The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

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#1,467: The Christian Life is a Changed Life Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

When you love Jesus, it makes you different. You are not the same. There will be a noticeable difference in how you live and what you live for. In Christianity, some of the words we use to describe this new life are changed, transformed, converted, and born again.

Main Points:

1. We are still in the world, but we are not of the world. We live by different values. We have different ambitions. We have been given a new purpose in life. What we love has changed. We have exchanged old passions and desires for new ones.

2. Prior to placing our faith in Jesus, we loved the world. We loved what the world could offer us because it was all we knew. Now, we no longer love the world because we have discovered something superior. We have experienced the love of God that is satisfying and meets our inmost desires.

3. We are to bear the likeness or the imprint of God. People should recognize that we belong to Christ because we bear His image. The life we live is to be a reflection of the values, character, and lifestyle of Christ.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

1 John 2:15-17 - “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

Ephesians 4:24 - “…to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

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#1,466: Restoring Those Who Have Fallen Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

As Christians, the Bible describes us as children of God. As children, we are learning how to walk in Christ. We sometimes stumble and fall. God, with his grace and mercy, is patient and helps us get up and get going again. Yet, sometimes other believers aren’t as gracious.

Main Points:

1. Sadly, sometimes the fallen are shunned, excluded, and looked down upon. Sometimes the fallen Christian is gossiped about and criticized.

2 The fallen one needs restoration. The goal is always to restore the believer who has been overcome by sin. They are not to be ignored. They are not to be excused. They are not to be destroyed. The goal is always restoration.

3. If you know a fellow believer who is struggling or who has fallen. With gentleness and humility, reach out to them in an effort to restore them to the faith and the path of righteousness. While you are doing so, remember that any of us is capable of falling.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Galatians 6:1 - “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.”

Galatians 6:2 - "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

John 13-34-45 - “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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#1,465: Restarting Your Prayer Life Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

I talk to a lot of Christians who are unsatisfied with their prayer life. They even feel guilty, knowing prayer should be a more consistent part of their Christian life. But sometimes, it feels difficult to get going again. It seems hard to restart your prayer life. Here are some things that will help.

Main Points:

1. First, ask God to give you a renewed passion for his presence. It’s a prayer God will answer because He wants to spend time with you, too.

2. Second, decide on a place and a time. Set a reminder on your phone. This is half the battle.

3. Third, use a prayer journal/list to help you stay on track. Each morning, I use the 5-minute discipleship journal to walk through my time with God. The journal provides a simple strategy for engaging with God in His Word and prayer. I really enjoy using the “Pray First” App that was designed by the Church of the Highlands.

4. Finally, recognize that prayer is your lifeline. Everything we need, God can provide.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Acts 3:1 - “One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.”
Mark 11:24 - “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 - “pray continually”
Colossians 4:2 - “devote yourselves to prayer”

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#1,464: The Urgency of Today Mar 27, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a dream? Do you have a God-given dream? Is there something God has put into your heart to do, accomplish, and fulfill? Does the dream stay with you and never seem to leave? Is there something God is calling you to do?

Main Points:

1. Maybe you need a little encouragement. What God has called you to do, you need to do it. Do it now. Don’t put it off. Don’t say someday. Someday may not come, but you do have today. What action step can you take today?

2. We take time for granted. We live as if our time is unlimited, but we know deep down inside that it is not true. We only have a limited amount of time, and we don’t know how much.

3. We always have plenty of time to do everything we need to do. This means that all of my time belongs to God, and therefore, how I spend my days is a sacred issue. Someday I will answer for what I did today.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 -
"There is a time for everything,
And a season for every activity under heaven:
A time to be born and a time to die,
A time to plant and a time to uproot,
A time to kill and a time to heal,
A time to tear down and a time to build,
A time to weep and a time to laugh,
A time to mourn and a time to dance."
Proverbs 27:1 - “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”

James 4:13-15 - “ Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10 – “Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.”

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#1,463: Being Wise with Your Time Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

Our problem is not that we don’t have enough time. The problem is that we don’t always use our time wisely. We all have the same amount of time. When it comes to time, every single one of us has the exact same amount. We all get 168 hours each week. The good news is the Bible has a lot to say about how we can honor God with our time. The Bible teaches us how to manage our time in a way that pleases God.

Main Points:

1. I have learned it’s important to do a time audit. Ask yourself, “How am I spending my time? Am I being wise with the use of my time? Am I losing time somewhere? Am I wasting time? It’s good to analyze where our time is being spent.

2. Then ask yourself the question… “Is this really how I want to spend my life? Remember, your time is your life.” God is only giving you so much. How are you going to use it?

3. Time is a gift. Your life is a gift. You and I are managers of the time God has given us. Will you and I choose to use the most valuable resource God has given us for his glory and for his purpose?

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Psalm 31:14-15 - “But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand…”

Ephesians 5:15-16 - “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity…”

Haggai 1:7 – “This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.”

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#1,462: God Requires Patience Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

As we serve the Lord in our various ministries, patience is required. Like a farmer, we till the soil, we plant the seed, and we water the seed. We get excited when we see a little shoot begin to appear. Yet, we must wait for the harvest.

Main Points:

1. Let me remind you of an important principle about the work of God: The harvest belongs to God. You and I have no power over the harvest. We are called to serve, love, work, obey, and use our gifts, talents, and time for God. He is the one who makes things grow. He is the one who produces the fruit.

2. We are responsible for our own obedience to God. We must do what he asks us to do, but then leave the results to Him. Only the Holy Spirit can produce growth.

3. So, if you are serving God, if you are working hard, if you have been obedient, and the results still haven’t come, it may be a matter of waiting on the right time and the right season. Be patient and remember the harvest is in God’s hands.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 - “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.”

Galatians 6:9 - “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

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#1,461: Help! I'm Feeling Anxious! Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

We need to recognize that God knows about our anxiety. He is with us, and He cares about how we feel. What can we do with our anxiety? The answer is to fight back. Anxiety is a form of fear.

Main Points:

1. Anxiety by other names: worry, apprehension, nervousness, concern, and fear. Questions anxiety asks: What will happen? Will they think? Will I be accepted? Will I be okay? What if I look foolish? What does the future hold?

2. In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul is saying that when you take your burdens, your concerns, and even your anxious thoughts to the Lord, he replaces your worries with something much greater: peace that transcends human understanding. And he says this peace of God will guard your heart and mind.

3. What is it that is causing you to be anxious? Can you trust Jesus with it?

Today’s Scripture Verses:

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” (Psalm 139:23)

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life…” (Luke 12:22)

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#1,460: The Reason Jesus Came Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

The most important question you will ever answer for yourself is: “Who is Jesus?” The question swirled on the streets of Galilee and Jerusalem. In the marketplace, in neighborhoods, and out in the fields, people were talking about Jesus. Who is this man, and why has he come? After 2,000 years, the questions are still being asked.

Main Points:

1. Once we understand who Jesus is, we begin to understand why He came.

2. He didn’t come to be a great humanitarian, teacher, rabbi, philosopher, miracle worker, or revolutionary. He didn’t come to start an earthly kingdom or to overthrow the rule of the Roman Empire.

3. Jesus came to save sinners. This is good news for you and me because we are sinners in need of a savior.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Matthew 16:13-16 - “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

1 Timothy 1:15 - “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…”

Luke 19;10 - “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

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#1,459: Committed to the Mission of Jesus Mar 20, 2026

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Today, it seems as if maybe we have forgotten our mission. Those who follow Christ, those who have been saved and forgiven, have received a mission from their savior. We are told to “go and make disciples.” Have we forgotten this is our calling? Have we forgotten this is our individual responsibility?

Main Points:

1. We have come to believe the church is something we attend, not something we are, but this is not how Christ framed his network of followers in the New Testament.

2. Obedience to Christ’s command to make disciples is fulfilled not through church programs, but as individuals invest their lives in others. It’s people who reach people for Christ. We spend time with them to help them grow and become disciples, who would then make other disciples.

3. Jesus said we are to “make disciples.” This means we must take the initiative to do something. We must speak up. We must invest our lives in building relationships with those who don’t know Jesus. We must give our time to share Christ and to help them grow into disciples.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Matthew 28:19-20 - “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

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#1,458: You Must Guard Your Heart Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

The condition of your heart determines the direction of your life. This is the consistent teaching of the Scriptures – as our hearts go, so do our actions.

Main Points:

1. Satan uses all kinds of weapons to attack our hearts. For me, these attacks often come in the form of circumstance that leads to disappointment, discouragement, or even disillusionment.

2. Solomon’s words are a warning. He says we are to “guard.” He implies you are living in a combat zone. You don’t have to guard something unless it is under attack. You don’t guard and protect something unless it is in danger.

3. In prayer, do a heart check. Is your heart healthy? Are you healthy spiritually? Spiritual vitality is found in a close relationship with Jesus Christ.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Proverbs 4:23 - “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Proverbs 17:19 - “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.”
Luke 6:45 - “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Proverbs 4:20-22 – “My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.”

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