The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

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#744: You Can Always Come Home Dec 09, 2022

Show notes

No matter where you are or how far away from God you have run, you can always come home. Our loving Heavenly Father is waiting with open arms. He is calling once again for you to come home.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Luke 15:20 - “So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” “…Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. (Vs 24)

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#743: Prayer is an Adventure in Trust Dec 08, 2022

Show notes

Prayer is an adventure in trust. We put our needs into the hands of an almighty God, who has the power to meet our needs according to His will. What will God do? We don’t know, but we do know that what God does is right. His answer and His actions may not make sense to our finite minds and limited understanding, but the will and purpose of God are always correct.

Main Points:

1. When we have a need, it’s normal to be anxious, to worry, and to wonder what will happen. This is our human response to uncertainty. Yet, when we pray we choose to trust. When we pray we choose to believe God.
2. What an adventure it is to wait on God and see what He will do. The waiting is not always pleasant, but the longer we serve Jesus, the more confidence we have in the waiting. We know God is up to something. We don’t see it yet, but we are confident testimony of His faithfulness is coming soon.
3. Faith in God is a choice. It’s a decision to believe and to trust that He is working all things for your good, according to His purpose.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Corinthians 4:18 - “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

Hebrews 11:1 - “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Mark 9:21-24 - “Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Proverbs 3:5 - “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

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#742: God Directs our Steps Dec 07, 2022

Show notes

As children of God, we desire the Lord’s hand of guidance and protection to be upon our lives. Why? Because He can see what we cannot see. He knows what we do not know. He holds our purpose and our future in His hands.

Main Points:

1. I believe each day the Holy Spirit is active in our lives too. He is speaking, leading, guiding, and directing. Are we listening? Are our ears open to the voice of the Holy Spirit? Are we sensitive to His promptings?
2. Start your day by spending time with God. Then, as you go throughout your day, watch for the direction of the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to lead you. Ask Him to guide your steps. Trust that He is with you walking step by step.
3. God is not absent, uninvolved, and uninterested in your life. He is an ever-present God.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Psalm 37:23-24 - “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.”

Proverbs 16:9 - “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.”

Proverbs 27:1 - “…you don’t know what the day will bring.”
Romans 8:14 - “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”

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#741: Living as Citizens of Heaven Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

Citizens not only have rights and privileges, but they also have responsibilities. The same is true for us as citizens of Heaven. Let’s not only experience the blessings of our new citizenship but let’s conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel.

Main Points:

1. You may not have thought about this, Heaven is not just a place you are waiting to see, but it’s a place of which you are already a citizen. You have a legal right to belong in Heaven because the blood of Jesus has paid for your entry.
2. As citizens of Heaven, the Word of God calls for us to live as citizens of Heaven. We are not yet in Heaven, but we are to live with the values of our new home.
3. Paul says we can live as citizens of Heaven by conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. In other words, if you are saved, live as someone who is saved. If Christ has come into your life, it should be noticeable in how you live. We are not worthy of what Christ has done for us, but we should do our best to live as though we were.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Ephesians 2:19 - “You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.”

Philippians 1:27 - “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.”

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#740: What Makes a Christian Different? Dec 02, 2022

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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#739: How Good is Good Enough? Dec 01, 2022

Show notes

“How good is good enough?” Here’s the short answer. We could never be good enough to go to Heaven. It’s simply not possible for humans to satisfy the justice of God with our efforts at being good. The Bible teaches us that being a good person could never save us. Instead, salvation is based on the goodness of Jesus, on our behalf.

Main Points:

1. Jesus, in kindness and love, took our sins upon himself and once and for all died in our place. This is the definition of goodness. God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, satisfying the justice of a righteous and holy God.
2. Forgiveness of our sins and the promise of eternal life is received as a gift from God. We receive this gift as we confess Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. We place our faith in his death and resurrection for our sins, instead of placing our faith in our good works.
3. Refuse to buy into the deception that you could be good enough to go to Heaven. Put your faith in Jesus, who was good on our behalf.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Judges 21:25 - “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

Proverbs 14:12 - “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.”

Isaiah 64:6 - “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.”

Titus 3:4-5 - “When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”

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#738: When a Believer has Fallen Nov 29, 2022

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 look 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 are 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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#737: This Gospel Will Be Preached Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

We stand on Jesus’ promise that the gospel will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations. As we see this being fulfilled, we know the end is near and Jesus’ return is soon.

Main Points:

1. There are still locations in our world where the gospel message is not being preached. There are places where there are no churches, no missionaries, no translations of the Bible in local languages, and no access to the salvation message.
2. With the use of the ever-increasing tools of technology the message of Christ is spreading faster than ever before. My prayer is that a new generation of missionaries will hear the call of God and will take the gospel to people still waiting to hear.
3. The gospel of Jesus Christ is good news. We cannot be silent. We cannot keep such good news to ourselves. We must tell others. We must let people know that Jesus saves. Let’s determine that we will be a part of preaching the gospel locally and globally as a testimony to all.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Matthew 24:14 - “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

1 Thessalonians 1:8 - “The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.”

Matthew 28:19 - “Go and make disciples of all nations…”

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#736: How to Restart Your Prayer Life Nov 25, 2022

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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#735: Do You Need a Guide? Nov 24, 2022

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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