Temple Of The Holy Spirit

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 131 - 1 Corinthians 6-18-20 - Temple Of The Holy Spirit - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 131 – 1 Corinthians 6-18-20 – Temple Of The Holy Spirit – Growing As Disciples

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.  Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (NIV)

Honor Me

Do you want to honor me? Do you want to honor me with all your thoughts and words and actions? Do you want to honor me with all that is within you? Do you want to honor me with your body? Yes, I want to honor you with all that is within me. I want all my thoughts and word and actions to honor you. I want my body to honor you. How can all this be true of me? How can I make sure to honor you? First, you must do what you have just done. What have I just done? You have made a decision. You have stated your intent. You have committed to a plan. It is your decision and your intent and your plan to honor me. Yes, this is what I have done. That is very good.

Do you know why it is important that you have stated your decision and intent and plan? I’m not sure. Temptation will certainly come your way. Evil desires will try to entice. Sexual immorality will seek to ensnare you. It is then when you need to remember your decision, intent and plan. It is then that you will need to put your decision and intent and plan into action. How will I put my decision and intent and plan into action? How will I make sure that I will honor you with all that is within me? That is a good question that you must answer. I can think of only one answer. Let me hear your answer. I must flee evil desires that try to entice me. I must run from sexual immorality when it seeks to ensnare me. Why is that? Lingering around evil desires and sexual immorality is the surest way to be enticed and ensnared by them. I must not allow myself to enter tempting circumstances. I must not place myself in the midst evil and enticing desires. I must immediately run from this evil and these temptations. It is not good enough to simply run away. I know that, without a doubt. To where will you run? I will run to you. I will leave evil and enticing desires far behind me, as I run to you. By running away, I will be resisting the devil. By running to you, I will be submitting myself to you. When I do both, the devil and all is evil will flee from me. That is true. That is good. That is right. That is how you will put your decision and intent and plan to honor me into action. That is how you will be able to honor me with all that is within you. That is my decision, intent and plan. That is very good.

Lord, I will honor you with my body. That is my advance decision. I know that your Holy Spirit lives and dwells within me. I don’t want any of my thoughts or words or actions to grieve you. So, I will immediately flee sexual immorality whenever it approaches me. Amen

Key Question… When have you immediately fled sexual immorality as you saw it approaching you?

Living It Out… Honor God with your body because you know that the Holy Spirit lives within you.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God will help you to honor Him with your body as you flee sexual immorality.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are honoring God with all your thoughts, words, and actions.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you honor God with your body because the Holy Spirit lives within you.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 131 – 1 Corinthians 6-18-20 – Temple Of The Holy Spirit – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

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By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Listen To My Instruction

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 130 - Proverbs 8:32-36 - Listen To My Instruction - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 130 – Proverbs 8:32-36 – Listen To My Instruction – Growing As Disciples

Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.  Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.  Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.  For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.  But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.” Proverbs 8:32-36 (NIV)

Be Wise

Would you like to be wise? Would you like your life to be blessed? Would you like to find life? Would you like to receive my favor? Yes, I want all these things to be true of my life. Who wouldn’t want to be wise? Who wouldn’t want your blessing on their life? Who wouldn’t want to find life? Who wouldn’t want to receive your favor? Someone not wanting these things would have to be very foolish. Is that all? No, someone not wanting these things would need to be very stubborn. Is there anything else? Well yes, someone not willing to receive all these blessings from you must have some form of hatred toward you. They must live in darkness. They must not want to come into the light. They must love doing what is evil. Their evil life, that is filled with death, must repulse them from you. That is hard to imagine. But I have no doubt that it is true. Yes, unfortunately it is true. Those that love the darkness of evil will never come into the light to receive me and the blessings that I want to give to them. That is so sad. Yes, it is.

But let’s talk about you. What about me? What must you do if you want to be wise? What must you do if you want your life to be blessed? What will you do so that you can find life and receive my favor? I will give my heart and mind and life to you. I will follow you as my Savior and Lord. I will live my life in full devotion to you. It will be my pleasure and joy to love and follow and serve you with all that is within me. I will listen attentively to you. I will follow your wisdom. I will receive your instruction. I will allow your word to guard and guide my life. I will live day by day in an intimate relationship with you. I will follow you to where you lead me. I will do whatever you ask of me. My life will be in your hands. I will allow you to mold and shape me into the person you want me to become. That will be very good. Then you will be able to receive all that I have to give you. Thank you, Lord.

Lord, I know I have been proud. I know I have been stubborn. I know I have foolishly followed my own wisdom. No more! Now, I will listen

Key Question… How has the Lord’s favor blessed your life as you listened to and followed His wisdom?

Living It Out… Make it the priority of your life to listen to and follow the Lord’s wisdom.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord’s favor will bless your life as you listen to and follow His wisdom.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are listening to and following the Lord’s wisdom.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you listen to and follow wisdom from the Lord so His favor will rest on you.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 130 – Proverbs 8-32-36 – Listen To My Instruction – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Build You Up

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 129 - Acts 20:31-32 - Saw The Courage - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 129 – Acts 20:31-32 – Saw The Courage – Growing As Disciples

Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.  “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself. Acts 20:31-32 (NLT)  

Build You Up

I drew you to me. I called you to come to me. I set you apart to be my very own. You are my child. I am your Father. I have adopted you into my family. Your sins have been forgiven. Your unrighteousness has been cleansed. I have filled you with my Spirit. You are now walking on the path of life with me. You are now living in an intimate relationship with me. Thank you for all you have done, are doing and will do for me. It is my joy and delight to live in an intimate relationship with you. That is very good.

You will not remain the same as you once were. I will be molding and shaping and changing you. I will be making your life completely brand new as you follow me. I welcome you to do your work in me. I want to become the person you have called me to become. Yes, I know that to be true. What have I been and what will I be using to change your heart, transform your mind and guide your life? What have I been and what will I be using to build you up and help you to be the person I have called you to become? What have I been using and what will I be using to help you to come to know and love and follow and serve me with all that is within you? You have been and will be using your word to change my heart, transform my mind and guide my life. You have been and will be using your word to mold and shape my life. You have been and will be using your word make me into the person you want me to become. Your word is and has been helping me to come to know and love and follow and serve you with all that is within me. Yes, my word is and has been doing all this work in you. For that, I am thankful beyond what my words could ever possibly express. That is very good. 

I do have a question for you. I’m listening. If you want my word to continue to do its work in you what must you continue to do? I must continue to meet with you in your word. I must let your word dwell in me richly. I must take your word deeply into my heart and mind and life. Is that what you will do? Yes, Heavenly Father. I will allow your word to dwell in me richly so it can work in me powerfully. That will be very good. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for drawing me to yourself. Thank you for helping me to become one of your followers. Thank you for setting me apart to be one of your very own. Use your word in my life to mold, shape and make me into the person you called me to be. Amen

Key Question… How did God draw you to himself so you could be set apart as one of His followers?

Living It Out… Allow God to use His word to build you up into the person He has called you to become.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God will use His word to build you up into the person He called you to become.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how God is using His word to build you up as one of His followers.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you allow God to build you up into the person He wants you to become.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 129 – Acts 20-31-32 – Build You Up – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Saw The Courage

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 128 - Acts 4:13 - Saw The Courage - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 128 – Acts 4:13 – Saw The Courage – Growing As Disciples

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 (NIV)

With Me

What will happen to you when you spend time with me? That is a good question. That is a question that has no short and simple answer. That is a question that no doubt will have answers that will unfold in different ways during the entire course of my life. I now know some of the answers to your question. Many answers to your question are completely unknown to me, at this time. Start with what you know. I know that I will be changed in your presence. You will make me to be more like you every day as I spend time with you. How so? I will come to know you. I will come to love you. I will come to be fully devoted to you. I will begin to think your thoughts, speak your words and take your actions. I will live a life that is good and right and pleasing to you. Why is that? As I spend time in your presence, I will come to know your will. As I spend time in your presence, you will help me to walk in your ways. You will make me able to resist temptation. You will make me able to stand against evil. As I draw near to you, and submit myself to you, the devil and all his evil will flee from my life. Yes, all these things will happen to you as you spend time in my presence. 

What will I do through you as you spend time in my presence? You will make me to be a bold witness for you in the world. You will make me able to speak and act with courage. You will make me able to shine brightly for you in the darkness of the world. You will make me able to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Yes, I will do all these things through you as you spend time with me.

What will others notice about you as you spend time in my presence? Others will notice that your light and life is shining and being lived out in and through me. They will see your love and kindness and mercy being expressed through me. Others will want to come to know and love and follow you because of what they see of you in me. Yes, this is what others will see in you as you spend time with me. Will you make spending time with me the priority of your daily life? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.

Lord, I am tired of being timid. I lack courage and boldness. I want to be powerfully used as your witness in the world. Help me to shine brightly for you. Give me courage and boldness as I spend time with you. Cause others to take note that I have been with you. Amen

Key Question… How has spending time with the Jesus Christ caused you to more boldly be used by Him?

Living It Out… Make it your daily priority to spend time with Jesus Christ so He can powerfully use you in His service.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you will grow in courage and boldness as you spend time with Jesus Christ.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are daily spending time with Jesus.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you grow in courage and boldness as you spend time with Jesus Christ. you obey the word of the Lord and whatever the He asks of you.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 128 – Acts 4-13 – Saw The Courage – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

You Say So

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 127 - Luke 5:4-7- You Say So - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 127 – Luke 5:4-7- You Say So – Growing As Disciples

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”  Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”  When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.  So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. Luke 5:4-7 (NIV)

My Word

Will you listen to my word? Will you go and do what I ask of you? Will you go and do what I ask even when you don’t fully understand what I am asking of you? Will you go and do what I am asking of you when you would rather not? Will you go and do what I am asking of you when it is inconvenient and uncomfortable? Will you be willing to go far out of your way to do what I am asking of you? Will you go and do what I am asking of you when you don’t think that the recipient of your efforts is worth your trouble? Will you go and do what I am asking you simply because I asked you to do it for me. I was beginning to wonder how many ways you would ask me if I would be willing to go and do what you asked of me. I just started to scratch the surface of the different ways I could ask you the same question. Would you like me to ask you more questions? No, I get your point. What is my point? You want me to tell you if there are any reasons or situations or circumstances in which I would not go and do what you ask of me. You want to know if I will follow and obey you no matter the cost. These questions and my answers are not for your benefit. You know what I will think before I think it. You know what I will say before I say it. You know what I will do before I do it. Yes, I do. You want me to ask and answer these questions now so that I will remember how I want to answer them in the future. Yes, I do.  Here is my answer. I am listening. I will go and do whatever you ask me to go and do for you under any and every circumstance. I will listen to your word. I will follow and obey your word. Use me to accomplish your purpose and fulfill your plans. Make my life fruitful for your kingdom. Help me to bring glory to your name. I am at your service. That is very good. I will make you fruitful for my kingdom as you obey my word. Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, no longer will I live by my own wisdom. Instead, I will carefully hear and fully obey your word. I will take your word deep into my heart and mind and life. I will allow your word to guide my life. I will go and do all you ask of me simply because you say so. Amen

Key Question… When has the Lord asked you to go and do what you didn’t fully understand?

Living It Out… Obey the word of the Lord by doing all that He asks of you.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will bless your life as you obey His word and do what He asks of you.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are obeying the word of the Lord and what He asks of you.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you obey the word of the Lord and whatever the He asks of you.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 127 – Luke 5-4-7 – You Say So – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

You Hear My Voice

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 126 - Psalm 5:1-3- You Hear My Voice- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 126 – Psalm 5:1-3- You Hear My Voice- Growing As Disciples

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing.  Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.  In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:1-3 (NIV)

Hear You

Do you believe that I will hear you? Do you know that I will answer your prayers? Yes, I believe that you will hear and answer my prayers. Do you have any doubts about my statement? I don’t doubt your statement. I do have a question about your statement. Go ahead, I’m listening. If you believe that I will hear and answer your prayer requests why don’t you lay more of them before me? That is a very good question, for which, I have no good answer. Let me hear your less than good answers. It will be helpful for you to uncover and expose reasons why you don’t lay all your needs before me. Why is that? Uncovering and exposing your less than good reasons for not praying to me will be a first step toward eliminating them from your life. Alright, here goes. I’m not proud to admit that sometimes, I think I can handle my problems by myself, without your help. So, you are sometimes self-reliant? Yes, that’s it. What do you think about your being self-reliant? It’s not good. I’m sure that my self-reliance is rooted in my being proud. How so? I must think that I can and should be able to handle my problems by myself. How has that worked out for you? Relying on myself has not brought about good results. I have made foolish mistakes. I have taken dumb missteps. I have sinned against you by going and doing what was not your will. I really do need your help. Yes, you do, and I am ready to hear your prayers and give you my help. For that I am thankful and grateful. Name another reason why you haven’t laid your prayer requests for me. In times past, I have not set aside a specific time and place to meet with you in prayer. Why is that a problem? How is that a hindrance? Life is busy. Life is noisy. Life is distracting. If I don’t have a set time and place to meet with you in prayer, it likely will not happen. A day without prayer can become week, a week can become a month, a month can become a year, and a year could become a life without prayer. That I don’t want. That will not happen to me. Why is that? Now, I have set a time and place to meet with you in prayer. Yes, and that is very good. What do you now need to learn as you draw near to me in prayer? I now need to pour my heart out to you in prayer. I now need to hold nothing back when I am praying to you. I now need to know that no prayer is too small or too large to pray to you. You will delight in hearing all my prayers. Yes, I will. Keep on meeting with me. Keep on pouring your heart out to me. Keep on laying all your prayers before me. Yes, I will. That will be very good. I will hear you. Thank you, Lord.

Lord, I will lay my requests before you in the morning. I will rely on your help and protection. Be my refuge. Shield me from attacks. Hear my voice as I cry out to you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayers. I will wait before you in expectation. Amen

Key Question… How are you making it your ongoing practice to lay your prayer requests before the Lord?

Living It Out… Make it your daily practice to lay your prayer requests before the Lord.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will hear and answer your prayers as you lay them before you.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group what prayer requests you are laying before the Lord.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you lay your requests before the Lord because He will hear your prayers.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 126 – Psalm 5-1-3 – You Hear My Voice – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

I Will Help You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 125 - Exodus 4:10-13 - I Will Help You - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 125 – Exodus 4:10-13 – I Will Help You – Growing As Disciples

Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”  The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD?  Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”  But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” Exodus 4:10-13 (NIV)

Help You

Do you believe that? Do I believe what? Do you believe that I will help you? Yes, I believe that you will help me. That is easy to say. Let me put more of a test to that question. I’m game. Great, here goes. Do you know that I will often ask you to go and do something for me that will not be easy? That sounds like an understatement to me. How so? You often ask me to go and do what I think is far beyond my ability. By that, I mean that you will often ask me to go and do what is far beyond easy. That is true. Why would I ask you to go and do what is beyond your own ability? Does that seem unfair to you? Do my requests seem unreasonable to you? No, not at all. Why do my requests not seem unfair or unreasonable to you? I know what you are trying to accomplish in me. What’s that? You want me to come to rely on you. You want me to place my faith you. You want me to come to know you more intimately. You want to do in and through me what only you could have done. You want me to know that you are working in and through me to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. You want others to be drawn to you through the ways that you have worked in and through my life. You want me to give thanks and praise and honor to you for all that you have done in and through my life. Finally, you want me to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. You want me to shine brightly as a witness for you in the world. Yes, I want to do all these things in, for, and through you. Would any of these goals of yours be accomplished if you were to only give me very easy assignments that I could accomplish by myself, without your help? No, not at all, there is no doubt about that. You are very wise to know and think these thoughts. These are good reasons why I will continue to ask you to do what seems to be beyond your ability to accomplish. Will you go and do whatever I ask of you? Will you rely fully on me? Will you allow me to make you able to accomplish my purposes and fulfill my plans? Yes Lord, I will. That is very good. 

Lord, I know you will ask me to do what is beyond my ability. In the past, I would make excuses and try to get out of doing what you asked of me. No more. Now I rely on you. I know you will make me able to do whatever you ask of me. All my faith is in you. Amen

Key Question… When has the Lord asked you to do something that you thought was far beyond your ability?

Living It Out… Rely on the Lord to make you able to go and do whatever He asks you to do for Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will make you able to do whatever He asks you to do for Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has made you able to do what He asked you to do for Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you rely on the Lord as you go and do whatever He asks of you.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 125 – Exodus 4-10-13 – I Will Help You – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Treasures Of Darkness

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 124 - Isaiah 45:3 - Treasures Of Darkness - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 124 – Isaiah 45:3 – Treasures Of Darkness – Growing As Disciples

I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isaiah 45:3 (NIV)

Darkness

I gather that you are not a fan of the darkness. That’s right, there is no doubt about that. You don’t like it when you can’t see clearly. Yep. You don’t like it when things are not going your way. That’s true.  You don’t like it when you are encountering troubles and experiencing trials. You got that right. Who likes the darkness? Who has any pleasure in troubles and trials? Who has joy in things not going their way? Those actually are good questions. Why is that? I’m not expecting that you will be grateful and thankful for troubles and trials that have come into your life. I don’t expect you to be a fan of darkness. It would be weird if you enjoyed things not going your way. But have you received any benefit in the troubles and trials you have gone through? Well yes, I have as a matter of fact. How so? In the darkness I have cried out to you. I have drawn near to you. You have drawn near to me. I have held on to you as you have held on to me. So, you would say that our relationship has grown more intimate as you have cried out to me, when you have found yourself in the darkness? Yes, I would. Is that a valuable treasure? Is that something you highly value? Yes, our relationship becoming more intimate is a valuable treasure that I wouldn’t trade for anything else in this life. That’s very good. Would you also say that your faith has grown stronger as you have cried out to me in the darkness of troubles and trials, when things have not gone your way? Yes, my faith has grown stronger as I have cried out to you. Why is that? You have been with me to help me in my troubles and trials. You have been my refuge and fortress. You have been my shelter in every storm. Is your faith in me growing stronger, a valuable treasure, you have received in the darkness as you have relied on me? Yes, it is. One final question. I’m listening. Have times of darkness helped you to come to know me in new ways? Yes, without a doubt. How so? Moments of darkness have helped me to know you as my counselor and comforter. Moments of darkness have helped me to know you as my healer. Moments of darkness have helped me to know you as my defender and deliverer. Isn’t that good? Are these not also treasures that you have received as you have walked through the darkness with me? Yes Lord, these are all treasures I have received as I have walked through the darkness with you. Thank you for your goodness. Thank you for your kindness and mercy and love. You have richly blessed my life with many hidden treasures that could only have been found in the darkness. Yes, I have. Yes, I am. Yes, I will.

Lord, I am not a fan of darkness. I would like to avoid darkness of every kind. I know this world is filled with darkness that I must walk through. Help me to walk through darkness. Show me treasures that I can only receive by walking through darkness with you. Amen

Key Question… When have you gone through dark times that required you to hold on to God with all your strength?

Living It Out… Draw near to God and hold on to Him when you are walking through darkness in life.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will be with you to help you walk through darkness in life.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has helped you to walk through darkness with Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you allow the Lord to show you treasures you can only receive by walking through darkness with Him.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 124 – Isaiah 45-3 – Treasures Of Darkness – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

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By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Overcome Evil With Good

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 123 - Romans 12:17-21 - Overcome Evil With Good - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 123 – Romans 12:17-21 – Overcome Evil With Good – Growing As Disciples

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)

What Is Right

Will you do that? Will I do what? Will you do what is right? I know you want me to always do what is right. Yes, I do. But do you have a specific context in mind right now? Is there some circumstance in which you want me to be particularly careful that I do what is right? Yes, I do. You have asked a very good question. What are your typical thoughts when someone has done some evil against you? I think about how I might seek revenge. I think about how I might get even. I think about how I might be able to inflict some pain and suffering on those who have hurt and harmed me. All these thoughts are a complete and total waste of your time and energy. Yes, they are without a doubt. Why are you agreeing with me so quickly and easily? I have thought these thoughts of revenge and pay back, but I can’t recall ever acting on them. So, these have been your thoughts but not your actions? Yes, that is generally correct, I think. Why think evil thoughts that you will never act on? Do you think there is some virtue in thinking evil thoughts but never acting on them? No, I’m sure that I should not dwell on evil thoughts, even though I will never act on them. But you do act on them, only not in the way you have been thinking. What do you do when someone has hurt or harmed you? I move on. I distance myself from anyone who has ever hurt or harmed me. Say what you do a little more clearly. Alright, the truth is, I cut them out of my life completely. I will never give them another opportunity to hurt or harm me again. Is that good? Is that right? Is that my desire for you? Is this my plan for your life? Would this be following my example? I’m not proud of the course of action I have taken. That’s good. 

What is good? What is right? How do you think I want you to respond to evil that has been done against you? You want me to repay evil with good. You want me to always do what is right. You want me to follow your example. What is my example? You repaid evil with good. You loved even those who hurt and harmed you. You loved your enemies. You overcame evil by doing good. Will you follow my example? Will you always do what is right? Will you repay evil by doing what is good? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good. 

Lord, I have been tempted to repay evil with evil. I have wanted to get even for the evil that was done against me. This is a foolish mistake. Help me to always repay evil with good. Help me to do what is right so that I will be able to overcome evil with good. Amen

Key Question… How are you making certain that you follow Christ’s example of repaying evil with good?

Living It Out… Do what is right so that you will be able to overcome evil with good.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to overcome evil by doing what is right.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group doing what is right has made you able to overcome evil.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you overcome evil with good by doing what is right.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 123 – Romans 12-17-21 – Overcome Evil With Good – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Let Your Light Shine

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 122 - Matthew 5:13-16 - Let Your Light Shine - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 122 – Matthew 5:13-16 – Let Your Light Shine – Growing As Disciples

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV)

Salt And Light

Is that what you want to be? Is what do I want to be? Do you want to be salt and light in the world? Do you want others to give thanks and praise and honor and glory to me because of what they feel and see coming out of your life? Nothing would give me greater hope and joy and pleasure to be salt and light for you in the world. To know that I have been, am, and will be used by you would be very satisfying and gratifying. How can I be salt for you in the world? How can I be a light for you in the world? Those are very good questions. Let me ask you a question. Go ahead, I am listening. Does salt and light originate in you? I’m not sure what you mean. Are you the source of salt and light that will cause others to give thanks and praise and honor and glory to me? Will doing what comes naturally to you bring salt and light to others in the world? Those are easy questions to answer. What are your answers? I am certainly not the source of world changing salt and light, there is no doubt about that. Doing what comes naturally to me will never bring salt and light into the world. My efforts alone will never give others cause to give thanks and praise and honor and glory to you. It is good that you know these thoughts to be true.

So, what then will cause you to be able to live as salt and light in the world? Only living in an intimate relationship with you will allow me to be salt and light in the world. You are the source of any salt and light that will come out of my life. As I allow you to live in and through me, I will salt the world all around me with your flavor. As I allow you to live in and through me, I will bring light into the darkness of the world all around me. Will you live in an intimate relationship with me? Will you draw near to me? Will you walk with me through life? Will you allow me to make you salt and light in the world? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.

Heavenly Father help me to be salt on this earth. Help me to bring your flavor to people everywhere. Help me to be a light in the world. Help me to shine in the darkness in such a way that people will give thanks, praise and honor and glory to you. This is my prayer. Amen

Key Question… When have trials tested your perseverance and made your faith stronger?

Living It Out… Allow your light to shine in the world so that people will give thanks and praise to God.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God will make your light shine so people will give praise and thanks to Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how your light has caused others to give thanks and praise to God.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you let your light shine so that people will give thanks and praise to God.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 122 – Matthew 5-13-16 – Let Your Light Shine – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com