Monthly Archives: July 2021

The Spirit Helps Us In Our Weakness

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The Spirit Empowered Life - Day 131 - Romans 8:26-27 - The Spirit Helps Us In Our Weakness - Growing As Disciples

The Spirit Empowered Life – Day 131 – Romans 8:26-27 – The Spirit Helps Us In Our Weakness – Growing As Disciples

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. Romans 8:26-27 (NIV)

Help

I need that without a doubt. What do you need without a doubt? I need help without a doubt. I desperately need your help without a doubt. How have you come to realize that you desperately need my help? I have foolishly relied on myself. I tried and failed miserably to be self-reliant and self-sufficient. Learning the foolishness of my self-reliance and self-sufficiency has not come quickly or easily. I have suffered bruising and battering and brokenness as I have slowly learned that I desperately need to rely on you. I have learned painful lessons that I have no desire to repeat. That’s good. As painful as the lessons were, it was critically important that you learn them. Of that, I am sure.

I have more to say about relying on you. I’m listening. I cannot assume that I have learned the lesson of relying on you fully and completely. I cannot say that I don’t need to be on guard against drifting back toward self-reliance and self-sufficiency. Every day I will need to reaffirm that I will be relying on you to help me in my weakness. Every day I will need to give you control of my life. Every day I will need to ask for your help. That will be very good.

I have even more to say. I am still listening. I am so weak. I am so in need. I don’t need a little bit of help here and there and now and then. Realizing that you are weak and need help is a very good thing. Do not let your weakness discourage or defeat you. I specialize in working through weakness. I work best through weakness. I work most powerfully when you rely most completely on me. If you think you are strong and capable, you will only get in the way of my accomplishing God’s will in and through you. That is so helpful. That is so encouraging. For that, I am so very thankful.

I have more to say. Now it is I who is listening. I am praying for you. I am interceding for you. I am praying that God’s purposes and plans will be accomplished in and through you. I will give you prayers to pray. I will pray through you with groans that words cannot express. Be sure of this, I am with you to help you. Rely on me. That I will do. That will be very good.

Holy Spirit, I am weak. I need help. It has been foolish for me to rely on myself. No more of that! I will fully rely on you. Help me to pray when I have no idea how to pray. Intercede for me in accordance with God’s will so I will live a fruitful life, pleasing to Him. Amen

Key Question…  How have you come to better understand why you need to rely on the Holy Spirit to help you?

Living It Out…  Rely on the Holy Spirit to help you in your weakness.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that you can rely on the Holy Spirit to help you in your weakness.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are relying on the Holy Spirit to help you in your weakness.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you rely on the Holy Spirit to help you in your weakness.

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

The Spirit Empowered Life – Day 131 – Romans 8-26-27 – The Spirit Helps Us In Our Weakness – 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

Now Listen

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The Prayer Filled Life - Day 68 - James 4:13-17 - Now Listen - Growing As Disciples

The Prayer Filled Life – Day 68 – James 4:13-17 – Now Listen – Growing As Disciples

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.  Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins. James 4:13-17 (NIV)

Your Plans

What are your plans? That sounds like a trick question to me. It might be, why do you think so? You want me to discuss my plans with you. If I have made elaborate plans without discussing them with you, that is not good. That is a huge problem. Why is that? You want me to know and do your will. You want me to be able to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. You want me to store up treasure in heaven with you. Plans that don’t have you in them will amount to nothing of lasting and eternal value. Plans to pursue all that this world has to offer will surely result in a wasted and misspent life. I don’t want to waste and misspend my life. One day I want to hear you say, “Well done good and faithful servant.” Nothing will give me more pleasure and joy than knowing that I have gone and done your will. I will have no greater happiness than knowing that I have lived a life that was pleasing to you. That is very good.

So, better questions, that are not a trick questions, would be my asking, “What are your plans for me?” How can I go and do your will today? How can I bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name? How can I store up treasure in heaven with you now? Those questions are in my heart and on my mind. Why is that true? Why are you asking such good questions of me? I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I love you with all that is within me. There is nothing I would rather do than go and do what is pleasing to you. I see, how did you come to love me so deeply? I love you because you first loved me. You rescued me from a life without you. You saved my soul. You forgave my sins and cleansed my unrighteousness. You gave me a new life to live. That life is with you. You made it so I could love you with all that is within me. Now, I want to live and walk in an intimate relationship as I go and do your will. That is very good and so you shall. One day I will say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, many times I have relied on myself. I have made my own plans. I have gone my own way. I have suffered disastrous results by making dumb decisions. No more! I will rely on you by listening to your voice. Help me to be fruitful for your kingdom and glory. Amen

Key Question…  When are you setting aside time to stop and listen to the Lord so you can know and do His will?

Living It Out…  Listen attentively to the Lord so you will be able to know and do His will, bearing fruit for His Kingdom and glory.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Lord will help you to know and do His will when you listen attentively to Him.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are continually seeking to know and do the Lord’s will.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you listen to the voice of the Lord so you can know and do His will.

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

The Prayer Filled Life – Day 68 – James 4-13-17 – Now Listen – 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

For The Word Of God Is Living And Active

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The Word Centered Life - Day 5 - Hebrews 4:12 - For The Word Of God Is Living And Active - Growing As Disciples

The Word Centered Life – Day 5 – Hebrews 4:12 – For The Word Of God Is Living And Active – Growing As Disciples

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) 

Be Thankful 

You can be thankful for that. I can be thankful for what? You can be thankful that my word is living and active. My word is like a sharp double-edged sword. My word will penetrate deeply within you. You will be changed as you meet with me in my word. I will use my word to change your heart. I will use my word to transform your mind. I will use my word to guard and guide your life. Not a thought or word or action of yours will be left untouched by my word. My word will make all your thoughts and words and action brand new as it dwells in you. For this I am thankful.

My word is as relevant today as when it was first written. My word will jump off the page and speak powerfully into your life. At times, you will think that certain words were written just for you. You will receive wisdom from my word. You will receive hope and peace and joy as you listen attentively to me speaking to you through my word. For this I am thankful.

Don’t wander away from my word. Keep my word ever before you. My word will mold and shape you. My word will prune your life. My word will make it so you can bear an abundance of fruit for my kingdom. My word will make it so you can bring glory to my name. My word working in you, will make you shine as a bright and bold witness in the darkness of this world. For this I am thankful. 

Let my word dwell in you richly. Think deeply about all I am saying to you. Take a firm grip on my word so that it will take a firm grip on you. You will find protection from my word. My word will make you able to resist temptation and fight against evil. Your faith and hope and trust in me will grow as you remain in my word. For this I am thankful.

Your word is beyond compare. There is no place I would rather be than meeting with you in your word. There is nothing I would do than listen to all that you have to say to me. So, I will meet with you daily in your word. I will hide your word in my heart. I will treasure your word above all else. That will be very good.

Heavenly Father, I know that your word is living and active. I know that you will use your word like a sword to work in me, for me, and through me. Deeply penetrate my heart with your word. Use your word to change all the thoughts and attitudes of my heart. Amen

Key Question…  How are you allowing God’s word to penetrate your heart so it can do its life changing work in you?

Living It Out…  Allow God’s word to guard and guide all your thoughts and words and actions.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that God will use His word to change your heart, transform your mind, and guide your life.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are allowing God’s to penetrate deeply into your heart.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you allow God’s word to penetrate you so it can transform the thoughts and attitudes of your heart.

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

The Word Centered Life – Day 5 – Hebrews 4-12 – For The Word Of God Is Living And Active – 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

Understands And Knows Me

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The Sacramental Life - Day 322 - Jeremiah 9:23-24 - Understands And Knows Me - Growing As Disciples

The Sacramental Life – Day 322 – Jeremiah 9:23-24 – Understands And Knows Me – Growing As Disciples

This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches,  but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NIV)

Know Me

Do you want to know me? Yes Lord, I want to understand and know you. I don’t want to know you a little bit. It is my hope and dream and desire and goal and prayer that I will come to know you intimately. I want to walk through life with you. I want to hear your voice. I want to follow you to where you lead me. I want to do what you ask of me. This is quite a change within you. Yes, at one time I had very different priorities. You might have heard or seen me boasting in my wisdom or strength or maybe even in my riches. I did. Oddly enough, I’m not sure how any of those could have ever been my boast, I had so little of any of them. Nevertheless, I still placed my faith in myself. I trusted in my own wisdom, strength, and riches. What foolishness. There is no surer road to discouragement and defeat and depression than in relying on oneself. That was me. That is what I did. That is how I lived. What happened? What turned your life around? You turned my life around. You showed me the foolishness of my own ways. You brought me to yourself. You forgave my sin. You cleansed my unrighteous. You filled me with your Spirit. You gave me a new life to live. You caused me to hunger for you. You allowed to taste of your kindness and mercy and love. You drew me into a relationship with you. You lavished me with your love. You poured out your blessing on me. I now love you because you first loved me. Now, because I love you, I want to live in ways that delight you. What delights me? My thinking and speaking and acting like you brings you delight. My living as you lived brings you delight. My exercising kindness, justice, and righteousness, as you do, brings you delight. My bearing fruit for your kingdom and bringing glory to your name delights you. My living in an intimate relationship with you brings you delight. Yes, these all bring me delight. Me too. I love to live in your delight. That is very good.

Lord, it is my desire, goal, and prayer to come to understand and know you. Nothing is a close second. I will never boast in wisdom or strength or riches. They will always fail me. As I come to understand and know you, help me to live in ways that will delight you. Amen

Key Question…  How have you made it your desire, goal, and prayer to understand and know the Lord?

Living It Out…  Make it your desire, goal, and prayer to come to understand and know the Lord.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that you will be able to live in ways that delight the Lord as you come to understand and know Him.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has helped you to come to understand and know Him.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you understand and know the Lord so you can live in ways that delight Him.

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

The Sacramental Life – Day 322 – Jeremiah 9-23-24 – Understands And Knows Me – 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

What Does It Profit?

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The Compassionate Life - Day 256 - James 2:14-17 - What Does It Profit? - Growing As Disciples

The Compassionate Life – Day 256 – James 2:14-17 – What Does It Profit? – Growing As Disciples

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?  If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?  Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:14-17 (NKJV)

Take Action

My faith in you requires that without a doubt. Your faith in me requires what, without a doubt? My faith in you requires me to take action. What kind of action does your faith in me require of you? I’m not sure where to begin and where to end in answering that question. Actually, there is no end to answering that question. My faith in you requires something every day. That something is new and different and unfolding every day as I love and follow and serve you. To begin my journey of faith with you, I turned away from my old life of sin. I stopped living according to the principles, patterns, and values of this world. I traded in an earthly perspective for a heavenly perspective. I stopped trying to store up treasure on earth. I stopped living for the applause of the world. My focus was taken off myself and the things of this life. My heart and mind and life are now focused on you. I am following you to where you lead me. I am doing what you ask of me. You have been molding and shaping my life as I have lived with and for you. You have given me new thoughts to think, words to speak, and actions to take. You have placed new desires in me. What new desires have I placed in you? You have given me the desire to serve you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I am now at your service. My faith in you is living and active. I want to be able to know and do your will. What is my will for you? You want me to become like you. You want me to love like you loved. You want me to give like you gave. You want me to serve like you served. Yes, this is my will for you.

So now, my faith in you is taking action. I will no longer ignore those who are in need. I will no longer walk right on by those who are suffering. I will allow you to use me to love and serve others. As I take action, I know that I will be bearing fruit for your kingdom and bringing glory to your name. As I take action, I know that I will be a bright and bold witness for you in the world. As I take action, I know that I will be storing up treasure in heaven with you. This is the desire you have placed in my heart and mind and life. This is the life you have called me to live. This is what faith looks like. It requires me to take action. Yes, it does. This is what I will do. That will be very good.

Lord, my faith is not theoretical. My faith is not simply accepting theological doctrines. My faith has turned my life around and changed my perspective. My faith in you has transformed my thoughts, words, and actions. Now it is my desire to help others in need. Amen

Key Question…  When has your faith caused you to take dramatic action to help someone in need?

Living It Out…  Make sure that your faith is alive and proved genuine by helping others who are in need.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that your faith will lead you to want to help others who are in need.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how your faith has led you to go out of your way to help others in need.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May your faith be alive and cause you to do good works.

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

The Compassionate Life – Day 256 – James 2-14-17 – What Does It Profit? – 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

Do Not Conform

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The Virtuous Life - Day 194 - Romans 12:1-2 - Do Not Conform- Growing As Disciples

The Virtuous Life – Day 194 – Romans 12:1-2 – Do Not Conform- Growing As Disciples

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

Transformed

Is that what you would like? Is what would I like? Would you like to be transformed? Would you like to have a new mind? Would you like to think and speak and act in ways that are pleasing to me? Would you like to be able to know and do my will? Yes, I would like to be transformed. Yes, I would like to be able to know and do your will. Yes, I would like to think and speak and act in ways that are pleasing to you. Why do you have this desire in you? I have tasted of your kindness and mercy and love. Because of all that you have done for me, I now want to live my life with and for you. I would like to give myself completely to you as a living sacrifice, as a spiritual act of worship. I want to love and follow and serve you with all that is within me. That is very good. 

There is a problem. What is the problem? You live in a world filled with sin and darkness and evil. You are in danger, at all times, of being conformed to the pattern of the world. If you do nothing, you will think and speak and act like everyone else in the world. If you allow yourself to be conformed to the world you will never be able to know and do my will. If you allow yourself to be conformed to the world, you will never life a life that is pleasing to me. Do you understand? A battle is constantly raging over your heart and mind. Yes, I understand. What must I do to have a transformed mind? You must allow me to use my word to transform your mind. You must take my word deeply into your heart and mind. My word will make you able to know and do my will. My word will make you able to think and speak and act in ways that please me. My word will prevent you from ever being conformed to this world. Will You take my word deeply into your heart and mind? Will you allow me to use my word to transform your mind. Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good. 

Lord, I know this world is continually trying to conform me to its pattern. I know if I do nothing, I will think and speak and act like everyone else in the world. That is not going to happen. I will allow you to use your word to completely transform my mind. Amen

Key Question…  How is God’s word transforming your mind so that you can think, say, and do what is pleasing to Him?

Living It Out…  Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind so you can know and do God’s will.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that God will transform your mind so you can know and do His will.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are allowing God to use His word to transform your mind.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you not be conformed to this word but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

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

The Virtuous Life – Day 194- Romans 12-1-2 – Do Not Conform – 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

Rekindle The Gift

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The Spirit Empowered Life - Day 130 - 2 Timothy 1:6-7 - Rekindle The Gift - Growing As Disciples

The Spirit Empowered Life – Day 130 – 2 Timothy 1:6-7 – Rekindle The Gift – Growing As Disciples

For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;  for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:5-7 (NRSV)

On Fire

That is what I want. That is what I will ask you to do in me, for me, and through me. What do you want? What do you want me to do in you, for you, and through you? I want you to set me on fire. I want to shine brightly for you in the darkness of this world. I want to burn white hot and be full of passion so that I can boldly use all the spiritual gifts you have given to me to minister to others. I want you to use me to build your kingdom. I want you to use me to go out into the world to make disciples. I want you to help me to store up treasure in heaven with you. As I have frequently said, I want to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. You have a very good request in your heart and on your mind. What has happened to you? You tell me. You have stirred up this desire in me. You have given me the desire to serve you with all that is within me. Yes, that is true. But you must have come to some new understanding or realization. Again, that is you at work within me. You have helped me to see that the spiritual gifts I have been given are largely dormant and going unused. That is not good. This is a tragedy. This cannot continue. You do have good insight and wise thinking at work within you.

What do you want from me? What can I do for you? Well, I want you to help me to rekindle and fan into flame the gifts that you have given to me. For starters, help me to understand more clearly all the spiritual gifts you have given to me. Let not one go undiscovered. Let not one be unused. Place me where you can use me. Give me a new assignment. Help me to join you in the work that you are doing in the world around. Give me an invitation that is unmistakable. Help me to respond with boldness and power and self-discipline that can only come from you. Enable me to go and do whatever you ask of me. This is my prayer. This is what you can do for me. This is what I am asking of you today, here, and right now. I will hear and answer this prayer of yours. I will boldly use you in my service. I will fan the flame within you. I will make you white hot and passionate about serving me. Thank you, Holly Spirit.

Holy Spirit, I know I have been given spiritual gifts to use to minister to others. I know that my spiritual gifts have not been boldly and fully used to serve others. Many of my gifts have gone unused and dormant. Help me to rekindle and fully use my spiritual gifts. Amen

Key Question…  What spiritual gifts have you been given to use to serve God in ministry to others?

Living It Out…  Step out and boldly use the spiritual gifts you have been given to minister to others.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Holy Spirit will empower you to use the spiritual gifts you have been given.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are boldly using the spiritual gifts you have been given.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you rekindle and boldly use the spiritual gifts you have been given.

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

The Spirit Empowered Life – Day 130 – 2 Timothy 1-6-7 – Rekindle The Gift – 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

If Any Of You Lacks Wisdom

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The Prayer Filled Life - Day 67 - James 1:5-8 - If Any Of You Lacks Wisdom - Growing As Disciples

The Prayer Filled Life – Day 67 – James 1:5-8 – If Any Of You Lacks Wisdom – Growing As Disciples

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:5-8 (NIV)

Nothing Could Be More Obvious

I will start by admitting that nothing could be more obvious. Nothing could be more glaringly apparent. Nothing could be more easily recognizable. What are you talking about? What is so obvious and glaring apparent, and easily recognizable? I am not wise. Now, I want to make one additional point crystal clear before I go any further. What point do you want to make? My lack of wisdom is so obvious and glaringly apparent and easily recognizable to everyone else, except to me. That is how unwise I am. Or, I could also say that is how foolish I have been. But I should not stop at acknowledging my lack of wisdom and my foolishness. Why is that? There is something worse and darker and more sinister within in me. If I was only unwise and foolish that would be bad enough. But there is a sadder reason for my lack of wisdom and my large amount of foolishness. What is that? I am filled with pride. There, I have said it. I admit that my foolish pride has prevented me from asking you for wisdom because I have thought of myself as being wise. I have thought that I had no need of any help. I have been self-reliant and self-sufficient. I have been strong willed and independent. That is not good. I know. My lack of wisdom and my large amount of foolishness has caused me a great deal of pain. I cannot tell you how many unwise and foolish decisions I have made. There is no need of that, I already know, and even far better than you know yourself. Of that, I am sure.

What do you want to do now? How do you want to change your course? Well, I think that I am where you want me to be. Where is that? I am freely admitting my lack of wisdom to you. That’s good. I am also ready to take the next step that I know you want me to take. What step is that? I will ask you for the wisdom I need. I believe that you have brought me to this place. You have given me the desire to place all my faith and hope and trust in you. I want to leave my pride and foolishness behind me. I want to rely on you and your wisdom. So here I am, humbly asking you for your wisdom. Guide all my thoughts and words and actions by your wisdom. Guide the entire course of my life by your wisdom. Help me to know and do your will. Help me to live the life that you have called me to live. I will hear and answer your prayer. I will generously give you, my wisdom. Thank you, Heavenly Father.

Heavenly Father, there is one thing of which I am certain. There is one thing of which I have no doubt. I am not wise. I lack wisdom. Of that there is no question. So, with a heart filled with faith, I will ask you for your wisdom. Guide my life by your wisdom. Amen

Key Question…  How are you now asking for and relying on God’s wisdom to guide the course of your life?

Living It Out…  Admit to God that you are not wise and ask Him to give you wisdom to guide all your thoughts, words, and actions.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that God will give you all the wisdom you will need to guide the course of your life.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are asking for and relying on God’s wisdom.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you, with a heart filled with faith, ask God for His wisdom.

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

The Prayer Filled Life – Day 67 – James 1-5-8 – If Any Of You Lacks Wisdom – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Love The Lord Your God

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The Word Centered Life - Day 4 - Deuteronomy 6:4-9 - Love The Lord Your God - Growing As Disciples

The Word Centered Life – Day 4 – Deuteronomy 6:4-9 – Love The Lord Your God – Growing As Disciples

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.                        Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NIV)

Impress

That is a very important word. What is a very important word? “Impress” is a very important word. Why is that such an important word? I will ask you a few questions that will help you to understand the importance of the word, “impress”. How will you allow my word to be impressed in your heart and on your mind? How will you make sure that my word is also impressed in the hearts and on the minds of your children? What will you do to make sure that my word does not go in one of your ears and out the other? What will sharpen your focus and keep your attention on my word? How will you know without a doubt that you are listening attentively to me? How will you know for sure that my word is changing your heart, transforming your mind, and guiding your life? How will you be certain that you are taking a firm grip on my word so that you will be able to put it into practice, as you love and follow and serve me? Now, are you beginning to understand the importance of that word, “impress”? I want my word to be deeply impressed in your heart and on your mind. And not only yours, but in your children’s hearts and minds, as well. I understand. I get it. That’s good.

Those were all rhetorical questions. I want you to think deeply about each one. I don’t expect you to answer every one of them right now. But here is a question that I would like you to answer now. How will you impress my word deeply in your heart and on your mind? I will study your word. I will meditate on and memorize your word. I will teach and pray your word. I will even sing your word. Your word will be continually before me. But most of all, daily I will take a firm hold of your word so that I will be able to put it into practice, as I love and follow and serve you. That will be very good.

Lord, I want nothing more to hear from you. I want your word to be deeply impressed in my heart and to be continually on my mind. I will meditate on and memorize your word. I will study, teach, pray, and sing your word. Daily, I will put your word into practice. Amen

Key Question…  What strategies are you using to make sure that you keep God’s word in your heart and on your mind?

Living It Out…  Allow God’s word to be impressed in your heart and on your mind as you love, and follow, and serve Him.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that God has given you His word to guard and guide the course of your life.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are impressing God’s word in your heart and on your mind.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you allow God’s word to be impressed in your heart and on your mind as you love, follow, and serve Him.

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

The Word Centered Life – Day 4 – Deuteronomy 6-4-9 – Love The Lord Your God – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

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

This Is The Message

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The Sacramental Life - Day 317 - 1 John 1:5-10 - This Is The Message- Growing As Disciples

The Sacramental Life – Day 317 – 1 John 1:5-10 – This Is The Message – Growing As Disciples

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.  So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.  But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.  If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.    1 John 1:5-10 (NLT)

The Message

You got the message.  The message was declared to you. In me there is no darkness at all. I am light. You cannot live in an intimate relationship with me and go on living in spiritual darkness. Following me required you to turn away from darkness and leave your old life of sin far behind you. It would have been a tragic mistake for you to maintain that there was no sin in you. To think or say that would only be foolishness on your part. The only person being fooled would have been yourself. But that was not what you thought or did. You did not deny your own sinfulness. You did not try to hide your own unrighteousness. You did what you needed to do.  You acknowledged and confessed your sin to me so you could receive forgiveness of your sin and cleansing of your unrighteousness Then you have kept on walking in the light with me. Then you have not turned back. You have kept on moving forward with me, living in daily fellowship with me and with your fellow believers.  You have been and are now allowing me to change your heart and transform your mind. You are allowing me to do my good work in you. And you are a work in progress. Moment by moment and day by day, I am molding and shaping you. I am removing from you what is not pleasing to me. I am making you to be more like me. My work in you will not end in this life, of that you can be certain. When will I complete my work in you? Only when you see me will you fully become like me, because you will see me as I am. In that moment you will be completely changed. How does all this sound to you? Keep on doing your good work in me. Keep on purifying my heart and mind and life. Keep on making me to be like you. I have heard the message. I will walk in the light with you! That is very good.

Lord, I have turned away from darkness and confessed my sin to you. Thank you for forgiving my sins and cleansing my unrighteousness. Help me to walk in the light with you. Help me to live in an intimate relationship with you and fellow believers. Amen

Key Question…  How are you making it your decision to turn away from darkness to walk in the light with the Lord?

Living It Out…  Confess your sins to the Lord so you can be forgiven and cleansed of your sins as you walk in the light with Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will forgive and cleanse your sins as you confess them, as you walk in the light with Him.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are confessing your sins, as you walk in the light with the Lord.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you live in the light as God is in the light.

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

The Sacramental Life – Day 321 – 1 John 1-5-10 – This Is The Message – 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