Category Archives: If

Cherished Sin

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - If - Psalm 66:16-20 - Cherished Sin - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – If – Psalm 66:16-20 – Cherished Sin – Growing As Disciples

Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! Psalm 66:16-20 (NIV)

Confession

Here I am Lord. I have come to meet with you in prayer. There is something that I have not talked to you about much. What’s that? I haven’t talked to you about my sin. I know that I am a sinner. Even now as your follower I know that I have sinned against you in my thoughts, words and deeds. My sins are not in the distant past. I wasn’t once a sinner. I still am a sinner. I know that you have forgiven and paid for my sins on the cross. I know that you have cleansed me of all my unrighteousness. I know that my old life of sin is gone and that I am living a new life of righteousness in you. That’s right. Nevertheless, I still do sin.  I am not perfect. I have thought, and said and done what was not pleasing to you. I sinned in what I have done and in what I have left undone. I am here to confess all my sins to you. That is very good. 

I don’t want anything to come between us. I don’t want anything to hinder my prayers to you. For that reason I will not hang on to anything that is not pleasing to you. I will not let sin captivate me. I will not let sin allure and entice me. I will not let sin catch me in its trap. I will take the way you have provided for me so that I will not fall into temptation. Sometimes, I will make missteps. I will go and do what I shouldn’t have done. I will think thoughts that are not pleasing to you. I will speak words that are not acceptable to you. I will turn away from sinful thoughts, words, and deeds. I will turn to you to live the life that you have given me to live. It will be my regular practice to come to confess all my sins to you. I will continue to live in your forgiveness and cleansing. That will be very good.

You do completely forgive me. You do fully cleanse me. You show me your love and kindness. Yes, I do. You have lavished me with your love. You have done great things for me. It will be my joy, with a heart full of thanksgiving to give thanks and praise and glory to you. I will tell others all that you have done for me. You have heard and answered my prayers. Yes, I have.

Lord, there is no doubt about it. I am a sinner. There is no hiding that fact from you. You and I know it is true. I’m here to confess all my sins to you. I have sinned against you in thought, word and deed. Forgive and cleanse me of all my unrighteousness. Amen

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

If – Psalm 66-16-20 – Cherished Sin – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Shrinks Back

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - If - Hebrews 10:38-39 - Shrinks Back- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – If – Hebrews 10:38-39 – Shrinks Back- Growing As Disciples

But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. Hebrews 10:38-39 (NIV)

Faith Over Fear

Can you hear my voice? Are you making yourself attentive to me? Are you listening to all that I want to say to you? I can hear your voice. I have set a time and a place to meet with you. Yes, I am making myself attentive to you. Am I listening to all that you have to say to me? That’s a good question. I want to say yes. I doubt that I am hearing all that you want to say to me. I am straining to hear you. I am listening carefully to you. It is my delight and joy hearing you speak to me. I don’t want to miss out on one word that you have to say to me. I have something that I want to say to you right now. I’m listening. You have my full attention. That’s good.

There is something that I want you to know. There is something that I want you to be able to recognize. There is something that I don’t want you to be surprised by. There is something that I want you to come to expect. Now, I’m really curious. What is this something that you are talking about? You will be faced with a choice throughout your life. This choice will appear again and again and over and over as you follow me. This choice will never be a one and done kind of choice. Tell me more. You first made this choice when you came to believe in me. You turned away from your sin and told me that you were going to follow me as your Savior and Lord. Yes, I did. I am your Savior and Lord. On the day you turned your life over to me your life of salvation began. My being your Savior and Lord is a settled question. You being my follower is a settled question. Your future in heaven forever with me is a settled question. Is this all clear to you? Yes, I have no doubt that you are my Savior and Lord and that I am your follower. One day I will come to live forever in heaven with you. Good, lets go back to the choice that will keep repeating itself in your life. Let’s talk about the choice that you will be required to answer again and again and over and over. I want to know more about this choice. You will have the choice of faith over fear. I’m not exactly sure what you mean. Oh, I think you know exactly what I mean. When have you been afraid? When have I asked you to choose faith in me over your fears? When have I asked you to go and do something for me that caused you to face one of your fears? I get it. Will you have faith in me? Will you keep following me? Will you move forward with me? Will you do what I ask of you? Will you allow me to overcome your fears and grow your faith in me? Will you choose faith over fear? Yes Lord, I will choose faith in you over my fears. That will be very good.

Lord, I have been faced with the choice of faith over fear many times. Forgive me for not always making the right choice. Thank you for allowing me to hear your voice leading me through life. I will follow you as my Savior and Lord. I will move forward with you. Amen

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

If – Hebrews 10-38-39 – Shrinks Back – 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 At Peace

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - If - Romans 12:18 - Live At Peace - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – If – Romans 12:18 – Live At Peace – Growing As Disciples

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 (NIV)

Depending On You

If it depends on me to live at peace with everyone I will need a lot of help from you. Why is that? I think you know that it does not come naturally for me to want to go out of my way to meet the needs of my enemies. I’m not at all used to blessing those who persecute me. I have not been like you. My life would not stand up to close examination, in such a way that others would think that I have done good to all people. I have wanted to get even with those who have hurt me. I have wanted to repay evil for evil. My love for others has not been completely sincere. I have not loved like you have loved. In fact, I have been filled with self-centered pride. In my conceit, I have not wanted to associate with people of low position. I have not fully invested my life in the lives of others. I have not mourned with those who mourn. I have not even rejoiced with those who rejoice. I ask you to forgive me of all these sins of mine. You are forgiven.  I do know that you need my help to be the person I have called you be. We both know that.

I am helping you to love like I love. I am helping you to do good to all people. You should know by now that I am changing your heart and transforming your mind. I am making you to be like me. You are no longer that self-centered person. You are looking out for the interests of others. You are mourning with those who mourn. You are rejoicing with those who rejoice. You are trying to do good to all people. You are willing to associate with people of all kinds. Are you a finished product? Is my work complete? Do you love perfectly? No, you do not. But, do not be discouraged. Be encouraged. I am molding and shaping you into the person that I have called you to be. You are a witness for me in the world. My light is shining in and through you. My work in you will continue. Keep on relying on me. Keep on following me. You will love like I love. You will give like I gave. You will live like I lived. Yes Lord, I will rely on you. Thank you for molding and shaping my life. Thank you for working in and through me. I will be encouraged as I follow you. That will be very good. 

Lord, I want to be like you. I will make it to be my goal to live in peace with everyone. I will bless those who have harmed me. I will go out of my way to meet the needs of my enemies. I will do what is right in the eyes of all so I can overcome evil with good. Amen

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

If – Romans 12-18 – Live At Peace – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

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

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

The Lord’s Will

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - If - James 4:13-16 - The Lord's Will- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – If – James 4:13-16 – The Lord’s Will- Growing As Disciples

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. James 4:13-16 (NIV)

Now Listen

Listen, now that’s one of the more important words that you will ever hear. Why is that? You will hear many voices in life. There will be a voice that says stop while another voice says start. Another voice will say go as one more says stay. You will hear a voice suggesting that you turn left while turning right looks equally inviting. You will hear yes and no. You will be faced with a hundred different directions you could go. You will have the choice of a thousand different things that you could do. How will I ever know which way to go? How will I ever know for sure what I should do? Those are two very good questions. 

How have you decided which way you should go? How have you determined what you should do? How I have decided which way I should go and what I should do in the past is no basis for making a good decision in the future. Why is that? I have made a lot of mistakes. Quite frequently I have made the wrong choices and followed a faulty plan. I have gone left when right would have been far better. I have stayed when I should have gone. I have said yes when no would have been far wiser. Who did you listen to when you made all these choices? Who gave you guidance? What wisdom did you seek? What counsel did you follow? Those are all good questions. Unfortunately I don’t have any good answers. You must have an answer. My answer is the problem. I didn’t listen to anyone when I made my decisions. I had no guidance. I received no wisdom. I sought no one’s counsel. What did you do? I listened to myself. I listened to my own counsel. I followed my own wisdom. I set my own goals and followed my own plan. That is a problem. Yes, I know.

Your past has not gone to waste. You have been taught valuable lessons. What have you learned? I have learned to listen. I have learned to ask for wisdom. I have learned to seek counsel. I have learned to receive guidance. I have learned to listen and rely on one voice that will give me wisdom, counsel and guidance. What voice is that? I have learned to listen to your voice. I have learned to rely on you. So now, you will listen to me? Yes Lord, I will listen to you. That will be very good.

Lord, no longer will I go charging forward with my own pride filled plan of what I think I will do and accomplish. Instead I will attentively listen to you. I will seek you and your will for my life. I will go where you guide me. I will do all that you ask of me. Amen

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

If – James 4-13-16 – The Lords Will – 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

Love Only Those Who Love You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - If - Luke 6:32-34 - Love Only Those Who Love You - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – If – Luke 6:32-34 – Love Only Those Who Love You – Growing As Disciples

“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. Luke 6:32-34 (NLT)

Pay Back

I loved you knowing that you did not love me. I gave myself for you knowing that you could never ever pay me back. Yes, you demonstrated your love for me by dying on the cross as payment for my sins. You gave yourself so that I could be forgiven of all my unrighteousness. You went far out of your way and gave all that you had so that I could live in a new relationship with you. Your love for me drew me to you. You loved me first before I ever loved you. Yes, I did. 

Your love is changing me. How so? You are changing my heart and transforming my mind. At one time, I only loved those who loved me. I would only give to those who would be able to pay me back. My love and my giving were nothing like your love and your giving. You have become my role model. I want to become like you in every way. I want to think like you think. I want to feel what you feel. I want to give like you gave. I want to do what you have done. I want to do what pleases you. I want to do all that you ask of me. I want you to love like I loved. I want you to give like I gave. I am asking you to love others who may never love you. I am asking you to give to others without the hope or expectation that you will ever be paid back. Will you love like I loved? Will you give like I gave? Yes Lord, I will.

What will happen to you when you love and give like I loved and gave? I’m not sure. Take a guess. I know that I will stand out. I will seem odd to others, in a good way. Why is that? Your kind of love and giving is uncommon in the world. Yes, it is. Do you know that I want you to stand out? I want you to be noticed. I want your life to shine brightly like a star in the universe. You will shine brightly for me when you do what I ask of you. Do you want to shine brightly for me? Yes Lord, more than anything else, I want to be a bright and shining witness for you. Then you will love like I loved. Then you will give like I gave. Yes, I will. 

Lets talk about pay back. Was there no pay back for loving the way that I loved? Was there no pay back for giving the way that I gave? You were paid back in joy knowing that you did your Father’s will. You were paid back in joy knowing that you accomplished all that your Father asked you to do for Him. You were paid back in joy knowing that your life bore an abundance of fruit in restoring a multitude to a new relationship with your Father in Heaven. Yes, I was. Do you believe that you will one day be paid back in similar ways as you love and give like I loved and gave? Yes, I know that you will one day pay me back for the good I have done for you in this life. Yes, I will.

Lord, thank you for going far out of your way to demonstrate your love for me even when I was not loving you back. You gave your life for me knowing that I could never possibly pay you back. Help me to love others just like you loved and gave yourself to me. Amen

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

If – Luke 6-32-34 – Love Only Those Who Love You – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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