Category Archives: Let Us

Rejoice And Be Glad

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Let Us - Psalm 118:24 - Rejoice And Be Glad - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Let Us – Psalm 118:24 – Rejoice And Be Glad – Growing As Disciples

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (NIV)

 Today Is A Gift

You have today. Today is a day that I made. How will you use it? Are you glad that I made today. Do you have anything to be glad and rejoice about today? Will you allow this day to be a special day? How will you use this day that I have given to you? Those are very good questions. Why do you think so? I don’t normally think about any one day as more important or special than another. Is that a good thing? Do you consider any days to be special?  I consider birthdays, anniversaries and holidays to be special days. Obviously, Christmas and Easter are very special days. You like to celebrate on all those days?  Yes, I do. Lets talk more about your average every day of the week kind of days. You don’t celebrate the average every day of the week kind of days do you? No, I don’t. What do you do on average every day of the week kind of days? I put one foot in front of the other and keep on doing what must be done. That sounds boring, routine and very depressing. Do you think that is the way that I want you to live? I’m not sure what you mean. I want your life to be exciting. I want you to consider the beauty and possibilities of each day that I have given to you. Do you think I want you to trudge through life with your head down working to accomplish your endless “to do” lists? No, I suppose not. I want you to look up. I want you to consider how I might use you today. I want you to wonder about where I might lead you to do what I might ask of you. I want you to live in the conscious awareness of my presence. Can you live in an intimate and joyful relationship with me as your trudge through life with your head down, putting one foot in front of the other, doing what you think must be done? No, I suppose not. You like receiving gifts, don’t you? Yes, I do. How do you feel when you are about to receive a gift? When I am about to receive a gift I am full of anticipation. I am excited and energized by the wonder and mystery of an unknown gift. Do you know where I am headed with my questions? I think so. Each day I give you is a gift.  I want you to approach each day with anticipation. I want you to be excited and energized and filled with wonder as you begin each day with me. I want you to be glad and rejoice in the opportunities that I will bring to you in the gift of each new day. Do you think you can do what I am asking of you? Yes Lord, I can. I will trust and rely on you as I walk with you in each new day that you have given to me. 

Lord, this is the day you have made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. You have been my refuge in storms. In my weakness you are my strength. You have heard my prayers. You have guarded and guided my life. I will trust you and rely on your for all I need. Amen

Key Question… What reasons do you have to rejoice, be glad and give thanks to the Lord today?

Living It Out… Rejoice, be glad, and give thanks to the Lord today for all He has done and is doing for you.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that today you have an abundance of reasons to rejoice, be glad and give thanks to the Lord.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group reasons you have to rejoice, be glad and give thanks to the Lord.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you rejoice, be glad and give thanks to the Lord for all He has done and is doing for you.

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

Let Us – Psalm 118-24 – Rejoice And Be Glad – 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

Discern

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Discipleship Study - Let Us - Job 34:4 - Discern - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Study – Let Us – Job 34:4 – Discern – Growing As Disciples

Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. Job 34:4 (NIV)

Willing To Listen 

Are you willing to listen to what I have to say to you? Yes, I am willing to listen. I do want to hear from you. Am I about to hear what I don’t want to hear? I didn’t say that. But, if you can only hear what you want to hear then you will not be able to hear from me. You have to be able to listen attentively to what you don’t expect to hear. You have to be able to accept words that you might like. You have to be able to receive words that might challenge and confront you. Will you humble yourself before me so that you can hear from me? Yes Lord, I will humbly listen to you.

Beware of thinking that you already know. Beware of thinking that you don’t need to hear anymore. Beware of thinking that you have far more to give than to receive. Quiet yourself before me and listen to what I have to say. Stop being so full of yourself that you can’t take in all that I want to say to you. Come to me knowing that you need my guidance. You need my counsel. You need my instruction. Yes Lord, I know that I need your guidance, counsel and instruction.

Make listening to me the priority of your life. Don’t race through life so fast that you don’t take time to stop and listen to me. You will be able to get where I want you to go to do what I want you to do only if you take time to stop and listen to me. Set a part a quiet place where you can hear from me. Don’t let the noise of this world make it so you cannot hear from me. Are you listening to me right now? Yes Lord, I am listening to you. What then are you going to do? I am going to pick a time and a place to stop to listen to you. That will be very good. Don’t take one more step. Don’t do one more thing until you have secured in your heart and mind a time and a place when we will meet. I will do just that. How often will we meet together in our time at our place? We will meet everyday. Do you know why that will be very good? Yes, I do. There is not a day that I don’t need to hear from you. You have heard me say that to you before. Yes, I have. It pleases me when you remember and put into practice what I have said to you.

I have one more thing that I want to say to you. What’s that? You will not hear everything you need to hear from me by meeting alone with me. Why is that? I made you to live in relationship and in community with other believers. Some things you need to hear you will hear as we meet together alone.  Other things that you need to hear you will only hear as you meet with me together with other believers. You are meant to live and meet together with my body. Listen to what I have to say to you. Listen to what I give to others to say to you.  Speak to others what I have given you to say to them. Together you will know my will and follow my ways. Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, help me to have a humble heart and mind that is willing to listen. Help me to be able to discern your will and to know what is right. Make me receptive to all that you want me to hear and know. Speak into my life. Guide me according to your plan. Amen

Key Question… Why will humility be required of you if you want to discern the Lord’s will and know what is right?

Living It Out… Be willing to enlist the help of others to discern the Lord’s will and to know what is right.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to discern His will and to know what is right.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are seeking to discern the Lord’s will and to know what is right.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you discern the will of the Lord so you will be able to know and do what is right.

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

Let Us – Job 34-4 – Discern – 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 With Actions

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Let Us - 1 John 3:18 - Love With Actions - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Let Us – 1 John 3:18 – Love With Actions – Growing As Disciples

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18 (NIV) 

Action

You will never be able to express love to others by your words alone. Love will require that you back up the words of your mouth with actions that come from your heart. I get that. Tell me how I backed up my words with my actions that come from my heart. How have I demonstrated my love to you through both my words and my actions? Your words have told me that you want me to know you. Your words have told me that you want me to live in an intimate relationship with you. Your words have told me that you want me to love you with all my heart and soul and mind and strength. Your words have told me that you want me to become like you. If you only spoke these words to me I would never be able to know you. I would not be able to live in an intimate relationship with you. I would not be able to love you. I would not be able to become like you. Why is that? My sin would prevent me from hearing your words. My sin would prevent me from desiring or receiving everything that you want for me. If you let me remain in my sin I would never have been able to become alive to you. I never would have loved you. I never would have wanted to know you. I never would be able to become like you. No, you would not. But, I did not just speak words to you, did I? No, you did not. You acted on my behalf. You rescued me from a life of sin and separation from you. You sent your Son into the world to die as payment for my sins. You forgave me of my sin and cleansed me of all my unrighteousness. You turned my life around and set me on the path so I could love, follow and serve you. Yes, I did. Now, I can know and love you. Now, I can live in an intimate relationship with you. Now, you are making me to be like you. Yes, I am.

What have you learned about love being expressed in words and actions? Loving words without loving actions will never be enough. Words of love are made real when they are backed up by actions. Words of love can be heard and received and acted on when they are accompanied by action. You speak words of love and back them up with action. Yes, I do. You want me to become like you. Yes, I do. Then I will also back up my words of love with actions. When I back up my words of love with actions the world will see your love flowing in and through me. Yes, and that will be very good. 

Lord, I don’t want to say one thing and do another. I want my words and my actions to be consistent in their message. Use both my words and my actions to express love to those around me. Use my life so others can see your love flowing in and through me. Amen

Key Question… Why is love most powerfully expressed with both words and actions together?

Living It Out… Make sure that both your words and your actions express love to other people.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will use both your words and your actions to express love to other people.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has used your words and actions to express love to others.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you love others with both your words and your actions.

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

Let Us – 1 John 3-18 – Love With Actions – 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

Meet Together

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Let Us - Nehemiah 6:2-4 - Meet Together - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Let Us – Nehemiah 6:2-4 – Meet Together – Growing As Disciples

Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. Nehemiah 6:2-4 (NIV) 

A Great Project

I have given you a great project to do for me. Do you have any doubt about that? No, I have no doubts about the work you have given me to do for you. It’s a very good thing that you have no doubts about what I have asked you to do for me. Why is that? You tell me. What you have asked me to do for you is not easy. No, it is not. I could never accomplish the work you have asked me to do without your help. No, you could not. The work that you have given to me to do is not a short-term assignment. No, it is not. I could never keep on doing the work you have given to me without your strength and endurance. No, you could not. Every day I will need your help and encouragement to keep on doing the work that you have given to me. Yes, you will. The work that you have given to me will bring glory to your name. Yes, It will. What you have asked me to do for you will bear fruit for your kingdom that will last for all eternity. Yes, it will. There is no other assignment or work that I could do in life that is more important or more valuable than doing what you have asked me to do for you. No, there is not. I will face opposition in doing the work that you have given me to do for you. Yes, You will. Others will attempt to distract me from doing your work. Others will attempt to hinder me from doing your work. Yes, they will. Sometimes the opposition and hindrances that I will face will even come from seemingly well-meaning friends and family. Yes, it will. This opposition and these hindrances may cause me to question your call on my life and the work that you have given me to do for you. Doubt will try to creep into my heart and mind. Yes, it will. I will need to hold on to you as I continue to do your work. I must rely on your strength and endurance. The joy of bearing fruit for your kingdom and your glory will sustain me. Knowing with certainty that you are working in and through my life will keep me going when opposition mounts, weary sets in and hindrances arise. Yes, be certain that I have called you. Be certain that I have given you work to do for me. Be certain that you are doing what I have asked of you. Be certain that I will give you everything you need to keep on serving me. Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, thank you for giving me work to do for you. I will fend off everything that will attempt to distract or hinder me from doing your work. Give me your joy and endurance and strength to keep on doing all you have asked me to do for you. Amen

Key Question… How have you been able to resist hindrances and distractions so you could continue doing the Lord’s work?

Living It Out… Fend off hindrances so you can remain focused on doing the work that the Lord has given you to do for Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will give you joy and strength and endurance to do the work He has given you to do for Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you have known the work the Lord has given you to do for Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you receive joy and strength and endurance to keep on doing the work the Lord has given you to do for Him.

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

Let Us – Nehemiah 6 -2-4 – Meet Together – 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

Examine Our Ways

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Let Us - Lamentations 3:40 - Examine Our Ways - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Let Us – Lamentations 3:40 – Examine Our Ways – Growing As Disciples

Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.  Lamentations 3:40 (NIV)

Examination

Do you really want me to examine your life? Are you really open to all that I have to say to you? I want my life to be like an open book before you. I know that there is nothing that can be hidden from you. It would be a foolish waste of time to try. I know that I have sinned and I will sin again. My life will never be perfect. I will be a work in your hands until I meet you face to face. Yes, you will. Trying to hide my sin from you would only serve to create distance and separation between us. I don’t want that, not even for a second. I want to live in a close and intimate relationship with you. So, instead of doing what my natural instinct would suggest which is trying to run and hide my sin, I will come to you to confess my sin so I can continue to follow and obey you. That will be very good. 

How do you think I will help you to see your sin? What do you think I will use to show you your sin? Who will speak to you about your sin? Your word will help me to see my own sin. As I meet with you in your word your Spirit will show me what I need to see. Your Spirit will speak to me what I need to hear. Yes, He will. Your word will also strengthen me to stand against temptations to sin. Your Spirit will take your word and apply it to my life so that I will be able to resist temptations that come my way. Yes, you will.  Is there anything or anyone else that I might use to help you to examine the way that you are living your life? You will use circumstances of every kind and people that are close to me to speak into my life. Yes, I have used and will continue to use people to speak into your life. They will see things you can’t see. They will say things that you will need to hear. Will you listen to them? Will you welcome what they have to say to you? Will your heart be hard or soft to the words that I have given them to speak to you? Don’t be so quick to answer. How have you sometimes responded to the challenging words of others? I have been rigid and hard hearted. I have reacted poorly and not listened well. I have rejected both the speaker and their message. I have wondered words to myself like, “who do they think they are” or “ what gives them the right to say such things to me.” Now I know that you were using them to speak words into my life that would help me to examine my ways. Yes, that’s right. Will you listen to me? Will you listen to the words of others that I will use to speak to you? Will you examine your ways? Will you confess your sin and turn to follow and obey me?  Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, help me to have a soft heart that is willing to examine the way that I am living my life. Show me my sins and help me to willingly and gladly confess them all to you. I want to follow and obey you in all that I think, say and do. Amen

Key Question… When has your life sent off the message that you are resistant to self-examination and course corrections?

Living It Out… Allow the Lord to help you to examine your life so you can turn away from sin to follow and obey Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will show you your sins so you can turn from them to follow and obey Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group who has helped you to examine your life so you could turn from sin.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you examine your ways and turn from your sin so you can follow and obey the Lord.

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

Let Us – Lamentations 3-40 – Examine Our Ways – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

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

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

Do Good To All People

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Let Us - Galatians 6:10 - Do Good To All People - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Let Us – Galatians 6:10 – Do Good To All People – Growing As Disciples

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:10 (NIV) 

Opportunity

You will have an abundance of opportunities to do good things for others. You have said that you want to be a bright and shining vibrant witness for me in this world. Yes, I have said that. These opportunities to do good things for others are some of the ways that you will be able to shine brightly for me. Don’t expect that these opportunities will always be easy and convenient. Many times, it will not cost you much to show my loving kindness to others. Many other times, it will cost you quite a bit to serve others as I guide you. What will serving you cost me? That’s a very good question. What did it cost me to serve you? It cost you everything to come into the world to serve me. Yes, it did. I gave my life for you. What do you think it should cost you to serve me? Well, on the one hand I know that you gave yourself to me as a gift. My serving you can’t earn what you have already given to me as a gift. No, it cannot. On the other hand, I have said that I want to become like you. That desire to be like you has flowed out of my receiving your receiving salvation as a free gift. Yes, it has. So, by my serving you I am not trying to earn anything. No, you are not. In wanting to be like you, I want to give myself fully and freely to others as a gift. So, I would say that the cost of giving like you gave would cost me everything. What do you mean by everything? Right now, I’m saying without qualification that I will give like you gave. What does that mean? It means I will go where you guide me to do what you ask of me, no matter what the cost. I will use all my gifts, talents, abilities and resources to serve you. I will not say that I am too busy or too tired to serve you. I will not say that what you are asking of me is too difficult. I will not say that I don’t want to serve this or that person. I know that you will even ask me to serve my enemies. Yes, I will. I will be ready to serve anyone, anywhere at any time. When I serve anyone, I will know that I am serving you. When I am giving to others, I will know that I am a bright light shining in this dark world for you. When I am doing what you have asked me to do, I will know that I will bear fruit for your kingdom and your glory. That is what I want to do. So, I am saying yes to you now. I want to take every opportunity, that you give to me, to do good things for other people. That will be very good!

Lord, I will keep my eyes and ears open to opportunities to do good to all people. Help me to be willing to go out of my way to do good things for others. I want to be a witness for you. I will go where you guide me to do what you ask of me. Amen

Key Question…When have you gone way out of your way to do something good for someone?

Living It Out… Listen to the Holy Spirit as He guides you to do good to all people.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will give you an abundance of opportunities to do good to other people.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Holy Spirit has led you to do something good for someone.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you listen to the Holy Spirit as He guides you to do good things for other people.

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

Let Us – Galatians 6-10 – Do Good To All People – 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

Grow Up

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Let Us - Ephesians 4:14-15 - Grow Up - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Let Us – Ephesians 4:14-15 – Grow Up – Growing As Disciples

So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead. Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Ephesians 4:14-15 (AMP) 

My Body

Do you want to be mature in you faith? Do you want to grow up in your relationship with me? Yes Lord, I want to be mature and grow up in my faith in you. I am tired of being like an infant that is tossed back and forth by every different kind of thought or feeling. I don’t want to think one thing and do or say another. I want to be done with taking three steps forward and two steps back as I follow you. I want to keep moving forward with you. I want to love, follow and serve you with all my heart and mind and soul. I want to be completely devoted to you. Yes, I can see that you are quite serious in your desire for me. Yes, I am.

Where have I caused you to grow? That sounds like an odd question to me. Why is that? You didn’t ask me how have I caused you to grow? No, I did not. That’s what I would have expected. So, I have surprised you with my question? Yes, it is the “where” part of your question that has taken me by surprise. That’s good because it is the “where” part of my question that I want you to think about. Why is that? You tell me. You have made me grow in your body of believers. You have made me grow in your church. Yes, that’s right. You’re thinking that is not the only place in which you have grown. Yes, I am. You’re thinking that you have grown when you have met alone with me in my word. Yes, I am. Without my body of believers you would not have my word. Think about what you would have or where you would be without my body of believers. Where would you be if no one ever told you about me? Where would you be if no one ever took the time to minister to you? What have I done for you that I have not done through the ministry of body of believers? I get it. I would be lost without what you have done for me through your body of believers. Yes, that’s right. What are you saying to me? What do you want me to understand? You want to grow? You want to mature? You want to keep moving forward with me? You want to serve me? You want to be used by me? You want to be completely devoted to me? You want to love and serve me with all your heart and mind and soul? Is this all true? Yes, it is all true! Where do you think all of this that you want to be true will happen? All that I want you to do in me, with me, for me and through me will happen in your body of believers. Yes, that is right. You want me to be rooted and grounded in your body of believers so that you can do for me what I am asking of you, is that right? Yes, that is right. Then that is where I will be. That will be very good.

Lord, it is the desire of my heart to become like you as I grow up in my faith. Keep me from being tossed like an infant from one thought to another. Make me mature in you. Help me to grow up in my faith so I will help others to grow up in their faith. Amen

Key Question…  How have you been more able to discern what is false as you have grown up in your faith?

Living It Out…  Make it your desire to mature and grow up in your faith up in your faith as you love, follow and serve the Lord.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Lord will make you to be like Him as you mature and grow up in your faith.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has helped you to mature and grow up in your faith.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you grow and become mature in your faith so you can help others to grow up in their faith.

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

Let Us – Ephesians 4-14-15 – Grow Up – 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

Fix Our Eyes On Jesus

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Let Us - Hebrews 12:2-3 - Fix Our Eyes On Jesus - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Let Us – Hebrews 12:2-3 – Fix Our Eyes On Jesus – Growing As Disciples

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3 (NIV)

Eyes On You

What are your eyes fixed on? What has your attention? I’m not really sure how to answer those questions. What occupies your attention and what your eyes are fixed will guide the course of your life. Then my answer to your questions is very important Yes, it is. To the extent that your eyes and focus are on me I will be guiding your life. If my eyes and focus turn away from you then I am likely to wander off the path that you are leading me on. That’s right. I will waste time and effort on things of this world that are ultimately not that important. I will expend my energy and strength on what will not bear fruit for your kingdom and your glory. I will grow weary and lose heart once I see how little impact my life is making for you. Yes, you’ve got that right.

The problem of not focusing on me is larger than you may realize. How is that? I am the author and perfecter of your faith. Without keeping your eyes on me you can’t really live the life that I have laid out for you. You are not the author of your faith. I am the author of your faith. What does the author of the story know that the reader cannot know? The reader follows the story and only learns of the story while reading what the author has written. Keeping your eyes and focus on me is like reading the story of your faith. You will only know where I am leading you by following me. You will only know what I am asking of you by obeying me. The story of your life of faith with me will unfold little by little, day by day as you keep your eyes and focus on me. I get it.

How hard has it been to keep your eyes and focus on me? It has been very hard to keep my eyes and focus on you. Why is that? The world and everything in it tries to demand my attention. The commitments that are before me grab a hold of my time. The noise of life makes it hard for me to listen to you and keep my focus on you and the life that you have for me. The pace of life wears me out and throws my life completely out of balance. So, the challenge of keeping your eyes and focus on me is great? Yes, it is. What will help you to keep your eyes and focus on me? Meeting everyday with you in your word will help me to keep my eyes and focus on you. Is that what you will do? Yes, it is. I will be looking and waiting for you to come to meet with me. I have a time and place set to meet with you. That will be very good.

Lord, thank you that you are the author and perfecter of my faith. I will follow you. I will keep and my eyes on you. Help me to endure whatever opposition I will face in life. Strengthen me so I will not grow weary or lose heart. Amen

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

Let Us – Hebrews 12-2-3 – Fix Our Eyes on Jesus – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Let Us Go Up

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Let Us - Micah 4:2 - Let Us Go Up - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Let Us – Micah 4:2 – Let Us Go Up – Growing As Disciples

Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Micah 4:2 (NIV)

Teach Me

Do you really want to know me? Do you really want to know my will? Do you really want to walk in my ways? I know that I should not be too quick to answer each of your questions. I know that I should carefully consider each one of them. Why is that? Saying yes to each of your questions will require something of me. There is a cost to saying yes to what you are asking of me. I can’t say yes to you and then go on my own way, living my own life, just as I have done and gone before. What is the cost of saying yes to the questions that I am asking of you? What is the cost of saying yes to me?

You want all of me. I can’t give you a part of me. I can’t just give you time on my calendar or a spot in my day. Knowing you. Knowing your will. Walking in your ways. None of these are part time commitments. Saying yes to you will require giving to you all that I am, all that I have and all that I hope to be to you. Yes, it will.

You will have a multitude of new questions to ask me on each and every day of my life. They will all come back to these fundamental questions. Do I want to know you? Do I want to know your will? Do I want to walk in your ways? Each new question will give me the opportunity to reaffirm my saying yes to you. Yes, it will.

There is something that I want to be clear about in my heart and mind. There is something I want to clear up once and for all. There is something that I want to say on the record. What’s that? When I gave myself to you and received you into my life as my Savior and Lord I said yes to you. My yes wasn’t qualified. I said that I wanted to know you. I said that I wanted to love you. I said that I wanted to follow and serve you. That is when I started to say that I really do want to know you, your will and yours ways. That is when I said that I would follow you to where you led me to do what you would ask of me. Yes, you did.

What are you asking of me right now? What do you want from me today? Come to me so I can teach you. Come to me so you can know me. Come to me so I can show you my will. Come to me so you can walk in my ways. Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, it is the desire of my heart to know you. I hunger and thirst and yearn to go to spend time and be in your presence. Help me to sit at your feet to be taught by you. I want to know your will so I can walk in your ways.  Amen

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

Let Us – Micah 4-2 – Let Us Go Up – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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Individual users may save the Discipleship 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

Serve The Egyptians

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Let Us - Exodus 14:10-12 - Serve the Egyptians - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Let Us – Exodus 14:10-12 – Serve the Egyptians – Growing As Disciples

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” Exodus 14:10-12 (NIV)

A Way

Here you are. There is no looking back. There is no going back. There is only going forward. There does not seem to be a way forward or backward. I can agree with you about not looking or going back. But, I can’t see my may out of this situation. I can’t see my way forward. That’s good. What do you mean, that’s good? How could it be good that there is no way out of my situation? That’s not what I said. What did you say? I didn’t say that there was no way out of your situation. It’s good that you can’t see your way forward. It’s good that you can’t see your way out of your situation. I’m confused. Just because you can’t see a way forward out of your situation does not mean that there isn’t one. Realizing that you can’t see a way forward out of your situation is what’s good. What’s good about that? You tell me. I’ve got nothing to say. Then I will ask you some questions. Go ahead. What have you done when your situation has looked hopeless? What have you done when you could see no way out of your situation? What have you done when you could see no way to move forward? I have cried out to you. I have asked you for your help. Who have you stopped relying on when you have been in a hopeless situation? I have stopped relying on myself when I have been in a hopeless situation. Is that about where you are right now? Yes, I am in a hopeless situation right now. Does it seem like you have two possible choices right now? Yes, it does. What are your two choices? I could curl up in a ball and quit. Yes, you could. Is that what you want to do? No, that is not what I want to do. What is your other choice? I can cry out to you and ask you for your help. Yes, you can. What would that mean? It would mean that I would stop relying on myself and begin to rely on you. Is that what you want to do? Yes, I want to have faith in you. Yes, I want to trust you. Yes, I want to rely on you. Yes, I want to listen to your instructions and follow you. I believe that you will show me a way when there is no way. Why do you believe that? You have always showed me a way when there was no way when I have cried out to you. You are my way. You have been leading me through life. Yes, I have. Is this a lesson that you can’t seem to remember? Is this a lesson that is very easy for you to forget? Somehow, I occasionally do forget that you are my way when there seems to be no way. Sometimes, I have forgotten to ask you for your help. Forgive me. I do forgive you.  Help me to keep my eyes on you. Help me to follow you as I go through difficulties in life. Help me to rely on you. You are my way when there seems to be no way. Yes, I am.

Lord, I will not allow myself to become paralyzed with fear and indecision by focusing my attention on difficult circumstances I will face in life. Instead, I will place all my faith and trust in you. I know that you will lead me through every difficulty as I rely on you. Amen

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

Let Us – Exodus 14-10-12 – Serve The Egyptians – 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