Tag Archives: I live by faith in the Son of God

Crucified With Christ

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Faith - Galatians 2:20 - Crucified With Christ - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Faith – Galatians 2:20 – Crucified With Christ – Growing As Disciples

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

New Life

I never understand how this could be possible. You never know how what could be possible? I never knew how my old life could die and my new life could live. Let me tell you, I was one discouraged and defeated person. Why is that? I knew that my old life was supposed to have died. I knew my old life died and was crucified on the cross. My old life was supposed to be dead and gone and buried, never to live again. Sin and darkness and evil was to no longer have any place or power over me in my new life. That’s true. Yet, my old life did not want to stay dead. Desires that were typical of my old life seemed very much alive to me. The allure of sin still seemed quite powerful to me. I can’t tell you how many times I succumbed to thinking, saying or doing what was clearly not part of the new life I have in you. I can’t tell you how valiantly and unsuccessfully I fought against doing what was not pleasing to you. I felt like a dismal failure. I had no victory in my life. Theoretically, I was free to live the new life I had in you. Practically, I was living in discouragement and defeat. Yes, I know.

What has happened to you? I was so focused on being dead that I forgot to live. But, you changed all that for me. How so? You drew me to yourself. You lavished me with your love. You allowed me to taste of your kindness, and mercy. You showed me the joy of living in an intimate relationship with you. Yes, I did. Now, I understand that part of dying to my old life needed to include living the new life I have in you. It’s as if living in an intimate relationship with you keeps pushing my old life further away from me. Your word does say that I am to submit myself to you and resist evil and it will flee from me. That’s right. There seems to be a healthy rhythm to living the life you have called me to live. What’s that? Be dead to the world and be alive to you. Be alive to you and the world will stay dead to me. That’s right. That’s it exactly. Well, I am so thankful that I can live a completely new life in you. Living my new life with and for you fills me with incredible joy. It is now my over powering desire to do what is good and right and pleasing to you. That is very good.

Lord, thank you that my old life is dead and gone. It no longer lives. It was crucified and died with you on the cross. I have received your forgiveness and cleansing. You have given me a new life to live. Help me to fully live out my new life with and for you. Amen

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

Faith – Galatians 2-20 – Crucified With Christ – 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                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

But Christ Lives In Me

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Life - Galatians 2:20 - But Christ Lives In Me - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Life – Galatians 2:20 – But Christ Lives In Me – Growing As Disciples

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 

Dead And Alive

How can I be both dead and alive? Aren’t I either dead or alive? Your question seems logical enough. But, the only way that you can be alive is if you are dead. I’m confused. I hope you will explain this to me. Yes, I will. At one time, you were very much alive to the evil of this world. You were ruled by your passions and lusts. Your thoughts, words and actions were all thought, said, or done according to the values and wisdom of this world. You lived a self-centered, self-indulgent, and self-reliant life. You did whatever you wanted whenever you wanted. You lived entirely for your own comfort and pleasure. You had no time for me. You had no interest in me. Am I painting a fair picture of your old life? Yes, you are. You were also living a bruised and broken life. You were experiencing the wages and consequences of your sin. Which is death. Yes, it is. You were living in darkness. You were living in death. You were living apart from me. Yes, I was.

I may confuse you a little more. Go ahead. The only way you can be alive is if you are dead. The only way you can be dead is if you are alive. You are right I’m even more confused. Be patient, I’ll explain. You’ll get it, I know that you will.  I’m listening. You have my full attention. I was unwilling to leave you living in your sin filled dead life. I was unwilling to leave you forever separated from life with me. So, I came into this world to die on the cross for your sins. I broke the power that sin held over your life. I made it possible for you to cry out to me. Which, I did. Yes, you did. You asked me to forgive your sins. You asked me to cleanse you of all your unrighteousness. Yes, I did. Well, I did forgive and cleanse you of all your sins. Your sins and your old life were nailed to the cross with me. Your old life died on the cross with me. Are you getting this now? Maybe, tell me more. Your old life died on the cross so you could live a new life with me. You were dead in sin. But, now you are dead to sin. There is a huge difference. I see it. When I was dead in sin I was powerless to live the life you wanted to give to me. Now, because I am dead to sin, it has no power over me. That’s right. Now, I am free to live the life that you have given me to live. Yes, you are. 

Really, I could also say, I no longer live. It is you that is living in and through me. Yes, I am. My old life is dead and gone. It was put to death on the cross with you. Yes, it was. The life that I am now living is the life that you have given me to live. Yes, it is.

Lord, thank you that my old sin filled life is dead and gone. All my sin was nailed on the cross. Now, I am forgiven. Now, I have been cleansed by your blood. Now, I have been set free. Now, I have a completely new life to live. Amen

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

Life – Galatians 2-20 – But Christ Lives 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