The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

Apart from a heart of gratitude, we begin to be self-focused, self-centered, and self-pleasing. But when you and I, as Christ-followers, decide to live with a daily heart of thankfulness, it changes us. A peaceful heart is the result.

Main Points:

1. Gratitude causes us to focus our hearts on God as the source of every blessing. Being thankful is a part of a lifestyle of worship. Gratitude keeps us humble.

2. Do you ever forget to be ...

Maybe you have wondered why some do not respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have often thought, “If they could only see how wonderful Jesus is. If they could only see how amazing it is to know the Lord and to be forgiven of our sins.” But that’s just it; they cannot see. They are spiritually blind.

Main Points:

1. The God who spoke at creation and brought light into the darkness is the same God who can make his...

Our efforts at personal goodness, no matter how consistent they may be, will never save us. In fact, good behavior is incapable of bringing us into a right relationship with God. We must be born again.

Main Points:

1. Everyone of us, no matter how kind, decent, and respectful we may be, are still sinners. We have sinned. We have violated God’s laws. 

2. A newborn baby will need a second birth. It had a physical birth, but t...

We must see that, with God’s help, we have the power to flee and to run away from temptation. If we are hesitant, if we wait and entertain the temptation, we lose power against it. God’s Word teaches us to flee.

Main Points:

1. Temptation is something every one of us will face. No one is immune. To be tempted is not sin – it’s what you do with the temptation that’s important.  Even Jesus was tempted...

Think about this truth. God didn’t have to love us. He didn’t have to offer us grace and mercy. Nothing forced God to show us forgiveness. Nothing compelled Him to give us the precious gift of eternal life, but God chose to. He chose to love us. He chose to call us His own. He chose to make us children of God. 

Main Points:

1. If you’ve ever been tempted to doubt the love of God, recognize this wonderful blessi...

Wisdom is something we all need, but we might underestimate just how much we need it. You and I need wisdom in our thinking, our words, our actions, and our future. We need wisdom in our work, our ministries, and in our leadership. Is there an area of your life in which you do not need God’s wisdom? I don’t think so.

Main Points:

1. To receive God’s wisdom, we first have to recognize that we need it. We some...

We are all aware of the spiritual battle that rages. We do have an adversary. We do have opposition. We are in a fight, but find encouragement in these verses. Christ Jesus will place us on a firm foundation. He is our firm foundation. He is the rock we have built our lives upon, and He cannot be moved.

Main Points:

1. No matter how fierce the fight, no matter how difficult the battle, our firm foundation is not shaken. Yes, ...

How many people are there, who once burned hot for God, but now no longer serve Him? How many who were on fire for God, but now have no spiritual passion at all? The sober reality is that this could happen to any of us.

Main Points:

1. Why did God repeatedly tell the Israelites not to let the fire burn out? Why did the instruction need to be repeated? The answer is because there was a real possibility that keeping the fire bu...

I’m convinced that, as long as we trust in our own resources, we’ll see very little of God’s power in our lives. Why would God intervene if we leave Him out? Why would God do miraculous things if we act as if we don’t need Him?

Main Points:

1. Victory does not depend on the size of our resources, but on the power and sovereignty of God.

2. In our lives, we often face challenges that seem insurmountable....

Let me ask you a question. Do you love God with your whole heart? It’s a powerful question, isn’t it? Perhaps you feel a bit convicted by this question.  Our hearts are so easily divided between a lot of things we love and desire. We can be tempted to love God, but can do so without giving Him our whole heart. 

Main Points:

1. As I think about our lives, I recognize that one of the primary obstacles to w...

The giants we struggle with the most are not sickness, finances, pain, loss, or grief.  Our biggest giants are internal.  The battles that take us out are personal.  Struggles like lust, greed, selfishness, anger, bitterness, and fear can become giants that destroy our faith, our relationships, and our future.  We must guard our hearts and develop a close relationship with Jesus to defeat these giants within.&nb...

The Bible reveals one of the characteristics that is most damaging to our relationship with God and others is pride. Yet, most of us don’t readily confess pride as a struggle. Perhaps it’s because pride is subtle, and it’s difficult to see in ourselves.

Main Points:

1. Pride is often described as the silent enemy of the soul, lurking in the shadows and hindering our relationship with God. It can be challengi...

How are you using your influence? Now, you might think you are not very influential because you define influence as position, fame, prominence, or name recognition. But listen to this definition of influence. Influence is the effect of something on a person. It's the power that somebody has to affect other people's lives, beliefs, thinking, and actions.

Main Points:

1. Everyone listening to this podcast episode has influence....

Today, you and I will say a lot of words. We have more ways to communicate than any previous generation. We speak, write, text, email, and social media, all of which require a choice of words. Let’s slow down, think before speaking, allow the Lord to give us wisdom, and choose our words carefully.

Main Points:

1. We might be tempted to think our words don’t matter, but according to God, they really do.  Jesus...

What is envy? A feeling of discontentment or resentment over the opportunities, possessions, or blessings of another. I once heard envy described as the combination of a desire for something, with the resentment that another is enjoying it and you are not.

Main Points:

1. It’s been my experience that envy is not a sin we readily confess. There is a deception that accompanies envy. We can be envious and not realize it. W...

God’s heart beats with compassion for the lost, and He passionately seeks them out. As followers of Christ, we are invited into this search. We become part of the process by sharing the message of the Gospel with those around us. What is important to God, must be important to us.

Main Points:

1. Jesus’ very purpose in coming to earth and dying for our sins was to seek and save the lost. Nothing matters more to God...

Unequivocally, I can say that God is looking for us to say “yes” to Him. Have you given God your yes? Have you surrendered your will and your life to God? Have you said “God, I’m yours. Take my life and use it for your glory?” Have you said, “God, I’ll say what you want me to say, go where you want me to go, and do what you want me to do?”

Main Points:

1. Some of our greatest in...

The Holy Spirit is speaking to every believer in Jesus and He’s asking the question, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” God wants to send every one of us into His Kingdom work. When we say “Here am I, Send me,” God will use our lives for His glory.

Main Points:

1. I’ve noticed over the years, that the thing that keeps many Christians from stepping out in faith and allowing God to ...

You and I have a truth we can hold onto today: God is a promise-keeper. He will not fail. What He has said, He will do. What He has promised, He will perform. 

Main Points:

1. Let this truth be an encouragement in your life today. No word from God ever fails. No matter your current circumstances, God's Word remains unshakable. In times of uncertainty, when others may question the reliability of God’s promises, as b...