Monthly Archives: June 2026

Whoever Serves Me

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Identity - John 12:25-26 - Whoever Serves Me - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Identity – John 12:25-26 – Whoever Serves Me – Growing As Disciples

The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.  John 12:25-26

My Call

What does it mean to lose my life in this world?  Am I living for the pleasures of this life? Does all of life revolve around me and what I want?  Am I guided by comfort?  When have I set aside my will, plans, and desires to serve you, Lord? Those are good questions. Do you have any answers? Right now, I want to sit here and live with these questions. I think it would be a mistake to quickly answer and dismiss them all in my favor. I agree. Then, I feel like I’m on the right track. You are. I also sense a danger here as well. What’s that? I could sacrifice my life in complete service to others and yet not know you. What do you mean? Isn’t it possible to give up my life in service to the wrong purpose, plan, or person? Yes, it is. Tell me more of what you’re thinking.  You are calling me to give up my life to follow you. It isn’t a call to give up my life to become a serving maniac. As I give up my life to you, the only way I can serve correctly is to live in a close and intimate relationship with you. It’s not as if you’ll give me a huge “to do” list and check back with me at the end of my life, I know that. How do you know that? You said, “follow me” and where you are, that is where I will be. Yes, that’s true. How will that be possible? How will that happen? That will only happen as I follow you. I need to wait, watch, and listen for your guidance. Otherwise I will likely go off course and not do what you want me to do and waste a lot of time doing what is unnecessary. That is exactly right. 

I’m calling you right now.  Come follow me.  Don’t love the world.  Love me.  I will guide your life.  You will have real joy as you join me in the work I will give you to do.  Is this what you want to do?  Is this who you want to be?  Do you want to be my follower?  Do you want to serve me?  Yes Lord, I do.  Good, then come.  I am calling you right now.

Lord, today is the day I will stop living for myself. The things of this world no longer have me in their grip. I want to know and do your will. My eyes are on you. My ears are attentive to you. I have heard your call. I will follow you. I will do all that you ask of me. Amen

Key Question… How have you chosen to love Christ rather than the things of this world?

Living It Out… Respond to Christ’s call to come to Him so that you can follow and serve Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that Jesus Christ is calling you to come to Him so that you can follow and serve Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you have come to Christ to follow and serving Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you follow the Lord to where He leads you to do all that He asks of you.

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

Identity – John 12-25-26 – Whoever Serves 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

Hold Unswervingly

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Let Us - Hebrews 10:23 - Hold Unswervingly - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Let Us – Hebrews 10:23 – Hold Unswervingly – Growing As Disciples

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)

Hold On

Life has it challenges. You will face difficulties and hard ships. You will experience pain and suffering. You will grow weary and feel worn out. Does any of what I am saying come as a surprise to you? No, I have experienced everything that you have stated. Yet, you have never quit. You have never walked away and said that you have had enough. No, I have not. Why is that? I will tell you a few things. Go ahead. I don’t possess great strength. I am not able to endure more than others. I feel pain and suffer from discouragement just like anyone else. Tell me then, why is it that some people become bitter and some become better as a result of the trials and difficulties that they have gone through in life. Why is it that some become stronger as they go through pain and suffering while others give up, quit and walk away? Those are good questions. You must know the answers. Why is that? You have neither grown bitter or given up, quit or walked away. I’m really curious about one thing. What’s that? Those that have given-up, quit and walked away, where have they gone? If I were to walk away from you, I have no idea where I could go. Walking away from you has not been nor will it ever be a choice for me. That’s good. In trials just the opposite has happened to me. What do you mean by that? In great difficulty some have walked away from you. In great difficulties, I have been drawn to you. You alone are my strength. You alone are my hope. In you alone, do I trust. You have led me through all the pain and suffering I have faced in life. The harder life has gotten the more I have held on to you. I don’t consider myself to have great virtue or outstanding wisdom because I have held on to you. If I have known one thing, it is this, there is no one or no thing worthy of holding on to other than you and your promises. There are a few more vitally important things that you know. Like what? You tell me. I am not just holding on to you. With a much stronger grip you are holding on to me. Yes, I am. Even if my grip were to weaken you would never let go of me. No, I would not. How do you know what you know about me? I know about you because you have been with me through all that I have experienced in life. What else? I know about you because of your precious and great promises. Yes, and where can my promises be found? Your promises can be found in your word. Yes, and what have you done with my promises? I have held on to you and your promises. Yes and as you have held on to me and my promises, you have become better rather than bitter and held on to me rather than walked away from me. Yes, that’s true. Keep on holding on to me and my promises. Yes Lord, I will. I will be holding on to you as we walk together through life. 

Lord, you have been faithful to me. You have blessed my life with your precious and great promises. Your promises have sustained and strengthened me through every difficulty in life. Thank you that I can hold on to you and your word. Amen

Key Question… What are some promises of God that strengthen and encourage you as you hold on to Him?

Living It Out… Spend time with God in His word so you can know, be encouraged by and take a firm hold of all His promises.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that Jesus Christ and all His promises are worthy of your unwavering and unswerving trust?

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you have held on to Jesus Christ through difficulties in life.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you unwaveringly and unswervingly hold on to God and His promises as you follow Him today.

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

Let Us – Hebrews 10-23 – Hold Unswervingly – 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

You Love Me

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - If - John 14:15 - You Love Me - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – If – John 14:15 – You Love Me – Growing As Disciples

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.  John 14:15 (NIV)

Obey Me 

You do want to obey me. I can see that quite clearly. Do you know why you want to obey me? I haven’t always wanted to obey you. There were times when obeying you was the farthest thing from my heart and mind. I was more interested in obeying my own passions, lusts and desires. I lived solely for my own comfort and pleasure. I pursued my own thoughts and goals and dreams. I was so full of myself that I had no room for you in my heart and mind. Even the idea of obeying you was completely foreign to me. I didn’t think that I wanted or needed you in my life. I was completely self-reliant and self-sufficient. I felt so sure that I had all that I would ever want and need. What happened? I was wrong. The self-centered and sinful life that I was living can only end in brokenness. It didn’t take long for me to become bruised and battered and broken by the life I was living. Soon enough, I cried out to you for help. I asked you to rescue me from the life I was living. I turned myself over to you. I asked you to come into my life. I asked you to forgive my sin and cleanse me of all my unrighteousness. I said that I would follow you as my Savior and Lord. Yes, you did. You rescued me from a life without you. Yes, I did.

You still haven’t fully answered my question. What’s that? Why do you want to obey me? You love me. You did not turn away from me when I cried out to you. You did not reject me. You did not shame me. You threw your arms around me and welcomed me into your family. You made me to be your child. You forgave me of all my sin. You cleansed me of all my unrighteousness. You healed my bruised, battered and broken life. You filled me with your Spirit and set me on the path of life following you as my Savior and Lord. Yes, I did. Now, I love you because you first love me. Day by day I am living in your love. Moment by moment my love for you grows stronger. My heart and mind are captivated of thoughts and filled with desires to do what pleases you. It is no inconvenience or burden for me to obey you. I want what you want. I take pleasure and have great joy in doing your will. In every way I want to become like you. I want to know you. I want to walk in your ways. I want to love you just as you have loved me. That is the desire of my heart and mind and soul. I want nothing else. I want nothing less. You have answered me well.

Lord, I do love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. My heart and mind are captivated by thoughts of doing what pleases you. It is my joy and pleasure to do whatever you desire. I will go where you guide me to do all that you ask of me. Amen

Key Question… How is your love for the Lord captivating your thoughts and motivating your desire to obey Him?

Living It Out… Allow your love for the Lord to captivate your thoughts and motivate your desire to obey Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that your love for the Lord will captivate your thoughts and motivate your desire to obey Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how your love for the Lord is motivating your desire to obey Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May your love for the Lord always motivate your desire to obey Him.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional study guide click here:

If – John 14-15 – You Love 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

Ears To Hear

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - If - Mark 4:21-25 - Ears To Hear - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – If – Mark 4:21-25 – Ears To Hear – Growing As Disciples

He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you–and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” Mark 4:21-25 (NIV)

Hearing

Do you have ears that are hearing? Don’t be quick to answer that question. I know that you have ears. I also know that your ears are in working order. The question is, “ Are you really hearing all that I want you to hear?” I would guess that I am not hearing all you want to say to me. I am pretty sure that I am not hearing and receiving and learning all you want to teach me. That is a very good guess. Why do you think that is true? There are plenty of times that I have heard what you wanted me to hear and then a short time later I have forgotten what you said to me. Did my words really go in one of your ears and out the other? Yes, they did.  Those words did not stay in you long enough to change your heart or transform your mind. No, they did not. Did you really learn anything from me then? No, I did not. That’s not good. That’s not what you and I both want is it? No, it isn’t, I want your words to change my heart and transform my mind.

What is the source of the problem? Why are my words sometime going in one of your ears and out the other? Do you think I know the answer to that question? I know that you know the answer to that question. I think that I am failing to carefully consider your words. What does that mean to you? I’m not meditating on your word. I’m not letting your word sink deeply into my heart and mind. I not taking enough time or making a full enough effort to grab hold of your word. Maybe, it’s the other way around. Maybe, I’m not taking enough time or making a full enough effort to let your word grab ahold of me. I’m racing right by your word. I’m lightly considering it. What would help you to more full consider my word? I think two things would help me to more fully consider your word. Tell me your thoughts. I need to carefully consider how to put your word into practice. That would help me to better hear all that you are saying to me. Yes, it would. What else? I also need to consider how I can share with others all that you have been teaching me from your word. You don’t want me to hide or keep quiet about what you have been teaching me. No, I do not. I can shine brightly like a light in the world as I share your word with others. Yes, you can. Putting your word into practice and sharing it with others will make me able to carefully consider your word. Yes, it will.

Lord, I will take time and make a full effort to carefully consider all that you want to say to me from your word. I will be a light in the world and richly and boldly share with others all I have heard and received and learned from you. Amen

Key Question… How are you taking time and making an effort to carefully consider what you hear in God’s word?

Living It Out… Share with others what you have heard, received and learned from the Lord as you have carefully considered His word.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you will receive from the Lord as you take time and make an effort to carefully consider His word.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are taking time to carefully consider God’s word.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you take time and make an effort to carefully consider all that the Lord wants to teach you from His word.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional study guide click here:

If – Mark 4-21-25 – Ears To Hear – 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

Fight The Good Fight

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Faith - 1 Timothy 6:11-12 - Fight The Good Fight - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Faith – 1 Timothy 6:11-12 – Fight The Good Fight – Growing As Disciples

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:11-12 (NIV)  

Your Pursuit 

What is the course of your life? Where are you headed? What are you doing? What is important to you? At the end of your life what will have mattered most to you? What are you pursuing with all your heart and mind and soul and strength? What is worth all your energy? What has captured your full attention? What is worth the full investment of your life? What has your focus? What fills you with passion? What motivates and excites you as you start each one of your days? Those are all very good questions. Those questions are worthy of my deep reflection. Those questions deserve a full and complete answer from me. If I were to lightly consider those questions I would be making a tragic mistake. These questions cannot be left unanswered. Why must these questions be answered?  I don’t want to live a life that is off course. I want to know where I am headed. I want to know where I should be going and what I should be doing. I don’t want my life to wander from one meaningless thing after another. I don’t want to reach the end of my life only to find out that I have invested my entire life in what did not count for much. I don’t want to waste my life. I want my life to be well spent. I want my life to be filled with purpose. I want my life to have had an impact. I want to live a life filled with passion that can only come with knowing that I am going and doing what is good and true and right. 

How will you know what is good and right and true? How will you know where to go and what to do with your life? You are good and right and true. You will lead me through life. I will follow you. You will show me where you want me to go and what you want me to do. You will help me to know and do your will. I will be filled with passion because I will know that I am fulfilling your purposes and accomplishing your plans. When I look back over my life, you will be there with me. You will help me to see what we have done together. I will see that your hand has been on me. I will know that you have made me able to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. My life will have been well spent because I will have pursued you and the life you called me to live. That’s good and right and true.

Lord, I will flee worldliness and pursue godliness as I take a hold of the eternal life I have in you. Help me to live out my calling to fight the good fight of faith, as I love, follow, and serve you. Use me as your witness in the world. Amen

Key Question… What must you flee from if you want to begin to fight the good fight of faith?

Living It Out… Take a firm hold of your eternal life as you fight the good fight of faith to which you were called.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to fight the good fight of faith as you take hold of your eternal life in Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has helped you to fight the good fight of faith.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you fight the good fight of faith and live the life you have been called to live.

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

Faith – 1 Timothy 6-11-12 – Fight 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

Clothe Yourself

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Character - Romans 13:14 - Clothe Yourself - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Character – Romans 13:14 – Clothe Yourself – Growing As Disciples

Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Romans 13:14 (NIV)

Like You

Do you want to become like me? Yes, in every way I want to become like you.  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 have called you to live? Yes, I want to live the life that you have called me to live. Is this a passionate long held desire of your heart or is it simply what you think you should say to me. I am sure that you know the answer to this question, even before you ask it of me. Yes, I do. It is a long-held desire of my heart to live the life that you have called me to live. I want to think your thoughts, speak your words and do your deeds. I have no hesitation and no second thoughts. I am not simply telling you what I think you want to hear from me. Yes, I know that you want to live the life that I have called you to live. Isn’t it good to say again and again that you want to love, follow and serve me with all your heart and mind and soul and strength? Yes, it is good to remind myself about the goal and purpose and mission of my life. Which is? It is the goal and purpose and mission of my life to know you and do your will. Why do you want to know me and do my will? I love you. My love for you motivates the desire of my heart. My love for you spurs me on to want to think your thoughts, speak your words and do your deeds. Yes, it does.

You want to become like me. What will you do because you want to become like me? I will clothe myself with your example. I will think what you thought. I speak what you spoke. I will do what you did. What did I do? You relied on your Heavenly Father to guide and direct your life. You spent time with Him in prayer. You listened to all that He had to say to you. In every way, you lived in an intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father. You relied on your Heavenly Father for all that needed.  You went where He sent you. You did what He asked of you. Yes, I did. His thoughts were your thoughts. His words were your words. His deeds were your deeds. You are right, you will live the life that I have called you to live if you clothe yourself with me by thinking what I thought, speaking what I spoke and doing what I did. Is this what you will do? Yes Lord, it is what I will do as I love, follow and serve you. That will be very good.

Lord, I know I have very limited time to live my life for you on this earth. I want to understand the time and make the best use of my life for your kingdom and glory. I will clothe myself with you so I can think your thoughts, speak your words and do your will. Amen

Key Question… How are you allowing your mind to feed on God’s word so you can clothe yourself with Christ?

Living It Out… Clothe yourself with Jesus Christ so you will be thinking His thoughts, speaking His words and doing His will.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that as you clothe yourself with Jesus Christ you will not be thinking about gratifying sinful desires.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has helped you to fight the good fight of faith.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you clothe yourself with Jesus Christ so you can think His thoughts, speak His words, and do His deeds.

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

Character – Romans 13-14 – Clothe Yourself – 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 Be Frightened

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Mixed Emotions - Joshua 1:9 - Do Not Be Frightened- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Mixed Emotions – Joshua 1:9 – Do Not Be Frightened- Growing As Disciples

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (ESV) 

Bold And Courageous 

Will you go where I send you? Will you do what I ask of you? Yes, I will. Will you go where I send you with courage? Will you do what I ask of you with boldness? Those are much harder questions. Why is that? I am willing to go where you send me to do whatever you ask of me. I am just not as sure that I will go where you send me with courage and do what you ask of me with boldness. That is a problem. Yes, it is. Would it surprise you to hear that I don’t want you to go somewhere for me if you do not go with courage? Would it also surprise you to hear that I don’t want you to do something for me if you do not do it with boldness? Yes, both of those statements do surprise me. Can you think of why I would make both of those statements? Yes, I can. That’s good.

Let me hear why you think I don’t want you to go and serve me if you are not going to go with courage and serve with boldness? You want me to rely on you. You want me to trust you for all that I need. You want me to rely on your power working in and through me. You don’t want me to try and serve you with my own gifts, talents and abilities. I know that you will use my gifts, talents and abilities. Yes, I will. You gave me my gifts, talent and abilities. Yes, I did. You intend to use my gifts, talents and abilities. Yes, I do. There is a big difference between relying on myself and my resources than relying on you to be with me to help me. If I rely on myself I will not go anywhere with courage. If I rely on myself I will not do whatever you ask me with boldness. That’s right.

Why do you think I want you to rely on me for all that you will need in the daring and difficult assignments I will give to you? You want me to live in an intimate relationship with you. You want me to know that you are working in and through my life. You want me to feel the joy and experience the exhilaration of knowing that I am bearing fruit for your kingdom and bringing glory to your name. Yes, I do. What else? You want me to shine as a bright witness for you in the world. I can only do that as I rely on you for all that I will need to serve you. That’s true. All of this will happen as I rely on you to go and do all that you ask of me. Yes, it will and that will be very good.

Lord, I will go and boldly serve you wherever you send me to do whatever you ask of me. I know that you are with me to help me wherever I go. I will rely on your power and strength. I will trust that you are working in and through me every step of my way. Amen

Key Question… When has the Lord given you a difficult and daring assignment to do for Him?

Living It Out… Don’t be frightened because the Lord is with you wherever you go.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you have no reason to be frightened because the Lord is with you wherever you go.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord being with you has kept you from being frightened.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you not be frightened because the Lord is with you wherever you go.

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

Mixed Emotions – Joshua 1-9 – Do Not Be Frightened – 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