the emotional aspect of love. But true love is so much bigger. Love is a decision, a daily decision.
Pastor John Piper once wrote these words: “Loving God will include obeying all his commands; it will include believing all his word; it will include thanking him for all his gifts. But all that is overflow. The essence of loving God is admiring and enjoying all he is. And it is this enjoyment of God that makes all of our other responses truly glorifying to him.”
Having an authentic and genuine love for God doesn’t originate from our emotions, our choices, or our abilities. Actually, our love for God originates from God himself. It is God who enables us to have this kind of relationship with himself. Imagine this: how can the created love its creator
When we experience the love of God, we are then able to return this love. We do not love God and then he loves us back. No, God himself initiates love toward us.
So, what does this love look like? What does this love look like? It wants to be with God. It wants to talk with God and listen to him. It wants to live in a way that pleases him and keeps his commandments. It wants to keep this relationship at the very forefront of our lives. It wants to put God first in all situations. When choices have to be made, we ask how this affects our relationship with God. It’s putting him first in every area of our lives.

Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
1 John 4:19 - “We love because He first loved us.”

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#460: Decisions Have Consequences Nov 19, 2021

Show notes

Episode 460 - Show Notes

Everyone listening today has a story. You have a past. We all look back with regret to some choices and decisions we have made. Like me, you’ve probably had the thought, “If I had known then, what I know now, I would have made a different decision.”
Thankfully, our God is abundant in grace. If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord, you have experienced his forgiveness of all of your sins. Jesus is faithful to forgive and to restore. But his forgiveness doesn’t always erase the earthly consequences of our decisions.
This brings me to an important point: Our decisions have consequences. There are some things that happen to us that are without explanation. For example, if you have a car accident or you get sick, we may not know why these things happened. But for the most part, wherever you are in your life right now, it is because of the decisions you have made.
We are all the sum of our decisions. Think about it. Decisions matter. To marry or not to marry. To finish school or not to finish school. You are I are the product of so many decisions: spiritual decisions, relationship decisions, health decisions, career decisions, and more. Decisions have consequences.
Here is God’s promise…he will lead us. Our responsibility is to trust, His responsibility is to lead.
Notice that God doesn’t promise to make us wealthy, healthy, popular, successful, or even comfortable. He promises something much deeper. He will direct our paths. He will direct our steps. He will make our paths straight. He will help us navigate through whatever life throws at us.
Invite God into your decision making process. All of our decisions have consequences, both big and small. As we trust God, he has promised to give us the wisdom we need for every decision.

Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 - “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

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#459: Life After Death Nov 18, 2021

Show notes

Episode 459 - Show Notes

The questions of death and eternity are questions we all face. I believe the Christian faith offers the only solid answers to the final questions. The Bible tells us everything we need to know about life after death and it tells us everything we need to know with certainty. Outside of the Word of God, we are left with speculation and personal opinion.
In the pages of Scripture God has promised eternal life to those who trust Jesus as their savior.
The Bible is abundantly clear on one thing. We will all die and we will all stand before God and give an account for how we lived this life – specifically what we did with Jesus. You will receive either heaven or hell based on your response to Christ. Heaven and hell both await and both will last forever.
For the believer, death does not have to be feared. Our future is secure in Christ and our name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. God has promised us eternal life.
God has given us one life to live here on this earth. This life is about making preparation for eternity. Have you trusted Jesus as your savior? Today is a great day to make sure you are ready to meet the Lord.

James 4:14 – “Why, you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Hebrews 9:27 says, “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

2 Corinthians 5:8 – “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”

John 11:25-26 - “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

Psalm 49:15 – “But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.”

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#458: God's Word Protects Nov 17, 2021

Show notes

Episode 458 - Show Notes

This week I have been meditating on a passage of Scripture in the Book of Proverbs. It’s talking about the importance of God’s Word and how we should never let it out of our sight. King Solomon goes on to say to us that if we keep God’s Word near to us, it will provide the protection we need. Listen to what he says.
Listen again to those powerful words: “Do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight.” I believe he is referring to the Word of God. Where do we gain wisdom? Where do we find understanding? We discover them in scripture. Whatever you do, don’t let God’s Word out of your sight. Keep it close to you. Let it be a part of your daily life. Let these words be on your mind when you wake up and again when you lay down to sleep.
What is Solomon talking about? I believe he is talking about temptation. If we keep God’s Word so near to us that it is never out of our sight, meaning his words are in us, we are consuming them, we will find the protection and strength we need against temptation.
Think for a moment about the things God’s Word protects us from. It protects us against temptation, apathy, discouragement, false teaching, and worldly philosophies.
There is a form of protection you need right now. Are you feeling stress, anxiety, fear, or discouragement? God’s Word protects our hearts and minds by keeping our focus on the Lord. I pray you will let the Scripture be life to you.

Proverbs 3:21-26 - “My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.”

Psalm 119:11 - “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

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#457: Don't Despise Small Beginnings Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

Episode 457 - Show Notes

I have met so many people who felt they didn’t have much to offer God. We think of our talents, gifts, and abilities and then compare them to others. It’s easy to find someone who has more experience, who is more charismatic, or more gifted. We then find ourselves thinking, “What do I have to offer God?”
But we need to rethink what small really is. God is not dependent on the size of our talent or the extent of our gifting. God really is looking for those who are available. Through the power of the Holy Spirit God can enable us to do more than we ever imagined possible.
Over and over this truth is portrayed in Scripture. Stop and think for a moment. Noah had never built an ark, but he did. David had never taken down a giant, but he did. Moses had never led a nation out of slavery, but he did. Gideon had never conquered an invading army, but he did. Peter had never walked on water but he did. Paul had never been on a missionary journey, but he did.
Here’s my encouragement to you. Whatever God has put on your heart to do, do it. Even if it is a very small beginning, even if you lack resources, even if you feel as if you don’t have much to offer, obey God and do it anyway.
God in his sovereignty will make of it what he wants it to be. We are called to be obedient and to be faithful.
Our culture has told us that “bigger is always better.” We’ve listened to the lie that unless there are significant results unless there is a large attendance unless there are measurable results, what we are doing doesn’t matter. But let’s let God determine the significance of our obedience.
By the way, let me remind you that small things really do matter. A small act of kindness, a small word of encouragement, a small prayer for wisdom, a small amount of time for friends…all of these things really matter to the recipient.
What “small” beginning is God asking you to take? What has he put on your heart to do? What are you putting off because you don’t think it is significant enough? Have the courage to step out in faith. Don’t despise the day of small beginnings.

Zechariah 4:10 - “Who dares despise the day of small beginnings?”

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