Tag Archives: my brothers

What Good Is It?

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Becoming Like Christ - Day 179 - James 2:14-17 - What Good Is It? - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 179 – James 2:14-17 – What Good Is It? – Growing As Disciples

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17 (NIV)

Real Faith

What do you suppose real faith looks like? Real faith is living and active. Real faith will cause me to follow you to wherever you lead me. Real faith will enable me to do whatever you ask of me. Real faith will not allow me to sit around and do nothing. If I have real faith, I will be living in an intimate relationship with you. I will hear your voice. I will follow your guidance. I will receive your instructions. I will go and do whatever you ask of me. Will faith will cause me to spring into action. That will be very good.

I have some more ideas about real faith. I have more to say about real faith. I’m listening. I have already said that real faith involves living in an intimate relationship with you. Yes, you did say that. If I have real faith, I will not run ahead of you. If I have real faith, I will not lag behind you. Real faith will keep me right beside you. I will not wander away from you to do my own thing. I will not rely on my own strength to try to accomplish your will. Real faith will prevent me from being self-reliant and self-sufficient. I will place all my faith in you. I will rely on all your help. Living my life with and for you will be the goal of my real faith in you. That will be a very good goal.

I have even more ideas about real faith. I would like to hear all your ideas about real faith. Real faith will cause me to live a life of prayer. Real faith will cause me to live a life of worship. As I live a life of real faith, I will continue to give you praise and thanksgiving as I walk through life with you. These things will all be true because you will be with me to help me. You will be near to me. I will be near to you. I will be living in an intimate, moment by moment life of real faith in you. Yes, you will. Then real life will also fill my life with peace and hope and joy as I love, follow and serve you. This is what real faith will look like. Yes, it does. Yes, it will. All my faith is you. Yes, it is. That is very good. 

Lord, you have changed the course of my life. You have given me new thoughts to think, words to speak and deeds to do. It is my pleasure and joy to follow and serve you. I will go where you guide me and do what you ask of me. Bear fruit through my life. Amen

Key Question…  When has the Lord directed you to meet the needs of someone in distress?

Living It Out…  With a heart filled with faith, go and do what the Lord asks you to do for Him.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Lord will have you go and help others who are in distress.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group what the lord has given you to go and do for Him.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May your faith be accompanied by action.

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

Becoming Like Christ – Day 179 – James 2-14-17 – What Good Is It? – 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

Mature And Complete Not Lacking Anything

Posted on by
1
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Faith - James 1:2-4 - Mature And Complete Not Lacking Anything- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Faith – James 1:2-4 – Mature And Complete Not Lacking Anything- Growing As Disciples

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 (NIV)  

Finish The Work

Are trials a joy to you? Are you able to see their benefit in your life? Do you know that the testing of your faith will develop perseverance in you? Those are good questions. I often cannot see the benefit of a trial until after I have gone through it. Sometimes it has taken a great length of time and hindsight for me to understand how a trial has benefited my life.

When have you cried out to me in a trial? Do you know that I am with you in and through every trial that you face? You can ask me for wisdom as you go through trials in life. I will not reject you or your requests. It gives me great joy to help you to grow stronger in perseverance and faith as you trust and rely on me. It is foolish to go through trials without my help. Forgive me Lord for the times when I have thought I could “tough it out” and go through trials on my own. My own self-efforts have not been successful. My own efforts have left me bitter, angry and discouraged when I have been in the midst of trials. Yet, somehow you have been able to use even trials and tests that I have failed. Yes, I have.

I do have joy in knowing that you are using all of life including trials and tests to mold and shape my life. It is encouraging to know that you have never or will ever give up on me. No, I will not. I am sure that I have had to go through similar tests and trails more than once because I did not learn or receive their full benefit the first around. Yes, you have.

I want to grow strong in my faith and trust in you. I want to persevere so that I will become the person you want me to be. So, I give you permission to do whatever it takes to make me mature and complete. Help me to rely on you through every trail I face. Give me your wisdom in abundance so that I will have all that I need to persevere and grow strong in my faith in you. It is the desire of my heart for you to finish the work that you started and want to complete in me. I don’t want to lack any good thing that you want to give me or do in and through my life. In every way I want my life to glorify your name and bear fruit in your kingdom.

I know that you will hear and answer this prayer of mine. Yes, I have heard your prayer and you can be certain that I will answer it.

Lord, use whatever it takes to grow my faith in you. I will consider it pure joy when I go through various trials because I know you are developing perseverance in me. I want to be mature and complete and not lacking anything as I follow and serve you.  Amen

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

Faith – James 1-2-4 – Mature And Complete Not Lacking Anything – 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 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

Faith – Works

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Rhythms - James 2:14-17 - Faith - Works - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Rhythms – James 2:14-17 – Faith – Works – Growing As Disciples

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:14-17 (ESV)

Into Action 

I have blessed your life. I have given you many good things. You have not wanted. You have not lacked. You have had all that you need. Why do you think I have so richly blessed your life? What do you think I want to do with what I have given to you? I’m pretty sure that not all  you have given to me is meant for me. That’s a good thought. That’s a start. Tell me more of what is on your mind. I think you have blessed me so that I can be a blessing. You want me to freely give to others just as you have freely given to me. You want me to be generous with others just as you have been generous with me. You are a giver. You want me to become like you. You want me to become a giver. That’s right. You got it.

What will happen to you as you give like I gave? You will use me when I give like you gave. I will bear fruit for your kingdom. I will bring glory to your name. I will shine brightly for you in this world. My faith will be on display. All my thoughts and words of faith will be tested and found to be true as I put them into action by giving like you gave. As I share with others from what you have given to me my faith will grow vibrant and strong because I will know that you are using me. You are working in and through me when I help others in need. Yes, I am.

How will you know when I want to use you? How will you know when and where and how to give? I will keep my eyes and ears open. I will watch and listen for opportunities to serve you by serving others. No longer will I walk right on by those who are in need. I will be your hands. I will be your feet. I will go where you guide me. I will do all that you ask of me. I will let you make my faith real as you put me into action in your service. That will be very good.

Lord, thank you for my faith in you. You are my Savior and Lord. It is my joy to serve you. My eyes and ears are looking and listening for opportunities to serve you. Help me to do good works that will bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Amen

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

Rhythms – James 2-14-17 – Faith – Works – 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

Mature And Complete

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Be - James 1:2-4- Mature And Complete - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Be – James 1:2-4- Mature And Complete – Growing As Disciples

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 (NIV)

Working In You 

I am working in your life. Day by day and moment by moment, I am changing you. I am molding and shaping your life. I am making you into the person I want you to become. How are you working in my life? What are you using to change me moment by moment and day by day? How are you molding and shaping me into the person you want me to become? How can I recognize your activity in my life? Why do you want to know? Why are you asking me these questions? I want to welcome your activity in my life. I don’t want to get in the way of your working in my life. I don’t want to hinder anything that you want to do in me, with me or through me. Those are good thoughts. Those are good desires. With the wrong attitude, you could hinder my working in your life. With the wrong attitude, you could short circuit what I want to do in you, with you and through you. I don’t want that. No, you don’t.

How can I guard against having an attitude that would hinder your working in my life? What must I be on guard against so that I don’t short circuit what you want to do in me, with me or through me? Those are good questions. You may not like my answer. Why is that? I have watched you when trials of various kinds have come upon you. What have you seen? You certainly haven’t welcomed trials into your life as your friends. You have wanted to get over trials as quickly as possible rather than joyfully grow through them. You want me to be joyful as I go through trials? You want me to welcome trials into my life as my friends? Yes, I do. Why is that? How strong would your faith be if you never went through a trial? How often would you have come to rely on me if you never went through a trial? How have trials strengthened your faith in me? How are trails causing you to grow mature and complete as you continue to love, follow and serve me? Haven’t you drawn nearest to me and felt my presence in the midst of every trail you have faced? I see your point. I now see why I should welcome trials into my life as my friends. I now know without a doubt that you have been working in my life in the midst of every trial that I have faced. I will change my attitude. I will stop whining about the trials I am going through. I will joyfully look with great anticipation for how you will be working in me, with me and through as I go through trials in life. That will be very good.

 Lord, I have wanted to quickly get over trials rather than joyfully grow through them. I have not welcomed trials into my life as an opportunity to persevere and grow in my faith. Now, do whatever you need to do to make me fully mature and complete in you. Amen

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

Be – James 1-2-4 – Mature And Complete – 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