The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

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#1,047: Praying for Persecuted Christians Jul 26, 2024

Show notes

For those of us in the West, suffering, and persecution for our faith are minimal. It might be easy to forget that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world are suffering greatly as a result of the gospel. May we “remember their chains.” May we not forget them and may we pray for God’s strength, comfort, and help in their time of need.

Main Points:

1. There are thousands of suffering believers around the world who could say what Paul said, “Remember my chains.” Don’t forget about us. Remember us in prayer. Lift us up before the Lord.
2. We can pray that persecuted Christians will experience the peace of God in the midst of their suffering. We can only imagine the stress, fear, and anxiety that must accompany such distress.
3. We can pray that persecuted Christians remain strong in their faith in Jesus. Let’s ask the Lord to enable their faith to grow and that it won’t be weakened.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Colossians 4:18 - “ I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.”

Ephesians 6:18-20 - “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

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#1,046: The Desire to Love God More Jul 25, 2024

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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 to serve. It is not a drudgery to serve God. It is not a burden or an obligation. It is not a problem to serve Him. If Jesus would go to the cross for us, we should willingly and lovingly serve Him in return.
2. Having been changed by the love of God, we love him in return. This love compels us to follow, surrender, serve, and obey.
3. Join me in asking God to help us to love Him more. I believe this prayer honors the Lord. He will give us a greater capacity to love and it will become the motivation for all we do.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Romans 5:8 - “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

John 14:15 - “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

2 Corinthians 5:14 - “For the love of Christ compels us…”

Matthew 22:37 - “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

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#1,045: Waiting for Jesus to Come Back Jul 24, 2024

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Sometimes we find ourselves impatient with God, especially about His return. We wonder, What can He be waiting on? The tragedies around us, the suffering of people we love, and even the stresses of daily life all seem bigger as time goes on. When will Jesus come back?

Main Points:

1. As believers, we are to wait. We don’t like waiting, but as we wait we trust God’s timing. God alone knows when the right time is for the return of Jesus. So, we ask God for the patience to wait.
2. It’s important to see that this “waiting” God asks us to do is not passive. Our waiting on the return of Christ is not the same as waiting in a waiting room. We do not sit idly by, wasting time, waiting for Jesus to come back.
3. As we wait, we focus on the mission of Jesus in our world. We have been given a commission by our Savior. We are to share the good news of the gospel and this must be a priority in our lives. The return of Christ is always presented in Scripture as a great motivation to action, not as a reason to cease from action.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

John 14:3 - “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Philippians 3:20 - “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…”

Titus 2:13 - “…we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 3:11-12 - “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God.”

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#1,044: You Can Trust the Character of God Jul 23, 2024

Show notes

In a world of mistrust, God can be trusted. He can be counted upon. He keeps his promises, he fulfills his word, and he does what he says he will do. God is worthy of your trust, your faith, and your confidence.

Main Points:

1. The Bible teaches us that God is faithful. This means God is always reliable, all of the time. He does not fail or forget. He always keeps his word. His character is consistent and He never changes.
2. Think about the implications of this wonderful truth. If God never changes, his love never changes. His grace never changes. His forgiveness never changes. His power and his presence never change. His ability never changes.
3. If you are struggling to trust God, be assured of his character. There is no one like God. He does not change. He will be faithful in your life.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

Psalm 119:89-90 - “Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all generations.”
Malachi 3:6, "I the Lord do not change."
James 1:17 - “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

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#1,043: Learning to be a Peacemaker Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

The children of God are peacemakers. A peacemaker is someone who intentionally works to help people reconcile with God and others. Anyone who does the hard work of peacemaking will be blessed by God.

Main Points:

1. The word “peace” in Matthew 5:9 combines two Greek words. Together they mean to bring about wholeness, to bring all the essential parts together in wholeness.
2. Peace-making requires God’s power. Real and lasting peace is impossible to create without God’s help. You can’t make what you don’t have. The only way to have inner peace is to make peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
3. Peacemaking is such hard work that it’s easier to say…. “I’m staying out it.” We try and fail and get discouraged, so we give up. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can all work to be peacemakers, and in doing so we are a reflection of God’s character.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Matthew 5:9 - “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

Romans 5:1 - “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Corinthians chapter 5:18 - “God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

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#1,042: Rejoice At All Times Jul 19, 2024

Show notes

Anyone can rejoice when life is good, but to rejoice when life is hard is a deliberate act of faith. You are deciding that your trust and confidence in God are not circumstantial. Your faith is rooted in the character of God.

Main Points:

1. The word "rejoice" means to feel or show great joy or delight. In fact, the word “rejoice” is found in the Bible 154 times. That is a lot of rejoicing.
2. The Bible says we are to rejoice in God’s goodness. We rejoice over God’s strength. We rejoice in his deliverance. We rejoice in his salvation. As for when we are to rejoice, Psalm 89 says we rejoice in God’s name all day long. Philippians 4 says we are to rejoice in the Lord always.
3. The reason we can rejoice at all times is because of the object of our rejoicing. Paul says we are to “rejoice in the Lord.” We don’t just rejoice. We don’t just celebrate. We don’t just throw a party. We have a reason to rejoice. We rejoice in the Lord.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Habakkuk 3:17-18 - “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

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#1,041: Everything We Need Follows our Surrender to God Jul 18, 2024

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You and I are going to struggle with our humanity. Surrender doesn’t seem like a good idea to any of us. It feels like we are giving up and losing control, but when we surrender to God we lose things we don’t need to gain the things we really do.

Main Points:

1. Everything you need is on the other side of surrendering your life to God.
2. Everything you need God can provide. Yet, often the provision doesn’t come until we surrender to God.
3. God’s plan is not about depriving us of good things. He delights to give His children good gifts. He also desires, above all else, for us to follow him and delight in him. Sometimes God will make us sacrifice something we want, to secure our hearts for the greatest good: himself.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Matthew 26:39 - “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

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#1,040: All Scripture is Inspired by the Holy Spirit Jul 17, 2024

Show notes

In the biblical sense inspiration is unique. God was the primary author of the Bible; He was the One who inspired the writers to speak truths. He was the initiator. God was the source, the writers were the recipients.

Main Points:

1. The Bible is the product of God himself. The ideas are not human thoughts but come from God’s will. We also need to understand though, that the writers of the Bible were not just writing machines. God did not punch them like keys on a keyboard. His Holy Spirit prompted their hearts and minds, but it is clear that each writer had a style of his own.
2. One of ways we see the divine inspiration of scripture is in the unity of the Bible. There is amazing clarity in the central message of the Bible. The unity of the Bible is simply amazing. It’s even more amazing when you understand how it came together. The Bible was not written by one man, but by 45 different authors over a period of 1500 years in places all the way from Babylon to Rome.
3. Think for a moment about the diversity of these authors: kings, poets, prophets, a physician, farmers, shepherds, fisherman, a tax collector, apostles, and pastors. All of these men writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and when the writings are gathered together in the canon of Scripture, they tell a complete story.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Timothy 3:16 - “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…”

1 Peter 1:21 - “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

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#1,039: The Impact of Your Personal Testimony Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

Your story is one of your greatest ministry tools. I meet people who feel they have nothing to offer the Lord. In their minds, they feel incapable of serving in some ministry. Yet, every one of us has a story. It’s a God story. It’s a story of how we met Jesus, the circumstances of your salvation, and how Jesus has changed your life.

Main Points:

1. When I think of the explosive growth of the New Testament church in the Book of Acts, we see two things at work. People were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and second, they shared their testimony with others. Sadly, it seems as if today we have stopped telling our story. But you have a story to tell. It is a story of God’s grace.
2. A personal testimony is the most non-threatening way to tell an unbeliever why Jesus is important to you. It allows you to be open about your life while giving God the glory. You can rave about the power of Jesus to transform a life and even someone who is hostile to the gospel will listen because you are not asking anything of them.
3. Your story is simply an account of how God has changed your life. If Jesus is your Lord and Savior, then surely He has done miraculous things for you. People are looking for evidence that God exists and that He is personally involved in people’s lives. You can’t make God appear on the spot to prove His existence, but you can certainly point straight to Him by talking about how He has worked in your life.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

John 7:46 - “No one ever spoke the way this man does.”

Acts 4:33 - “And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”

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#1,038: You are Loved by God Jul 12, 2024

Show notes

Let this truth fill your soul today. You are loved by God. No matter who you are, where you have been, or what you have done, God loves you. And his love is as high as the heavens.

Main Points:

1. Have you ever questioned the love of God? Have you ever thought, “How could God love someone like me?” May you wonder if there was a limit to God’s love.
2. When we understand the depth of his love for us it creates security. We will believe His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us. We are confident in his grace and mercy. We will trust that His Word is true and that He can be counted on.
3. In this life, love can sometimes be conditional. If expectations are not met, if trust if violated, if mistakes are made, sometimes people will withdraw their love. But God’s love for us is unconditional. Even though we have failed God many times, his love for us remains.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Psalm 103:11 - “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.”
Ephesians 3:17-19 - “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
1 John 3:1 - “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are!”

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