Tag Archives: And we also thank God continually because

Received The Word

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Gratitude - 1 Thessalonians 2:13 - Received The Word - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Gratitude – 1 Thessalonians 2:13 – Received The Word – Growing As Disciples

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NIV) 

Received

That is a very important word. What’s that? Received, is a very important word. How so? I will ask you a few questions to help you understand the importance of the word, received. Go ahead, I’m listening. It is very good that you are listening. Here are my questions. How are you receiving my word into your life? How has receiving my word into your life allowed me to use my word to work in your life? How have I used my word to change your heart, transform your mind and guide your life? How are your thoughts, words and deeds different because my word has been working in you? How has the entire course of your life changed because my word has been working in you? What will happen to your life if you do not continue to receive my word into it? You have asked a lot of questions. You can start answering them now.

I will start by answering your first and last questions. That’s great. I am meeting with your word. I have set apart a time and a place to meet every day with you in your word. I am meditating on your word day and night. I am letting your word dwell in me richly. How so? I am reading your word. I am studying your word. I am meditating on and memorizing your word. I am praying your word. I am proclaiming your word to others. I am taking a firm hold of your word so that it takes a firm hold of me. What do you mean by that? Well, in every way possible I am receiving your word into my life and then I am putting it into practice as I love, follow and serve you. That is very good. What would happen if you didn’t receive my word into your life and then put into practice? That was your last question. Yes, it was. Your working in my life will be hindered and short circuited if I don’t receive your word into my life and then put it into practice. That’s true.

What kind of work has my word been doing in you? Your word has been changing my heart, transforming my mind and guiding my life. How so? Your word has broken me free from bondages that once entangled my life. Your word has made me able to stand against evil and resist temptation. Your word has given me new thoughts to think, words to speak and deeds to do. Your word has set me on fire to want to know and do your will. Your word has given me a passion to want to do what is pleasing to you. Your word has changed the entire course of my life. Yes, it has.  Keep on receiving my word into your life. Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your word. Daily I am receiving your word into my life. Use your word to do your work in my life. Use your word to change my heart, transform my mind and guide my life. Thank you for molding and shaping me with your word. Amen

Key Question… How are your thoughts, words, and deeds different because God’s word has been working in you?

Living It Out… Give thanks to God that as you receive His word into your life it is doing His work in you.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God’s word will do its work in you as you receive it into your life.

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

Prayer To Bless Others… May you receive God’s word into your heart and mind and life so it can work in you.

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

Gratitude – 1 Thessalonians 2-13 – Received The Word – 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

At Work In You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Transformation - 1 Thessalonians 2:13 - At Work In You - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Transformation – 1 Thessalonians 2:13 – At Work In You – Growing As Disciples

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NIV) 

Are You Listening?

Are you listening? Would you say that you are a good or poor listener? That depends on who is talking. I’ve been told that I am not that great of a listener. Why is that? My attention span is not real long. I get bored easily and become quite distracted. There are plenty of times that I would rather be the one talking than the one listening.

How about listening to me, how well do you listen to me? That’s a good question that is hard for me to answer. Why is that? I don’t think that I’m a very good judge of how well I listen to you. I know that I can become impatient and not wait to listen to all that you have to say to me. Listening to you is a commitment that requires real discipline. What do you mean by that? It is very easy for me to race through life and never sit down to take time to listen to you. I’ve hardly ever been able to hear you speaking to me over the noise and busyness of my life. I’ve found that you usually speak with a quiet voice in moments of stillness that I spend with you in your word. You never seem to shout out to me over the noise of the crowd. There have been many times when you have brought my life to a complete stop so that I could hear from you. How have you liked that? Not much, those “complete stops” of yours are usually pretty uncomfortable. Is that an understatement? Yes, it is. I would rather listen to you attentively in the first place. I’m not complaining though, those “complete stops” of yours, although painful, have gotten my attention and helped me to listen to you. Yes, they have.

How will you know if you are really listening to me? I suppose the real judge of my listening will be how well I put into practice what you are asking of me. If I follow and obey you then that seems like a good sign that I have listened to you. Yes, it is.

Is listening to me becoming easier or harder for you to do? At one time I thought I had so much to say. It was much harder to listen. Now, I hunger and thirst for you and your word. It is my joy to hear, accept, receive and believe all that you are saying to me. Why is that? When I’m really listening to you I know that you are working in and through my life. Yes, I am. I welcome you to do anything and everything in and through me that you have in your plans for me. So, here I am, listening attentively to you. Yes, you are.

Lord, thank you for helping me to receive, hear, accept, and believe your word. Your word is transforming who I am and all I do. It is my delight to allow your word to be at work in me. Use me to proclaim your word to others so it can be at work in them. Amen

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

Transformation – 1 Thessalonians 2-13 – At Work In 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                                                               http://www.GrowingAsDisciples.com