Category Archives: Knowing God

Teach Me Your Decrees

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Knowing God - Psalm 119:9-16 - Teach Me Your Decrees - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Knowing God – Psalm 119:9-16 – Teach Me Your Decrees – Growing As Disciples

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Psalm 119:9-16 (NIV)

My Word

What do you think of my word? It is my joy to hear your word. I rejoice in hearing you speak to me. I don’t want to miss out on anything that you have to say to me. Your word is more valuable to me than any treasure that this world has to offer. Your word guards and guides my life. How is my word guarding and guiding your life? Your word is changing my heart and transforming my mind. As I meditate on your word I am able to understand what you want to teach me. As I consider your word I am able to see how you want to train me. Your word helps me to know your will. Your word helps me to think your thoughts. Your word keeps me walking in your ways. I am listening to you and following your words. Yes, you are.

How does my word keep your way pure? There is a battle going on over my mind. The word and its’ evil desires has plenty that it wants to say to me. Without your word I would be defenseless against the evil that is in the world. I would think and act according to all that it has to say to me. Your word puts your thoughts and ways in my heart and mind. Your word stands against the words that are of this world. I want your word in my life. I hunger for your word. I delight in your word. Your word pushes the thoughts and words of this world out of my heart and mind. I can’t think two sets of words at one time. Either your word or the world’s words will rule my heart and my mind. Your word cleanses and scrubs the words from the world out of my heart and my mind. Hearing your word gives me a burning desire to live my life for you. I don’t want to stray. I don’t want to wander. I want to follow everything you are saying to me with your word. Yes, you do.

Will you continue in my word? Will you let my word dwell in you? I will meditate on your word. I will treasure your word. I will live my life according to your word. I will rejoice in your word. I will put your word into practice as I follow you. Yes, you will.

Lord, I will hide your word in my heart. Guard and guide my life with your word. I will meditate on your word so I can understand all you want to teach me. Thank you for the great riches I am receiving as I meet with you in your word. Amen

Key Question…How will hiding God’s word in your heart help guide and guard your life?

Living It Out… Boldly and persistently bring your prayers to the Lord to ask Him for what you need.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God will guard and guide your life as you hide His word in your heart.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group when God’s word has guided and guarded your life.

Prayer To Bless Others… May your life be guarded and guided by God’s word as you hide it in your heart.

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

Knowing God – Psalm 119-9-16 – Teach Me Your Decrees – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

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

Guard Your Hearts And Minds

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Philippians 4:4-7 - Knowing God - Guard Your Hearts And Minds - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Philippians 4:4-7 – Knowing God – Guard Your Hearts And Minds – Growing As Disciples

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

Present Your Requests

I’m not hearing many actual prayer requests from you. You are not asking me for very much. Why is that? Do you think that I may be too busy to hear and answer your prayers? Do you think your prayers may come as an inconvenience to me? Do you not want to bother me with your requests? Do you think that you are not worthy to have your prayers heard and answered by me? Are you so busy that you just don’t have the time to pray? You don’t have to answer all my questions immediately. I do want you to think deeply about what I am saying to you.

Is your life so under control that you don’t need my help? Now, I can’t let that question go by unanswered. That is a question I don’t need to take time to answer. I didn’t think so either. You’ve seen my life. Yes, I see your life from beginning to end. I take notice of every detail of your life on every day of your life. Have you noticed that I am full of worry and anxiety? Yes, that’s exactly why I started this conversation with you about your prayers. What do you have in mind? What do you think I have in mind? You don’t want me to carry worry and anxiety through life. No, I do not.

I want your life to be filled with joy. I want you to have peace that is so full and deep that you can’t even explain it. I want you to have my joy and peace no matter what circumstances you face in life. How is that possible? You tell me. I don’t know. Well, do you want to keep carrying your worries and anxieties through life? No, I don’t. What can you do with your worries and anxieties? I can give my worries and anxieties to you. I can turn each one of my worries and anxieties into a prayer to you. Yes, you can. Now if you did that, you would be asking for a lot more from me in your prayers. Yes, I would. That is exactly what I want to hear from you. I want you to ask me for all that you need. I want you to come to me to rely on me in your prayers. Will you do that? Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, I have held on to anxious worries. My joy has been robbed. My ability to rejoice has been limited. I know that you are near to me and ready to hear my prayers. I will turn all my worries into prayers to you so that your peace will guard my heart and mind. Amen

Key Question… What is a worry that you would like to turn into a prayer to God right now?

Living It Out… Draw near to God and turn all your worries into prayers to Him so that He can guard your heart and your mind.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the God will guard your heart and mind as you turn your worries into prayers to Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you have drawn near to God to turn worries into prayers to Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you turn all your worries into prayers to God so that His peace will guard your heart and mind.

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

Knowing God – Philippians 4-4-7 – Guard Your Hearts And Your Minds – 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

Set You An Example

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Knowing God - John 13:14-17 - Set You An Example - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Knowing God – John 13:14-17 – Set You An Example – Growing As Disciples

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.  John 13:14-17 (NIV)

Do As I Have Done

I have set before you an example to follow. What have I shown you? You have shown me what it looks like to have the heart of a servant. What does the heart of a servant look like? It looks like your heart. How so? A servant is willing to do what you did. A servant is willing to serve like you served. A servant is willing to give like you gave. You humbled yourself. You had no regard for your rights. You had no concern for your position. There is nothing you wouldn’t do. There is no one you wouldn’t serve. There was no one who was outside of your concern. There was no one that was beyond your care. There was no one that was unworthy of your love. You poured yourself out. You held nothing back. You kept nothing in reserve. You laid your life down for others. You went where you were asked to go. You did what you were asked to do. Your mission, your goal and your tasks were to do the will of your Father. You lived to know and do His will. You served Him with all your heart, and mind and soul and strength. Yes, I did.

Why did I do what I did? You did what you did because you love your Father. You did what you did because you love others. Your love made you willing to lay down your life in service to God. Your love made you willing to lay down your life for others. That’s right. Does that sound familiar to you? Yes, it does sound familiar to me. The two greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart and soul and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself. That’s exactly what you did. That is the example that you have set before me. Yes, it is. Will you love like I loved? Will you do as I have done?  Will you go where I send you? Will you do what I ask of you? Will you serve me with all your heart and mind and soul and strength? Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, thank you for setting an example before me to follow. You humbled yourself in service to others. I will follow your example. Use my life in humble service to others. Help me to be your witness in the world as I do for others what you have done for me. Amen

Key Question… How are you coming to know the Lord by following the example He has set before you?

Living It Out… 

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will bless your life as you follow His example by humbling yourself in service to others.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are following Christ’s example by humbling serving others.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you follow the example Christ has given to you by humbly serving others.

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

Knowing God – John 13-14-17 – Set You An Example – 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 Battle Is The Lord’s

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Knowing God - 1 Samuel 17-45-47 - The Battle Is The Lord's - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Knowing God – 1 Samuel 17-45-47 – The Battle Is The Lord’s – Growing As Disciples

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:45-47 (NIV)

Rely On Me

You will face many battles in life. You can be sure of that. Each battle will present you with a choice. What choice is that? You will be asked if you are going to rely on me or are you going to rely on yourself. You may think that you can make this choice once for all time. It would even be good to make your choice now in advance. But you must reaffirm again and again whatever choice you make now. Well, I have made my choice. I am not going to rely on myself. I am going to rely on you. You have made a good choice.

It is easy to say that you will rely on me to fight with you and for you in the battles of life. It will be much harder for you to learn to fully rely on me. Why is that? You tell me. I have an independent and self-sufficient nature within me. It is good that you are aware of that. How have your battles in life gone when you have relied completely on yourself? I have lost many battles simply because I have relied on myself rather than relying on you. That’s right.

When you rely on yourself I don’t mind watching you loose battles. Do you know why that is? It is more important to you that I come to know and rely on you rather than whether I win or lose a battle. Yes, it is. Don’t be confused though, I don’t want you to loose battles. I have no pleasure when you have to learn a painful lesson by loosing a battle.

When you have relied on me in the battles of life what has happened to you? As I have relied in the battles of life I have come to know you better. Yes, you have.  My faith in you has grown, as I have known that you are fighting with me and for me. Yes, it has. You have received honor and glory in the victories that you have won for me. Others have been drawn to you as they have seen you lead me in victory. It has been my joy to know that I am really living my life with and for you as I am relying on you in the battles of life. Will you continue to rely on me to fight with you and for you in the battles of life? Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, I know I will face many battles in life. I also know I will have a choice to make. Will I rely on you or on myself to fight the battles in life? I will tell you now. I will rely on you to fight with me and for me in every battle that I will face in life.  Amen

Key Question… How have you come to know God better in the battles that He has helped you to fight?

Living It Out… Rely on the Lord to fight with you and for you in the battles that you will face in life.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will fight with you and for you in the battles that you will face in life.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has given you victories in battles you have faced in life.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you rely on the Lord to fight with you and for you in the battles of life.

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

Knowing God – 1 Samuel 17-45-47 – The Battle Is The Lord’s – 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

Abide In Me

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Knowing God - John 15:4-5 - Abide In Me - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Knowing God – John 15:4-5 – Abide In Me – Growing As Disciples

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5 (ESV)

Bear Much Fruit

I am the vine. You are a branch. What does that tell you? I am connected to you. I was designed to live in an intimate relationship with you. You are my source of life. All that I need flows through you. There is not a minute of the day or a moment of my life when I can vibrantly live apart from you.

You have been called to abide in me. You are meant to remain in me. What does that tell you? It is possible to live a life that is disconnected from you. I need to guard against being lured away from you. The world and all that is in it could distract me from living in a vital and intimate relationship with you. Living in a vital and intimate relationship with you will require consistent effort and discipline on my part. Abiding in you will require me to make significant and life altering choices. What kind of choices will you need to make? I will need to choose to make it my practice to abide in you. How will you do that? If I want to abide in you I will need to live a life of prayer. Our life together will be one long and ongoing prayer filled conversation. I will draw near to you and you will draw near to me. I will listen attentively to all that you have to say to me. We will talk together about all of life. Yes, we will. What else? As I abide with you I will meet with you in your word. There is not a day that I will not need to hear what you want to teach me. You will mold and shape my life with your word. You will change my heart and transform my mind with your word. You will guide my life, give me comfort and strengthen me with your word. Your Holy Spirit, living in me, will bring your word to my remembrance and apply it to my life. That’s right. What else? As I abide with you I will want to bow down to worship you. I will give thanks to you for all your goodness to me. I will praise your name for who you are and all that you have done. I will gather together with the body of believers you have placed me in to express my love to you as I worship you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. That’s very good. What else? As I abide in you I will want to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. I want to bear an abundance of fruit for you that will last for all eternity. I know that apart from you I can do nothing. I want my life to be used by you. I want to do the good works that you have planned for me to do for you. I will go where you guide me. I will do all that you ask of me. Live your life in these ways. Make these choices and you will be abiding in me. Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, thank you that you are the vine and I am your branch. You are my source of vibrant and eternal life now and forever. I will remain vitally connected to you on a daily moment-by-moment basis so I can bear abundant and lasting fruit for your kingdom. Amen

Key Question… What spiritual disciplines have helped you to abide in Christ and remain vitally connected to Him?

Living It Out… Remain vitally connected to Jesus Christ on a daily, moment-by-moment basis so you can bear abundant fruit for Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you will bear an abundance of fruit for the kingdom of God as you remain vitally connected to Christ.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are remaining in Christ and bearing abundant fruit for Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you abide in Christ so that you can bear an abundance of fruit for His Kingdom and glory.

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

Knowing God – John 15-4-5 – Abide In Me – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

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

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

You Were Taught

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Knowing God - Ephesians 4:20-24 - You Were Taught - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Knowing God – Ephesians 4:20-24 – You Were Taught – Growing As Disciples

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24 (NIV)

Put Off, Renew, Put On

Do you want to be like me? Do you want to live the new life that I have given you to live? Do you want to live a righteous and holy life that is pleasing to me? Yes, I do want to be like you. I want to live the life that you have given me to live. I want to live a righteous and holy life that is pleasing to you. How can all that be possible? Is there something that I must do? That is a very good question. Yes, there is something that you must do.

When I called you to come to me, you left your old life to follow me. You turned away from your sins and asked me to forgive and cleanse you of all your unrighteousness. You said that you would follow me as your Savior and Lord. Is all of this true? Yes, that is all true. I have forgiven you of all your sins and cleansed you of all your unrighteous. I have given you a new life to live in me now and forever. I have been leading you through life as your Lord and Savior. You are my child. One day you will come to live forever in heaven with me. Then everything is all good. You think so? Well, maybe not. I’m not positive that I’m really living the life you have given me to live. You mentioned that there is something I must do if I want to live a life that is pleasing to you. Yes, I did. Would you like me go over what you must do if you want to live a righteous and holy life that is pleasing to me? Yes, I would.

Actually there are three things you must do if you want to live the life I have given you to live. You must first put off your old life. Your old life is like old dirty, stinky clothes. Once you have completely taken them off, don’t ever put them back on again. Make sure that you don’t let any remnants of your old life remain with you. Take a thorough inventory and get rid of whatever no longer suits you as one of my followers. Don’t ever go back and to try those smelly clothes on again. Do you understand all of this? Yes, I do. You will have temptations and battles against your old life of sin. As awful as it sounds, you will be tempted to put back on the dirty, stinky clothes of your old life. I will strengthen you in your battle against this temptation and sin. How will you do that? You will be part of what I will do in you. Here is what you must do next. You must let me change your heart and renew your mind with my word. How can I do that? You must feast on my word. You must allow my word to dwell in you richly. You must meditate on my word day and night. You must hide my word in your heart. As you do this I will be changing your heart and renewing your mind. As my word dwells in you richly you will be able to stand against temptation and sin. You will be able to leave the clothes of your old life behind. Do you believe what I am saying to you? Yes, I believe you. Why is that? I know that you already have been changing my heart and renewing my mind. Yes, that’s true. What else have I been doing in you? What else have I been teaching you? You have been teaching me how to put on the new life that you have given me to live. Yes, I have. That is what you will do next and keep on doing as I lead you through life.

Lord, thank you for making it possible for me to come to know you. You have taught me how to remove the stinky clothes of my old life. You are using your word to change my heart and renew my mind. You are helping me to put on the new life I have in you. Amen

Key Question… How have you taken a close inventory and eliminated evil influences and practices from your old life?

Living It Out… Allow God’s word to change your heart and renew your mind so that you can put on and live out your new life in Christ.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God’s word will change your heart and renew your mind so that you can live out your new life in Christ.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how God’s word has been helping you to live out your new life in Christ.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you allow God’s word to change your heart and renew your mind so you can live out your new life in Christ.

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

Knowing God – Ephesians 4-20-24 – You Were Taught – 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

If It Is The Lord’s Will

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Knowing God - James 4:13-17- It It Is The Lord's Will - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Knowing God – James 4:13-17- It It Is 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)

Making Plans

What’s your plan? What would you like to do with your life? What would you like your life to accomplish in the short time that you have to live it? When you look back over your life what would have to happen for you to know that your life was well spent? I’m wondering if those are good or trick questions. Why would you say that? There is no guarantee that my plan is your plan. There is the very real possibility that what I might like to do might lead me to misspend my life. What I might want to accomplish might be quite different from what you want to do in and through my life. I’m not sure if I have all the knowledge and wisdom that I would need to decide how to spend my life. Are you saying that you can’t answer these questions? I could answer them. I’m not sure that I can answer them correctly. In fact I have had a history of answering them incorrectly. What do you mean by that? I have made plenty of plans that did not have you in them. I have made plans based on pleasure. I have made plans based on power. I have made plans based on prestige. All of these plans have not ended well. All of these plans have left me unsatisfied, unhappy and unfulfilled. I have known that I have been doing the wrong things for all the wrong reasons.

What do you want? I want to ask you some questions. Go ahead I’m listening. What’s your plan? What do you want to do with my life? What do you want to accomplish in my life in the short time that I have to live it? When we look back over my life together what would have to happen for us to know that my life was well spent? You have turned the table on me. That’s right. Why have you done that? What are you saying to me? I want to know you. I want to know and do your will. I have no interest in making plans without you. I have done enough of that already. I have wasted time and energy and resources doing what wasn’t in your plans for me to do. I want to go where you guide me. I want to do what you ask of me. I want to accomplish the work that you have given me to do for you. I want to bear fruit for your kingdom. I want to bring glory to your name. That is the only way that I will ever know that my life was well spent. So, I’m asking you to use my life for your purposes and according to your plan. That is what I want. That is what you want. That is what we want. Yes, it is.

Lord, I have made plans without seeking to know your will. I have chased after priorities other than knowing you and doing your will. How foolish have I been? Help me now to know you and do your will. Use my life for your purposes and according to your plans. Amen

Key Question… When has God given you a direction and a plan that was far better than what you had in mind?

Living It Out…Take steps today to make it your priority to know God and do His will.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to know Him and do His will.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are making it your priority to know God and do His will.

Prayer To Bless Others… May it be your desire to know and do the will of God.

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

Knowing God – James 4-13-16 – Making Plans – 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

Consider Them Rubbish

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Knowing God - Philippians 3:8 - Consider The Rubbish - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Knowing God – Philippians 3:8 – Consider The Rubbish – Growing As Disciples

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:8 (NIV)

What Counts?

What do you mean by that? Mean by what? You are asking me what counts. You want to know what I consider to be valuable, isn’t that true? Yes, I do. Why are you asking me that question? It’s a very important question, isn’t it? Yes, I’m sure that it is. Any question that you ask me is important. I want to know what’s behind your question. Oh, I’m positive that you know the answer to that already. You do? Yes, I do. Tell me what you think. I don’t want to waste my time. I don’t want to waste my life. I want my life to have been well spent and have counted for what is of eternal value. I don’t want to stand there one day with you looking back over my life with a regret that my life was not well spent. I don’t want that to happen to you either. That is why I have asked you this question. What counts?

I know what counts. I know what is valuable. Tell me. There is nothing more valuable than knowing you. I could not spend my time more wisely than coming to know you. Why is that? As I come to know you I will become like you. As I come to know you I will think your thoughts. As I come to know you I will do your will. As I come to know you I will walk in your ways. As I come to know you I will love you. As I come to know you I will love others. All I hope to be will be fulfilled as I come to know you. Knowing you will enable me to be all that you want me to be. Knowing you will make me to be a better parent, spouse, child, sibling, friend, neighbor, and coworker. Knowing you will help me to do what you have given me to do. Knowing you will allow me to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Yes, it will. If I have known you and done your will I will never regret how my life was spent. No, you will not.

How will you come to know me? I will come to know you by responding to your call. You are calling me to come to know you. Yes, I am. You want me to live in a close and intimate relationship with you. You want me to set aside what is worthless so that I will have time to come to know you. Yes, I do. You want me to draw near to you. You will draw near to me. Yes, I will. As we meet together you will help me to know you. You will help me to know your will and to walk in your ways. You will help me to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. You will help me to do what counts. Yes, I will.

Lord, I have wasted so much time and energy on what will amount to being worth less than nothing. I want my life to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. I want to use my time to come to know you and minister to the needs of others. Amen

Key Question… What have you set aside as worthless trash so you may come to know Jesus Christ?

Living It Out… Set aside what is worthless so that you can come to know God and minister to the needs of others.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to set aside what is worthless so you can come to know Him and serve others.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are using your time to know God and minister to others.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you set aside what is worthless so that you will have time to come to know Christ and minister to others.

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

Knowing God – Philippians 3-8 – Consider Them Rubbish – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Let God Transform You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Knowing God - Romans 12:1-2 - Let God Transform You - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Knowing God – Romans 12:1-2 – Let God Transform You – Growing As Disciples

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

Let

Now that is a very important word. What word? I want you to think about the word, “let.” “Let,” is a very important word. How so? In this case the word “let” will determine one of two choices that you will make. What are my choices? Will you let yourself be conformed to this world and all its values, patterns and practices? Or will you let me renew your mind with my word? How you answer these two questions will determine the entire course of your life. Let’s talk about each one. I’d like that.

To let yourself be conformed to the world you really don’t need to do anything special. The world is already bombarding you with all its values and patterns and practices everyday. If you do nothing at all you will think and act no differently than anyone and everyone else in the world. You will go with the flow. You will think, say and do what others do just because that is what anyone and everyone else is thinking, saying and doing. You won’t stand out. You won’t be different. You will blend in with the rest of the world. You will do whatever feels good. You will live for comfort and pleasure. You will live to serve and please yourself. You will not seek me. You will not know me. You will not love me. You will not follow, obey and serve me. You will be on your own in the life you have chosen to live in the world. I definitely don’t want this life. I don’t want to be conformed to the world and all its values, patterns and practices. I want to seek you and know you and love you with all my heart. Let’s talk about the other choice then. That would be great.

You can let me renew your mind with my word. As you meet with me in my word I will change your heart and transform your mind. I will teach you. I will train you. I will guide you with my word. You will think my thoughts and walk in my ways. You will seek me and you will find me. You will love me with all your heart and mind and soul. You will want to know and do my will. It will be your desire to please me. You will want to give yourself fully to me as an act of worship. You will follow and obey and serve me not because you must but because that has become the desire of your heart. Your greatest joy will be to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. Is this what you want? Is this the life you want to live? Yes Lord, it is!

Lord, I know that there is a battle going on. There is a war that is raging over my mind. Will I allow myself to be conformed to this world or will I allow you to renew my mind with your word? Renew my mind with your word so I can both know and do your will. Amen

Key Question… How can you eliminate from your life some of the more obvious and dangerous worldly influences?

Living It Out… Allow God to use His word to renew your mind so that you will be able to know and do His will.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God will use His word to renew your mind so that you will be able to know and do His will.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are allowing God to use His word to renew your mind.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you allow God to use His word to renew your mind so that you can know and do His will.

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

Knowing God – Romans 12-1-2 – Let God Transform You – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

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

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