2 Minute Disciple

Mark 12: Confronting Corruption, Loving God, Loving Neighbor – Apprenticeship to Jesus Week 12

Article  |  January 4th, 2026
By Nick Oyler | Jesus Follower
bible study, christian living, christian podcast, daily prayer, discipleship, faith practices, fasting, gospel of mark, jesus teachings, love god love neighbor, mark 12, nick oyler, scripture memory, spiritual growth

Dive into Mark 12 with Nick Oyler in Week 12 of An Apprenticeship to Jesus. Explore Jesus’ wisdom in confronting corruption, teaching love as the greatest commandment, and honoring sacrificial faith. Practical spiritual habits included.

Day 4 - John 1:14-18 — God Came Near

Article  |  January 4th, 2026
By Nick Oyler | Jesus Follower

I once thought of God as far off and distant from us. I thought that He stood at a distance and watched for me to mess up, and when I did—zap! However, the more I get to know the God of the Bible, I see a good God who came near to us and, from His abundant love, gives us one gracious blessing after another.
Take a few moments to reflect on this truth:
God came near to us and revealed Himself to us.

Day 3 - John 1:6-13 — Recognizing Jesus

Article  |  January 3rd, 2026
By Nick Oyler | Jesus Follower
bible study, daily devotional, gospel of john, john 1:6–13, lectio divina, spiritual growth

Have you ever been somewhere only to discover that a close friend was in the same place, but you didn’t recognize them and missed out on a chance to connect? I recently missed out on connecting with someone I work with because I didn’t recognize them.
I’m struck by this scripture because I don’t want to miss out on this rebirth that comes from God. I want to make sure I recognize Jesus and respond to Him so we can connect.
Take a few moments to reflect on these questions:
Are my eyes open to see Jesus? Are my ears open to hear His voice? Is my heart receptive to him?

Day 2 — John 1:1–5 — God’s Nearness

Article  |  January 2nd, 2026
By Nick Oyler | Jesus Follower
bible study, christian podcast, daily devotional, gospel of john, john 1:1–5, scripture meditation

Each day, we follow a simple rhythm:
Slow down…
Read…
Notice…
Reread…
Meditate…
Respond…
and
Exercise, taking a small step to live out what we’ve heard.
It’s a moment to pause, breathe, and meet Jesus in His Word — so He can shape our hearts and guide our day.

Day 1 - Luke 1:1-4 Certainty in Jesus

Article  |  January 1st, 2026
By Nick Oyler | Jesus Follower
bible study, christian devotional, faith, jesus, lectio divina, meditation, scripture, short form daily, spiritual growth

This year, we’re going to slow down.
We’re going to breathe.
We’re going to open the Scriptures, not just to read them — but to meet Jesus in them.
There’s an ancient Christian practice that will guide us.
It’s called Lectio Divina — “Divine Reading.”
It’s not about rushing through verses or checking off a reading plan.
It’s about creating space to listen… really listen…
to the voice of God speaking through His Word.

Turning Toward the Cross – Lessons from Mark 11

Article  |  December 28th, 2025
By Nick Oyler | Jesus Follower
biblestudy, christianpodcast, discipleship, faith, forgiveness, gospelofmark, jesus, mark11, prayer, spiritualgrowth

Discover the powerful lessons of Mark 11 in An Apprenticeship to Jesus. Join Nick Oyler as Jesus enters Jerusalem, cleanses the temple, curses the fig tree, and teaches on faith, prayer, and forgiveness. Perfect for Christian discipleship and Bible study.

An Apprenticeship to Jesus – Week 10: Following Jesus in Mark 10

Article  |  December 21st, 2025
By Nick Oyler | Jesus Follower
2minutedisciple, bartimaeus, biblestudy, christianpodcast, faith, followingjesus, gospelofmark, humility, richyoungruler, servantleadership

In Week 10 of An Apprenticeship to Jesus, Nick Oyler walks through Mark 10, where Jesus teaches on marriage, childlike faith, surrendering wealth, servant leadership, and the healing of Bartimaeus. Discover what it means to follow Jesus with humility, trust, and wholehearted devotion.

Lectio Divina: An Ancient Way to Meet Jesus in the Scriptures

Article  |  December 14th, 2025
By Nick Oyler | Jesus Follower
bible study, christian devotional, faith, jesus, lectio divina, meditation, scripture, short form daily, spiritual growth

If you’ve ever wanted to move beyond simply reading the Bible to truly encountering Jesus in its pages, there’s an ancient Christian practice that can help you do just that. It’s called Lectio Divina, which means “Divine Reading” in Latin.

This isn’t about rushing through a chapter or filling out a study guide — it’s about slowing down, listening deeply, and letting God’s Word speak directly to your heart. For centuries, followers of Jesus have used Lectio Divina as a way to hear His voice, know Him more intimately, and be transformed by His presence.

Seeing Jesus for Who He Really Is – Lessons from Mark 9

Article  |  December 14th, 2025
By Nick Oyler | Jesus Follower
and humility, bible study podcast, christian discipleship lessons, christian podcast on the gospel of mark, faith and prayer in the bible, gospel of mark podcast, gospel of mark study, how to be like jesus, how to grow spiritually through weekly bible study, lessons from mark 9 on faith, mark 9 bible study, mark 9 explained verse by verse, practical ways to be more like jesus this week, prayer, seeing jesus clearly, servant leadership in scripture, transfiguration of jesus explained, understanding servant leadership from jesus’ teaching, what the transfiguration of jesus means for christians today

In Week 9 of An Apprenticeship to Jesus, we journey through Mark 9 and witness one of the most profound moments in the Gospels — the Transfiguration. Jesus reveals His divine glory to Peter, James, and John, and teaches His disciples about faith, humility, and the cost of following Him.

Spiritual Warfare: How to Recognize and Resist the Enemy

Article  |  December 7th, 2025
By Kylie Oyler
armor of god, bible study, christian encouragement, christian podcast, ephesians 6, faith, god’s authority, job 1, job 2, joyful disciple, ministry challenges, nick oyler, overcoming fear, prayer, resisting the devil, satan in the bible, scripture, spiritual warfare, unseen spiritual realm

We live in two worlds at once — the physical, seen world and the spiritual, unseen world. While we can touch the trees, hug our family, and see the houses we live in, there’s another dimension we can’t physically perceive. Yet, it’s just as real. In this episode of the Joyful Disciple Podcast, Kylie and her dad, Nick Oyler, dive deep into the reality of spiritual warfare, sharing Scripture, ministry experiences, and practical encouragement for believers.