Monthly Archives: February 2015

Made Us Competent

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Transformation - 2 Corinthians 3:3-6 - Made Us Competent - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Transformation – 2 Corinthians 3:3-6 – Made Us Competent – Growing As Disciples

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant–not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:3-6 (NIV)

Rely On Me

You have heard my call? Yes Lord, I have heard your call. You are asking me to do something for you. Yes I am, but you seem reluctant, why is that? I don’t feel like I am able to do what you are asking me to do for you. I’m not surprised one bit, not at all, even in the least. Why is that? You feel like you may be incompetent, insufficient, inadequate and unable to do what I am asking of you. Yes, that’s right. Do you know why you have those feelings? No. I don’t. If I knew then maybe I wouldn’t have them. I wish that I didn’t have them. You have these feelings because you really are incompetent, insufficient, inadequate and unable to do what I am asking you to do for me. Great, I thought that you might give me a word of encouragement. I thought that you might affirm all my gifts, talents, and abilities. I would rather tell you the truth. What is the truth? The truth is that all your gifts, talents and abilities do not add up to you being able to accomplish all that I have given you to do for me. Why is that? Only I can make you competent, sufficient, adequate and able. If you rely solely on your gifts, talents and abilities you will fall flat on your face. That sounds like it would hurt a lot. Yes, it does hurt. You should know. Why is that? Haven’t you relied on yourself and fallen flat on your face plenty of times? Yes, by now I probably should have callouses on my face. That’s pretty funny. Flat on your face is not a bad place to be is it? Why do you say that? What have you done when you have fallen flat on your face? I have cried out to you for your help. Yes, you have.

You want me to use you, don’t you? Yes Lord, I do. Then you must rely on me completely. Apart from me you can do nothing. When you rely on me completely I will make you able to accomplish all that I have asked you to do for me.

Is there anything more important to you than to be used by me to minister to others? No, there is nothing more important to me than to serve you. Will anything make you more thankful than to know that I have made you able to minister to others? Will anything give you more confidence and hope than to know that you have done what could not be done because you relied on me? Will anything give you more joy than to know that others have given their lives to me because of how I have worked in and through your life? No Lord, nothing will make me more thankful, confident, hopeful and joyful than to know that you have used me according to your purposes and plans. Will you rely on me completely to do my work in and through you? Yes Lord, I will. Very good, then I will make you completely competent, fully sufficient, totally adequate, and surely able to serve me. Thank you, Lord.

Lord, so often I have relied solely on my gifts, talents and abilities to try to accomplish what you have asked me to do for you. That has never worked. Help me to rely on you for all that I need to serve you. Make me able, I pray. Amen

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

Transformation – 2 Corinthians 3-3-6 – Made Us Competent – 4 page Discipleship Devotional 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                                                               http://www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Living And Active

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Word - Living And Active - Hebrews 4:12 - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Word – Living And Active – Hebrews 4:12 – Growing As Disciples

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

Surgery

You’re sick. I don’t feel sick. Actually, I feel just fine. I’m not talking about how you look or feel. You’re not? What are you talking about then? I’m talking about the condition of your heart. Is this going to be a painful discussion? It may be. Let me ask you a question. If you knew that you were sick, would you be willing to have surgery if it would make you well? Of course I would. Do you think that the surgery might hurt you? Yes, I’m sure that it would. Why then would you be willing to subject yourself to it? Because I would know that after a period of recovery, I would be well. So the surgery would be worth it? Yes, it would.

How about the surgeon, would you let just about anyone operate on you? No, I’d carefully consider their experience and track record of success. You would need to be convinced that they knew what they were doing and had your best interests in mind? Yes absolutely, otherwise I would never subject myself to their surgery.

How about me, how do you like my level of experience? Do you think that I know what I’m talking about? Am I experienced enough for you? What is my track record of success? You have a lot of questions today. Yes, I do. But it comes down to one question. What’s that? Do you trust me? Yes Lord, I trust you. Why is that? I know that you love me and have my best interest in mind. I know that there is no one who has your level of wisdom, knowledge or experience. I can count on you.

Let’s talk about the surgeon’s tools. If the surgeon didn’t have the right tools or if they were defective, would their experience or track record matter? No, I suppose that using the wrong or defective tools could bring catastrophic results. You’ve got that right.

So, if I say that you are sick, what are you going to think? I’m going to think that’ I’m sick. If I tell you that I want to do some surgery in your life, are you going to be afraid? No, I’m not going to be afraid because I trust you. You know what you are doing. I know that you will make me well.

The tool that I will be using in your surgery is my word. Do you think that I have the proper tool with which to operate? Yes Lord, you do. I know that your word is living and active. It is powerful. It can penetrate deep into my thoughts, motives and actions. It can change and heal my heart and transform my mind. Yes, it can.

The big question is will you let me operate on your heart and mind? Yes Lord, I will. But I’m not sure how to do that. When you deeply consider my word and let it penetrate your heart, mind, and life, I will be doing surgery to make you well. The choice is yours.        

Lord, I welcome your word into my life. Use your word to change the thoughts and attitudes of my heart. Cut out of my heart and life anything that is not pleasing to you. Heal and strengthen my heart by your word so that I can live fully for you. Amen

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

God’s Word – Hebrews 4-12 – Living And Active – 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                                                               http://www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Present Your Requests To God

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Gratitude - Present Your Requests To God - Philippians 4:6 - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Gratitude – Present Your Requests To God – Philippians 4:6 – Growing As Disciples

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

Specific Prayers

Do you have really vague worries? I’m not sure what you mean. Do you feel worry but don’t know what you are worrying about? No, I can’t say that I do. That’s what I thought. My worries are usually very specific. I may have no real cause to worry but at least I know what I’m worrying about.

So then, if your worries are well defined and quite specific why do you offer vague prayers about them? I’m not sure. If you offer a very vague prayer how will you ever know if I answered it? I might have a vague feeling that my prayer was answered. That’s my point. You would never know for sure if your prayer was or wasn’t answered. I get it.

When you pray do you really expect that I will hear and answer your prayers? I hope that you will. That doesn’t sound like a real answer to me. When I pray I wonder if I’m asking for something that is worthy of being asked and answered. Let me tell you something. What’s that? If something causes you to worry then its worthy of turning it into a prayer to me. Do you know why that is? You don’t want me to worry. That’s right. What do I want you to do instead of worrying? You want me to have faith in you. Yes, but be more specific. You want me to have faith that you will hear and answer my prayers. Why would I do that for you? You love me and I am your child. Yes, you are. Do you delight in hearing and answering requests from your children? Yes, I really do. You can be just as sure that I do as well, even more so.

If you have faith that I will hear and answer your prayers, with what attitude will you make them? I will make my prayers to you with joy and thanksgiving because I know that you are listening to me. Yes, I am. What then will happen to the worry and anxiety that you have been carrying? When I pray to you my worries and anxieties will be replaced with joy and thanksgiving. Yes they will. Now start praying specific prayers that I can hear and answer for you. Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, I will no longer hold on to my worries and struggle through them on my own. I am so thankful that I can turn all my worries into very specific prayers and petitions to you. Thank you for hearing and answering me in my need. Amen

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

Gratitude – Philippians 4-6 – Present Your Requests To God – 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                                                               http://www.GrowingAsDisciples.com