Get Up And Go

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - Jonah 1:1-3 - Get Up And Go - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – Jonah 1:1-3 – Get Up And Go – Growing As Disciples

The LORD gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the LORD. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the LORD by sailing to Tarshish. Jonah 1:1-3 (NLT)

Wrong Way 

Where are you going? What are you doing? What do you mean by asking me that? Are you going where I have guided you? Are you doing all that I have asked of you? Did you ask me to go somewhere? Did you ask me to do something? What do you think? I wasn’t sure that I heard you correctly. Why is that? Well, I thought I might have heard you asking me to go where I did not want to go. I thought it might be possible that you were asking me to do what I would rather not do. But, I wasn’t sure. I certainly felt no peace about what might have been your directions and instructions. So, you ignored my directions and didn’t follow my instructions? I guess so. You didn’t just ignore my directions and skip my instructions. You went the wrong way and did the exact opposite of what I was asking of you. Did you feel great comfort and peace about going there and doing that? No, not really, not at all. This is not good.

I would like to ask you a few questions. Go ahead, I’m listening. Will there be times that I ask you to go where you would rather not go? Will there be occasions when I ask you to do what you would rather not do? Will there be times that you will not understand why I am sending you somewhere unfamiliar to do what might be unpleasant and difficult? Will it ever cost you anything to follow and serve me? Must you always feel great comfort and peace before you will go and do my will? Won’t there be times that you will be uncomfortable and afraid to go and do all that I ask of you? Will the road ahead always be smooth and easy? Won’t you ever experience difficult and painful challenges? Won’t there be times that you will need to hold on to me with all your strength as you follow and serve me? I can’t adequately answer all your questions. No, you cannot.

Forgive me for not going and doing all that you have asked of me. Forgive me for not listening to your directions and following your instructions. Forgive me for running away from what you have given me to do for you. You are forgiven. Now, will get up and go and do all that I ask of you? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good. I will be with you to help you to go and do my will.

Lord, I have been reluctant to get up and go and do all that you have asked of me. Sometimes, I have run the other way to go and do something else. Forgive me. Thank you so much for finding me, bringing me back, and giving me another chance to serve you. Amen

Key Question… When have your own biases and prejudices made you reluctant to get up and do something for the Lord?

Living It Out… Get up and go and do all that the Lord asks you to do for Him even when it is unpleasant and difficult.

Seeing It Happen Have faith that the Lord will ask you to get up to go and do something for Him that is unpleasant and difficult.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group when you have gotten up and gone to do something for the Lord.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you get up and go and do what the Lord asks you to do for Him.

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

God’s Will – Jonah 1-1-3 – Get Up And Go – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

You Say So

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - Luke 5:4-5 - You Say So- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – Luke 5:4-5 – You Say So- Growing As Disciples

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Luke 5:4-5 (NIV)  

Say Yes

I have thought of myself as being an expert. The subject hasn’t seemed to matter much. I have had this attitude that I “knew it all.” My pride filled, sinful attitude made to be something like a full glass that nothing more could be poured into. I could not receive instructions. I would not follow directions. I thought that I knew exactly when and where I was going. I thought I knew exactly how and what I should do. Do your words sound pathetic to you? Yes, my words sound pathetic to me. It is embarrassing for me to admit how full of myself that I have been. It is a good thing that you are now willing to admit your pride. I’m sure of that.

What changed for you? You changed me. Life changed me. You used the error of my ways and the foolishness of my thinking to change me. How so? A pride filled, “know it all” kind of life, will always lead to brokenness. Why is that? I don’t know it all. I make mistakes. I need help. I need guidance and direction. I can’t see the future. I don’t know where I should go. I don’t know what I should do. In every way, I need your help. The brokenness of my own bruised and battered life caused me to cry out to you. I asked for your help. I asked for your wisdom. I asked for your direction. Yes, you did. How did I respond to you? You welcomed me with open arms. You did not turn me away. You did not reject my request. You meet me in my need and answered my prayer. You are now leading me and guiding me through life. Yes, I am.

Do you always follow me? Do you always do what I ask? Do you always go where I send you? No, I am sure that I have made many mistakes. I have not always followed you perfectly. I have not always done what you have asked of me. I have not always gone where you have guided me. But, it is the desire of my heart to always say yes to you. You are teaching me. You are training me. Yes, I am. You are teaching and training me to say yes to you even when I don’t fully understand. You are teaching and training me to say yes to you simply because you have said so. Will you continue to say yes to me, because I have said so, even when you don’t fully understand? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good. 

Lord, there have been many times when I have thought of myself as being an expert. I have thought that I knew it all. What a dangerous, deceptive sinful attitude. I am not an expert. I do not know it all. I will trust and obey you. I will do what you ask. Amen

Key Question…How has your life been blessed because you said yes to the Lord even when you didn’t fully understand?

Living It Out…Say yes to what the Lord asks of you even when you do not fully understand.

Seeing It Happen Have faith that the Lord will ask you to do things even when you do not fully understand.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group when you have said yes to the Lord even when you did not understand.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you say yes to doing what the Lord asks of you even when you don’t understand.

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

God’s Will – Luke 5-4-5 – You Say So – 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

Ask Of You

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Word - Deuteronomy 10:12-13 - Ask Of You - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Word – Deuteronomy 10:12-13 – Ask Of You – Growing As Disciples

And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?  Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (NIV)

All Of Me

What do you think I am asking of you? What am I requiring of you? I know one thing that is for sure. What’s that? You don’t want a part of me. You don’t want a piece of my time. You don’t want a partial or a half effort from me. What do I want? You want all of me. You want me to be fully devoted to you. How do you know that? You have made that quite clear in your word. How so? Your greatest commandment asks me to love you with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. Yes, it does. If I follow and obey this command I will be giving myself completely to you. I have only one heart, mind, soul and strength to give. Will you give me all your heart, mind, soul and strength? Yes, I will.

It is no great sacrifice for me to give all my heart, mind, soul and strength to you. Why is that? I want to give everything I am, everything I have and everything I hope to be to you. I don’t feel required to give myself completely to you. It is the joy and desire of my heart to give myself fully you. Why is that? You gave yourself completely to me. You gave all that you could possibly give so that I could be forgiven of my sin and cleansed of my unrighteousness. You made it so I could live a completely new life with you. You became my Savior and Lord. Yes, I did. You loved me first. Your love has drawn me to you. I love you because you first loved me. Yes, I did. My love for you will never end. It was my joy and desire to give myself fully for you. Then you are making me to be like you. How so? We are both filled with the joy and desire to give ourselves fully to each other.  That’s right. There is a big difference between you and I. What’s that? You gave yourself perfectly and completely to and for me. I am not perfect in giving myself completely to you. I fall short. I make mistakes. I sin. I disobey. I sometimes wander off, lag behind or run ahead of you. I will need your help to do what pleases you. Will you follow me? Will you do what I ask? Yes Lord, I will follow you and do what you ask. Then you will have all the help that you need from me. You do please me. You will continue to please me.

Lord, I will meet with you in your word so that I can come to know, love, follow and serve you. I will walk reverently before you. In every way I will seek to do what pleases you. Guard and guide me with your word as I serve you with all my heart and soul. Amen 

Key Question… How has your love for the Lord grown as you have come to know Him?

Living It Out… Meet with God in His word so you will know His will and walk in His ways as you love, follow and serve Him.

Seeing It Happen Have faith that as you meet with God in His word you will be able to know His will and walk in His ways.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are serving God with all your heart and soul.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you meet with God in His word so you will be able to know and do all that He asks of you.

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

God’s Word – Deuteronomy 10-12-13 – Ask Of  You – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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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

Will Accomplish What I Desire

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Word - Isaiah 55:10-11 - Will Accomplish What I Desire - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Word – Isaiah 55:10-11 – Will Accomplish What I Desire – Growing As Disciples

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)

What Purpose And Plan? 

What purpose do you think I have in mind when my word goes out to you? What do you think I want my word to accomplish in your life? Those are hard questions to answer. Why is that? You might have a hundred different things you want your word accomplish in my life. Depending on the time, place and circumstance you might have any number of different purposes in mind when you speak to me through your word. On one hand you are right I am asking you difficult questions. On the other hand you are making the answer to my question too difficult. Think about your answer to my questions in a more basic and simple manner.

When you speak to me through your word you are trying to get my attention. There is something that you want to say to me. That’s right. There is something that you want me to know. There is some work that you want your word to accomplish in and through my life. That’s also right. It’s very important for me to listen attentively so that I can hear all that you want to say to me. If I were not very careful it would be easy for me to fail to hear all that you want to say to me. How will you be fully attentive and very careful to listen to all that I have to say to you? I will set aside a time and a place to meet with you in your word. Why is that necessary? The noise and pace of life makes it very hard for me to hear what you have to say to me. I need to slow down and quiet myself before you so I can be fully attentive and able to carefully listen to all that you have to say to me. That’s true. 

As you have been fully attentive and listened carefully to my word what have I accomplished in you? Your word has helped me to know and love you. Your word has helped to do your will. Your word has given me a desire to live my life wholeheartedly with and for you. Your word has guarded and guided the course of my life. Your word has made serving you the mission and goal of my life. Your word has made me to want what you want. Your word made me to want to do what you are doing. In every way I welcome your word into my life to accomplish your purposes and plans that you have for me. That is what my word has done and will keep doing in your life.

Lord, thank you for your word. It is my daily delight to meet with you in your word. Use your word to accomplish your purposes and plans in my life. Use your word to change my heart and transform my mind. Use your word to help me to know and do your will. Amen

Key Question… How has God used His word to accomplish His purposes and plans in your life?

Living It Out… Make sure that you are consistently meeting with God in His word so He can use it to do His work in your life.

Seeing It Happen Have faith that God will use His word to accomplish His purposes and plans in your life.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how God has used His word to accomplish His will in your life.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you allow God to use His word to accomplish His purposes and plans in your life.

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

God’s Word – Isaiah 55-10-11 – Will Accomplish What I Desire – 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

Live On Every Word That Comes From God

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Word - Deuteronomy 8:3 - Live On Every Word That Comes From God - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Word – Deuteronomy 8:3 – Live On Every Word That Comes From God – Growing As Disciples

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:3 (NIV)

 Live On

I know I cannot survive without your word. Just as food sustains and strengthens my body, so your word sustains and strengthens my spirit. Is that what you really believe? Yes, it is. If you really believe that my word is as important to your spirit as food is to your body then you will pay very close attention to my word. You will meet with me daily in my word. You will feed on my word. You will allow my word to speak into your life. You will listen attentively to all that I am saying to you. You will be careful to put into practice all that I am teaching you. Yes, I will.

You have not always such had a high regard for my word. You have not always believed that my word is as important to your spirit as food is to your body. Why do you say that? You have never been in the habit of skipping meals. Would you be alive today if you ate only as frequently as you feasted on my word? That is a very interesting thought. No, I would not be alive today if I ate food only as frequently as I feasted on your word. Why is that? I’m not sure. I think that I did not make meeting with you in your word an absolute priority in my life. What was the result of that? Without making meeting with you in your word an absolute priority in my life I would let other things distract me. Like what? Anything and everything would distract me from meeting with you. Meeting with me in my word was just an item that got moved up or down on your “to do” list as time allowed. Yes, that’s right. I’m afraid that I let the urgent demands of my day prevent me from doing what was ultimately far more important. Which is? Meeting with you in your word on a daily basis. What has changed for you? Now, just as I would not want to go without food so also I do not want to go without feasting on your word. Just as I now set aside time to eat food so also I have set aside time to feast on your word. I am now letting your word feed, sustain and strengthen me everyday. I am living on your word. That is very good.

Lord, thank you for your word that feeds, and sustains me. Make me hungry for your word. I know that I can’t fully live the life you intend for me without your word. So, I will humbly come to feed on your word daily for all I need. Amen

Key Question… How willing do you think that God is to feed and sustain you by His word?

Living It Out… Feed on God’s word daily so that you don’t starve spiritually.

Seeing It Happen Have faith that God will feed, strengthen and sustain you with His word.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how God has fed, strengthened and sustained you by His word.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you be sustained and strengthened by feeding daily on God’s word.

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

Gods-Word – Deuteronomy – 8-3 – Live On Every Word That Comes From God – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

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