Monthly Archives: July 2024

Finds Doing

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61458619 – don’t quit text on notepad and red pencil

It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. Luke 12:43-44 (NIV)

Expectantly Waiting

I know that you are coming back. I know that the time is short one way or another. Very soon you will return to this earth or I will come to live forever in heaven with you. There is no time to sit around. There is no reason to become complacent. There is no opportunity to be laid back and lazy. I want to be busy doing all that you have given me to do for you. I want to make the most of every second. I want to use every minute. There is not a day that will go by that I don’t want to be busy serving you. I don’t want to be distracted. I won’t allow myself to be diverted. I want to remain on course. I want to keep in step. I want to follow you to where you lead me. I want to do all that you ask of me. That is very good.

I know that you have richly blessed my life. You have given me gifts, and talents and abilities and resources that all can be used for you. I know that much will be expected of me because so much has been given to me. I don’t want anything to go to waste. I don’t want anything to be left unused. I want to do your will and walk in your ways. I want to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. So, I am emphatically and enthusiastically saying to you now that everything I am and everything that I have is completely at your disposal. I am ready for your use. That is very good.

When you return to this earth or I come to live in heaven with you, I want to be found faithful in your sight. I want to hear that I have been your good and faithful servant. I know that I will need your help. I will need your strength. I will need your power. I can do nothing apart from you. So, I will rely on you every step of my life. I will rely on you to work in and through me. I will rely on your Holy spirit to give me all that I will need to live my life fully and completely for you. I ask that you will use me. Set me on fire to passionately love, follow and serve you on every day of my life. That I will do, you can be certain of that.

Lord, I will faithfully follow and serve you as I expectantly await your return. I want to be faithful in doing all that you have given me to do. I don’t want to waste a second. I want to use every minute to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Amen

Key Question… How has your expectation of the Lord’s return motivated your urgency in serving Him?

Living It Out… Faithfully follow and serve the Lord as you expectantly await His return.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that your life will be blessed as you faithfully follow and serve the Lord as you expectantly await His return.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are faithfully serving the Lord as you await His return.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you faithfully follow and serve the Lord as you expectantly wait for His return.

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

Blessing – Luke 12-43-44 – Finds Doing – 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

Mind Stayed On You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - The Mind - Isaiah 26:3 - Mind Stayed On You - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – The Mind – Isaiah 26:3 – Mind Stayed On You – Growing As Disciples

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

Perfect Peace

Do you know why you worry? I have a lot to worry about? No, that’s not it. That’s not the correct answer. Try again. I worry because I think that I am in control. I think that by worrying about something I can devote my thinking to it and solve my problem so that I will have no need to worry. That’s a much better answer. That answer is much closer to the truth. Has worrying helped you to solve a lot of your problems? No, not really. Maybe, worrying is one of your bigger problems. I think that worry is one of my biggest problems. You have a bigger problem than worry. You have a big problem that is the source of all your worries. I can’t even begin to guess what you are trying to tell me. I will help you to know what I am trying to tell you. That would be great. When you are worrying, who is in control of your life? When I am worrying, I am in control of my life or at least that’s what I think. Why do you think that you are in control? That’s a good question. I’m not really in control. I want to be in control. Why do you want to be in control? What makes you think that you are in control when you really are not in control? I think that I’m beginning to get what you are trying to tell me. Tell me what you are thinking. My pride makes me think that I am in control. My pride makes me want to be in control. My pride tells me that I should be in control. What does your pride lead you to do? My pride leads me to worry. That’s right. You got it. Great, I’ve got a lot of worry. We’re not done yet.  

Would you like to have my perfect peace instead of your worry? Yes, I would. If you want to have my perfect peace what must you do? I must give up on the idea that I am in control. I must let go of my pride and relinquish control of my life over to you. Instead of focusing my mind on my problems I must turn my thoughts to you. You will fill me with your perfect peace. Yes, I will. You will take care of me. Yes, I will. You are in control and I am not. Yes, I am. I can turn all my problems over to you. Yes, you can.

Lord, instead of allowing myself to be filled with worry and anxiety I am going to trust you. I will turn what worries me and causes me to be anxious over to you. You are my everlasting rock that I can trust now and forever. Amen

Key Question… When have you been able to turn your worries and anxieties over to the Lord?

Living It Out… Keep your thoughts on God instead of on your difficulties so that you will have His perfect peace.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you will have perfect peace that comes from God as you keep your thoughts on Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how keeping your thoughts on God has given you His perfect peace.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you set your mind on the Lord and the life He has for you so you can live in His peace.

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

The Mind -Isaiah 26-3 – Mind Stayed On You – 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

Ignore Criticism

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - If - Proverbs 13:18 - Ignore Criticism - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – If – Proverbs 13:18 – Ignore Criticism – Growing As Disciples

If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored.  Proverbs 13:18 (NLT)

An Honorable Life

Do you want to live an honorable life? Do you want to live the life that I have given you to live? Do you want me to mold and shape your life so that you can be the person that I have called you to be? Yes, I want to be all that you have called me to be. Yes, of course I want to live the life that you have given me to live. What might hinder me from living the life you have given me to live? What could stand in the way of me becoming the person that you have called me to be?

Those are two very good questions. You are the answer. I don’t understand. You could stand in the way of becoming the person that I have called you to be. You could hinder the work that I want to do in your life. You could be proud and arrogant. You could be defensive and resistant. You could think that you know it all. You might believe that you have no need to listen to words of constructive criticism. You could fail to accept life giving and life saving words of correction. You could put up walls of resistance that no one would dare approach. No one would come near. No one would speak into your life. No one would tell you what you need to see. Do you know why that is? I’m not sure. They would be sure that you would not listen. They would be unwilling to take a risk on you. They would not want to feel the pain of your defensive resistance.  

I don’t want to be this person. I want to welcome words of constructive criticism and correction into my life. I want everyone to know that I will hear and act on whatever they have to say to me. I want to be able to benefit from anyone and everyone who might help in molding and shaping my life. I will not be defensive. I will not be resistant. I will not put up walls. I will accept whatever you have to say to me. I will not be proud. I will not be arrogant. I want to be the person you have called me to be. I want to live the life that you have given me to live. Do your work in me. Speak into my life. I am listening. I hear your welcome. I know that you are listening. I will mold and shape your life. You will become the person I called you to be. You will live the life that I have given you to live.

Lord, I have not been a fan of constructive criticism. I have been resistant to words of correction. That has been a huge mistake. I will welcome your correction into my life.  I will receive and act on constructive criticism so I will be able to live an honorable life.  Amen

Key Question… Why is it dangerous to be known as someone that is unwilling to receive and act on constructive criticism?

Living It Out… Receive and act on all the constructive criticism you hear from others so you will be able to live an honorable life.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will speak to you through other’s constructive criticism to help you live an honorable life.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has used other’s constructive criticism to speak to you.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you accept correction so that you will live an honorable life.

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

If – Proverbs 13-18 – Ignore Criticism – 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

Don’t Give Up

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - If - Galatians 6:9- Don't Give Up - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – If – Galatians 6:9- Don’t Give Up – Growing As Disciples

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

Balance

You’re weary and worn out. I can see that. You have been working very hard. I know that. You have exhausted yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually. Don’t think that I like what I see. Don’t think that I ever want you to reach such a depleted condition. There is nothing praiseworthy in that. There is no blessing in reaching the point where you can go no farther or give no more. You have allowed your life to get out of balance. You have lost your joy. You have no vibrancy within you. That is not my plan. This is not my will. What is your plan? What is your will? I want what you want. I’m glad to hear that.

My plan is that you will rely on me. Your own strength will not be enough to sustain you. Draw near to me and I will draw near to you. I will revive you. I will refresh you. I will restore you. Allow me to fill you afresh with my Holy Spirit. Rely on my strength to carry you. Rely on my strength to sustain you. Come to me now. Rest in my presence. Receive your guidance from me. Allow me to guide and direct your life. I will lead you to where I want you to go. I will show you what I have given you to do for me. Don’t yes say to every request that comes your way. Do what I give you to do for me. Do nothing more. Do nothing less. It is a trick and a trap to wear yourself out in doing too many things. I will give you wisdom. I will help you to know what I want you to do for me. Does all this make sense to you? Will you do what I am asking of you? Yes Lord, I will do what you are asking of me.

You live in a body. That should come as no surprise to you. It doesn’t. You are not taking good care of your body. You can do nothing for me if you don’t take proper care of your body. What do you have in mind? You must get adequate sleep. You must eat a healthy diet. You must get good exercise. I get it. I will take care of my body. I have more to say to you. I’m listening. I want you to enjoy the life that I have given to you. I want your life to be filled with my joy. Do things that you enjoy. Take time to unwind. There is a time to relax just as there is a time to work. I want others to see my joy in you. Does this make sense to you? Yes, it does. You want me to work and play hard. Yes, I do. With your life in balance you will not grow weary. You will bear an abundance of fruit as you keep on serving me.

Lord, there have been many times I have let my life get out of balance. I have not had adequate sleep, good exercise and a healthy diet. I have relied on my own strength. Revive my life as I meet with you in prayer. Fill me and refresh me with your Holy Spirit. Amen

Key Question… Why will you wear out and grow weary of serving the Lord if you rely on your own strength?

Living It Out… Rely on the Lord to give you all the strength that you will need to keep on serving Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you will reap a rich harvest for the Lord if you never give up on serving Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has strengthened you to keep on serving Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you never tire of doing good so that you will reap a rich harvest because you did not give up.

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

If – Galatians 6-9 – Don’t Give Up – 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