Category Archives: 365 Days Of Promises

Follow The Instructions

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 177 - Psalm 119:1-8 - Follow The Instructions - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 177 – Psalm 119:1-8 – Follow The Instructions – Growing As Disciples

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD.  Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.  They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths.  You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully.  Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees!  Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands.  As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should!  I will obey your decrees. Please don’t give up on me! Psalm 119:1-8 (NLT)

Be Joyful 

Would you like to be joyful? Would you like to live a life that I can and will bless? Would you like to live on the path that I have laid out for you? Would you like to think and speak and act in ways that will never cause you to be ashamed? Would you like to live a life that is pleasing to me? Yes, I want of these things to be true of my life. How can I live such a life? Follow me and I will help you to live such a life. Listen to me carefully. Hear and obey my instructions. Allow my word to form the thoughts of your mind, words of your mouth and deeds of your life. Let my word be the yardstick with which you measure the conduct of your life. Put into practice all that I will teach you. Seek me with all your heart and mind and soul and strength. Rely on me to help you to live the life I have called you to live. Will you do all these things? Yes, I will do all these things. That will be very good.

Alright, here I am, where do I start? Really, do you need to ask that question of me? Tell me the answer to your own question. Alright, here goes. I will start by drawing near to you. I will seek you with all my heart and mind, and soul and strength. I will quiet myself before you. I will meet with you in your word. I will listen carefully to all that you have to say to me. I will take your word deep into my heart and mind and life. I will follow your instructions by putting into them practice every day as I love and follow and serve you. Now see, I did not need to answer your question for you. You have answered well. Do this and you will lead a joyful life that I can and will bless. Thank you, Lord.

Lord, thank you for your word. I will carefully follow the instructions of your word. I will walk on the path that your word has laid out for me as I seek you with all my heart. Help me to always put your word into practice so I will never be ashamed of my actions. Amen

Key Question… How has God’s word become the measuring device of all that you think, say and do?

Living It Out… Allow God’s word to guide all your thoughts and words and actions as you follow and obey Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that your life will be blessed as you follow the instructions of God’s word.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are putting God’s word into practice in your daily life.

Prayer To Bless Others… May your life be blessed as you follow the Lord’s instructions.

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

Promises – Day 177 – Psalm 119-1-8 – Follow The Instructions – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

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

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

In His Great Mercy

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 176 - 1 Peter 1:3-9 - In His Great Mercy - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 176 – 1 Peter 1:3-9 – In His Great Mercy – Growing As Disciples

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you,  who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,  for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NIV)

Your Thoughts?

What are your thoughts? Tell me what you are thinking? I am thinking about your kindness and mercy and love. How so? You did not need to save me. You did not have to rescue me from living a life without you. Nothing required you to extend your kindness and mercy and love to me. Your thoughts are not correct. How so? If I have this great love for you, wouldn’t I be compelled to action? How could I fail to rescue you from living a life without me? How could I let you go? How could I forget about you? If I love you, wouldn’t I go to the greatest lengths possible to extend my gift of salvation to you? There should be no wonder or doubt in your mind about how much I love you and to what length I would go to save you. My love for you was very costly to me. I sent my Son into the world to live and die for you. He shed His blood as payment for your sins. He died so that you could live. His sacrifice made it so you could be forgiven of all your sins and cleansed of all your unrighteousness. You now have a new life. You have been born again. A place is now being kept in heaven for you. One day you will come to live forever in heaven with me. You are and can continue to be filled with inexpressible and glorious joy because you are, and have, and will receive the goal of your faith which is the salvation of your soul.

Tell me your thoughts again. What are you now thinking? I am in awe. I am bowed down in worship. I am filled with thanksgiving and praise to you. I am overflowing with joy. My heart and mind and life are focused on you. I am looking to you as I continue to live the life you have given me to live. Nothing from this life, no pain or suffering or trial, will discourage or depress me because of all the hope I have in you. My future with you is secure. My life forever in heaven with you, is being kept for me. I like your thoughts. You are now thinking correctly. Thank you, Lord. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for your great mercy in giving me a new birth through your son Jesus Christ. Thank you for keeping an inheritance in heaven for me as I live a life of faith in you. Strengthen me to endure trials, until I come to live forever with you. Amen

Key Question… How has your faith grown stronger and been proved genuine as you have gone through trials in life?

Living It Out… Give thanks and praise to God for His great mercy in giving you a new birth through Jesus Christ.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that your inheritance in heaven is being kept in heaven for you because of God’s great mercy.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group the thanks and praise you want to give to God for His great mercy.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you give thanks and praise to God for the kindness, mercy and love He has for you.

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

Promises – Day 176 – 1 Peter 1-3-9 – In His Great Mercy – 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

Gives Grace To The Humble

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 175 - James 4:4-6 - Gives Grace To The Humble - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 175 – James 4:4-6 – Gives Grace To The Humble – Growing As Disciples

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.  Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?  But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  James 4:4-6 (NIV)

Humble Yourself

Will you humble yourself before me? Yes, I will humble myself before you. How will you humble yourself before me? That is difficult to say. I don’t know for sure what living a humble life before you will look like. I think my understanding of living a humble life before you will unfold as I live my life with and for you. There is no doubt about that. But you have already said something quite important. What’s that? You have said that you are going to live your life with and for me? Will living that kind of life require humility? That is certain. I can see that a choice is before me. What choice? Will I live a prideful self-reliant, self-centered, self-indulgent life with me at the center with all the things of this world as my idols? Will I live a comfort and pleasure-seeking life? Will I attempt to satisfy myself with things of this world? Will my heart and mind and life be consumed by lusts for what this world has to offer? All these questions represent one choice. What is the other choice? Will I live my live with and for you? Will I humbly walk with you through life? Will I go where you guide me? Will I do what you ask me? Will I allow you to give and grant the desire of my heart. What is the desire of your heart? The desire of my heart is to know and love and follow and serve you with all that is within me. The desire of my heart is to be fully devoted to you. The desire of my heart is to live a life that is good and right and pleasing to you. The desire of my heart is to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Where do you think this desire came from? It certainly did not come from me. No, it did not. This desire came from you. This desire is a gift of your grace to me. Yes, it is. So, can you see that I have already given you this good desire? Yes, I can see that. What else must also be true? The desire you give will be the desire you grant to me. You would never give me this desire if you had no intention of granting it. No, I would not. So, you will help me to live my life with and for you. You will help me to be fully devoted to you. Yes, I will. Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, I have loved the world. I have pursued the things of the world. I have made the things of the world my idol. What a mistake. What a waste of time. Forgive me. Now, I will humbly live my life with and for you. Help me to love and follow and serve you. Amen

Key Question… Why will self-centered pride always lead you away from the life that Christ has called you to live?

Living It Out… Humbly live your life with and for the Lord so you can receive all the grace He wants to give to you.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will lavish you with His grace as you live humbly with and for him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has lavished you his grace.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you humbly receive the grace God wants to give to you.

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

Promises – Day 175 – James 4-4-6 – Gives Grace To The Humble – 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

I Will Give You My Message

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 174 - Jeremiah 18-1-6 - I Will Give You My Message - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 174 – Jeremiah 18-1-6 – I Will Give You My Message – Growing As Disciples

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:  “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.”  So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel.  But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.  Then the word of the LORD came to me:  “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. Jeremiah 18:1-6 (NIV)

Mold And Shape You

Will you allow me to mold and shape you? Will you allow me to make you into the person I have called you to become? Will you allow me to use you according to my purposes to fulfill my plans? Will you go where I guide you? Will you do what I ask of me? Will you place all your faith and hope and trust in me? Don’t answer me too quickly. Deeply consider all my questions. Get this, I will ask you to go, and you will not know where you are going. I will ask you to do, and you will feel incapable and incompetent. You will feel unprepared, unqualified and certainly uncomfortable. Why is this, you may ask. That thought did come to my mind. I want you to learn to rely on me completely. I want you to place all your trust in me. You have often asked me to grow your faith, have you not? Yes, that prayer has been in my heart and on my mind. Know this, the road on which I will lead you will certainly answer this prayer of yours. Will you listen attentively to me? Will you watch carefully to what I will show you? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.

How are you feeling about all that I have said to you? I am filled with wonder and anticipation. I would be lying if I did not say that I am more than a little nervous. How do you think I would like you to feel about what I have said to you? I don’t know. Take a guess. I think you want me to be filled with comfort and peace and joy. Why is that? You want me to always remember that it is you who will be molding and shaping my life. You are the potter. I am the clay. I will be the work of your hands. Isn’t that good? Isn’t that great! Yes, it is far beyond what I could have ever hoped for, dreamed of or even imagined. That is very good.

Lord, I give you permission to mold and shape my life according to your purposes and plans. I welcome you to do your work in and through my life. I want to be used by you. I want to go where you lead me. I want to do all you ask of me. I am at your service. Amen

Key Question… What comfort and encouragement are yours because you know the Lord is molding and shaping your life?

Living It Out… Allow the Lord to mold and shape you according to His purposes and plans.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord is molding and shaping you according to His purposes and plans.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has been molding and shaping your life.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you allow the Lord to mold and shape according to His purposes.

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

Promises – Day 174 – Jeremiah 18-1-6 – I Will Give You My Message – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

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

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

Know Him Better

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 172 - Ephesians 1:15-17 - Know Him Better - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 172 – Ephesians 1:15-17 – Know Him Better – Growing As Disciples

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,  I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Ephesians 1:15-17 (NIV)

Know Me 

Do you want to come to know me better? Do you want to come to know me intimately? Do you want others to come to know and love and follow and serve me? Yes, I want both myself and others to come to know and love and follow and serve you. I want to know you better. I want to know you more intimately. Nothing less for myself and for others is my hope and dream and desire. That is very good.

How do you suppose you and others will come to know and love and follow and serve me? How do you suppose you will come to know me intimately? What will you do if you want yourself and others to come to know me better? I will meet with you in prayer. I will pray consistent and persistent prayers for others. I will not quit. I will not give up. I will not relent. I will keep on praying the prayers that you give me to pray. That will be very good.

What else will you do as you consistently and persistently pray for others? I will receive your instruction.  I will follow your guidance. I will go where you guide me. I will do what you ask of me. I will love others just as you have loved me. I will give like you gave. I will serve like you served. I will follow your example. I will live the life that you lived. I will allow you to use me as your witness in the darkness of this world. I will allow you to make me to shine for you like a star in the universe. I will allow you to use me to spread the fragrance and knowledge of you everywhere. Then you will come to know me intimately. Then others will come to know and love and follow and serve me because they will see my life being lived out in and through you. I will make you able to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. I welcome your work in and through me. That is very good. Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, I want to come to know you more intimately. I want others to come to know, love, follow and serve you as well. I am sure that both I and others will come to know you better as I am consistent and persistent in my prayers for them. I will keep on praying. Amen

Key Question… Who would like you to pray for on a consistent and persistent basis so they will come to know the Lord?

Living It Out… Make it your consistent and persistent prayer for yourself and others to come to know the Lord more intimately.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you and others to come to know Him more intimately as you keep on praying.

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

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you ask the Lord to give you wisdom and insight so you can come to know Him better.

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

Promises – Day 173 – Ephesians 1-15-17 – Know Him Better – 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

Is Any One Of You In Trouble?

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 172 - James 5:13-16 - Is Anyone One Of You In Trouble? - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 172 – James 5:13-16 – Is Anyone One Of You In Trouble? – Growing As Disciples

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:13-16 (NIV)

When Will You Pray?

When will you pray to me? When will you come into my presence? When will you give your thanks and praise to me? When will you confess your sins to me? When you tell me what you want and need from me? I have three answers to all your questions. I’m listening. First, I will give you all my adoration and praise and thanksgiving daily. I will also confess my sins to you and make my needs known to you daily. That seems like a more than adequate answer to my questions. What more do you want to say? Secondly, I will set a specific time and place to meet with you in prayer daily. Why is that important? If I don’t set a part a specific time and place to meet with you in prayer it is not likely to happen. Why is that? Life is busy. Life is all consuming. Life screams for my attention. If I do not make prayer a priority, the rest of life will crowd it out of my life. You are very wise to know this to be true. Thank you. I only know this to be true because you have shown it to be true to me. Finally, I want our set times of prayer to spill over into the rest of my life. How so? I want to live a life that is fully devoted to you. I want to know you. I want to hear your voice speaking to me. I want to live and walk in an intimate relationship with you. I want to live my life in a constant dialogue of prayer with you. So, if I would tell you what I want or need right now, I would say, “Help me to live my life in a constant dialogue of prayer to you. Help me to know you. Help me to be known to you.” That is the passionate prayer of my heart. That is what I want and need to you. At all times, I will pray to you. At all times, I will live a life of being fully devoted to you. You have asked for something I will surely grant. I will hear and answer this passionate prayer of yours. Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, I want to live a life of ongoing prayer. I want to walk through life in a constant dialogue of prayer with you. I will pray to you when I am in trouble or in need. I will give you thanks and praise when I am filled with joy. I will live a life fully devoted to you. Amen

Key Question… How is confession of your sins becoming a regular part of your prayer life?

Living It Out… Pray to the Lord when you are in trouble.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will hear and answer your prayers when you pray to Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group what prayers are on your heart and in your mind right now.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you pray and ask the Lord for His help when you are in trouble.

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

Promises – Day 157 – James 5-13-16 – Is Any One Of You In Trouble? – 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

His Prized Possession

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 171 - James 1-12-18- His Prized Possession- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 171 – James 1-12-18- His Prized Possession- Growing As Disciples

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.  And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.  Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.  These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.  So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.  Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.  He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. James 1:12-18 (NLT) 

Endure Testing And Temptation

How will you be able to endure testing and temptation? What makes you even want to endure testing and temptation? Why do you not easily and simply give up to testing and give in to temptation? What motivates your desire to not let sin grow in you? Those are all very good questions. I have but one answer. I’m listening. I know that I am one of your prized possessions. I know that you love and care for me. I know that every good and perfect gift comes from you. Yes, all of this is true. Because you first loved me, I now love you. I don’t love you just a little bit. I love you with all that is within me. I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. Because I love you, I want to live a life that is good and right and pleasing to you. I am fully devoted to you. Does this mean that I live a perfect life? Does this mean that I never sin? Certainly not. But with a heart full of desire, I want to live the life that you have called me to live. That is very good.

Since you love me and since you are fully devoted to me, what actions steps do you take so that you will be able to patiently endure testing and temptation? Well, I will tell you one thing. What’s that? I run from temptation whenever I see it approaching. I don’t linger around evil. I don’ knowingly let evil desires entice me and drag me into temptation that will cause me to sin. When evil approaches, I run from it and run to you. I submit myself to you, I draw near to you and then evil does flee from me. Yes, it does, yes it will, as you draw near to me and I draw near to you.

But I have given you another tool, and very good gift, that will help you to patiently endure testing and temptation. Tell me what that tool is and what you do with it? You have given me your word. Your word is a very good gift. Your word is a tool that is changing my heart, transforming my mind and guiding my life. Your word is making me able to patiently endure testing and temptation. Your word is making me able to stand against evil. Your word is molding and shaping my life and helping me to live the life you have called me to live. Yes, my word is doing all these things in you, for you, and through you. Keep on patiently enduring testing and temptation and then you will receive the crown of life because I know that you love me. Yes, I will. Thank you, Lord. 

Heavenly Father, I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. Help me to endure testing and temptation. Help me to receive the crown of life and all the very good gifts you have for me. Help me to take your life-giving word deep within me. Amen

Key Question… How is your love for God making you able to patiently endure testing and temptation?

Living It Out… Allow your love for God to help you to patiently endure testing and temptation so you can receive the crown of life.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God will help you to patiently endure testing and temptation.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how God has helped you to patiently endure testing and temptation.

Prayer To Bless Others… May your love for God make you able to patiently endure testing and temptation.

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

Promises – Day 171 – James 1-12-18 – His Prized Possession – 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

How You Live

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 170 - Ephesians 5:15-21 - How You Live- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 170 – Ephesians 5:15-21 – How You Live- Growing As Disciples

Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.  Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.  Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:15-21 (NIV)

Filled With The Spirit

Do you want to live and walk wisely in this world? Do you want to shine brightly for me in the darkness that surrounds you? Do you want to be able to think and speak and act wisely so you can be a bold and bright witness for me? Yes Lord, I want all these things to be true of the life that I am living with and for you. How can I live and walk wisely?  How can I shine brightly? How can I be a bold and bright witness for you in the darkness of this world? How can I make the most of every opportunity to serve you? By your questions and by my questions you should know something to be true. What is that? What should I know to be true? You tell me. I will try. I’m listening. Thinking and speaking and acting wisely does not come naturally to me. Just the opposite is often true. I naturally think and speak and act foolishly. So, under my own power, with my own ability, left to my own efforts I have little, probably no hope, of living wisely as your bold and bright witness in the world. It is wise of you to know this to be true. That sounds like a start to me. It is a great start. It is the best and only place to begin. You are acknowledging that you need my help to think and speak and act wisely. Yes, I am. That is very good.

How do you think I will make you able to think and speak and act wisely? You will fill me with your Holy Spirit. Your Holy Spirit will give me wise thoughts to think, wise words to speak, and wise actions to take. Yes, that is true. How will you know if you are allowing my Holy Spirit to work in and through you? What kind of thoughts and words and actions do you think will be flowing out of your life as my Holy Spirit works in and through you? I will want to serve you and others. Life will not revolve around me. I will encourage and spur others on. I will help and lift others up. My life will be overflowing with peace and joy. My heart will be filled with praise. I will give thanks to you for how you are working in and through me to make me a light for you in the darkness of this world. Yes, all these will be true of you as you allow me to fill you with you with my Spirit. I welcome that, fill me up, use me in your service. Yes, I am and yes, I will continue to fill you with my Spirit. Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, I know that life does not revolve around me. Life is not all about me. I am not the center of the universe. I am not the focus of everyone’s attention. Help me to be filled with your Holy Spirit. Help me to think and speak and act wisely as I serve others. Amen

Key Question… How is the Holy Spirit giving you opportunities to think and speak and act wisely in the world?

Living It Out… Allow the Holy Spirit to help you to live and walk wisely in the world.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Holy Spirit will help you to live and walk wisely in the world.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Holy Spirit is helping you to live and walk wisely in the world.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you be filled with the Spirit so you can live and walk wisely in the world.

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

Promises – Day 170 – Ephesians 5-15-21 – How You Live – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

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

Christ Lives In Me

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 169 - Galatians 2:20 - Christ Lives In Me - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 169 – Galatians 2:20 – Christ Lives In Me – Growing As Disciples

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (NIV) 

New Life

What did I do for you? You came into this world to live and die for me. You gave yourself on the cross. You paid for my sins. You made it so I could be forgiven of all my sins. You made it so I could be cleansed of all my unrighteousness. You made it so my old life could die on the cross with you. My old life in the world is dead and gone. My new life, in you, looks nothing like my old life in the world. You have given me a completely brand-new life to live in you. Yes, I have done all these things for you.

Do you sometimes forget that I love and care for you? Do you ever lose sight of all that I have done for you? Do you ever have doubts that your old life is dead and gone? You know that all of these are true. What do you do when this forgetfulness, this blurred vision and lost perspective and these doubts come upon you? I draw near to you. I quiet myself before you. I rest in your presence. I listen to your voice. I allow you to refresh and restore and revive me. I allow you to strengthen and encourage me. I allow you to lift me up and carry me. Have I been with you to help you when you come to me? Yes, you always draw near to me as I draw near to you. You have never forsaken me. You have never abandoned me. You have never left me alone, to fend for myself. You have always been my shelter in the storms of life. When forgetfulness, blurred vision and lost perspective and doubts rage against me like a storm, you have always helped me to keep on moving forward with you. You have held on to me as I have held on to you. What has happened to you as you have gone through the raging storms of life? What has happened as you have held on to me and I have held on to you? I have known without a doubt, that you love and care for me. I have known without a doubt, that you have given me a completely brand-new life to keep on living in you. In the raging storms of life, my faith in you has only grown stronger as you have kept on helping me to live the new life, I have in you. Isn’t that good? Isn’t that great? Yes Lord, thank you for loving and caring for me. Thank you for giving yourself for me. Thank you for helping me to live the new life I have in you. I love you. I give myself fully to you. I will live my life in you, with you, and for you. That is very good.

Lord, I am thankful you love and gave yourself for me. I love and give myself fully to you. Thank you that my old life is now gone. It died as it was crucified on the cross. Thank you for giving me a completely brand-new life to live in you. Live inside of me now. Amen

Key Question… How does your new life in Christ look completely different than your old life in the world?

Living It Out… By faith, live your completely new life in Christ that you have been given to live.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you have been given a completely new life to live in Christ.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are, by faith, living your completely new life in Christ.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you by faith live the new life you have in Christ.

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

Galatians 2-20 – Promises – Day 169 – Christ Lives In Me – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

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

Dwell In You Richly

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 168 - Colossians 3:15-17 - Dwell In You Richly - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 168 – Colossians 3:15-17 – Dwell In You Richly – Growing As Disciples

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:15-17 (NIV) 

My Peace

Do you want my peace to rule in your heart? Yes, of course, I want your peace to rule heart. What must I do If I want your peace to rule in my heart? That is a very good question. But the answer will not be what you expect. What do I expect? You expect that letting my peace rule in your heart will depend on something you will do. You think that some effort on your part will make my peace rule in your heart. I have a big surprise for you. What’s that? Your efforts will never bring you peace in your heart. My peace being in your heart does not depend on you. You have my full attention. I am listening attentively to you. Let me ask you a few questions. Go ahead. Do you believe that I love you? Do you believe that I care for you? Do you believe that I can and will help you? I know that I have you thinking. Yes, you have me thinking. What are you thinking? I can see where this line of questioning is headed. Where is that? If I believe that you love me, if I believe that you care for me, if I believe that you can and will take care of me, then I should be able to rest in that knowledge and receive the peace that you want me to live in. You got it. You want me to come to trust and rely on you. Yes, I do. Then, I will be letting your peace rule in my heart. That I will do. That will be very good.

I do want to warn you that coming to trust and rely on me will not be easy. The devil and all his evil will try to attack you and try to fill you with fear and worry and anxiety. He will try to steal and kill and destroy the peace and hope and joy and the peace I have for you. You need to be ready. You need to be prepared. How can I be ready and be prepared? Let my word dwell in you richly. You need your heart and mind and life to be focused on me. You need to be attentive to my voice. My word will strengthen you. My word will sustain you. My word will make you able to live a life of peace and joy and gratitude and thanksgiving as you love and follow and serve me. Will you let my peace rule in you? Will you let my word dwell in you richly? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good. Then you will live the life I have for you. Then you will live in my peace. Thank you, Lord.

Lord, there is no doubt about it, these are troubling times. There is great difficulty, not only in my life, but also in the lives of many people around me. Help me to let your peace rule in me. Help me to let your word dwell in me richly, so I can live in your peace. Amen

Key Question… How is letting the word of God dwell in you richly making you able to rely on Him and receive His peace?

Living It Out… Let the peace of Christ rule, and the word of Christ dwell, in you as you go through trials and troubles in life.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will give you His peace when you go through trials and troubles in life.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has given you His peace as you have relied on Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you let the word of God dwell in you richly.

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

Promises – Day 168 – Colossians 3-15-17 – Dwell In You Richly – 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