The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

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#376: The Holiness of God Aug 22, 2021

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Episode 376 - Show Notes:

The Bible teaches us that God is exalted. He is high and lifted up. He is above us all in power and stature. He answers to no one. He doesn’t have to defend his actions. He is holy.
Because God is holy, he cannot allow sin to enter his presence. Sin is what separates us from God. This is why God sent Jesus to provide a way to be cleansed and purified from our sins.
Sin is a big deal to God and it should be a big deal to us. We might say, “Well, you know we all struggle. Nobody is perfect, right? I wouldn’t call it a sin. It’s more like a struggle, a weakness, or a problem. But, to call it a sin, I wouldn’t go that far.”
To God sin is missing the mark of his standard of holiness and righteousness, and all of us fall short. Romans 3:10 says, “there is no one righteous, not even one.”
So, compelled by a love we will never fully understand, God sends Jesus to pay the awful penalty for our sins. By his grace he offers us forgiveness as we put our faith in Jesus. We are cleansed and purified from our sins. We receive the righteousness of Jesus.
God must remain holy; he cannot put up with sin, no matter how trivial it may seem to us. God knows that even a single sin has the same net effect as many sins – both result in contamination.
So, we come to Jesus, undone, unclean, and impure, but through Jesus we are made clean, righteous, and holy. We are then called to live and walking holiness, recognizing our lives represent Jesus. 1 Peter 1:16 says, “for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Isaiah 6:1-4 says, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.”

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#375: The Impact of a Small Prayer Aug 21, 2021

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Episode 375 - Show Notes:

Prayer is a small thing that has a great impact. I want you to see how important prayer is in our lives. Small prayers change things. Our faith is not in the greatness of our prayers, but in the greatness of our God.
God hears every prayer, even wordless prayers. He hears the cry of our heart when we can’t even formulate the right words. He is close to the brokenhearted. He sees our tears. He knows our heart, our feelings, and our emotions.
We might be tempted to think our prayers are ineffective because we aren’t doing it. Maybe you think prayer needs to be long or pronounced with eloquent language. But the truth is, God knows our needs before we ask. The effectiveness of our prayers is not dependent on speaking the right words. It’s not an exact formula we follow. Prayer is communicating from the heart. If you can talk, you can pray.
Perhaps some of the greatest prayers you can pray are, “help me, God, I need you right now, give me strength, or give me peace. More examples of powerful prayers are, “yes, Lord, I will obey, use me God, fill me with your Spirit.”
What could God do in and through your life if you would become a person of prayer? What if you committed, even a few minutes each day in prayer? What if you incrementally added to your prayer time? Is there anything we could to that would be more impactful?

1 Samuel 3:8-10 - “A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

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#374: Learning to Love Like Jesus Aug 20, 2021

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Episode 374 - Show Notes:

Love is more than a feeling. It is more than words. Love is proven when it is demonstrated by action. Jesus has shown us what love looks like by his sacrificial death. As believes we are called to love others with this same selfless love.
You see, God did not love us from afar. His love compelled him to come to us, to die for us, to rescue us, and to save us. His love was not just found in words, but it was demonstrated by his actions.
Today, you and I must ask the question: how can we love like Jesus? How can we love our families this way? How can we love our co-workers this way? How can we love our neighbors like Jesus does?
If you want a portrait of love, look to the life of Jesus. He illustrated love by the life he lived. He never showed hatred or malice. He only got angry over injustice, but that was motivated by his love for people. He went out of his way to help even those his fellow Jews despised. He crossed racial, cultural, and geographical barriers to care for people. He reached out to the unlovely and the castaways of the world. But the ultimate expression of his love was when he went to the cross, sacrificing his life for us.
Pray and ask God to show you how to love those around you. Let your love be like Jesus, selfless and sacrificial. Love with actions, and not just words.

Romans 5:7-8 - “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:16-18 NIV)

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#373: God Finishes What He Starts Aug 19, 2021

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Episode 373 - Show Notes:

God is at work in your life. He is building something beautiful. He is patient and not in a hurry. Incrementally, step by step, God continues his work in our lives. No matter how long you have known the Lord, he is still at work in your life. His goal, of course, is to make us like his son, Jesus. This lifelong process will continue until one day we meet the Lord face to face.
He always finishes what he starts. He does nothing halfway. He never gives up. He doesn’t quit. He doesn’t throw in the towel. God completes his tasks. This truth should encourage us to know that while we struggle in many ways, God doesn’t give up on us. He continues his work. The theological term for this is the word sanctification. It’s the process of becoming all God wants us to become.
I’m aware that spiritual growth can be very discouraging at times. It’s like climbing Mount Everest, the closer you get to the top, the farther away it seems. But God has a reason for all this. He wants us to depend on him for everything in life. He designed life so that it works only when he is in total charge of everything. When we try to run the show—which we often do—things just begin to fall apart. If the Christian life is left to us, we will always fail. Only God can give us what we need to be victorious.
Trust that God is faithfully at work in your life, even if you don’t see it at the moment. Sometimes our vision is cloudy. Sometimes life feels like you are driving at night during fog conditions. You can barely see where you are going. Just because we can’t see him at the moment, doesn’t mean he has abandoned us.

Philippians 1:6 - “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Psalm 138:8 - “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.”

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#372: The Power of our Words Aug 18, 2021

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Episode 372 - Show Notes:

Dynamite is quite small, but it has explosive power. The same is true with our words. You carry around with you, all day long, the power of life and death.
You and I can speak words of life or words of death. We can speak words that build up or words that tear down. We carry this power with us every day.
I believe my words indicate how healthy or unhealthy I am spiritually. If you go to the doctor for physical, one of the things he/she will do is ask you to stick out your tongue. Because the tongue is an indicator. The nurse will put a thermometer under your tongue – it is a barometer of your physical health. The scripture teaches us the same thing is true spiritually.
Our words are directly connected to our thoughts. We must be very cautious about negative and critical thoughts. They will become our words.
Let’s ask God to speak to our hearts. Ask him to give you wisdom with your words so that you will use them to bless, inspire, encourage, and to uplift others.

Proverbs 18:21 - “The tongue has the power of life and death.”
Philippians 4:8 - “…whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
Ephesians 4:29 - “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

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#371: Enduring Hardship for Jesus Aug 17, 2021

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Episode 371 - Show Notes:

I have been meditating this verse for the past few days. There is so much happening in our world that is troubling. Whatever your views on politics and Covid19, it’s so easy to become consumed by it all. We think about it all the time, we become frustrated and angry, we post online, we talk to others, and we become overwhelmed.
It’s in times like these that we go back to scripture. What does God ask of us in difficult times? We are called, through power of the Holy Spirit, to endure. Yes, endure it. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Don’t throw in the towel. Don’t become bitter and angry. Simply endure.
We can endure because He gives us the power to endure. We can endure and still display the fruit of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
We can endure hardship with the love of Christ in our hearts. We can endure difficulties while maintaining God’s peace and the joy of the Lord. As Christians, we don’t have to follow the pattern of the world around us that is angry and bitter. We have Jesus in our lives, and that makes all the difference.

2 Timothy 2:3 - “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

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#370: When Your Whole World Crumbles Aug 16, 2021

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Episode 370 - Show Notes:

Does it ever seem like you are being attacked from every side? Maybe you have gone through seasons of life when everything seemed to be falling apart. You faced sickness, while navigating financial difficulties, and family challenges, all at the same time. What do you do when your whole world is crumbling?
Job is a man who has lost it all. His whole world has crumbled. The durability of his faith in God is being examined. Can Job do it? Can he hold on? Is he only a believer because of God’s blessings? Will he continue to trust God if all of his blessings are removed?
Every eye is on Job. It’s as if all of Heaven and Hell are watching to see what happens. At this point Job’s wife had seen enough. "Are you still holding on to your God? What's the use?" she mocked. "Curse him and die!” But Job refused and asked, "Should we accept good from God and not trouble?”
Later Job declares his decision. In Job 13:15 he says, “Though God slay me, yet will I hope in him.”
We gain inspiration from Job’s story. When your whole world is crumbling, when everything seems to be falling apart, you can maintain your faith in God. You can trust Him. You can continue to believe.
Let’s decide to be mature followers of Jesus, who do not believe because of the blessings. If the blessings come, we will follow Him. If the blessings are removed, we will still follow him. In every season, God is faithful.

Job 1:8-12 - “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

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#369: The Greatest Commandment Aug 15, 2021

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Episode 369 - Show Notes:

I know there are a lot of things in our lives that are important, but if you are a follower of Christ, your first priority is God. He doesn’t come second or third or last. He comes first.
You might be thinking “I don’t even know how to love God.” And that’s a very honest thought. The truth is – we can’t begin to love God until we recognize that he has loved us first.
If you don’t know God – you don’t love God. You can’t obey the greatest commandment until you get to know God, until you have a relationship with God. Once you know him, you will want to love him in return.
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 wants to love the things he loves and hate the things he hates. It desires the things that God desires.
To love God with all your heart means that you are singularly focused on pleasing him. Your heart is not divided, but it is unified for one purpose – pleasing God.

Mark 12:30 - “The most important one is this…Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

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#368: When we Stand Before God Aug 14, 2021

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Episode 368 - Show Notes:

No matter who we are, where we are from, or what we did with our lives, none of us will escape this moment. It is surely a sobering thought. I’ve heard people say, “When I get to Heaven I’m going to tell God a thing or two. I don’t understand why he allowed this or that.” No, in the radiance of his glory and power, we will likely be speechless.
No one will spend eternity with God without being righteous, meaning that we are in right standing before God. The question is how do we become righteous? How can we be in right standing with God?
Then Paul tells us the good news. He says, however, there is a righteousness we can receive by faith in Christ. This is a right standing before God that we receive from Jesus as we place our faith in him.
We are not saved because of our good works, we are saved because of the good works of Jesus on our behalf. We do good works not to be saved, but because we are saved.
So many today are afraid of death because they do not know what is beyond the grave, but for the believer in Jesus we will stand before God having been clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.

Philippians 3:8-9 - "that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

Isaiah 61:10 says, “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness.”

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#367: The Impact of One Person's Life Aug 13, 2021

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Episode 367 - Show Notes:

I have a conviction: God wants to use your life to make a difference. Despite your background, your race, your gender, your ethnicity, your strengths, your weakness, God wants to use you. In fact, all of those things may expand what God wants to do through your life.
The thing about salt and light, they are both very small, but they are highly influential. It doesn’t take a lot of salt or a lot of light to make a big difference.
Making a difference for Christ is mostly about making yourself available to God. Whatever you have, offer it to God. He’ll take it and use it. He’ll use your experiences, your past, and even your failures. He’ll use your time, your resources, your particular skills and abilities. Yes, he can use your life to make a big difference.
Being to look around you. Ask God to help you to see what he sees. Where could you spread a little salt and light. Is there someone around you who needs encouragement? Is there someone who is struggling in their faith? Is there someone who has never heard about the grace of God? Maybe someone in your life is lonely and needs friendship. You can make a difference.

Matthew 5:13-16 he said, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

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