Tag Archives: slow to speak and slow to become angry

Quick To Listen

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Wisdom - Quick To Listen - James 1:19-21 - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Wisdom – Quick To Listen – James 1:19-21 – Growing As Disciples

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:19-21 (NIV)

 Like A Luxurious Garden

What are you quick to listen to? What and who has your attention? I’m not exactly sure what you mean. What thoughts occupy your mind? Who is speaking into your life? I would like to think that your thoughts occupy my thinking and that you are speaking into my life. Now you are beginning to understand my questions.

I want you to be quick to listen. You might ask “To what, do you want me to listen?” You already know the answer. Yes, I do. You want me to be quick to listen to you and your word. Yes, I do. How will I best be able to do that? Now, that is a very good question. You are like a garden. I want my word to be planted in you so that it will flourish and grow. You will never be able to live the righteous life I desire for you unless you are listening to my word. As you listen I will plant my word in you. You are right to ask how will you be able to be quick to listen to my word.

I will gladly answer that question for you. To listen you must listen. That sounds obvious doesn’t it? Yes, it does. You cant be speaking and listening attentively at the same time. I get it. Do you really? The more you speak the less you will be able to hear and listen to me. The one who speaks thinks he knows. The listener listens because he does not know. I want you to have the attitude of a humble listener. I want you to be hungry and eager to hear from me. I’m here to listen. Yes, you are and that is very good.

There are two things that will also hinder your ability to hear from me. They will try to prevent you from living the righteous life I have given you to live for me. What are they? The first one is anger. How well can you hear from me if you are angry about something? When I’m angry I can’t hear from you at all. Yes, that’s right. Will you set aside all your anger so that you can listen to me? Yes Lord, I will.

What is the second thing that will prevent me from hearing from you and living the righteous life you want me to live? This one is the direct opposite of the life I want you to live. I want you to get rid of anything that is morally filthy and evil. Take a close look. Do an inventory with me. Ask me to show you if there is anything in your life that displeases me. I will show you what must go. Together we will uproot what I don’t want planted in your life. Then in the new space available I will plant my word into your life so that my word will continue to grow and flourish in you. That’s what I want Lord. Yes, I know. I will make your life like a luxurious garden and you will flourish for me.

Lord, help me to remove anger, moral filth, and evil from my life so that I will be able to attentively listen to you. Plant your word in me and cause it to flourish and grow so that I will be like a luxurious garden bearing fruit for you.  Amen

Key Question…  When are you allowing the Lord to speak to you so that He can plant His word in your life?

Living It Out…  Rid your life of anger, moral filth and evil so that you can listen to the Lord and allow Him to plant His word in you.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will plant His word in you and cause your life to grow and flourish for Him.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how the Lord is planting His word in your life and causing you to grow.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you put away anger, moral filth and evil so you can humbly listen to God and let Him plant His word in you.

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

Wisdom – James 1-19-21 – Quick To Listen – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Quick – Slow

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Rhythms - James 1-19-21 - Quick - Slow - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Rhythms – James 1-19-21 – Quick – Slow – Growing As Disciples

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:19-21 (NIV)

Plant Your Word

I have gotten it all backwards. I have been quick to speak. I have been slow to listen. I have been quick to become angry. Obviously, I have not taken very good notes on what you have wanted me to hear and put into practice. I have not allowed you to deeply plant your word in me. I have not allowed your word to take deep roots and grow in me. Why is that? What has hindered your ability to listen? Why would I need to listen? Does someone who thinks they “know it all” need to listen? Do you “know it all”? Do you really have no need to listen? I know very little. I desperately need to listen. I need all the help that I can get. I am far from perfect. I am a work in progress that is for sure. I want and need your help. Is that a prayer of yours? Yes, I am asking you to change me. I want to be quick to listen. I want to be slow to speak. I want to be slow to become angry. I don’t ever want to become angry. At this point I’d settle for becoming very slow to become angry. Most of all, I want to live the righteous life that you have called me to live. That is also another prayer of mine. Yes, I know.

You know how I will change your heart. You know how I will transform your mind. You know what I will use to make you quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. That much I do know. You will use your word to accomplish all these things in my life. Yes, I will. You have a part to play. You will not be a passive participant in the work that I will do in and through your life. What must you do with my word if you want me to change your heart and transform your mind? I will humbly let you plant your word deeply in me. I will listen attentively to everything that you have to say to me. I will allow your word to take root and grow in my life. I will be very careful to put into practice everything that you teach me. Then you will become quick to listen. Then you will be slow to speak. Then you will be slow to become angry. Then you will live the righteous life that I have called you to live. Do that work in me, Lord. I’m listening. Yes, I know. I will.

Lord, I have been quick to speak, slow to listen and quick to become angry. Forgive me. Help me to humbly allow you to plant your word in me. Change my heart. Transform my mind. Make me a listener. Help me to be slow to speak and slow to become angry. Amen

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

Rhythms – James-1-19-21- Quick-Slow – 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

Quick To Listen

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Be - James 1:19-20 - Quick To Listen - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Be – James 1:19-20 – Quick To Listen – Growing As Disciples

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19-20 (NIV)

Take Notes 

Are you ready to take notes? Are you ready and willing to listen carefully to what I want to say to you? You have my full attention. I’m ready to take notes and write down everything you want to say to me. That’s good. Start writing. You have not been a good listener. Have you ever thought of listening without thinking about what you might say next? Not really. You have been far more concerned about what you might say than with what you might hear. I’m sure that’s true. Why is that? I have liked to debate. I have wanted to present my point of view. I have wanted to make my case. I have wanted to win arguments. That’s funny. What’s funny about that? You want to win. You have been so concerned with winning an argument or debate that you haven’t listened well. You have been quick to speak. You have been slow to listen. You have allowed yourself to angrily debate an issue, when the far better course would have been to listen and keep your mouth shut. What’s funny, ironic really, is that the sure way to lose out in life is to not listen well to what others are saying to you. You would be far better off to listen carefully to others rather than to quickly speak what is on your mind. I have a question for you. I’m listening. How many ears have I given to you? You have given me two ears. That’s right. How many mouths have I given to you? You have given me one mouth. That is also right. Your answers should give you a clue about how much I want you to listen and how much I want you to speak. You want me to listen twice as much as I speak? Sometimes, I want you to speak far less than that.

Do you like what has happened to you when you have allowed yourself to get caught up in a heated debate? No, not really. Why is that? I have not enjoyed the experience of rushing into a debate. Then, I know that I have not listened well. I know that I have not taken in what has been said to me. I have not allowed myself to benefit from what others have said to me. The words of others have gone in one ear and out the other, if they have entered my hearing at all. Why is that? I have been filled with pride. I have not valued the thoughts and words of others. I have thought that I knew better. I have thought that I knew it all. Do you know it all? No, I know very little. I need all the help and wise counsel I can receive. That’s very good. Yes, you do need wise counsel from people that I will bring into your life. To receive that counsel, you must be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. Will you do that? Yes Lord, I will. I will listen more carefully. When you listen more carefully, speak less often and don’t allow yourself to become angry, you will be able to live the righteous life that I am calling you to live. That’s what I want.

Lord, I have been impatient and filled with pride. I have been a poor listener that thought I knew it all. I have been quick to speak to offer my opinion. In the heat of debate, I have allowed anger to grow in me. No more! Help me to live the life you desire for me. Amen 

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

Be – James 1-19-20 – Quick To Listen – 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