Monthly Archives: July 2025

Showing Yourselves

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Discipleship - John 15:5-8 - Show Yourselves - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Discipleship – John 15:5-8 – Show Yourselves – Growing As Disciples

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:5-8 (NIV)

Connected

Do you want to bear fruit for my kingdom? Do you want to bring glory to my name? Would you like to shine brightly for me in the world? Would like to pray prayers that I will hear and answer? Do you want to think my thoughts, speak my words and do my deeds? Would you like your life to demonstrate that you truly are one of my disciples? You have described the desires of my heart, the thoughts of my mind and the goal of my life. I will give you an emphatic yes to each one of your questions. I want to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. I want to shine brightly as one of your witnesses in the world. I want to pray prayers that you will hear and answer. I do want to think and speak and act like you. In every way, I want to become like you. To top all this off, I would like my life to demonstrate that I am truly one of your disciples. Why are all these things the desires of your heart, thoughts of your mind and goals of your life? I have these desires because I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I want to live in an intimate relationship with you. I want to remain vitally connected to you. That is very good.

If you remain vitally connected to me you will live out all these desires of your heart. You will bear fruit for me. Your prayers will be heard and answered. You will be a bright witness in the world for me. You will bear an abundance of fruit for my kingdom. You will bring glory to name. My hand will be on you. I will bless and use your life. I will certainly remain vitally connected to you. How will you remain vitally connected to me? I will come to you. I will meet with you. I will be still before you. I will bow down to worship you. I will give thanks and praise and honor and glory to you. I will listen to your instruction. I will follow your guidance. I will meditate on your word. I will put into practice all that you are teaching me. In every way, I will live in an intimate relationship with you. I will follow you to where you lead me. I will do whatever you ask of me. That will be very good.

Lord, I will remain in you. I will draw near to you as you draw near to me. I will meet with you in prayer. I will meet with you in your word. I will meet with you in worship. Use my life to bear abundant fruit. Help me to show that I really am one of your disciples. Amen

Key Question… Where has the Lord led you to go and serve Him so you could bear an abundance of fruit for His kingdom?

Living It Out… Remain in Jesus Christ so you can bear abundant fruit and show yourself to be His disciple.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will bear abundant fruit through your life as you continue to remain in Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are remaining in Jesus Christ.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you remain in Jesus Christ so you can bear abundant fruit thereby showing yourself to be His disciple.

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

Discipleship – John 15-5-8 – Showing Yourselves – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

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

Called To Him

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Discipleship - Mark 3:13-14 - Called To Him - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Discipleship – Mark 3:13-14 – Called To Him – Growing As Disciples

And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach Mark 3:13-14 (ESV)

With Him

I chose you. I wanted you. I called you. Does that surprise you? Yes, that does surprise me. Why is that? I did not want you. I was not interested in coming to you. I had no desire to follow you. It was not my plan to serve you. There was nothing in me that deserved a call from you. I did not merit your forgiveness. I did not earn your salvation. I was a pathetic human being. I was self-reliant. I was self-sufficient. I was self-indulgent. I was living and walking a dark and sinful path that led away from you. I thought that I didn’t need or want anything from anyone. I lived solely for my own comfort and pleasure. I used people and consumed things. I lived as the center of my own universe. I was my own god. You have a good assessment of your old life without me.

What happened to you? How did I get your attention? What turned your life around? How did you hear my call? What made you want to come to me? I was living a bruised and battered and broken life. I was hurting people. People were hurting me. I was getting paid the wages of my sin. What are the wages of sin? The wages of sin is death. Death was a good description of my life. I was weary and worn out. I was discouraged, depressed and defeated. I was without hope in the world. I was at the end of my rope. I was in the bottom of a deep hole with no way out. It seemed like there was nowhere to turn but to you. That is how you got my attention. So, I cried out to you. I asked you to show yourself to me. That’s good.

Did I show myself to you? Yes, you did. You drew me to yourself. I confessed my sins to you. I turned my life over to you. You forgave my sins and cleansed me of all my unrighteousness. Yes, I did. What else am I doing for you? You brought me into your presence. You restored my soul. You are changing my heart. You are transforming my mind. You are guiding my life. Now, I love you with all my heart and mind and soul. Yes, you do. I can see that in you. What does your love for me make you want to do for me? I want to obey you. I want to follow you. I want to serve you. I want to live my life with and for you. That is very good.

Where do you think I will send you? What do you think I will ask of you? You will send me out into the world. You will ask me to tell others about the new life that they can have in you. Will you do that for me? Will you go where I send you to do what I ask of you? Gladly, without a doubt. I am at your service. Use my life to fulfill your purposes and accomplish your plans. Yes, I will.

Lord, thank you for calling me to come to you. I heard your call. You helped me to come to you. Now, there is no place I would rather be than in your presence. Now, there is nothing I would rather do than go out into the world to serve you. Prepare me. Use me. Amen

Key Question… What has Jesus Christ given you to go out and do for him in the world?

Living It Out… Come to the Lord and be with Him so you can be prepared to go out to serve Him in the world.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that coming to Jesus Christ and being with Him will prepare you to go out to serve Him in the world.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has prepared you to go out to serve Him in the world.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you come To Jesus so you can be with Him to be prepared to go out to serve Him in the world.

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

Discipleship – Mark 3-13-14 – Called To Him – 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

Liberty To The Captives

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Discipleship - Luke 4:18-19 - Liberty To The Captives - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Discipleship – Luke 4:18-19 – Liberty To The Captives – Growing As Disciples

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19 (ESV)

Like Me

Do you want to be like me? Do you want to live the kind of life I lived? Do you want to go and do what I did? Do you want to follow my example? Do you want to think my thoughts? Do you want to speak my words? Do you want to do my deeds? Do you want to live the life that I am calling you to live? Yes Lord, I want to say yes to every question that you have asked of me. I want to be like you. I want to go and do what you did. I want to think your thoughts, speak your words and do your deeds. I want to know your will and walk in your ways. I want to fulfill your purposes and accomplish your plans for my life. I will follow your example. I will live the life that you are calling me to live. That is very good.

What can I expect? What will I look like? Where will I go and what will I do? Do those seem like good questions to you? I thought so, maybe not. I’m not sure. Let me hear your answers to you own questions. If I follow you, I will go where you lead me and do what you ask of me. I will go and do what you did.  What did I do? You proclaimed good news to the poor. You proclaimed liberty to the captives and those who were oppressed. You proclaimed recovering of sight to the blind. Yes, I did. Can you go and do these things? Not on my own I can’t, that’s for sure. You are right about that. Am I asking you to go and do anything with your own power and strength? No, you are not. What are my promises to you? You will lead me. You will guide me. You will teach and train me. You will always be with me to help me. Yes, I will. What else? You will fill me with your Holy Spirit. Your Holy Spirit will give me the ability and power to do whatever you ask of me. That’s right. I am excited to live the life that you have called me to live. That is very good. 

Lord, I want to become like you in all my thoughts and words and deeds. I want to go and do what you did. Use me to proclaim your good news to the poor, liberty to the captives and oppressed and sight to the blind as I love, follow and serve you every day. Amen

Key Question… How has the Lord used you to proclaim the good news of salvation in Him to those who do not know Him?

Living It Out… Follow Jesus Christ so you can become like Him and go and do what He did.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit will make you able to do what He did.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are becoming more like Jesus in thought, word and deed?

Prayer To Bless Others… May you become like Jesus Christ as you do what He did.

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

Discipleship – Luke 4-18-19 – Liberty To The Captives – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study

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

Whoever Believes In Me

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Discipleship - John 14:12-14 - Lacks Wisdom - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Discipleship – John 14:12-14 – Lacks Wisdom – Growing As Disciples

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. John 14:12-14 (ESV)

Ask Me

I want to go wherever you lead me. I want to do whatever you ask of me. I want to follow your example. I want to do the same kind of good works that you did. I want to live like you lived. I want to give like you gave. I want to serve like you served. I want to love like you loved. I want to do all the good works that you give me to do. I want to bear fruit for your kingdom. I want to bring glory to your name. In everything I think, say and do I want to glorify the Father just as you glorified the Father. These are very good desires that you have in your heart and mind and life.

These desires in my heart and mind and life form this prayer of mine. This is what I am asking of you. This is what I am praying in your name. This is the prayer that I believe that you will hear and answer. Why is that? Your promises are true. Your word is strong. I can hold on to you and your word. Yes, you can. You will do whatever you have promised. You will accomplish your purposes and plans in and through my life. You will use me in your service. You will allow me to do what you have done. You will be with me to help me. You will teach and train and guide me to follow your example. You will give my life purpose and meaning as I accomplish the good works you have given me to do for you. I will have joy and peace in being able to know and do your will. I believe in you.  I will trust you. I will rely on you for all that I need to go and do your will. You can be certain of that. You are right to place all your faith and hope and trust in me. You are right to ask me to use your life to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to the Heavenly Father. I will accomplish my purposes and plans in your life. I will hear and answer this prayer of yours.

Lord, I believe in you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. You are my Savior and Lord. I will follow you where you lead me. I will do what you ask of me. Thank you for hearing my prayer and making me able to do good works that will bring glory to God.

Key Question… Why will the Lord often give you good works to do that are beyond your ability and power to do them?

Living It Out… Believe in Jesus Christ and do good works that will bring glory to God.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that as you believe in the Lord you will be able to do good works that bring glory to God.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you have been able to do good works that bring glory to God.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you believe in Jesus Christ and do the works He did so you can glorify the Father.

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

Discipleship – John 14-12-14 – Whoever Believes In 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

Fought The Good Fight

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Discipleship - 2 Timothy 4:7-8- Fought The Good Fight - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Discipleship – 2 Timothy 4:7-8- Fought The Good Fight – Growing As Disciples

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NLT) 

Faithful

I want to remain faithful. I want to fight the good fight of faith. I want to run well on the course that you have laid out for me. I want to receive the prize that you have waiting for me on the day of your return. I eagerly await the day that I will come to live forever in heaven with you. Those are very good desires.

Do you have any questions? Do you have any concerns? Yes, I do. Ask me your questions. Tell me your concerns. If being faithful depends entirely on me I have big concerns. Why is that? I’m sure that I will need your help to remain faithful. I certainly will need your help to fight the battles I will face in life. I know for sure that I will need your help to run well the course that you have laid out for me. Yes, you will need my help. You will not be able to fight the battles of life with your own strength. You will not be able to run well without relying on me. There should be no doubt in your mind about two things. What’s that? You will need my help and you will have my help. That’s good.

What will you do to rely on me? What will you do because you will need my help? How often do you think you will need my help? How long can you go without relying on me? Those are all very good questions. I can’t go one step in my race of faith without your help. I can’t fight one battle without relying on you. The second I start relying on myself to fight strong or run well I will be in deep trouble. I will be heading for discouragement and defeat. That’s right. I will come to you to ask for your help. How often? I will come and ask for your help through every moment of every day. I will live constantly dependent how you. I will keep my heart and mind and eyes and life focused on you as I go through all the twists and turns and ups and downs of life. I will hold on to you as you hold on to me. You will help me to fight strong, run well and keep the faith. You will make me able to receive the prize that you have waiting for me in heaven. Yes, I will. That’s very good.

Lord, I will keep my eyes on you as I fight the good fight and run the race that you have laid out before me. Help me to remain faithful. Help me to fight strong. Help me to run well. Help me to keep all my faith in you. I eagerly look forward to your return. Amen

Key Question… How are you remaining in training so that you will fight strong and run well as a follower of Jesus Christ?

Living It Out… Fight the good fight and run the good race as you keep all your faith in Jesus Christ.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to fight the good fight, run the race, and keep your faith in Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are fighting the good fight and running your race of faith.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you fight the good fight and run a good race as you keep your faith in Jesus Christ.

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

Discipleship – 2 Timothy 4-7-8 – Fought The Good Fight – 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

Light Of The World

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Discipleship - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - Light Of The World - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Discipleship – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – Light Of The World – Growing As Disciples

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)

Light

I know one thing for sure. What’s that? Light does not come from me. I’m not a source of light. Why do you say that? I say that because it is the truth. Without you, I would be living and walking in darkness. That’s true. But, you have come to me. You have turned away from the darkness of your old life without me. You are drawing near to me as I draw near to you. You are coming into my presence. Your heart and mind and life are being changed day-by-day as you live your life with and for me. You were once full of darkness. Now you are filled with light. Your life has become a reflection of me. You are thinking my thoughts. You are speaking my words. You are doing my deeds. These are the desires of my heart. That’s good.

How can I shine brightly for you in the world? Go where I guide you. Do what I ask of you. Rely on me to work in and through your life. Remain in my presence. Live in an intimate relationship with me. You know the work I have given you to do. You know the life that I have called you to live. Be faithful. Be persistent. Be thankful. Rejoice that I have called you to be a light in the world. Rejoice that many will be drawn to me through the testimony of your life. Give thanks that I will make you able to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. Be filled with joy in knowing that you are storing up treasures in heaven with me. Focus your heart and mind and life on me. I will make you able to go and do all that I ask of you. I will be with you to help you. I will be with you to strengthen you. I will revive and refresh your life. Wait on me. I will make you able to run and not grow weary. I will make you able to walk and not faint. Others will see your good works and give praise and honor and glory to me. That will be very good. Use my life to fulfill your purposes and accomplish your plans. Yes, I will.

Lord, I will draw near to you so that your light will reflect off me. Help me to be a light in the world just as you were light in the world. Use light from my life to draw others to you. Let others see my good works so glory and praise and honor can be given to God. Amen

Key Question… How has your light shining brightly in the world helped others to be drawn to Jesus Christ?

Living It Out… Let your light shine brightly in the world so that glory can be given to God.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will make your light shine brightly in the world so that glory can be given to God.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group what good works of yours have brought glory to God.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you allow the Lord to shine His light through you so you can be a light in the world.

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

Discipleship – Matthew 5-14-16 – Light Of The World – 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

Be Imitators Of Me

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Discipleship- 1 Corinthians 11:1 - Be Imitators Of Me- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Discipleship- 1 Corinthians 11:1 – Be Imitators Of Me- Growing As Disciples

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 (ESV)

An Example

Do you want to be an example that others can follow? That is an unusual question. Why is that? How could my life ever be a worthy example for others to follow? Why do you ask that? I am a sinner. I haven’t just sinned in the past. I am a sinner in the present. I will be a sinner in the future. I haven’t partially sinned against you. I have sinned against you in my thoughts, words and deeds. I have sinned by what I have done. I have sinned by what I have left undone. So, you are telling me that you are a sinner? So, you are telling me that you need my forgiveness? So, you are telling me that you need my cleansing of all your unrighteousness? Yes, I am. Is that not a worthy example for others to follow? Yes, it is.

Let’s explore this topic further. I’m game. You have turned away from your old life of sin. You have asked me to be the Savior and Lord of your life. You are no longer allowing your life to be conformed to the values, patterns and practices of the world. You have stopped relying on your own understanding. You are no longer relying on your own strength. You want to accomplish my purposes. You want to fulfill my plans. You want to live a life that is pleasing to me. You want to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. You are no longer chasing after all that the world offers. You want to store on treasure in heaven with me. You are going where I guide you. You are doing what I ask of you. One day you want to hear me say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Is everything that I have said true? Do you desire to live the life that I have described? Yes, I want to life my life in all the ways that you have described. Are these desires not worthy of imitating? Yes, these desires are worth imitating. I suppose that you want to point out that you are doing none of these things perfectly. Well, that’s the truth. Your admission is also worth imitating. 

Let’s take this one step further. Alright. You have set apart a special time and place to meet daily with me in my word. You are drawing near to me, as I draw near to you. You are allowing my word to change your heart, transform your mind and guide your life. You are meeting with me in prayer and worship. You have allowed yourself to be rooted in a body of believers. You are allowing yourself to be spurred on in your faith as you spur others on in their faith. You are allowing me to work in and through your life. You are engaged in doing the ministry that I have given you to do. Is there anything here that is not worthy of imitating? No, everything you have said is worthy of imitating. 

Let’s talk about a few more things. OK. The desire of your heart is to know me. You want to know my thoughts and do my will. You want to live and walk in an intimate relationship with me. You want to have a constant and ongoing dialogue of prayer with me, just as I had with my Father.  Are any desires worthier of imitating than these? No, I’m sure there are no desires worthier of imitating than these. You are right. Thank you for giving and granting me all these desires of my heart. Your life is an example worthy of following as you keep on imitating me. That is what I will do. That will be very good.

Lord, you have set before me an example to follow. I want to think what you thought. I want to say what you said. I want to do what you did. In every way, I want to imitate you. Not only that, I want to be a worthy example others can follow as I imitate you. Amen

Key Question… What are you doing differently because you are following the example Christ has set before you?

Living It Out… Imitate Jesus Christ in all you think, say and do as you love, follow and serve Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will make you able to be an example others can follow as you imitate Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are imitating Jesus Christ as you love, follow and serve Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you imitate Christ in all you think, say and do so you can be an example for others to follow.

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

Discipleship – 1 Corinthians 11-1 – Be Imitators Of 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

A New Command

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Discipleship - John 13:34-35 - A New Command - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Discipleship – John 13:34-35 – A New Command – Growing As Disciples

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 (ESV)

Everyone Will Know

Do you want to be a bold and bright witness for me in the world? Do you want to bear fruit for my kingdom? Do you want to bring glory to my name? Do you want me to be able to use your life to draw others to me? Do you want others to know without a doubt that you are one of my followers? To you want to be known as one of my disciples? Yes, I want to be your witness in the world. I want you to use my life as a bold, bright and fruitful witness in the world. I want to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. That is very good. 

How can I live the life that you are calling me to live? How can you accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans through my life? What must I do if I want to be a bold and bright and fruitful witness for you in the world? How will people know for sure that I really am one of your followers? You already know the answers to your questions. I do? Yes, you do. I would like to hear the answers to your questions. If I am your follower I will spend time with you. I will set apart a time and a place to meet with you. I will listen to everything you want to say to me. As I am in your presence, you will change me. You will use your word to change my heart, transform my mind and guide my life. You will help me to know your thoughts. You will give me the desire to walk in your ways. I will want to be like you in all that I think, say and do. It will be no burden for me to follow and obey you. It will be my joy to go and do your will. As I am in your presence, you will make me to be like you. What do you mean by that? I will think like you. I will sound like you. I will act like you. I will live like you lived. I will give like you gave. I will serve like you served. I will love like you loved. When I think, live and act in these ways everyone will know that I am one of your followers. Yes, they will and that will be very good. 

Lord, you went out of your way to show me your love. There was nothing you were unwilling to do for me so I could come to know you. Help me to love others just as you have loved me. Help me to be a bright, bold and fruitful witness for you in the world. Amen

Key Question… How will others know for sure that you really are a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ?

Living It Out… Love others just as Jesus Christ has loved you so that you can be a bold, bright and fruitful witness for Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you will be a bold, bright and fruitful witness for Jesus Christ as you love others just as He loves you.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are loving others just as Christ has loved you.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you love others as Christ has loved you so they will know that you are one of His followers.

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

Discipleship – John 13-34-35 – A New Command – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Just As He Had Done

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ - Day 295 - Daniel 6:10-12 - Just As He Had Done - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 295 – Daniel 6:10-12 – Just As He Had Done – Growing As Disciples

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands–in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” Daniel 6:10-12 (NIV)

Pattern

That is what I want to develop in my life. What do you want to develop in your life? I want a daily pattern of meeting with you in prayer to be developed every day in my life. That is a very good and ambitious goal. I don’t think of it as a goal. Why is that? I think of a goal as being aspirational. I think of a goal as being something to hope to achieve. A goal may or may not be attainable. I may not meet every goal that I establish as a priority. Meeting daily with you in prayer will not be an aspirational goal that I hope to achieve. Why is that? I want meeting with you daily in prayer to be an established fact. I want meeting with you daily in prayer to be a rock solid, never ending pattern in my life. Not meeting with you daily in prayer will be unthinkable and inconceivable to me. You are very sure of your desire. Yes, I am. That’s good.

What steps will you take to establish our meeting daily together in prayer? I will set a time and a place to meet with you in prayer. Why is that essential? Life is busy. Life gets hectic. Life places almost limitless demands on my time. If I only meet with you in prayer when I get around to it, we will not see or hear from each other very often. That would not be good. That won’t happen, because meeting with you in prayer will be my first priority with everything else being a distant second. That’s good.

Why do you so desperately want and need to meet daily with me in prayer? I want to live in an intimate relationship with you. I yearn to live and walk closely with you. I want to live my life in a constant and ongoing dialogue of prayer with you. Weren’t you only going to meet with me in a set place at a specific time? That is just the starting point. That is just the beginning. It is my hope and desire and plan that our specific times of prayer will carry over to every moment of everyday of my life. That will be very good. Yes, it will be.

What do you hope to receive from me as we meet together in prayer? I hope that you will teach me to pray. I hope that you will give me prayers to pray. I hope that you will sustain and strengthen and guard and guide my life as we meet together in prayer. I hope to hear your voice as I meet with you in prayer. I hope to make known all my praise and thanks and worship to you as we meet together in prayer. I will certainly do all these things in and for you as we meet together in prayer. Thank you, Lord.

Lord, I will make it my daily pattern to meet with you. I will withdraw from the busyness and demands of life to draw near to you. Help me to live in an intimate relationship with you. Sustain and strengthen and guard and guide me through all the difficulties in life. Amen

Key Question… What spiritual disciplines have become a consistent and ongoing pattern in your life?

Living It Out… Develop a life of prayer with the Lord so you can live in an intimate relationship with Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that it will be well worth your time to develop an intimate relationship with the Lord.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are developing an intimate relationship with the Lord.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you meet with the Lord in prayer on a daily basis so you can live in an intimate relationship with Him.

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

Becoming Like Christ – Day 295 – Daniel 6-10-12 – Just As He Had Done  – 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

The Lord Your God Is With You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ - Day 296 - Zephaniah 3:17 - The Lord Your God Is With You - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 296 – Zephaniah 3:17 – The Lord Your God Is With You – Growing As Disciples

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

Rest

That definitely does not come naturally to me. What does not come naturally to you? Rest does not come naturally to me. Why is that? I am much more likely to be doing things. I have liked to be busy. I liked to go places and do things. Does rest seem like a waste of time to you? Does rest seem to have no good purpose to you? I suppose it sounds pathetic to admit, but yes, rest has seemed like a purposeless waste of time to me. You couldn’t be more wrong. I have had that suspicion. What would you think if I were to tell you that resting is not easy? I would be interested in hearing more. Rest can actually be a form of hard work. How can that be? If you were to set aside all your urges to be busy doing things would that be easy or hard for you? That would be exceedingly difficult for me. There you go then. You understand some of the difficulty of entering my rest. I guess I do. Yes, you do.

Would you be shocked to learn that you will not come to know me unless you enter my rest? No, not really. It is my hope and desire for you that you come to enter my rest. Would you like a preview of what you will learn as you enter my rest? Wow, a preview! I love previews. I always want to know what is coming next. As you enter my rest you will come to know that I love and care for you. As you enter my rest you will better understand how I have rescued and saved you from a life without me. As you enter my rest you will know that I delight in you. I delight in you so much that I rejoice over you with singing. On the day that you gave your life to me there was rejoicing in heaven. Does that blow you away? Yes, it certainly does. You, the God of the universe, who made everything, have all these thoughts and feelings toward me. Who I am? You are my child. I am your Heavenly Father. Come to rest in my love. Let my love quiet all your fears. Draw near to me and I will draw near to you. Come to rest in my presence. Come now. Yes, Heavenly Father, I will. That will be very good.

Heavenly Father, thank you for being with me to help me. You rescued me from a life without you. How wonderful it is that you love and care me. How fantastic it is that you delight in me and rejoice over me with singing. I love you with all that is within me. Amen

Key Question… How has God’s love for you put life into perspective and quieted your fears?

Living It Out… Allow God to show you how much He loves and cares for you as you rest in His presence.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God will help you to come to know and live in an intimate relationship with Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how God’s love for you has quieted your fears.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you rest in knowing how much your Heavenly Father loves and cares for you.

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

Day 296 – Becoming Like Christ – Zephaniah 3-17 – The Lord Your God Is With 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