Tag Archives: And now

And Now Compelled By The Spirit

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The Spirit Empowered Life - Day 141 - Acts 20-22-24 - Compelled By The Spirit - Growing As Disciples

The Spirit Empowered Life – Day 141 – Acts 20-22-24 – Compelled By The Spirit – Growing As Disciples

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.  I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. Acts 20:22-24 (NIV)

Finish The Race

That is what I want to do. What do you want to do? I want to finish the race and complete the task you have given to me. I want to go wherever you lead me to do whatever you ask of me. I want to run well and finish strong. That is a great desire that you have in you. This desire does not originate with me. You have placed this desire within me. Yes, that is true.

What spurs you on? What is your motivation? I am compelled by your love for me and my love for you to go and do whatever you ask of me. I am not at your service out of some sense of obligation. I am not begrudgingly following and serving you. I am not hesitant, nor am I reluctant. Nothing gives me more pleasure and joy than to be used by you. It is my hope and prayer that you will powerfully work in and through me to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. I will hear and answer these prayers of yours. I have been and will continue to work in and through you. I will use your life to accomplish my purposes and fulfill my plans.

What lies ahead? What can you expect? Those are difficult questions. How am I to know? You can know by listening to my voice. What do you already know? I know that you will lead me over treacherous terrain to do difficult ministry. Following and serving you will not always be easy. The greater the difficulty, the more, I will rely on you for your help. That will be good. That is wise. I will be with you to help you. I will sustain and strengthen you. I will empower you. I will help you to know and do my will.  

What will the outcome be of your life? What do you most want? I want to know and love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I want to live my life in an intimate relationship with you. I want others to be drawn to you through the testimony of my life. I want my thoughts and words and actions to draw others to you. One day, when I am in heaven with you, I would like to know that a multitude of people are there because they saw you shining brightly in and through my life. In other words, I will be happy and blessed if I have born fruit for your kingdom and brought glory to your name. Make that the outcome of my life. Answer that prayer for me. That, I will do. You can count on me. Thank you, Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit, I will listen to you. I will follow you to where you lead me. I will do what you ask of me. Sustain and strengthen me when the road ahead becomes treacherous and the ministry difficult. Empower me to do what you ask of me. Fully use me in your service. Amen

Key Question…  How is your life focused on going where the Holy Spirit leads you to do what He asks of you?

Living It Out…  Rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you to where He wants you to be and empower you to do what He asks of you.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Holy Spirit will guide you to where He wants you to be and give you what He wants you to do.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are relying on the Holy Spirit to guide your life and ministry.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you follow the Holy Spirit to where He guides you to do what He asks of you.

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

The Spirit Empowered Life – Day 141 – Acts 20-22-24 – And Now Compelled By The Spirit – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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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                                                                                    http://www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Let Your Roots Grow Down Into Him

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 260- Colossians 2:6-7 - Let Your Roots Grow Down Into Him - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 260- Colossians 2:6-7 – Let Your Roots Grow Down Into Him – Growing As Disciples

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.  Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7 (NLT)

Deeply Rooted 

Do you want to be deeply rooted in me? Do you want to be built up in me? Do you want your life to overflow with joyful thanks because your faith is growing strong in me? Yes, I want to be deeply rooted and built up in you. Yes, I want my life to overflow with joyful thanks because my faith is growing strong in you. What must I do for all of these to be true? You accepted me as your Savior and Lord. You turned away from your old and sinful life in the world. You turned toward me to love and follow and serve me. Yes, I did. Keep on loving and following and serving me. Never grow weary. Never grow tired. Never give up and quit. You will go through difficult twists and turns and ups and downs in life. You will experience pain and suffering and loss. This is a sin broken life. Don’t become discouraged, depressed, or defeated. Keep your heart and life focused on me. I will sustain and strengthen you. I will revive and refresh you. I will give you a hope filled future. That I will do, my entire focus will be on you. I will rely fully on you. That will be very good.

But there is more you must also do. I’m listening. You must hold on to what you have been taught. I have brought and will continue to bring many godly followers into your life to teach and train you. Listen to them. Allow them to speak into your life. That I will do, I will hold on to what you have been teaching me through the godly men and women you have brought into my life. That will be very good.

But there is more you must also do. I’m listening. You must live daily in an intimate relationship with me. You must abide in me. You must remain in me. Do not run ahead of me. Do not lag behind me. Listen attentively to me. Meet with me daily in my word. Meet with me daily in prayer. Meet with me daily in worship. Follow me to where I lead you to do whatever I ask you. That I will do, I will live in an intimate relationship with you. I will follow and serve you. I will live my life with and for you all the days of my life. Then you will be deeply rooted and built up in me. Then your life will overflow with joyful thanks to me. Thank you, Lord. This is the desire of my heart. That will be very good. 

Lord, you are my Savior and Lord. I will love, follow, and serve you. I will live in an intimate relationship with you through all the seasons of my life. I know that you will help my life to be rooted and built up in you. For that, I give you all my joyful thanks.  Amen

Key Question…  How are you allowing God’s word to continue to daily root you deeply in the Lord and build you up in Him?

Living It Out…  Make sure that your roots are going deep, and your life built up, as you follow Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that your roots will grow deep, and life built up, as you follow Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how your roots are growing deep and you built up in the Lord.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May your roots grow down so you can be built up in the Lord.

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

Promises – Day 260- Colossians 2-6-7 – Let Your Roots Grow Down Into Him – 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

Compelled By The Spirit

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 259- Acts 20:22-24 - Compelled By The Spirit - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 259- Acts 20:22-24 – Compelled By The Spirit – Growing As Disciples

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.  I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.  Acts 20:22-24 (NIV)

Use Me

Where do you think I will guide you? What do you think I will ask of you? Isn’t that a question that is impossible to answer? If I were to see where I am today, say, thirty years ago, I would be more than surprised. I would be shocked. I could have never predicted where you have guided me and what you have asked of me. Not really. Not really? Can you explain, I don’t understand. Let me ask you some questions. I’m listening. Would you agree that I have asked you to serve others? Would you agree that I have asked you to use your gifts and talents and abilities to serve me? Would you agree that I have asked you to leave the comfortable and familiar to do what was uncomfortable and unfamiliar? Would you agree that I have even asked you to do something that was difficult and dangerous? Would you agree that I have asked you to do what was far beyond your gifts and talents, abilities, and resources? Would you agree that going and doing what I have asked you would cause you to rely on me? Would you agree that I would cause your faith in me to grow as you have continued to rely on me? Finally, would you agree that I have asked you to bear fruit for my kingdom, bring glory to my name, and shine brightly for me in the world? Are there any mysteries here? Do any of these questions surprise you? Could you not have predicted that I would do this kind of work in and through you? No, I guess I have come to understand quite a bit about your will and ways, purposes, and plans. None of these questions have surprised me. There is no mystery here for me. Will you continue to welcome me to work in and through your life in these ways? Yes Lord, I will. I am at your service. Use me, work in and through me. Yes, I will. Thank you, Lord. 

Holy Spirit, I welcome your guidance into my life. I am willing to go and do whatever you ask of me. Use me fully in your service. Help me to minister to others. Help me to share the Good News of the Gospel. Help me to complete all the tasks you give to me. Amen

Key Question…  Why can you be sure that the Holy Spirit will often compel you to go and do something for Him?

Living It Out…  Be ready and willing to do what the Holy Spirit asks you to go and do for Him.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Holy Spirit will compel you to go and do things for Him.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are going and doing what the Holy Spirit asks of you.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you follow the Holy Spirit’s leading to go where He guides you to do what He asks of you.

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

Promises – Day 259 – Acts 20-22-24 – Compelled By The Spirit – 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

Ask Of You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Word - Deuteronomy 10:12-13 - Ask Of You - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Word – Deuteronomy 10:12-13 – Ask Of You – Growing As Disciples

And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?  Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (NIV)

All Of Me

What do you think I am asking of you? What am I requiring of you? I know one thing that is for sure. What’s that? You don’t want a part of me. You don’t want a piece of my time. You don’t want a partial or a half effort from me. What do I want? You want all of me. You want me to be fully devoted to you. How do you know that? You have made that quite clear in your word. How so? Your greatest commandment asks me to love you with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. Yes, it does. If I follow and obey this command I will be giving myself completely to you. I have only one heart, mind, soul and strength to give. Will you give me all your heart, mind, soul and strength? Yes, I will.

It is no great sacrifice for me to give all my heart, mind, soul and strength to you. Why is that? I want to give everything I am, everything I have and everything I hope to be to you. I don’t feel required to give myself completely to you. It is the joy and desire of my heart to give myself fully you. Why is that? You gave yourself completely to me. You gave all that you could possibly give so that I could be forgiven of my sin and cleansed of my unrighteousness. You made it so I could live a completely new life with you. You became my Savior and Lord. Yes, I did. You loved me first. Your love has drawn me to you. I love you because you first loved me. Yes, I did. My love for you will never end. It was my joy and desire to give myself fully for you. Then you are making me to be like you. How so? We are both filled with the joy and desire to give ourselves fully to each other.  That’s right. There is a big difference between you and I. What’s that? You gave yourself perfectly and completely to and for me. I am not perfect in giving myself completely to you. I fall short. I make mistakes. I sin. I disobey. I sometimes wander off, lag behind or run ahead of you. I will need your help to do what pleases you. Will you follow me? Will you do what I ask? Yes Lord, I will follow you and do what you ask. Then you will have all the help that you need from me. You do please me. You will continue to please me.

Lord, I will meet with you in your word so that I can come to know, love, follow and serve you. I will walk reverently before you. In every way I will seek to do what pleases you. Guard and guide me with your word as I serve you with all my heart and soul. Amen 

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

God’s Word – Deuteronomy 10-12-13 – Ask Of  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