Monthly Archives: October 2016

Life-Giving Rebuke

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Life - Proverbs 15:31 - Life-Giving Rebuke - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Life – Proverbs 15:31 – Life-Giving Rebuke – Growing As Disciples

He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. Proverbs 15:31 (NIV)

Constructive Criticism

You have heard words of constructive criticism before haven’t you? Yes, I have. That’s a modern way to say what is called a life-giving rebuke. It’s probably not a good translation of my word. I don’t think you understand the danger of not accepting a life-giving rebuke when you call it constructive criticism. I’m not sure what you mean. Do you think accepting or rejecting constructive criticism is an option on your part? Is constructive criticism like feedback that you can choose to accept or reject? Yes, I guess so. That’s a real problem then. Why is that? I often speak through others to you. I will often give you wisdom through the words of others. Sometimes that wisdom will be a matter of life and death. Do you want to pick and choose from the wisdom that I want to speak into your life? No, I don’t. I want all the wisdom that you will give to me. Yes, I know.

Not every criticism you hear will be constructive. Not every constructive criticism will come from me. Not every constructive criticism will be like a life-giving rebuke. Some criticism may look like constructive criticism but will be a form of condemnation that will try to tear you down. The devil is very good at using so called constructive criticism to attack you with words that can steal, kill, and destroy life. What do all my comments suggest to you? I need to listen very carefully to what I have called constructive criticism and what you call a life-giving rebuke. I need to carefully consider all the words that are being spoken to me. When you listen what will you be trying to hear? When I listen I will be trying to hear all the wisdom that you want to speak into my life. As you listen what must you not do? As I listen I must not react in a way that quickly rejects what others have to say to me. Why is that? I know that you have often spoken into my life through the words of others. Yes, I have.

How open are you to listening to constructive criticism or life-giving rebukes from others? What is your first response to difficult and challenging words that others have to say to you? I want to be completely open to how you speak to me through the words of others. I know that I have not been completely open to hearing difficult words of constructive criticism or life-giving rebuke. That is a very dangerous position to be in. Why is that? If others are afraid to take a chance to give you constructive criticism or life-giving rebukes then they won’t speak up. How you react to the words of others will either give or deny them the opportunity and permission to offer life-giving help to you. Do you want to limit the help you receive from others? No, I do not. Do you want to limit one of the ways that I want to speak wisdom into your life? No, I do not. Then you must be ready to listen to and ready to act on constructive criticism and life-giving rebukes that come your way. Is that what you will do? Yes Lord, it is.

Lord, I haven’t always been receptive to hearing and acting on words of constructive criticism. I know you often speak to me through the voices of others. Help me to hear all that you want to say to me so I can grow in your wisdom. Amen

Life – Proverbs 15-31 – Life-Giving Rebuke – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Live On Every Word That Comes From God

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Word - Deuteronomy 8:3 - Live On Every Word That Comes From God - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Word – Deuteronomy 8:3 – Live On Every Word That Comes From God – Growing As Disciples

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:3 (NIV)

 Live On

I know I cannot survive without your word. Just as food sustains and strengthens my body, so your word sustains and strengthens my spirit. Is that what you really believe? Yes, it is. If you really believe that my word is as important to your spirit as food is to your body then you will pay very close attention to my word. You will meet with me daily in my word. You will feed on my word. You will allow my word to speak into your life. You will listen attentively to all that I am saying to you. You will be careful to put into practice all that I am teaching you. Yes, I will.

You have not always such had a high regard for my word. You have not always believed that my word is as important to your spirit as food is to your body. Why do you say that? You have never been in the habit of skipping meals. Would you be alive today if you ate only as frequently as you feasted on my word? That is a very interesting thought. No, I would not be alive today if I ate food only as frequently as I feasted on your word. Why is that? I’m not sure. I think that I did not make meeting with you in your word an absolute priority in my life. What was the result of that? Without making meeting with you in your word an absolute priority in my life I would let other things distract me. Like what? Anything and everything would distract me from meeting with you. Meeting with me in my word was just an item that got moved up or down on your “to do” list as time allowed. Yes, that’s right. I’m afraid that I let the urgent demands of my day prevent me from doing what was ultimately far more important. Which is? Meeting with you in your word on a daily basis. What has changed for you? Now, just as I would not want to go without food so also I do not want to go without feasting on your word. Just as I now set aside time to eat food so also I have set aside time to feast on your word. I am now letting your word feed, sustain and strengthen me everyday. I am living on your word. That is very good.

Lord, thank you for your word that feeds, and sustains me. Make me hungry for your word. I know that I can’t fully live the life you intend for me without your word. So, I will humbly come to feed on your word daily for all I need. Amen

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

Gods-Word – Deuteronomy – 8-3 – Live On Every Word That Comes From 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                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

My Soul Thirsts For God

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Prayer - Psalm 42:1-2 - My Soul Thirsts For God - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Prayer – Psalm 42:1-2 – My Soul Thirsts For God – Growing As Disciples

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV)

When

There is no more important question than the one that is before you. What question is that? When can you come to meet with me? When will you set aside a time and a place to come into my presence? We both know that you are tired. We both know that you are weary and worn out. We both know that your soul desperately needs to be revived, refreshed and restored. I know that you have a thirsty desire that only I can satisfy. You have an emptiness that only I can fill. You are thirsty for me. Your soul is panting for me. Do you think that I don’t know that I have a thirst that only you can satisfy? That’s a good question, for you to consider. I know you know that I can satisfy your thirst. It does not seem obvious to me that you are convinced in knowing that nothing else can satisfy your soul. Why do you say that?

If you knew that only I could satisfy your thirst wouldn’t you set aside a time and a place to meet with me? Wouldn’t you come to rest in my presence? Wouldn’t you allow me to speak into your heart and mind and soul and life? Wouldn’t you listen attentively to all that I had to say to you? Wouldn’t you carefully consider my every word? Wouldn’t meeting with me be the first and highest priority in your life? Wouldn’t our time together become something that never gets set aside? Wouldn’t our meeting together become as regular and consistent as clockwork? I do know that only you can refresh my soul and satisfy my thirst for you. All my meaning and hope and purpose come from you. You are my counselor and guide. You supply all my needs. You give me strength. You show me where you want me to go. You give me what you want me to do. Yes, I will listen attentively to you. Yes, I will carefully consider every one of your words. Yes, I will set aside a time and a place to meet with you. I will firmly establish the “when” I will come to meet with you. That question will not go unanswered because I know that you and you alone can refresh my soul and satisfy my thirst for you. Meeting with you will be the first and most important priority of my life. That will be very good.

Lord, I might as well be crawling across the desert floor under a blazing hot sun. You have made me thirsty for you. You have my full attention, love and devotion. I am consumed with thirsty desire that only you can and do satisfy. I will come to meet with you. Amen

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

Prayer – Psalm – 42-1-2  – My Soul Thirsts For 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                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com