Monthly Archives: January 2019

Active In Sharing Your Faith

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Prayer - Philemon 1:4-7 - Active In Sharing Your Faith - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Prayer – Philemon 1:4-7 – Active In Sharing Your Faith – Growing As Disciples

I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. Philemon 1:4-7 (NIV)

Active In Sharing Your Faith

Do you want to better come to know all that you have in me? Yes, I definitely want to come to better know all I have in you. Are you sure? Yes, I’m sure. Why, is there a reason why I may not really be sure that I want to better come to know you? There may be. What might that be? How do you think that you might better come to know me? I’m sure that I would better come to know you as I draw near to you. As I meet with you in your word, I will better come to know you. As I meet with you in prayer and worship, I will better come to know you. As I listen to you and put your word into practice, I will definitely better come to know you. Let’s talk more about your putting my word into practice. I would be happy to talk to you about putting your word into practice. That’s good.

Have I said in my word that I want you to be active in sharing your faith? Have I given you the assignment of going out into the world to make disciples? Have I told you that I want to work in and through you so that you can bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name? Have I given you an example of loving and giving to others? Have I asked you to become a servant just like I became a servant? Yes, you have said all these things to me. Yes, you have given me these assignments. Yes, you want to bear fruit for your kingdom through my life. Yes, you want me to bring glory to your name. Yes, you have asked me to love and to give and to serve just as you loved and gave and served. Then let me ask you another question. Go ahead, I’m listening. How are you doing? Are you actively sharing your faith? Are you making disciples? Is fruit for my kingdom being born through your life? Well, I could be much more active in sharing my faith. I could be much more intentional in making disciples. I could allow you to bear much more fruit through my life. Is that what you want? Yes, that is what I desire with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. Will you help me to be more active in sharing my faith. Will you help me to come to better know all that I have in you? Is that your prayer? Yes, it is. Yes, I will help you to be more active in sharing your faith. Yes, I will help you to better know all that you have in me. Thank you, Lord.

Lord, I don’t know why I have been reluctant and timid to share my faith with others. I want that to change. Help me to be continually active in sharing my faith with others. Help me to better come to know all that I have in you, as I share my faith with others. Amen

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

Prayer – Philemon 1-4-7 – Active In Sharing Your Faith – 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

All Who Are Thirsty

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Transformation - Isaiah 55:1-3 - All Who Are Thirsty - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Transformation – Isaiah 55:1-3 – All Who Are Thirsty – Growing As Disciples

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. Isaiah 55:1-3 (NIV)  

Are You Thirsty?

Are you thirsty? Are you hungry? Am I hungry and thirsty for what? Are you hungry and thirsty for a new kind of life? What do you mean by that? Perhaps, I should ask you several more questions to help you to know what I am talking about? That would probably be very helpful. Alright then, I will ask you these questions. Are you weary? Are you worn out? Does your life lack hope and meaning and purpose? Do you feel lost and without direction in life? Do you feel like your life is running on empty? Have you tried to fill that emptiness? Have you discovered that chasing after all the world has to offer will never satisfy your soul? Do you know that this world will never supply what will refresh your life? That’s probably enough questions. I have a very good idea of what you are talking about. That’s good.

How will you answer my questions? Do you have any answers? I know what you are talking about. You do? You are talking about me. You know me. Yes, I know you. You know that I have chased after all that the world has to offer. You know that I have tried to fill the emptiness inside of me. Yes, I do. You know that I am out of gas. You know that I am weary and worn out. I have let my life get too busy. I have chased after what is not important. I have neglected what is vital. What is vital? That is such an important question. I need to ask myself that question every day. What is unimportant and what is vital? That question should be ever before me. The things of this life that will one day all pass away are ultimately unimportant. My relationship with you is vital. Living in an intimate relationship with you is vitally important. Only you can refresh and satisfy my soul. In your presence, I can find peace and rest. You are the one who gives hope and meaning and purpose to my life. You will fill me up. You will keep me from running on empty. With you, I will never run out of gas. That’s true. That’s right. That is for sure.

So, what will you do? I will draw near to you. I will come to rest in your presence. I will listen to you. I will hear your voice. I will walk with you through life. I will live out the moments of my day with and for you. I will live my life in a constant dialogue with you. That will be very good. 

Lord, I’m thirsty for you. My soul is weary. I have made the mistake of pursuing what will not satisfy. I have chased after all the things of this world. I will return to you. I will come to live in an intimate relationship with you, so you can refresh and satisfy my soul. Amen

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

Transformation – Isaiah 55-1-3 – All Who Are Thirsty – 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

God Of All Comfort

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Prayer - 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 - God Of All Comfort - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Prayer – 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 – God Of All Comfort – Growing As Disciples

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NIV)  

Comfort Others

There is no doubt about it. There is no doubt about what? This world is a sin-filled and broken place. This world is not as you intended it to be. How so? You did not intend that this world would be filled with pain and suffering and sickness and death. It was not your plan that we would live with grief and loss and separation. It was not your desire that we would live bruised and battered and broken lives. No, you are correct. This world is nothing like I created it to be. When sin came into this world everything that I made was corrupted and no longer functions according to my original design and plan. That’s too bad. Yes, it is.

There is no doubt about it. There is no doubt about what? You are the God of all comfort. All my pain and suffering and bruising and brokenness and grief and loss has drawn me to you. You have drawn near to me as I have drawn near to you. You are close to the broken hearted. You have never failed to meet with me in my pain and suffering and brokenness. You have healed my hurts. You have bandaged my brokenness. You lifted me up out of the muck and mire of depression, grief and loss. You have been with me to comfort me. You have led me when I have lost direction. You have revived and strengthened me when I have thought that I could go no further. You have continued to lead me to where you wanted me to go. You have kept giving me what you have wanted me to do. You have kept me moving forward with you on the path of life. Yes, I have comforted you. Yes, I will never leave or forsake you. Yes, I will always be with you to help you.

There is no doubt it. There is no doubt about what? You have not comforted me for only my comfort. You have comforted me so that I would be able to comfort others. You want me to become like you. How so? You want me to be kind and loving and compassionate. You want me to draw near to the broken hearted. You want me to comfort others just as you have comforted me. That’s right. Will you comfort others with the comfort you have received from me? Yes, I will. That will be very good.

Heavenly Father, I know this world is a broken place. I will experience pain and suffering in this life. Thank you that pain and suffering have drawn me to you. In prayer, I have received all your comfort. Thank you for using me to comfort others with your comfort. Amen

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

Prayer – 2 Corinthians 1-3-5 – God Of All Comfort – 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

Have Been Brought Near

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Life In Christ - Ephesians 2:11-13 - Have Been Brought Near - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Life In Christ – Ephesians 2:11-13 – Have Been Brought Near – Growing As Disciples

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)– remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:11-13 (NIV)

Near

That word sounds so good. I had no idea how much hope and joy I would have in that word. What word are you talking about? I am thinking and talking about the word near. At one time I live far away from you. Not as far as you think. How so? You think you were living in darkness. You think you were walking on a path that led away from me. You think you were living without hope in the world. Would I be wrong in thinking those thoughts?  No, you would not, that is not the point I want to make to you. What point do you want to make to me? I was near to you then. I am near to you now. My eye was on you then. My eye is on you now. It is true that your sin separated you from a relationship with me. But I, was not content to let you remain in that condition. I came into to the world to die on the cross as payment for your sins. All I suffered, I suffered so that you could be drawn near and come to live in an intimate relationship with me. So, when you cried out to me, I was there to answer your cry. When you turned your life over to me, I was ready to hear your prayer. When you told me that you would follow me as your Savior and Lord I was ready to lead and guide you through life. Do you hear what I am saying to you? I was near to you then and I am near to you right now. That is awesome. For that I will be forever thankful and grateful. That’s good.

So, what about now? What about now? What desire do you have in your heart right now? It is my desire to come to know you ever more fully every day as I follow and serve you. It is the passion of my live in an intimate relationship with you. I don’t want to know and love you a little bit. I want to know and love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I want to know and love you as intimately as is possible. I want what you want for me. I want to receive all that you have for me. I want to walk closely with you. I will keep on drawing near to you. I know that you will keep on drawing near to me. Yes, I will. That is why my life is filled with such hope and joy and thankfulness. That is very good. 

Lord, I was without hope in the world. My sin separated me from you. No relationship with you was possible. But you changed all that. You brought me near through your bloody sacrifice on the cross. You forgave my sin so I can live in a new relationship with you. Amen

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

Life In Christ – Ephesians 2-11-13 – Have Been Brought Near – 4 Page Discipleship 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

Every Good And Perfect Gift

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God The Father - James 1:17-18 - Every Good And Perfect Gift- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God The Father – James 1:17-18 – Every Good And Perfect Gift- Growing As Disciples

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.  James 1:17-18 (NIV)

Good Gifts

You are a giver of good gifts. How so? You know exactly what I want and need. I can’t tell you how many times I have thought I wanted and needed something that would not have been good or helpful or valuable to me. I have asked for what I really didn’t need or certainly shouldn’t have wanted. I am thankful that you have not heard and answered every one of my prayers. I am also very thankful that you have given me good and perfect gifts when I didn’t even know of my true wants or needs. Like what? No gift of yours has been better than the completely new life I now have in your Son, Jesus Christ. You sent your Son into the world to save my soul. You gave your Son as payment of my sins. Your Son made it possible for me to be adopted in your family. Your Son broke down the wall that separated me from you. You Son secured our relationship with each other. You are my Heavenly Father. I am now your child. You rescued me from a life without you. You pulled me off of the path that led away from you. You lifted me up out the muck and mire that was my life. You forgave my sin. You cleansed my unrighteousness. You filled me with your Holy Spirit. You healed my bruised and battered and broken life. You restored my soul. You have given me gifts and talents and abilities with which I can serve you. You have made it so I can bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. You are now helping me to know and love and follow and serve you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I am now living and walking in an intimate relationship with you. One day I will come to live forever in Heaven with you. These are all good and perfect gifts that come from you. Yes, they are. Did I know I needed them? Did I know that I wanted them? No, I did not. You know me. You love me. Yes, I do. You are certainly a giver of good gifts. Yes, I am.

I have but one gift to give you. What’s that? I give myself to you. I give you everything I have been. I give you everything I am. I give you everything I hope to be. I am all yours. I am at your service. I am at your disposal. Make use of my life. That is a very good gift.

Heavenly Father, you have showered me with so many good and perfect gifts. Foremost of all, you have given to me a completely new life in Christ both now and forever. I am so thankful I am your child. Help me to live an abundantly fruitful life with and for you. Amen

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

God The Father – James 1-17-18 – Every Good And Perfect Gift – 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