The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

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#1,157: The Gospel Message Leaves No One Out Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

While we are thankful we have received such a great salvation, we may wonder if God can truly save anyone. We know people who are far from God. They have no interest in God or the things of God. Their hearts seem hardened and they are not open to the gospel of Christ. Can God break through their darkness? Is the gospel for everyone?

Main Points:
1. Perhaps you have wondered if God could save you. Maybe you have thought you have sinned too much, gone too far, and are beyond saving. Possibly you have thought God could save and forgive others, but you are a lost cause.
2. The wonderful thing about God’s grace is that it is for every sinner. That includes you and me. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross paid the penalty for all of our sins, opening the door to a relationship with God.
3. The word “gospel” means “good news.” Let’s share this good news with everyone we can and let them know Jesus saves.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

John 3:16—“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

Romans 10:13 - “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
John 3:15 - “everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
Titus 2:11 - “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.”

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

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#1,156: People who Love the Word of God Jan 08, 2025

Show notes

I sat and thought for a moment. How much do I love the Word of God? Having access to the Bible my entire life, has it become commonplace? Do I take it for granted? I began to pray and ask God for a renewed love for His Word. I prayed for a fresh hunger to know God more through the pages of Scripture.

Main Points:
1. You and I are to be people of the Word. The Bibles we possess are the very words of God. The chapters and verses are not simply the thoughts and insights of man, nor are they just historical stories of ancient peoples.
2. Because God has revealed His Word through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and because it is infallible and without error, the Bible is the authoritative rule of faith and conduct. We accept the Bible as the final and unchanging authority for what we believe and how we are to live.
3. Since this is true, the Bible must become our daily spiritual food. We must become people of the Word. We must allow scripture to shape our worldview. Through the pages of the Bible, we come to know God in a personal way. We discover His will for our lives and we learn how to please Him.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Peter 1:20-21 - “Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.”

Psalm 119:105 - “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

Psalm 119:47-48 - “…for I delight in your commands because I love them. I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.”

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#1,155: The Power of Confession Jan 07, 2025

Show notes

Confession brings God’s forgiveness, healing, and freedom. Confession empties our souls of the burden of sin we have been carrying. What was in the dark has now been brought to light. Our heavy load of sin has been lifted. We can now live in the freedom of God’s grace.

Main Points:
1. Today, we don’t hear much about the importance of confession and repentance of sins. We are taught to place our faith in Jesus and to accept him into our lives, but there is little teaching on repentance.
2. When we truly recognize that we are sinners in need of God’s grace and mercy, there is sorrow that fills our hearts. We experience this heaviness because we now understand we have sinned against God.
3. This sorrow leads us to be willing to not only believe in Jesus as our savior, but also to confess our sins to God, and offer our repentance.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

1 John 1:9 - “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Proverbs 28:13 - “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
2 Corinthians 7:10 - “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret…”

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#1,154: Which Voices Speak Into Your Life? Jan 06, 2025

Show notes

Which voices are you listening to? As Christians, we have to guard our hearts. We cannot listen to just any voice. We can’t give all voices the same credence and acceptance. We must decipher through the voices to determine what is true, what is right, and what is godly. All other voices must be rejected.

Main Points:
1. The Word of God is our filter. If the Scripture is the final authority for faith, belief, and practice, it must become the lens by which we see and interpret the world.
2. The enemy of our soul will bombard us with words of fear, discouragement, and despair. We’ll be provided with counsel and guidance that can lead us astray. He will lie to us and tell us God is not good and that He is not faithful. He’ll use the words of others to distract us and keep us so preoccupied with busyness that we cannot hear the voice of God. Our adversary will bring people into our lives that will offer deception and cause us to deviate from the truth we know.
3. You and I cannot listen to every voice. We must be discerning. We must choose to listen to Godly voices and shut every other voice out. The Word of God must be our gauge by which we determine the validity and the acceptance of each voice.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Proverbs 10:11 - “The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.”

Proverbs 10: 20-21 - “The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless.” The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense."

Proverbs 10:31- 32 - “The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives will be cut off. The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.”

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#1,153: Christ Alone Jan 03, 2025

Show notes

The Bible teaches salvation comes through Christ alone. There is no other path, no other way, and no other possibility. If you will be saved from your sins and forgiven by God, you will come through Christ, and Christ alone.

Main Points:
1. There are those today who don’t like the fact that the Bible proclaims faith in Jesus as the only way to salvation. The exclusivity of Christ is a problem for them. Why can’t there be many ways to be saved? Don’t all roads lead to God? Why can’t we pick and choose a path of salvation that seems to work best for us?
2. Instead of complaining about the lack of multiple ways to be saved, we should be grateful there is a way at all. If Christ had not come to be our savior, if He had not come to rescue us out of compassion and grace, we would be completely hopeless, with no way of salvation.
3. We should willingly receive the gift of salvation, provided for us by Jesus. He is offering us a way of salvation. It is the only way to salvation. It is through Christ, and Christ alone.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

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#1,152: Experiencing the Joy of the Lord Jan 02, 2025

Show notes

Through our relationship with Jesus, we possess the ability to live with joy, regardless of our circumstances. While the world around us may be falling apart, feeling defeated, and living in despair, Christians have the blessing of choosing to live with joy.

Main Points:
1. How does this happen? How can you be joyful when life isn’t going well? It’s here we often confuse joy with happiness. They are not the same thing. Happiness is the result of having a good set of circumstances. Joy is different. Joy is God-given. It’s not natural, it’s supernatural. In Galatians chapter five, we learn that joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
2. We experience joy as we abide daily with Jesus. Remember, He is the source of our joy! If you want joy, spend time with him. Joy is the result of being with Jesus. As you experience the fulfillment of His presence, joy remains.
3. We experience joy when we choose to trust God. Psalm 40:4 - “Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord…” When we choose to trust the Lord, we are choosing not to worry, fret, and be anxious. As we choose to trust God, we remember He is trustworthy.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Nehemiah 8:10 - “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

1 Peter 1:8 - “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”

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#1.151: Growing in our Love for the Bible Jan 01, 2025

Show notes

As Christians, we’ve been taught the importance of the Word of God. We have been instructed to read the Bible every day. We know the significance of spending time with God every day. So, are there things we can do to develop a fresh love for the Word of God?

Main Points:
1. Start by praying a new prayer. Begin to ask God to give you a love for His Word. It’s a simple prayer you can start praying each day. I believe God loves it when we pray such a prayer and He will give us the desire of our hearts.
2. When you open your Bible, believe that you will hear from God. The Bible is a living document, God wants to speak to your heart and life from its pages.
3. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes. Ask Him to illuminate the truth so that it is seen. The Spirit of God is present every time you open your Bible.
4. Look for the application. How can you put the scripture into practice in your daily life? Remember, the goal is not to get through Scripture, the goal is to get the Scripture through you.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

John 6:68 - “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Psalm 119:97 - “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.”
Psalm 119:167 - “I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly.”
Psalm 119:18 - “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”

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#1,150: The Trap of Isolation Dec 31, 2024

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It is not the will of God that we are alone or that we go through life isolated from others. He has created the church to be our spiritual family. It’s here that we find fellowship, encouragement, support, and accountability. It’s also here that we can offer these same gifts to others.

Main Points:
1. Sometimes the reason for such isolation is the pain we have experienced in the church. Maybe we felt ignored, neglected, or forgotten. Perhaps someone made a mistake and said something hurtful. Rather than experience this pain again, we put up barriers and choose to not engage with others.
2. But I want you to see this is exactly what Satan wants. He wants you to be isolated from others because if you do, you’ll also miss the blessings that come from being in community with others. You’ll miss the encouragement and the support. You’ll miss the fulfillment that comes with deep friendships. Others will miss the investment you could have made in their lives.
3. If you want to be blessed you have to step out of your comfort zone. To experience the richness of friendship and support, you have to show up. To be a blessing to others you have to engage, take initiative, and be committed.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Genesis 2:18 - “The Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone…”

John 8:44 - “…for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Philippians 2:4 - “Look out for one another’s interests not just your own.”

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#1,149: The Difference Jesus Makes Dec 30, 2024

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. Before 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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#1,148: Do you Need Guidance and Direction? Dec 27, 2024

Show notes

Do you need a guide? Are you in need of guidance and direction? God has given you two sources, His Word and His Spirit.

Main Points:

1. Where does this guidance come from? How does God become our guide? He guides us in two ways. He guides us by His Word and by the Holy Spirit.
2. Psalm 119 says God’s Word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path, meaning, it illuminates the steps we are to take. God’s Word makes it clear what the next step should be. As wonderful as this is, it is only half the answer. You’ll make many decisions in life that are not identified or prescribed in the Bible.
3. In the absence of clear guidance from the Word of God, we rely on the direction of the Holy Spirit. This is why Paul said in Romans 8:14 - “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” Not only do we need daily guidance from Scripture, but we also need daily direction from the Holy Spirit. The Word and the Spirit together are the leadership that we need.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

James 1:5 - "Whoever among you lacks wisdom, ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.”
Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go and I will counsel you and watch over you.

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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