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Let Us Also Keep In Step With The Spirit

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The Spirit Empowered Life - Day 135 - Galatians 5:22-26 - Let Us Also Keep In Step With The Spirit - Growing As Disciples

The Spirit Empowered Life – Day 135 – Galatians 5:22-26 – Let Us Also Keep In Step With The Spirit – Growing As Disciples

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:22-26 (ESV)

Keep In Step

I will keep in step with you. I will follow you to where you lead me. I will do what you ask of me. What have I asked of you? Where have I led you? You have asked me to leave my old and sinful life. You have asked me to crucify my flesh along with all its passions and desires because I now belong to Jesus Christ. He is my Savior and Lord. You have asked me to leave conceit and provocation and envy far behind me. That is correct. Where have I been leading you? I will answer that in a way that may be unexpected, at least by me. You have been leading me into a deeper relationship with you. You have been helping me to listen to your voice guiding me through life. You have been leading me into a life of intimacy with you. You have been helping me to rely on you. You have been helping me to place all my faith and hope and trust in you. That is also correct. That is exactly where I have been leading you.

How will you know if you are on track? How will you know if you are keeping in step with me? What will be the outcome of your living in an intimate relationship with me? Your fruit will develop in me. I and others will see that the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control is growing in me. That is true. There are a few things I want you to know. What’s that? My fruit does not grow overnight. As you keep in step with me, my fruit will growly slowly, steadily, and surely. Don’t be impatient. Don’t become discouraged. Know also that it will always be far easier to see my fruit growing in others than in yourself. But as you keep in step with me, have no doubt that my fruit will be growing in you. I will mold you. I will shape you. I will help you to live a life that is pleasing to me. Thank you, Holy Spirit. I will keep in step with you. That will be very good. 

Holy Spirit, I am no longer living according to fleshly passions and desires of this world. Help me to keep in step with you. I want to live by your guidance. Mold and shape me. Develop your fruit within me. Help me to live a life that is fully pleasing to you. Amen

Key Question… What daily choices do you need to continue to make to keep in step with the Holy Spirit?

Living It Out… Keep in step with the Holy Spirit so He can develop His fruit in you.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Holy Spirit will develop His fruit in you.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are keeping in step with the Holy Spirit.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May the fruit of the Spirit develop in your life as you keep in step with Him.

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

The Spirit Empowered Life – Day 135 – Galatians 5-22-26 – Let Us Also Keep In Step With The Spirit – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Above All Clothe Yourself With Love

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The Compassionate Life - Day 258 - Colossians 3:12-14 - Above All Clothe Yourself With Love - Growing As Disciples

The Compassionate Life – Day 258 – Colossians 3:12-14 – Above All Clothe Yourself With Love – Growing As Disciples

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.  Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)

Clothed

How will you be clothed? What will you put on? What kind of life will you live since I chose you to be my child? I will live a life that is pleasing to you. I will seek to know and do your will all the days of my life. I will follow the example you set before me. It is my hope and desire, dream and plan to think and speak and act like you. I know it is your will that I become like you. Yes, that is my will for you. Yes, I want you to live a life that is pleasing to me. I want you to become like me in all you think, and say, and do. That is entirely correct.  

What are elements of clothing that you will put on? I will put-on tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. I will always make allowances for the faults I see in others. I will always forgive others who offend me. Why is it especially important that you do these things? I have many faults. Sometimes, it is very difficult for me to see my own faults. Nevertheless, I know that they are many and glaring. Why I can so easily see others faults but not see my own is beyond me. So, I will make allowances for others that I hope that they will make for me. I also need forgiveness for when I offend others. Again, my need of forgiveness is not rare and unusual or infrequent. So, remembering my own need of forgiveness, and how you have freely forgiven me, has set before me a powerful reason and example why I need to forgive others readily and freely. How could I expect to receive forgiveness from others or from you if I lived an unforgiving life? You could have no hope or expectation of receiving what you were unwilling to give to others. But I am ready and willing and able to forgive. I am determined to do for others what you have done for me. That is very good.

How else will you be clothed? What else will you put on? I will put on love. I will allow the love you have for me to flow through me to others so that they will be drawn to you. And what will be the sign that you are truly putting on my love? I will be living in harmony with others. I will be a bold and bright witness for you in the world. I will be bearing fruit for your Kingdom and bringing glory to your name. I will be living the life you have called me to live. Yes, you will and that will be very good.

Lord, thank you for choosing me. I will remember that you have forgiven me so I can readily forgive others. Help me to make allowances for the faults I see in others that I cannot see in myself. Help me to put on love so I can live in harmony with others. Amen

Key Question…  When has remembering that the Lord forgave you helped you to forgive others?

Living It Out…  Clothe yourself with love so you will be able to live in harmony with others.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Lord will help you to clothe yourself with love so you can live in harmony with others.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are making allowances for the faults you see in others.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you clothe yourself with love so you will live in harmony with others.

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

The Compassionate Life – Day 258 – Colossians 3-12-14 – Clothe Yourself With Love – 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

As God’s Chosen People

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Identity - As God's Chosen People - Colossians 3:12-14 - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Identity – As God’s Chosen People – Colossians 3:12-14 – Growing As Disciples

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)

Clothe Yourself

I’m not sure what’s more frustrating, the people I have to put up with or my bad attitude I have in responding to them. I’m sure that others have felt that I’ve been quite a handful to deal with at times. Maybe they have thrown their arms up in disgust about my behavior. That’s for sure. Really, I thought I was a little better and maybe more perfect than others. You’re kidding me, aren’t you? Yes Lord, I know that I’m flawed. I am a sinner in need of your forgiveness. Thank you for freely forgiving me. I didn’t have to earn your forgiveness. Not that I could have anyhow. I didn’t have to show you that I was worthy of your forgiveness. When I confessed my sin you just gave your forgiveness to me. Why is it that I have trouble being as loving and gracious toward others?

It’s like my first instinct is to put on the wrong clothes that don’t go together. My clothing combinations have been like mixing plaids with stripes or checks with polka dots. I don’t recall you ever wearing polka dots. No, I haven’t, but you get the idea. Yes, I do, but I’d like you to say more about what you mean. Do you want some examples? Yes, I do.

Here are some of my clothing combinations that haven’t gone together at all. I’ve wanted to be merciful in all my actions. That’s very good. Well, as I have put on mercy, I have also worn judgment with it. I’ve found fault in others and been critical of their behavior. Those definitely don’t go together. I know it’s an ugly combination that clashes with each other.

I’ve also wanted to have a kind heart that guides how I feel and respond to others. But, along with kindness I have attempted to also wear anger, bitterness, and revenge. Those are impossible combinations. You can’t have kindness in your heart and wear those. I know, the ugliness of anger, bitterness, and revenge overpowers the beauty of kindness. Yes, they do.

I’ve wanted to have a humble mind that is patient and tolerant with others. That would look very good on you. Yes, I know. What have you tried to combine it with? I am embarrassed to say that I’ve attempted to wear humbleness with pride. Those are opposites that clash. Yes, I could see that when I tried wearing them both.

It looks to me like you need help with clothing yourself. Yes Lord, I do. Would you like my help? Yes Lord, I would. There is one piece of clothing that will help you to know how to dress properly. What is that? It is love. I want you to put on my love. With the same love with which I loved you, I want you to love others. That’s what I want Lord. I know that you do. Would you like my help? Yes Lord, I would. Then ask me to help you to put on love. That will put all your other clothes in perfect unity. Will you ask me for this help? Yes Lord, I am asking for your help right now.      

Lord, I know that with my own strength and ability I am not able to love and forgive just as you have loved and forgiven me. Help me to be clothed with your love so that I can love and forgive even those who have hurt me. Amen

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

Identity – Colossians 3-12-14 – As God’s Chosen People – 4 Discipleship Devotional Page 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