Monthly Archives: December 2016

Marked In Him

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Identity - Ephesians 1:13-14 - Marked In Him - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Identity – Ephesians 1:13-14 – Marked In Him – Growing As Disciples

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)

Guarantee

I’m so glad that I can look forward to more than what this life offers. Why is that? This life has more than its share of disappointments, pain and suffering. I know that this life was not how you designed it. This world and the life in it is broken. What you created has been damaged by sin and is beyond repair. Yes, it is. I know that you don’t want me to become too attached to life in this world. No, I do not. This life is like a blink of an eye or a snap of the fingers in comparison to all of eternity. That’s right. I am here on this earth for a very short time. This is not my real home. I am just passing quickly through this life. All that I see that seems so real and permanent is like a mirage on a sun scorched road. All I see here today, will be gone in not too many tomorrows. That is true. I could be discouraged. I could be disappointed. I could be worried about the temporary nature of life as I now know it. I am none of these things. I am not discouraged, disappointed or worried. Not, in the least. Why is that?

I have a promise from you. Yes, you do. I have a guarantee. Tell me about it. Your Holy Spirit lives and dwells in me. Your Holy Spirit came to live and dwell in me on the day that I became your permanent possession. You redeemed my life. You purchased my forgiveness. You secured my cleansing. You made me your very own. Yes, I did. You marked and sealed me with your Holy Spirit on the day that I came to believe in you. Yes, I did. I now have a forever future with you in heaven. I now have an inheritance that is certain and guaranteed by the deposit of your Holy Spirit living inside of me. Yes, you do. So now, I am encouraged. I am filled with joy. My heart and mind and life are overflowing with praise and thanksgiving for who you are and for all that you have done for me. Now, I want to live my life to the fullest for you. In the time, I have left on this earth and in this life, I want to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to name. I want to faithfully follow and serve you until the day I come to live forever with you. That will be very good.

Lord, thank you that I have been marked with the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing that I am yours. You have redeemed my life and given me an inheritance in heaven with you. Help me to live now for your praise and glory. Amen

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

Identity – Ephesians 1-13-14 – Marked In Him – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Delight Yourself In The Lord

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Prayer - Psalm 37:4-7 - Delight Yourself In The Lord - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Prayer – Psalm 37:4-7 – Delight Yourself In The Lord – Growing As Disciples

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:4-7 (NIV) 

Desires

At one time my heart was filled with all the desires that come from the world. I was captivated by all that the world had to offer. My life became one long pursuit of the next latest and greatest thing. Chasing after the things of this world became a never-ending treadmill of disappointment for me. I quickly learned that my heart would never be satisfied by the things of this world. I wanted something else. I wanted something more. I wanted a different kind of life that didn’t feel so empty and hopeless and useless. I had a hunger that couldn’t be fed. I had a thirst that went unsatisfied. I had a yearning within me that set me on a search for meaning in life. So, I set off on a journey of searching.

What did you find? I found hope and purpose. I found joy and thanksgiving. My empty heart found fullness. My hunger was fed. My thirst was satisfied. I found the meaning in life that my heart had always been looking for in all the wrong places. I found you. You found me? Well, maybe it was you who found me. In all my misguided wanderings, I can now see that it was you who was pursuing me. I was seeking something. You were seeking me. Yes, I was. My empty heart was looking to be filled. You wanted to come into my life to fill my heart and mind and life with you. You wanted to rescue me from a life without you. You wanted to pull me out of the muck and mire that was my meaningless life. You wanted to set me on a new and solid path of loving, following and serving you. I had no idea what were the real and true and good desires of my heart. I had no idea that you would both give and grant me the desires of my heart. What are the desires of your heart? It is my desire to know and love you. It is my desire to follow and serve you. It is my desire to be used by you so I can bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. These desires bring me great delight. These desires fill my heart. I know that these desires come from you. Yes, they do. I know that you have given and will grant these desires of my heart. Yes, I will.

Lord, I delight myself in you. I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. It is my joy to know and do your will. I will follow you where you lead me. I will do what you ask of me. I know you have given and will grant me these desires of my heart. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional study guide click here:

Prayer – Psalm-37-4-7 – Delight Yourself In The Lord – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Set You An Example

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Knowing God - John 13:14-17 - Set You An Example - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Knowing God – John 13:14-17 – Set You An Example – Growing As Disciples

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.  John 13:14-17 (NIV)

Do As I Have Done

I have set before you an example to follow. What have I shown you? You have shown me what it looks like to have the heart of a servant. What does the heart of a servant look like? It looks like your heart. How so? A servant is willing to do what you did. A servant is willing to serve like you served. A servant is willing to give like you gave. You humbled yourself. You had no regard for your rights. You had no concern for your position. There is nothing you wouldn’t do. There is no one you wouldn’t serve. There was no one who was outside of your concern. There was no one that was beyond your care. There was no one that was unworthy of your love. You poured yourself out. You held nothing back. You kept nothing in reserve. You laid your life down for others. You went where you were asked to go. You did what you were asked to do. Your mission, your goal and your tasks were to do the will of your Father. You lived to know and do His will. You served Him with all your heart, and mind and soul and strength. Yes, I did.

Why did I do what I did? You did what you did because you love your Father. You did what you did because you love others. Your love made you willing to lay down your life in service to God. Your love made you willing to lay down your life for others. That’s right. Does that sound familiar to you? Yes, it does sound familiar to me. The two greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart and soul and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself. That’s exactly what you did. That is the example that you have set before me. Yes, it is. Will you love like I loved? Will you do as I have done?  Will you go where I send you? Will you do what I ask of you? Will you serve me with all your heart and mind and soul and strength? Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, thank you for setting an example before me to follow. You humbled yourself in service to others. I will follow your example. Use my life in humble service to others. Help me to be your witness in the world as I do for others what you have done for me. Amen

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

Knowing God – John 13-14-17 – Set You An Example – 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                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Watch And Pray

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Prayer - Mark 14:37-38 - Watch And Pray - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Prayer – Mark 14:37-38 – Watch And Pray – Growing As Disciples

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Mark 14:37-38 (NIV)

Wake Up

Be on your guard. Don’t allow yourself to be caught sleep walking through your life with me. It’s time to wake up. It’s time to watch and pray so that you won’t fall into temptation. Don’t think that you are so strong and able to withstand any temptation. The moment you think you are standing strong will be your weakest moment; when you are most likely to fall into temptation. Don’t think that my telling you to watch and pray is a helpful suggestion. It is a command from me to you. It is critically important that you hear and obey what I am telling you. The devil is like a roaring lion. He will be seeking those who he can devour. Who will he devour? He will devour the weak. He will ensnare those who are asleep and not being watchful and prayerful. That’s right. I don’t want that to be you.

How will you stay awake? How will you be attentive to me? How will you listen to all that I have to tell you? How will you keep watch so you can see all that I want to show you? I will need your help that’s for sure. I will never be able to withstand the devil and all his evil with my own strength. I will rely on you. I will draw near to you. I know that you will draw near to me. Yes, I will. I know that you are making intercession for me. You are praying for me every day as I follow and serve you. Yes, I am. In addition to drawing near to you I will resist the devil and all his evil. How will you resist the devil and all his evil? I will run away from evil. I will not linger around it. I will not wonder about it. I will not let evil capture my attention. I will not engage in it.  I will not let evil grab a hold of my heart and mind.  I will distance myself from people, places and circumstances that are filled with evil and temptation. As I am running away from evil I will be running to you. You will protect me. You will shelter me. You are my fortress. You are my deliverer. Yes, I am. You will make me able to stay awake. You will help me to be watchful and prayerful. Yes, I will.

Lord, give me strength to stand against temptation as I watch and pray throughout all the moments of every day. I will rely on you for all my strength. Show me what I need to see. Help me to hear what you are saying to me. Guide all my prayers. Amen

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

Prayer – Mark-14-37-38 – Watch And Pray – 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

Lord Teach Us To Pray

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Prayer - Luke 11:1 - Lord, Teach Us To Pray - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Prayer – Luke 11:1 – Lord, Teach Us To Pray – Growing As Disciples

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 (NIV)

Teach Me

Just as the disciples asked you to teach them how to pray so I am also asking you to teach me how to pray. I want you to enroll me in your class. I am your student. You are my teacher. Without, your instruction I will never become a person of prayer. Why do you want to learn how to pray? First and most importantly, I want to know you. I want to be able to hear your voice speaking to me. So, I will come to you. I will be still before you. I will rest in your presence. I will listen attentively to all that you have to say to me. What do you think will happen to you as you come to know me? As I come to know you two things will happen to me. The better I know you, the more I will know your love for me. The more I know your love for me the more I will love you.  As I grow to know and love you the more I will become like you. I will begin to think your thoughts. I will know your will. I will begin to walk in your ways. I will want to do what pleases you. Yes, you will.

If you want me to teach you how to pray what must you do? If I want you to teach me how to pray I must show up. What do you mean by that? I must meet with you in prayer. I must keep on coming to you. It would be silly for me to ask you to teach me how to pray if I wasn’t willing to take time to pray. That’s right. You said you would be my student and I would be your teacher. Yes, I did. How often do you think my class in prayer will meet? There will be specific times and places for me to meet in class with you. My class in prayer with you will also continue throughout all the moments of every day. Yes, both are correct. When do you think your class in prayer will end? My class in prayer will never end. Once I start praying I will never stop listening to you. Once I start praying I will never stop talking to you. You will keep on teaching me how to pray. You will keep on showing me what to pray for. Yes, I will. Are you ready to start praying? Yes Lord, I am.

 Lord, I want a close relationship with you and the Father and The Holy Spirit. I want to learn how to pray. Help me. I want you to be my teacher. As your follower and student I will come to learn. Enroll me now. I’m ready to start. Amen

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

Prayer – Luke – 11-1 – Lord Teach Us To Pray – 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

Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - The Mind - Proverbs 3:5-6 - Lean Not In Your Own Understanding - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – The Mind – Proverbs 3:5-6 – Lean Not In Your Own Understanding – Growing As Disciples

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Give Up

You have walked a path that has been filled with twists and turns and ups and downs. You have bounced from one thing to another. You have gone one-way and then another. You have gone forward and backward. There has been nothing straight about your path. No wonder you have been weary and worn out. No wonder you have been bruised and battered and broken by life. Why has your path led you to wander from one thing to another from one day to another? I have been relying on my own understanding. I have been doing what has seemed right to me. I have been doing my best to live my life in ways that I had hoped would be good and right. I have made mistakes. I have made bad choices. I have hung out with the wrong crowd. I have accepted bad advice. I have gone down dark and dreary paths that led nowhere to nothing good. I have had enough. I am fed up with my life. I want something more. I want something different. I want something else. I want something far better than what I have had in my life up to this point. I feel like I’m stuck. I don’t know where to turn. I don’t know where to go. I don’t know what to do. My own understanding has failed me miserably. I need help. I need help right now. Are you asking me for my help? Yes, I am asking you for your help. Are you ready to give up? Yes, I’m almost ready to give up. I will come back later when you are really ready to give up. What do you mean by that? Do you want me to give up? Yes, I want you to give up. I want you to give up on your own understanding. I want you to give up control of your life. I want you to give up and walk away from the crooked, dark and dreary path you have been on. As long as you are not ready to give up on your old life you are not ready to turn your life over to me. No, I’m ready to give up on my old life. I ready to give up on my own understanding.  I’m ready to turn my life over to you. I want to follow you. I want you to lead and guide my life. Forgive me of all my sins. Cleanse me of all my unrighteousness. Make me new and clean in you. You be the Savior and Lord of my life. Lead me on the path that you have laid out for me. I will follow you. I’m giving up. I am giving all of me to you right now. Follow me. Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, my path has had many twists and turns and that I wish I had not taken as I relied on my own understanding. I want to make a change of leadership. You are now in charge. I will trust you with all my heart as I follow you. Amen

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

The Mind – Proverbs 3-5-6 – Lean Not On Your Own Understanding – 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