To Give Than To Receive

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Blessing - Acts 20:35 - To Give Than To Receive - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Blessing – Acts 20:35 – To Give Than To Receive – Growing As Disciples

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” Acts 20:35 (NIV)

Giving

I have richly blessed your life. I have given you an abundance of good gifts. Yes, you have richly blessed my life by giving me an abundance of good gifts. There is not one good thing I have received that ultimately has not come from your hand. I don’t know how I can ever say thank you enough for all that you have given to me. I am grateful and thankful beyond measure. I hope that my life will continually express gratefulness and thankfulness every day as I live my life with and for you. That will be very good.

I want to bless your life in a very different way. How so? Your life has already been blessed by all that I have given to you. That’s true. I know that you want to become like me. That’s right. You have seen that I am a giver of good gifts. You know that it is my joy and pleasure to give good gifts to you. I now want you to bless your life by you giving to others. You have experienced much joy in receiving all that I have given to you. Yes, I have. Would it surprise you to hear me say that it is much better to give than to receive? That is hard to believe. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not doubting your word. No, I know that you are not doubting my word. You are wondering how much fuller could your joy be by giving than receiving. Yes, that’s it exactly.

Test the truth of what I am saying. There is nothing that I have given to you that you can’t share with others in one way or another. You can share your gifts, talents and abilities. You can share your resources and possessions. You can share your family and friends. You can share your experience and knowledge. You can share the teaching and training you have received. You will be blessed in far greater measure by what you give than by what you have received. There is something vitally important that I also want you to know and remember. What is that? The blessings that you will receive by giving to others will not just be in this life. As you give and share with others you will be blessed in this life and in the life to come. Giving and sharing all that you are and all that you have will be storing up treasure in heaven with me. Will you give like I give? Will you share with others all that I have given to you? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.

Lord, you have richly blessed my life. You have given me an abundance of good gifts. I will not tight fistedly hold on to what you have given to me. Help me to experience the much greater blessing of giving and sharing others all that you have richly given to me. Amen

Key Question… How has your life been blessed as you have shared with others what the Lord has given to you?

Living It Out…Allow your life to be blessed by sharing with others what the Lord has given to you.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you will find great blessing in sharing with others what the Lord has given to you.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you have been blessed by sharing what the Lord has given you,

Prayer To Bless Others… May your life be blessed as you give to others.

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

Blessing – Acts 20-35 – To Give Than To Receive – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Trained Themselves

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide- Wisdom - Hebrews 5:11-14 - Trained Themselves - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide- Wisdom – Hebrews 5:11-14 – Trained Themselves – Growing As Disciples

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:11-14 (NIV)

In Training

Are you just plodding along or are you in training? Are you making progress or are you in a rut? Are you moving forward with me or are you lagging far behind me? Have you grown in knowing and doing my will? Are you now able to teach others or are you still needing to be taught the very basics of living your life with and for me. Those are difficult and thought provoking questions. These questions are worthy of your full consideration. I want you to think deeply about each one of them. That, I will do.

What would being in training with you look like? If I wanted to sign up to be in training what would I need to do? Now, you are asking good questions that I will let you answer. If I want to be in training with you I must meet with you. How often? If I want to seriously train with you I must meet with you every day. So, will you set a specific time and a place to meet with me? Is that critically important? You tell me. How has your daily meeting with me, in my word, gone when you have not established a specific time and a place to meet with me? It has gone nowhere. When I have not established a regular time and place to meet with you, it usually doesn’t happen. Why is that? My busy days seem to crowd you out of my life. Days and weeks and sometimes even months have gone by without me meeting with you in your word when I haven’t established a consistent pattern and practice of our meeting together. That’s not good. No, it is not. How much have you grown in your life of faith during these interludes when we have not met together in my word? Not much, maybe not at all. Is that alright with you? No, it is not. I want to grow strong in my faith as I live my life with and for you. That’s good.

Do you want to sign up to be in training with me right now? Is there any reason to delay? Yes, I want to sign up to be in training with your right now. No, there is no reason for any delay. I will pick a time and a place to meet with you daily in your word. I will begin to feast on your word so that you can feed and sustain my life. I will allow you to mold and shape my life with your word. Guard and guide my life with your word. Make me able to teach others how they can live their lives with and for you. Yes, I will.

Lord, I will feed on the solid food of your word. Feed and sustain my life with your word. Use your word to help me to know and do your will. Change my heart and transform my mind with your word. Use your word to strengthen me to do all you ask of me. Amen

Key Question… How is God’s word like solid food that will feed and sustain your life?

Living It Out… Make it your daily pattern and practice to feed daily on God’s word.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God will use His word to teach and train you as you feed daily feed daily on God’s word.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are feeding on the solid food of God’s word.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you feed daily on the solid food of God’s word.

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

Wisdom – Hebrews 5-11-14 – Trained Themselves – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Given

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Be - Matthew 7:7-8 - Given - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Be – Matthew 7:7-8 – Given – Growing As Disciples

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)

Ask, Seek, Knock

Is there something that you want from me? Is there anything that you would like to ask of me? What do you want? What do you need? Why are you asking me these questions? I am not hearing many prayer requests from you. Why is that? Is that because you have nothing that you need? Is that because you have everything you want? No, I don’t have everything that I want or need. I’m sure of that. Do you think it would be an inconvenience for you to ask me for what you want or need? Do you think I might be too busy to hear and answer your prayers? No, I am sure that my prayers are never an inconvenience for you. I’m positive that you would never be too busy to hear and answer my prayers. Do you doubt my ability to hear and answer your prayers? No, I have no doubt in your ability to hear and answer my prayers. Do you feel that it would be better for you to try to solve your own problems rather than to ask me for my help? No, I am certain that you want me to come to rely on you. I am sure that it is your delight to hear and answer my prayers. You are a good giver who delights to hear and answer prayers. You aren’t giving me many opportunities to be a good giver that hears and answers your prayers. I can see that now. I am sorry that I have not come to ask you for what I want and need. That is about to change. How so? Every day from here on out, you will hear from me. I will ask you for what I need. I will be passionate and persistent in my prayers for what I want and need from you. I will not give up. I will keep on asking, seeking and knocking in prayer for all that I need from you. That will be very good.

What will happen to your faith as you keep on asking, seeking and knocking for all that you want and need in prayer? As you hear and answer my prayers my faith in you will grow. As I hear and answer your prayers what will you keep on doing? I will keep on praying. Will you ask me for more? Yes, I will ask you for more. That is what I want. I am asking you to come to me to ask me for more. Rely on me. Pray to me. Ask me for what you want and need. I will hear and answer your prayers. That is what I will do. That will be very good.

Lord, I will be passionate, intense and unrelenting in my prayers. I will keep on asking, seeking and knocking in prayer for all I need from you. Thank you for all your goodness, kindness, mercy and love for me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayers. Amen

Key Question… Why must you never hesitate to ask the Lord to hear and answer your prayers?

Living It Out… Keep on asking, seeking and knocking in prayer for all that you need from the Lord.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will hear and answer your prayers for what you need from Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are asking, seeking and knocking in prayer for what you need.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you keep on asking, seeking and knocking in prayer for what you need from the Lord.

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

Be – Matthew 7-7-8 – Given – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Do Not Be Like

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Wisdom - Psalm 32:8-9 - Do Not Be Like - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Wisdom – Psalm 32:8-9 – Do Not Be Like – Growing As Disciples

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Psalm 32:8-9 (NIV)  

Stubborn

Do you want me to instruct and teach in the way that you should go in life? That is a very important question that you should carefully consider. The quick and obvious answer might be “Yes, of course I want you to instruct and teach me in the way that I should go.” Yes, that is exactly what I would say to you. There is no doubt about that. I wouldn’t think so. Who wouldn’t want me to instruct and teach them in the way that they should go? Is that a question that you would like me to answer? Yes, it is. Many people might say that they want you to instruct and teach them in the way that they should go but not follow through with their responsibility. What is their responsibility? Their responsibility is to humbly come to you to be taught and counseled by you. Is that all? No, that is not all. After hearing your instruction and receiving your counsel it needs to be put into practice. Will you come to me to hear my instruction and receive my counsel? Will you put my instruction and counsel into practice? Yes, I will. That will be very good.

What will humbly hearing my instruction and receiving my counsel do for you as you put it into practice? Your instruction and counsel will guard and guide my life. Your instruction and counsel will watch over me. As I hear your instruction and receive your counsel I will know where to go and what to do as I follow and serve you. Yes, you will.

What must you never allow yourself to become? I must never become like a stubborn horse or mule that must be guided by a bit or bridle. If I allow myself to become stubborn I will never hear your instruction or receive your counsel. Your words will not guard and guide my life. Your words will not watch over me. I will have no idea where I should go or what I should do in life. I will be on my own. I will go my own way. I will do my own thing. That is not what I want. That is not what I will do. Instead, I will keep on humbly coming to you and put your words of instruction and counsel into practice. That will be very good. 

Lord, I will not be proud and stubborn like a horse or mule that must be controlled by a bit or bridle. Instead, I will willingly come to you. I will humbly and attentively listen to all that you have to say to me. I will put all your instruction and counsel into practice. Amen

Key Question… When have been proud and stubborn and unwilling to follow the Lord’s leadership over your life?

Living It Out… Do not be proud and stubborn but rather be humble and willing to allow the Lord to lead and guide your life.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will instruct, teach, counsel and watch over you as you humbly follow Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are following the Lord’s leadership of your life.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you humbly come to the Lord to receive all His instruction and counsel.

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

Wisdom – Psalm 32-8-9 – Do Not Be Like – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Pattern Of Sound Teaching

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Hear - 2 Timothy 1:13 - Pattern Of Sound Teaching - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Hear – 2 Timothy 1:13 – Pattern Of Sound Teaching – Growing As Disciples

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 1:13 (NIV)

Hold On

Here is the deal. I’m discouraged. I am worn out. I am weary. But, I will hold on to your teaching. I will keep on moving forward with you. I will follow you where you lead me. I will do all that you ask of me. These things are not in question. Why am I so tired? Why am I so burned out? Shouldn’t I be more refreshed? Shouldn’t I be more alive? I would like to be more vibrant. I would like to be filled with joy. I would like your life to be overflowing my life. I want people to be attracted to seeing you in me. Do they see any of you in me? Don’t they see a tired and worn out person? Who wants anything like that? My life doesn’t shout, “look at what I have, do you want what I’ve got?” Don’t get me wrong. I am extremely grateful for all that I have in you.

What do you have in me? Think about that. That’s a good place to start. I have a new life in you. You have healed my bruised and battered and broken life. You have shown me your love. You have pulled me out of the darkness to walk in the light with you. You have forgiven all my sins and cleansed me of all my unrighteousness. You are leading and guiding me through life. I am now living and walking in the light with you. You are changing my heart and transforming my mind. You are giving me your thoughts to think. You are showing me your will to do. You have given me a future filled with hope. My life has a purpose and a plan. You have created good works that you have planned for me to do for you. You are causing me to bear fruit for your kingdom. You are helping me to bring glory to your name. I know that one day I will come to live in heaven with you. I know that I will live forever in eternity with you. I have nothing to fear in this life. How could I? My future is secure in you. You have been given a great deal. Yes, I have been given so very much.

You mentioned that you are very grateful. Yes, I did. Do you give thanks? I don’t give thanks nearly enough. That is your problem. I can see that. Give thanks to me. Praise my name. Remember all that I have done for you. Live your life with a thankful and praise filled heart. Then your life will overflow with my joy. Then others will want what you have. Will you offer all your thanks and praise to me? Yes, Lord, I will. That is how I want you to hold on to me. I will hold on to you with a thankful and praise filled joyful heart. That will be very good.

Lord, I am ready to listen to all that you want to say to me. Help me to hold on to all the sound teaching that you have given to me. Grow my faith and trust in you. I love you Lord. Help me to encourage others so that they will also hold on to their faith in you. Amen

Key Question… Who have been your teachers that have helped you to grow in your faith?

Living It Out… Make it your ongoing pattern to hold on to sound teaching that you have been taught from God’s word.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to hold on to and put into practice sound teaching from His word.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are holding on to sound teaching from God’s word.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you hold on to and put into practice the sound teaching that you have been taught from God’s word.

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

Hear – 2 Timothy 1-13 – Pattern Of Sound Teaching – 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

Under Control

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Discipleship Devotional Study - Wisdom - Proverbs 29:11 - Under Control - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study – Wisdom – Proverbs 29:11 – Under Control – Growing As Disciples

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. Proverbs 29:11 (NIV)

Venting

Well, this is not my favorite topic. Why is that? I have been very foolish in the ways that I have expressed myself. How so? I have frequently given full vent to my anger. You think so? Yes, I do. Have you given full vent to your anger recently? No, not recently. When was the last time that you have given full vent to your anger? I don’t know, I can’t remember. Isn’t that a very good thing? Yes, I suppose that it is a good thing. Either I have a very poor memory or it has been a long time since I have fully vented my anger. You don’t have a very poor memory. It has been a long time since you have fully vented your anger.

I’m not perfect. I still do get angry. I do still express words of frustration. I don’t hear anyone claiming that you are perfect. I am not saying that I have anger under perfect control. No, you do not have your anger under perfect control, that is not the point I am trying to make with you. What point are you trying to make with me? This should be one of your favorite topics to discuss. Why is that? You have made tremendous progress. You are not the easily angered person that you once were. You do not fly off at the handle all the time. You aren’t easily provoked. You have generally kept yourself under control. You are growing wise in how you express your frustrations. Would it surprise you to hear others say that you are a completely different person? No, not really. Why is that? I have heard people say that I am a completely different person. Have you really heard those comments and taken them into your heart and mind? No, not really. That is a mistake. Why is that? You need to be encouraged. You need to celebrate success. You need to recognize the changes that have occurred in your life.

How have you been changed? Why are you a different person? How have you been able to keep yourself under control? I deserve none of the credit for being a changed and different person. You have been changing me. You have been transforming me. You have been molding and shaping my life. That’s true I have been changing your heart. I have been transforming your mind. How have I been changing your heart and transforming your mind? You have been changing my heart and transforming my mind as I have come to meet with you in your word. That’s right. You have come to meet with me in my word. Has anyone forced you to come to meet with me in my word? No, you have drawn me to come to meet with you in your word. That’s right. But you, have decided to come to meet with me. Yes, that’s true. I want you to be encouraged that you have been a part of the changes I have been making you in you. You have been welcoming me to do my work in you. Celebrate that. Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, I have made many mistakes. I have given full vent to my anger. I have hurt feelings and harmed relationships. I have not kept myself under control. Help me to rely on you to express myself with thoughts and words that are helpful rather than harmful. Amen

Key Question… How have you learned to express your frustrations without giving full vent to your anger?

Living It Out… Don’t give full vent to your anger, but keep yourself under control.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to keep yourself under control.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are keeping yourself under control.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you keep yourself under control rather than giving full vent to your anger.

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

Wisdom – Proverbs 29-11 – Under Control – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

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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

A Joy

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Be - Hebrews 13:7 - A Joy - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Be – Hebrews 13:7 – A Joy – Growing As Disciples

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13:17 (NIV)

Keep Watch

I have placed spiritual leaders to help keep watch over your soul. I have placed you as a spiritual leader to watch over the souls of others. You should not remain distant and aloof from others. I have made you to live in community with others so that you can watch over each other’s soul. This is an important responsibility that I have given to you.

How can I faithfully fulfill the responsibility that you have given to me? That is a very good question. You have two different responsibilities. Two responsibilities? Yes, you have two very different responsibilities. First, you have the responsibility to allow yourself to be watched over by your spiritual leaders. What responsibility does allowing myself to be watched over by my spiritual leaders require. What do you think? I think I need to show up. I need to make myself available. I need to live in a close relationship with my spiritual leaders. I can’t go my own way and do my own thing. I need to submit myself to the leadership of those you have placed over my life. I need to listen and put into practice what I hear from my spiritual leaders. I need to listen to their wisdom and receive their guidance. I need to make it a joy for my spiritual leaders to keep watch over my soul. How will you do that? I will obey them. I will submit to their leadership over my life. That will be very good. Is there something you need to stop doing? I thought you might ask that. I need to stop setting myself up a judge, evaluator and critic of the spiritual leaders you have placed over me in my life. They will have no joy when I do that. That’s right.

You also will have the responsibility of spiritual leadership over those I have placed in your life. What must you do with those who I have placed under your spiritual leadership? I must provide spiritual leadership. I will watch over those you have placed under my care. I will involve myself in their lives. I will invest all my gifts, talents, abilities and resources to help those who under my care. I will pray for those under my care. I will provide wise counsel and give good direction. I give strong encouragement and solid support. I will do whatever is needed to help those you have placed under my care. This is my plan, others will keep watch over you as you keep watch over others. I will follow your plan I will watch over others as others watch over me. That will be very good. 

Lord, thank you for placing spiritual leaders in my life to help watch over my soul. I will obey the wise counsel and good direction you give me through my spiritual leaders. Help me to make it a joyful experience for my spiritual leaders to watch over my soul. Amen

Key Question… Who will the Lord use as a spiritual leader in your life if you remain distant and aloof from everyone?

Living It Out… Obey your spiritual leaders so that it will be a joy for them to keep watch over your soul.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord has given you spiritual leaders to keep watch over your soul.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are obeying your spiritual leaders.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you obey your spiritual leaders and make it a joy for them to watch over your soul.

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

Be – Hebrews 13-7 – A Joy – 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

What Is Right

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Wisdom - Proverbs 21:3 - What Is Right - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Wisdom – Proverbs 21:3 – What Is Right – Growing As Disciples

To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. Proverbs 21:3 (NIV)

Right And Just

It is not a huge sacrifice for me to do what is right and just and pleasing to you. If it were a huge sacrifice for me to do what is right and just and pleasing to you I don’t think that you would be pleased. Why is that? If it were a huge sacrifice for me to do what is right and just and pleasing to you my heart would not be in the right place. That’s true. My love for you should be what motivates my desire to do what is right and just and pleasing to you. It would be possible for someone to try to sacrificially do what is right and just and pleasing to you out of some sense of moral obligation. This very same person may not really love you at all. You would find no joy and pleasure in that. I can’t perfectly do what is right and just and pleasing to you. We both know that. That’s true. There would be no joy for you or me if I tried harder to do what was pleasing to you. Trying harder without loving you is a sin. Trying to do my every best to please you is no indication of my love for you. No, it is not.

I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I want to do what is right and just and pleasing to you. I am most at peace and filled with joy when I know that I am doing what is right and just and pleasing to you. Am I perfect in doing what is pleasing to you? No, I am not. I am very far from perfect in doing what is pleasing to you. Am I determined to try harder and do better? No, not really. Trying harder and determining to do better seems like a prideful sin to me. When I have not done what is pleasing to you I am sorry that I have not loved you fully and completely. Instead of trying harder, I will draw nearer to you. I will ask you to fan the flames of my love for you. I will ask you to keep on changing my heart and transforming my mind. I know that as I am in your presence you will continue to mold and shape my life. You will make me to be more like you. Your love for me and my love for you will guide all my thoughts and words and deeds. My love for you will help me to do what I want to do, which is to do what is pleasing to you. To love you more and more is what I want and is my prayer. I know that you will draw me in. I know that you will draw me deep. Your love for me and my love for you will be a fire that makes me want to please you. That is very good.

Lord, I have not done what I knew was right thing to do. Sometimes, I have chosen the easy and wrong thing to do. Forgive me. I ask for wisdom to know and strength to do what is right and just and pleasing in your sight. Amen

Key Question… How does your desire to please the Lord help you to consistently do what is right and just?

Living It Out… Ask the Lord to give you wisdom to know and strength to do what is right and just and pleasing in His sight.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to know and do what is right and just and pleasing to Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group when you have chosen the difficult but right and just thing to do.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you do what is right and just and pleasing to the Lord.

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

Wisdom – Proverbs 21-3 – What Is Right – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional 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 - Character - Romans 12:21 - Overcome Evil With Good - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Character – Romans 12:21 – Overcome Evil With Good – Growing As Disciples

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 (NIV)

Doing Good

Don’t be overcome by evil. What does that mean? That is a better question than you realize. Why is that? How might you be overcome by evil? I’m not sure. Think deeply about that question. I might be overcome by evil by my reaction to it. You are on the right track. You don’t want me to respond to evil with my own evil actions. That is not how you responded to evil. No, it is not. You did not let evil define your identity. You did not let evil develop your thoughts. You did not let evil dictate your words. You did not let evil guide your actions. Evil had no power or authority over any of your thoughts, words or deeds. That’s right.

You want me to become like you. That’s true. You want me to respond to evil just as you responded to evil. You have set an example before me of how I can and should respond to evil. If I let evil define my identity, develop my thoughts, dictate my words or guide my actions I will be allowing myself to be overcome by evil. What’s is the harm of being overcome by evil? If I allow myself to be overcome by evil, I will not be able to be a witness for you is this world. I will think and speak and act like everyone else in the world. I will not shine brightly in the world for you. I will not bear fruit for your kingdom or bring glory to your name. I will be a vessel that you cannot use. So, there is tremendous harm in my allowing myself to be overcome by evil. You got that right.

You won’t be able to simply resist being overcome by evil with your own efforts. That will not be an effective strategy for you. How should I respond to evil? That is another very good question. You must overcome evil by doing the good I will give you to do. When you are tempted to respond to evil with evil, do the good I will give you to do instead. Like what? The good that you will do in response to evil will depend on the person, place, time and circumstance. When you are wondering how to respond to a specific evil, ask for my help. Ask me to give you wisdom to wisely respond to evil with the good that I want you to do for me. Will you ask for my wisdom? Will you do the good that I ask you to do for me? Yes Lord, I will. Then you will not be overcome by evil. Then you will shine brightly in the world for me.

Lord, help me to have a radically different attitude about evil. Protect me from responding to evil with my own evil actions. Help me to continually do good so I will be able to powerfully overcome evil. Use me as a bright and shinning witness for you in the world. Amen

Key Question… When have you been able to overcome evil by doing something good instead?

Living It Out… Make it the daily practice to overcome evil by continually doing good.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that by continually doing good the Lord will make you able to overcome evil.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are overcoming evil by doing good.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you continually overcome evil by doing good.

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

Character – Romans 12-21 – 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

Do Not Judge

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“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV) 

My Job

I am certainly not qualified to be a judge others, of that I am positive. I have no doubts about that in my mind whatsoever. Why do you say that? I have made so many mistakes. I have gone where I shouldn’t have gone. I have done what I should not have done. I’m not talking about a rare misstep or an occasional mistake. No, I have repeatedly gone astray and missed the mark. I have stepped out of bounds. I have sinned against you and others in my thoughts and words and deeds. I have even known what would be the good and right and true thing to do and I have deliberately gone and done just the opposite. Where did that lead you? All my sin led me straight to rock bottom. It was then and there that I cried out to you. You brought me to my senses. You turned my life around. You forgave my sin and cleansed me of my unrighteousness. You set me on a new path of loving, following and serving you. Yes, I did. But, I have not forgotten about where I was when you rescued me from a life without you. I was without hope in the world. You have given me a completely new life to live in you. That’s right. So, I have it firmly established in my mind that I am not qualified to be a judge of anyone else. Beyond that, I have no desire to be the judge of anyone else. Why is that? Judging others is just not my job.

What is your job? If you don’t want to get involved with judging others, what do you want to do? Instead of judging others I would like to bless and encourage others. Instead of dragging others down and discouraging them with judgement, I would like to spur others on to bigger and better things in life. Like what? I would like to help others to come to love and follow and serve you. I would like to help others to come to know you and walk in your ways. I would like to help others to discover the joy there is in doing what is pleasing to you. These are the desires of my heart. These are the things that I want to do. These things are part of my job. How do you know this is your job? How did you come to receive this assignment? This is the work that you have given me to do for you. Doing these things have become the desire of my heart that you have given and will grant to me. That’s right. As you bless others in these ways your life will reap rich blessings from me. You will bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. I will use you to accomplish my purposes and fulfill my plans. That is what I want.

Lord, I have plenty of my own flaws. I have made mistakes. I have taken missteps. I have missed the mark. I have sinned. Nothing would suggest I am qualified to be a critic who judges others. Help me to bless and encourage others rather than judge them. Amen

Key Question… Why is it dangerous for you to set yourself up as a critic and judge of other people?

Living It Out… Resist the urge to be a critic who constantly judges other people.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to refrain from being a critic who constantly judges other people.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are refraining from being a critic and judging other people.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you treat others just as you would like to be treated.

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

Character – Matthew 7-1-2 – Do Not Judge – 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