Discipleship is not something we merely stumble upon, accidentally...  Or like we wake up one day to be happily surprised that we somehow – inexplicably – resemble Christ!  No, discipleship is a process that requires daily exercise.  It is a constant practice that results – over time in cooperation with the Spirit – in maturity.  In today's episode, we will look at one Biblical example of this...

I used to feel bad that I did not have some magnificent testimony of divine rescue...  I did not come to faith in Christ in a prison cell or after decades of substance abuse...  For many Christians, there was a single moment of life-change – a specific day of clarity – where the “light switch” of believing in & following Jesus drastically changed in their lives from “off” to “on”.  For me, my conversion to Christ didn’t happen like that.  I came to faith slowly, over the course of years.  I know many other Christians like that – who stepped into belief – and released control of their lives to Christ's Lordship – slowly, over time...

The Great Commission of our Lord is to go and make disciples, not believers.  The most important number in the Church today – the most critical statistic – is not the number of people who attend, it’s not even the number who believe in Jesus.  The Bible tells us that even demons believe!  The most vital gauge of the health, strength, and longevity of the Church is only this: the number of disciples being made...

In the previous episode, I explained how I personally interpret 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing”.  In this episode, we explore what would it look like to “never hang up the phone receiver on God,” but to always stay on the line, ready for communication, whether speaking or listening.  Hear are 7 strategies that I have personally used to try to pray continuously...

1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs us to “pray without ceasing”.  How is this possible?  Can it even be done?  YES!  The concept of “praying without ceasing” is not about logging hours on some cosmic time sheet, hoping we can eventually reach that perfect score of “24/7”.  Pray without ceasing is about a mindset – a heartset – towards continual communication with God.  This episode of Practical Faith explains how!

In this episode of Practical Faith, I share my prayer for anyone who is seeking to grow in their followership of Jesus.  It is rooted in two Scriptures – Psalm 1:1-3 and Jeremiah 17:7-8.  Listen to my prayer, and pray along with me!  Then take a moment to read and to meditate upon these two Scriptures, and think: what prayer emerges out of your heart as you meditate on those words?

You CAN follow Jesus successfully!  I used to feel constantly defeated in my walk with the Lord.  But following Jesus is not about perfection; it’s about persistence.  The phrase “practice makes perfect” is incorrect.  Really, it’s “practice makes progress”.  The successful Christian life is not about maintaining sinless perfection all the time.  It is about a faithful life direction, pointing toward God, journeying forward, making steady, daily progress with Him.

Welcome to the first-ever episode of "Practical Faith!" With short, bite-sized episodes, Practical Faith offers practical tools, free resources, and encouragement to help listeners from all walks of life to actively follow the example, teachings, and practices of Jesus in their own everyday lives.