Monthly Archives: November 2019

Your Former Way

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Life - Ephesians 4:20-24 - Your Former Way - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Life – Ephesians 4:20-24 – Your Former Way – Growing As Disciples

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24 (NIV)

Your Former Way

What’s that over there? You know. Yes, I do. But I would like to hear you tell me what’s over there. Those are the stinky and dirty clothes of my old life. They no longer suit you do they? No, they do not. Why is that? You have given me a completely new life to live. So, you have taken off all those old clothes and thrown them away, is that right?  Yes, that’s right. You have no desire to put them back on and wear them again, is that right? That’s something that I would like to talk to you about.  Yes, I’m sure that you do. What’s on your mind? I know that this is hard to believe. Not really. But, I’m having a hard time. How so? At times, I want to put some of those old stinky and dirty clothes back on. Yes, I’ve noticed that. When are you having your greatest difficulty? I’m not sure what you mean? Are there any situations or circumstances that most tempt you to put those old stinky and dirty clothes back on? I’m still not sure how to answer that question. Have you made a clean break from your old manner of living? Are you allowing anything to feed the sinful desires, patterns and practices of your old life? I guess so. What you feed will grow. What you starve will die. If you really want to put on the new life I have for you then you will need to make a clean break with your old life. Now, I understand.

Let’s talk some more about a question I just asked you. What’s that? I asked what’s on your mind. Yes, you did. What’s on your mind is very important. How so? The world will continually bombard you with its patterns, practices, and values. You don’t want worldly thoughts on your mind. You will never be able to fully live the new life I have for you unless you allow my word to be on your mind. It is my word that will change your heart and transform your mind. When my word is in your heart and on your mind you will have no desire to put on those dirty and stinky clothes from your old life. I get it. Well, you understand what I am saying. You won’t really “get it” until you make meeting with me in my word an absolute priority in your life. Then you will have but one desire. What’s that? When you have put off the clothes of your old life and are allowing me to change your heart and renew your mind with my word, you will have a joy and passion to fully put on and live out the new life that I have given to you. Then you will want nothing else. Then the clothes of your old life will be really repulsive to you. Then you will only want to see and put on the new clothes that I have given you to wear as you live your life with and for me. That is what I want with all my heart! Yes, I can see that and so you will. 

Lord, thank you for the new life I have been given. I have left my old life and its practices behind me. Your word is changing my heart and transforming my mind. I’m excited to put on and live out the new life I have in you. Amen

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

Life – Ephesians 4-20-24 – Your Former Way – 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

Wisdom From God

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Wisdom - 1 Corinthians 1:27-30 - Wisdom From God - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Wisdom – 1 Corinthians 1:27-30 – Wisdom From God – Growing As Disciples

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  1 Corinthians 1:27-30 (NIV) 

I Chose You

Nothing could be truer. What’s that? You chose what was unwise. You chose what was weak. You chose what was lowly. You chose what was despised and rejected. Beyond that, I would say that you chose what was of next to no worth. Your choice had no redeeming value. What are you talking about? You chose me. Yes, I did choose you.

There is something that I want to correct in your thinking. What’s that? You had no apparent worth and redeeming value. No one looking at you would have seen anything special. Nothing you had done would have grabbed anyone’s attention. You did not stand out. You were of little notice. You were nothing special, except to me. You are of high value to me. You are special in my sight. I paid a very high price to redeem your life. I went far out of my way to make you my own. I chose you. You are my child. I have adopted you into my family. Never forget that. I won’t and for that I am eternally grateful. That is very good.

Again, I have something else to correct in your thinking. What’s that? You are weak, that is true. You can accomplish nothing of lasting and eternal value, without my help. It is a good thing for you to acknowledge your weakness and that you need my help. It is a good thing for you to come to rely on me. But you will have my help. You will be able to do far more than you could ever ask for or even imagine because I will be working in and through your life. You will be able to do everything I ask of you because I will strengthen you. I will make you able to know and do my will. Again, I am so grateful and thankful for that. I welcome you to work in and through my life. I am at your service. That is very good.

So, there is something that I want you to come to expect. What’s that? I want you to expect that I will do great and powerful and fruitful things in and through your life. I will enable you to bear fruit for my kingdom. I will allow you to bring glory to my name. That is what I want. That is what I desire. Use my life to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. Yes, I will, you can be certain of that. Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, there was nothing in me meriting redemption. I was thinking and speaking and acting in ways that were not pleasing to you. I was living an unproductive and foolish life. Yet, you chose me. Thank you, for being my righteousness, holiness and redemption. Amen

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

Wisdom – 1 Corinthians 1-27-30 – Wisdom 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

Spy Out The Land

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Let Us - Deuteronomy 1-22-25 - Spy Out The Land - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Let Us – Deuteronomy 1-22-25 – Spy Out The Land – Growing As Disciples

Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.” The idea seemed good to me; so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe. They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and explored it. Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, “It is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us.”Deuteronomy 1:22-25 (NIV)

Rely On Me

If I give you a big assignment do you think it would be a good idea to scope out in great detail what I am asking you to do for me before you begin? It might be a good idea. Why is that? It might be good to know and understand exactly what you are asking me to do for you. You don’t sound very confident in your answer. That’s because I’m not at all confident in my answer. Why is that? If what you are asking of me seems too difficult I might shrink back and not step forward to do what you are asking of me. I might look at the size of the assignment and my limited abilities and think that you couldn’t possibly be asking me to do what you are really asking me to do. Have you ever shrunk back and not moved forward to do what I have asked of you? Yes, I’m sure that I have turned and run away from what you were calling me to do for you. So, scoping out the size of an assignment I am giving you might be a bad idea? It would be if I don’t respond to the challenge with my full faith and trust in you. When have you been successful in taking on an assignment that I have given to you? I have most often been successful when I have said yes to you without knowing all the details of what you were asking of me. In that way I have not been overwhelmed by the size of the assignment that you have given to me. The assignment from you was just as challenging but I took it on with one step at a time as I placed my full faith and trust in you. With every step I relied on you. With every step I kept my eyes on you. I did not look at the size of your assignment. I did not consider my weakness or inabilities. Instead, I relied on you for your help. That is very good.

What would you do if I told you to scope out the assignment that I was giving to you? I would do whatever you ask of me. Why might I ask you to scope out an assignment that I was giving to you? I think you might want me to know the size of the assignment so I would know right from the start how much I would need to rely on your help to complete the assignment. That’s right. What else? You might also want me to know the length of the assignment so I would know right from the start how much I would need your strength and endurance to complete the work. Yes, that is also right. In every assignment I know I will need to rely on you for your help so that I will have the strength and endurance to do whatever you ask of me. Will you rely on me? Will you go and do what I ask of you? Yes Lord, I will rely on you. That will be very good.

 Lord, I know that you have and you will again call on me to go and do what is difficult and even beyond my own abilities. I know that you want me to rely on you for your strength. I will keep my eyes on you, instead of on problems, as I trust you for your help. Amen

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

Let Us – Deuteronomy 1-22-25 – Spy Out The Land – 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