Monthly Archives: September 2017

Forgiving Each Other

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Character - Philippians 4:32 - Forgiving Each Other - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide- Character – Philippians 4:32 – Forgiving Each Other – Growing As Disciples

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) 

Forgiven And Forgiving 

Do you want to be like me? Will you do for others what I have done for you? Do you want to be my witness in the world? I want to be like you. I want to do for others what you have done for me. I want to stand out from the crowd. Yes, I want to be a bold and bright witness for you in the world. Then you will need to do what others, in the world, will not do. You must be willing to do what is difficult. I’m not sure what you are asking of me. Can you be more specific? Yes, I can be very specific. 

You have been mistreated. Others have harmed and hurt you. You have ben spurned and rejected and betrayed. Is what I am saying true? You know that all you have said is true. I have some deep wounds and painful memories. What have you wanted to do to those who have harmed and hurt you? To be honest, I have wanted to get even. I have wanted revenge. I have wanted to pay others back for the pain and suffering that they have caused me. Would that help you in any way? Would that make you feel better? Would healing come into your life by paying back evil with evil? Would you be completely free of anger and bitterness because you took revenge and got even? No, I can see that there is no benefit for me to pay others back for the wrongs they have committed against me. That’s right. Seeking revenge and paying back evil with evil is what happens in the world. If you want to pay others back for the wrongs that they have done to you, you will never be a witness for me in the world. That would not be good. I desperately want 32to be a bold and bright witness for you in the world. Yes, I know you do. 

There are some other things that I know you want. Like what? You want to become like me. You want to know my will and walk in my ways. You want to live like I lived. You want to do what I did. You want to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. Am I right? Yes, I want all these things as well. Then you must forgive others just like I forgave you. Can you forgive others? Will you forgive others? Yes, I will forgive others just like forgave me. Then you will be like me and that will be very good. 

Lord, thank you for forgiving me of all my sin and cleansing me of my unrighteousness. Help me to have your attitude of compassion and kindness toward others. Help me to forgive others just as you have forgiven me. Use me as your bold witness in the world. Amen

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

Character – Ephesians 4-32 – Forgiving Each Other – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Did Everything

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Miracles - Genesis 6:22 - Did Everything - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Miracles – Genesis 6:22 – Did Everything – Growing As Disciples

Noah did everything just as God commanded him. Genesis 6:22 (NIV)

Yes I Will

I want you to understand something of vital importance. What’s that? You will not always understand exactly why I have given you something to do for me. Does that come as a great shock to you? No, it does not. Let me continue. Go ahead, I’m listening. You will not always be able to see the value of doing what I have asked you to do for me. You may wonder if you have really heard from me. You may doubt your call. You may question your work. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Yes, I have entertained doubt, wondered about your call and questioned my work. Let’s keep going. I am enjoying our conversation. I am encouraged by your words. You will grow weary. You will become tired. You will want to give up and quit. Is this true? Have you felt every one of these feelings? You know me. Yes, I have experienced all these feelings. I will say more. It may take days and months and even years to recognize the importance and value of the work that I have given you to do for me. You may need to look back over your entire life to see how my hand has been on you to use you for my purposes to accomplish my plans. You will not fully understand how I have used your life to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name until we look back over your life when we are together in heaven. Can you wait until that day? Can you keep on following me? Will you keep on serving me? Yes Lord, I will keep on following and serving you.

How can you be certain that you will keep on following and serving me? My certainty rests on you and not on myself. You will be with me to help me. You will refresh me when I am weary. You will strengthen me when I am weak. You will give me hope when I am discouraged. I will not walk through life all alone. You will be ahead of me leading me on every step of my way. You will be beside me to encourage me. You will be above me to watch over me. You will be behind me to push me forward on the path that you have laid out for me. Yes, I will.

I only need to understand one thing. What’s that? I only need to understand that you have asked me to do something for you. I don’t need to understand when and where and why and how. I only need to understand “who.”  That “who”, is you. If you have asked me to do something for you, I know that you will show me anything and everything else I need to know, to go and do your will. So, yes it will be my joy to keep on serving you day after day and year after year because I will know that I will be doing your will. I want you to use my life to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. That is very good. Yes, I will.

Lord, I have not always understood what you were asking me to do for you. I have had questions and doubts and have not always said yes to you. Forgive me. I will go wherever you guide me to do whatever you ask of me. Use my life according to your purposes. Amen

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

Miracles – Genesis 6-22 – Did Everything – 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

Despises His Neighbor

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Character - Proverbs 14-21 - Despises His Neighbor - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Character – Proverbs 14-21 – Despises His Neighbor – Growing As Disciples

He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy. Proverbs 14:21 (NIV) 

Attitude And Action

What attitude will you have toward your neighbors? I’m not sure what you mean. Will you be kind to your neighbors or will you despise them? Why would I despise my neighbors? Sooner or later your neighbors will do something that you don’t like. Sooner or later your neighbors will do something that will make you uneasy or uncomfortable. They will cross a boundary. They will make a mistake. They will do something that you won’t appreciate. Your neighbors will never live up to your expectations.  Are you surprised by what I am saying to you? No, not at all. There is a flip side to what I have said. What’s that? You will never live up to your neighbor’s expectations either. You will do something they don’t like. You will cross one of their boundaries.  You will make them uneasy and uncomfortable. You will do something they won’t appreciate.  Is this hard for you to imagine? No, not at all.

You will be faced with two decisions. What are they? You will be forced to decide your attitude toward your neighbors. Will you love or despise your neighbors? That is the question you must answer.  There is a good and a bad time to answer that question. I don’t understand. It will be best to decide now if you will love or despise your neighbors before they disappoint you. Deciding to love your neighbors now will help you to love them when they don’t live up to your expectations. Now, I understand. What will it be? What is your decision? I will love my neighbors. Will you love your neighbors when they cross boundaries, make mistakes and fail to live up to your expectations? Yes Lord, I will love my neighbors regardless of their behavior. That is a good decision. Why are you making such a decision? I am following your example. I want to love like you love. That is very good. 

You mentioned that I would be faced with two decisions. Yes, I did. What is the second decision I must make? You have already decided that you will love your neighbors. That is an attitude. Yes, it is. Your second decision will be to decide what action will you take toward your neighbors. What do you mean by that? Your neighbors will have needs. Will you ignore the needs of your neighbors? Will you let the needs of your neighbors go unmet? Will you meet the needs of your neighbors? I cannot say that I will have a loving attitude toward my neighbors if I am unwilling to take action to help meet their needs. Both my attitude and action must go together if I am to be truly loving. That’s true. Why are you making such a decision? I am following your example. I want to serve like you served. That is very good.

Your life will be richly blessed as you love your neighbors with both your attitude and action. That is what I want. That is what I will do. That will be very good.

Lord, I have not always gotten along well with all my neighbors. I have liked some and sinfully despised others. Forgive me. I want you to bless my life as I am kind to those in need. Help me to show love to all my neighbors by helping them with their needs. Amen

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

Character – Proverbs 14-21 – Despises His Neighbor – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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