Tag Archives: spiritual disciplines

His Purpose

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - Romans 8:28-29 - His Purpose - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – Romans 8:28-29 – His Purpose – Growing As Disciples

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30 (NIV)

Called

You have been called to live your life according to my purposes. I will guide you to fulfill my plans. My hand is on you. I will guide you. I will direct. I will use you. What will I look like? Where will you guide me? What will you have me do? Those are good questions. Let’s start with your first question. You will look like my Son. It is your destiny to look and think and act like Him. Day by day, I will conform you to His image. I will mold and shape your life. I will give you new thoughts to think. I will give you new words to speak. I will give you new deeds to do. You will leave behind your old dark and sinful life that you once lived. You will live the new life that I have called you to live.

You are wondering where I will guide you? Yes, I am. You would like a road map to follow. You would like your course laid out neatly and completely before you. Yes, I would. That would not be good. Why is that? If I laid out a detailed and complete road map for your life you would react in two undesirable ways. How would I react? You would see the course of your life and turn away. You would run away. You would retreat. You would rebel. You would think that I have asked too much of you. You would say that I was asking the impossible. You would be partly right. I will ask too much of you. I will ask you to do the impossible. Why is that? I will do in and through what can only be done with my help. I will call you to come to rely on me. If I asked you to do only what you could easily do, would you come to rely on me? I suppose not. That brings us to the second reason why you will never receive a detailed road map from me. I’m listening. If I gave you a detailed road map for your life there would also be times when you would think that you could handle what is ahead without my help. Again, you would you begin to rely on yourself. That is not what I want. That is not my plan. You will only live your life according to my call and purpose if you come to rely on me. Will you rely on me? Yes, Heavenly Father, I will rely on you every step of my life. I will go where you guide me. I will do what you ask of me. I will allow you to mold and shape my life down to the finest detail. Make me to look and think and act like your Son. Yes, I will.

Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that you have called me to come to you. You have destined me to look and think and act like your Son. Mold and shape my life. Guide and direct my path. Lead to where you want me to be. Give me what you want me to do. Amen

Key Question… When has it taken many years to look back to see how God brought good out of a difficult and painful trial?

Living It Out… Allow yourself to be transformed by God so that you will be able to think and speak and act like His Son.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will be able to bring good out of the most difficult and painful trials in life.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how God has brought good out of difficult and painful trials.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you live your life according to the purposes of God.

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

God’s Will – Romans 8-28-30 – His Purpose – 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

Children Of God

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - 1 John 3:1-3 - Children Of God- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – 1 John 3:1-3 – Children Of God- Growing As Disciples

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-3 (ESV)

Look Like

Have you ever wondered what you will look like? I’m not sure what you mean. You do know that I am molding and shaping your life every day. You are the work of my hands. You are my masterpiece. I am making you into the person I have called you to be. I am helping you to live the life that I have called you to live. Yes, I know it is true that you are doing your work in me, for me and through me. There is not one part of my heart and mind and life that you are leaving untouched. Day-by-day you are changing my heart, transforming my mind and guiding my life. That’s right. So, I will ask you again, “Have you ever wondered what you will look like when you are my completed work?” That seems obvious to me. Really? Tell me what you will look like. I think you are asking me a trick question. Why do you say that? If you asked me to tell you who I would look like the answer might be too obvious. I’m sure that you wanted me to think about your question a little longer and far more deeply. That’s right. Anyhow, I know that you want me to look like your Son, Jesus Christ. That’s true.

How have I been changing you day-by-day? How have I been changing your heart, transforming your mind and guiding your life? You have been changing me day-by-day as I have come into your presence. I have met with you in your word. I have met with you in prayer. I have met with you in worship. You have allowed me to draw near to you. You have drawn near to me as I have drawn near to you. I cannot be in your presence and remain unchanged. That’s right. As I am in your presence you are making me to be like your Son. This work of yours will only end when I come to see you face to face. Then I will be completely changed. Now, I see in part, then I will see in full, then I will be completely changed. Yes, you will. Make this your hope. Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, it is so exciting that I will come to look like you. That is the desire of my heart and mind. That is the goal of my life. I want to think your thoughts, speak your words and do your deeds. Day by day make me like you until I come to see you face to face. Amen

Key Question… What has the Lord been using to change you day by day so you can become more like Him?

Living It Out… Keep your hope firmly fixed on Jesus Christ so you can live the life of purity He has called you to live.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will change you, day by day as you keep your hope firmly fixed on Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how Jesus Christ has been changing you as you keep your hope on Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May your hope be firmly fixed on Jesus Christ so you can live the life of purity you have been called to live.

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

God’s Will – 1 John 3-1-3 – Children Of God – 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

He Listens

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - John 9:31 - He Listens - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – John 9:31 – He Listens – Growing As Disciples

We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. John 9:31 (NIV) 

Heard And Answered

Do you want to pray prayers that I will hear and answer? I see some hesitation on your part. This is not a hard or trick question. It is a simple question. I noticed that you did not say it has a simple answer. No, I did not. Of course, I want to pray prayers that you will hear and answer. What kind of prayers will you not hear and answer? That is a very good question that I will let you answer. I thought you might say that. You will not hear and answer prayers that are outside of your will. I may ask you for something that might not be good for me. I may ask for something that might take my life in the wrong direction. I might ask for something well before I am ready to receive it. I may even ask for something that will never be inside of your will for you to hear and answer. That’s true.

How will you begin to know what prayers are inside and outside of my will? How will you know when to ask for what you need from me? I will only know how and when to pray by living in an intimate relationship with you. You will speak to me as I listen attentively to you. You will give me prayers to pray. You will place good and right and pure prayers on my heart. You will bring prayers to pray to my mind as I love, follow and obey you. That’s right. What has the potential to hinder your ability to hear from me? What might even hinder your desire to come to meet with me in prayer? What might lead you to pray for what is completely outside of my will. If my heart and mind and life are wrapped up in the things of this world I might not even think to pray. If I am filled with pride and self-sufficiency I might feel no need to pray. If my life is entangled in sin my prayers will no doubt miss the mark. I will almost certainly pray for what is outside your will. That’s true.

What is a good way to start your prayers? What will you do as you begin to pray to me? I will humble myself before you. I will come to rely on you. I will confess my sins to you. I will ask you to forgive and cleanse me of all my sin. Will I hear this prayer? You will always forgive and cleanse me of my sin as I confess it to you. Yes, I will. As you humbly confess your sins and come to rely on me, what will you be ready to do? I will be ready to listen to you. You will be ready to listen to me. You will give me prayers to pray that you will hear and answer. Yes, I will. 

Lord, I don’t want anything to hinder my prayers. I don’t want sinful thoughts, words, or deeds to make it so you cannot hear and answer my prayers. Forgive and cleanse me of all my sin. Give me prayers to continue to pray as I love, follow and obey you. Amen

Key Question… How are you making confession of your sin a regular part of your prayer time with God?

Living It Out… Follow and obey the Lord so that nothing will hinder your prayers being heard and answered.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will hear your prayers as you follow and obey Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has heard and answered your prayers.

Prayer To Bless Others… May your hope be firmly fixed on Jesus Christ so you can live the life of purity you have been called to live.

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

God’s Will – John 9-31- He Listens – 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

He Refused

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide- God's Will - Genesis 39:6b-10 - He Refused - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide- God’s Will – Genesis 39:6b-10 – He Refused – Growing As Disciples

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. Genesis 39:6-10 (NIV)

Remove, Reject And Run 

Do you want to be able to refuse temptation? You are thinking that I have asked you a very easy question. That thought did cross my mind. You should know that I have not asked you an easy question. Why is that? Hasn’t your experience told you that I have not asked you an easy question. What do you mean by saying that? Think deeply about the question that I have asked you. The quick and easy answer to my question, that you could give to me might be, “Of course, I want to be able to refuse temptation.” Has that always been the truth? Have you always wanted to refuse temptation? Have you ever enjoyed being tempted? Have you ever lingered around temptation with the thought that you will refuse it when you get around to refusing it? In the meantime, you enjoyed temptation. Yes, everything you are saying is true. I have enjoyed temptation. I have lingered around temptation. I have even savored temptation in my heart and mind. If you savor temptation in your heart and mind will you be able to refuse it? Will you be able to reject temptation? Will you be able to run from temptation? No, I doubt it. 

What has your experience taught you about refusing temptation? If I want to refuse temptation I must start by removing all its sources from my life. I must put temptation on a starvation diet. There are places I should not go. There are things I should not do. There are even people that I should not allow into my life. I should not be found in the wrong times at the wrong times, if I want to refuse temptation. That’s right.

What has your experience taught you about rejecting and running from temptation? Timing is everything. There is a time to reject temptation. There is time to run from temptation. When is the right time to reject and run from temptation? The time to reject and run from temptation is right now. I have never found the way of escape out of temptation when I have lingered around it. If I linger around temptation, I will surely give in to it. That’s true.

Do you want to refuse temptation? Yes, I do. Will you eliminate sources of temptation from your life? Yes, I will. Will you immediately reject and run from temptation when it comes your way? Yes, I will. That will be very good.

Lord, I will remove myself from all known and obvious sources of temptation. I will not allow myself to be in the wrong places at the wrong times. When temptation comes my way, as it will, I will refuse and run from it, at once, with all my strength and speed. Amen

Key Question… Why must you never delay in running away from a temptation that has come your way?

Living It Out… Remove yourself from sources of temptation as you refuse and run away from them when they come your way.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to remove sources of temptation as you refuse and run away from them.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are you are refusing and running away from temptation.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you remove sources of temptations and refuse and run from them when they come your way.

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

God’s Will – Genesis 39-6b-10 – He Refused – 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

If Any Of You Lacks Wisdom

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - James 1:5-8 - If Any Of You Lacks Wisdom - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – James 1:5-8 – If Any Of You Lacks Wisdom – Growing As Disciples

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:5-8 (ESV)

Humbly Pray Faith Filled Prayers

What wisdom do I need? Why do I need wisdom? Why have I foolishly thought I did not need wisdom? Why have I resisted others when they were more than willing to give me wise counsel? I don’t even like to ask for directions when I’m lost. What explains that? Those are questions I ask myself. Those are good questions. What are your answers? I need wisdom because I am not a wise person. I need wisdom because I don’t know it all. I don’t have all the answers. I’m not even wise enough to ask the right questions. I’m not wise enough to recognize wisdom when it has been freely and generously offered to me. Why is that? We both know the answer to that question. I’m as proud as I am unwise. Do you think there is a correlation between your pride and your lack of wisdom? There is no doubt that. Pride has been behind my thinking that I don’t need any additional wisdom. Pride is the reason I am reluctant to ask for directions even when I’m certain that I am lost. You’re on to a very important thought.

You will need two things if you want to come to ask me for wisdom. What’s that? What two things will I need? You tell me. I’m guessing that I will need humility to be willing to come and ask you for wisdom. Good guess. I will need to lay down my pride and admit that I need your wisdom. I will need to acknowledge that I don’t know it all and have all the answers. That’s right. What else? I’m not sure. Have you ever doubted that I would hear and answer your prayers? Have you ever wondered if I would really give you wisdom, when I ask me for it? I guess so. You guess so? I know that I have prayed prayers that were filled with doubt. I have something to say to you. What’s that? Don’t bother praying doubt filled prayers asking for my wisdom. I know why that is. Tell me. I will not receive any wisdom from you when my prayers are filled with doubt. That’s right. Will you humbly pray faith filled prayers asking me for wisdom? Yes Lord, I will. Then you will generously receive wisdom from me. I will give you all the wisdom you will need to know and do my will. I will give you all the wisdom you will need to live your life with and for me. That’s what I want. That is very good.

Lord, there is no doubt about it, I need your wisdom. On my own, I have taken many missteps. I have made huge mistakes. I have gone down dead ends. I have wasted time. I have lost resources. Please give me the wisdom I need to know and do your will. Amen

Key Question… When have you failed to listen to wise counsel the Lord was giving to you through others?

Living It Out… With a heart full of faith ask God for all the wisdom that you will need so you can know and do His will.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will generously give you wisdom, when with a heart full of faith, you ask Him for it.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how God has given you wisdom to know and do His will.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you with a heart filled with faith ask God for all the wisdom you need.

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

God’s Will – James 1-5-8 – If Any Of You Lacks Wisdom – 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

Your Sanctification

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 - Your Sanctification - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 – Your Sanctification – Growing As Disciples

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 (ESV)

Set Apart

You have been set apart to come to me. I called you by name. I sought you out. I rescued you from a life without me. I pulled your life out of the muck and the mire. I forgave all your sins. I cleansed all your unrighteousness. I have made you holy in my sight by the blood that was shed for you on the cross. I made you my own. I adopted you into my family. I made you to be my child. I have loved you with an everlasting love.  I lifted you up and set you on a firm foundation so you could begin to follow and serve me. I broke the power of sin over your life. I have made it so you can live your life with and for me. For all this, I am grateful and thankful. All praise and honor and glory belong to you. I now love you because you first loved me. It is my desire to know and do your will. I want to go and do what is pleasing to you. My life is in your hands and at your disposal. Use me for your purposes. Accomplish your plans in and through my life. Guide me to where you want me to go. Give me what you want me to do. That, I will do.

My work in you is not finished. I have made you holy in my sight. I have set your life apart and made you my own.  I will bring to completion the good work that I have begun in you. Day by day I will be working in and through your life. I will use my word to change your heart. I will use my word to transform your mind. I will make you able to think my thoughts. I will make you able to know and do my will. I will use my word to guide your life. You will know where I am guiding you. You will know the work that I am giving you to do for me. What do you think I want you to keep doing? You want me to keep drawing near to you as you draw near to me. You want me to keep meeting with you in your word. You want me to keep receiving your teaching and listening to your instruction. You want me to continue abiding in your presence. Why is that? You want me to know you. You want me to live and walk in an intimate relationship with you. Yes, I do. You want my life to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Yes, I do. I know that apart from you I can do nothing. That’s right. So, I will remain vitally connected to you, so you can continue to do your work in and through my life. That will be very good.

Lord, I know you have set me apart to love, follow and serve you. You have forgiven all my sins and cleansed all my unrighteousness. Use your word to change my heart, transform my mind and guide my life. Keep on purifying me as I live my life with and for you. Amen

Key Question… How has God used His word to break you free from sins that once so easily entangled your life?

Living It Out… Allow God to continue His purifying work to continue in your life as you love, follow and serve Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you have been set apart and made holy in God’s sight by Christ’s blood shed for you on the cross.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how God is continuing to change and purify your life as follow Him.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you allow the Lord to continue to change and purify your life as you love, follow and serve Him.

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

God’s Will – 1 Thessalonians 4-3-5 – Your Sanctification – 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

First Of All

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - 1 Timothy 2:1-3 - First Of All - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – 1 Timothy 2:1-3 – First Of All – Growing As Disciples

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 1 Timothy 2:1-3 (ESV)

Priority Of Prayer

Did you notice those words? Did I notice what words? Did you notice the words, “first of all?” Yes, I noticed, what point do you want to make with me? Isn’t my point obvious enough? Yes, I guess so. Is that a guess? No. Tell me more about the point I am making with you. Prayer is something that you want me to do first. Prayer is not a last resort. I am to pray not because I can do nothing else. I am to pray because that is my first and best choice. You want me to bring people and needs and circumstances and issues to you. Yes, I do. You want me to pray for all people. That’s right. Prayer will do more than I could ever accomplish. Prayer will guide the work that you do give me to do. My efforts without prayer will be fruitless. You will bear an abundance of fruit in and through my life as I remain in prayer with you. Right again.

Do you believe that I will hear and answer your prayers? Do you believe that I will give and guide the prayers that I want you to pray? Yes, I do. Will you come to me? Will you sit before me? Will you pray the prayers that I give you to pray? Yes Lord, I will.

You do have a choice. What do you mean? You can live a hectic, ungodly life that is filled with noise and turmoil and desperation or you can live a quiet, peace filled, dignified and godly life. Which one do you want to live? I want to live a quiet, peace filled, dignified and godly life. I thought so. How will you do that? What promises have I made to you? It is your command that I pray for all people, including the leaders that you have placed over my life. That’s right. If I pray prayers of supplication and intercession with thanksgiving then I will be able to live a quiet, peace filled, dignified and godly life. That’s true. Does this mean that you will have no pain or suffering or difficulty in your life? No, it does not. But, I will have a relationship with you, built with prayer, that will give me peace and quiet that will help to live a godly life in and through every difficulty I will encounter. Yes, you will. That is what I want. That is the desire of my heart. I want to live a life of prayer as I walk with you through life. I want to live the dignified and godly life that you are calling me to live. That will be very good. 

Lord, I have made the mistake of allowing myself to be dragged into bitter debate with others. Under such circumstances, it has been difficult for me to pray for them. Help me to pray for all people, including my leaders, so that, I can live a quiet and peaceful life. Amen

Key Question… Why will engaging in bitter debate with others make it very difficult for you to pray for them?

Living It Out… Make it your continual practice to pray for all people, including your leaders, so you can live a quiet and peaceful life.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you will be able to live a quiet and peaceful life as you pray for all people, including your leaders.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are praying for all people including your leaders.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you continually pray for all people, including the leaders God has placed over you.

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

God’s Will – 1 Timothy 2-1-3 – First Of All – 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

Do Not Love The World

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - 1 John 2:15-17 - Do Not Love The World - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – 1 John 2:15-17 – Do Not Love The World – Growing As Disciples

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)  

Love Me

Do you love me? If you love me you will not love the world. Do you love me? If you love me, you will leave behind the cravings of your old sinful life. Do you love me? If you love me, you will not allow yourself to lust with your eyes over what you see in the world. Do you love me? If you love me, you will not boast about what you have. Do you love me? If you love me, you will not boast about what you have done. Now, can I answer your question? Yes, you may answer my question.   Yes Lord, I love you. I do not love the world. I do not love the things in the world. This world is not my true home. I am not foolishly storing up treasures in this life that will soon pass away. I want to store up treasures in heaven with you. Yes Lord, I love you. You have made it possible for me to walk away from the cravings of my old sinful life. Walking away from my old sinful cravings is what I have done and will continue to do with all your help. Yes Lord, I love you. I am not allowing my eyes to lust after what I see in the world. I am keeping my heart and mind and life firmly focused on you. Yes Lord, I love you. I will not boast about what I have. All that I have has come as a gift from you. You have richly blessed my life. I will not boast about what I have done. You are the one who has been working in and through my life. If I have accomplished anything it is because you have allowed me to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Apart from you I can do nothing. I give you thanks and praise and glory and honor for what you have done, are doing and will do in and through my life. It is my desire and joy to both know and do your will. That is how I want to spend my life. I want you to use me to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. I want to live my life loving, following and serving you. Yes Lord, I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. Yes, I do know that you love me. That is very good. I agree.

Lord, I once was entangled in the cravings, lusts and boastful things of this world. Thank you for breaking me free from all of that. Now, I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. Help me to know and do your will as I follow and serve you. Amen

Key Question… Why is loving the world and loving God incompatible with each other?

Living It Out… Leave behind cravings, lusts and boastful things of this world so you can love, follow and serve God with all your heart.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to leave behind cravings, lusts and boastful things of this world.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how your love for God is demonstrated by knowing and doing His will.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you leave behind the cravings, lusts and boastful things of this world so you can love God.

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

God’s Will – 1 John 2-15-17 – Do Not Love The World – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Do All Things

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - Philippians 4:13- Do All Things - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – Philippians 4:13- Do All Things – Growing As Disciples

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 (ESV)                        

Your Strength

I’m done. I give up. What are you done with? What are you giving up on? I’m done trying to serve you with my own strength. I’m giving up on relying on myself, trying to do what you have given me to do for you. It’s about time, don’t you think? What do you mean by that? It was never my plan for you to rely on yourself to do what I have given you to do for me. Why do you think I have given you so many tasks that you couldn’t accomplish by yourself? Is that what you have been doing? I thought maybe I was just a miserable failure. No, you are not a miserable failure. Yes, I have been giving you God sized tasks so that you would learn to come to rely on me. I want to grow your faith. I want to develop your trust. So often, you have trusted and relied on yourself. You will never be able to accomplish the God sized tasks that I give to you without your relying on me. You will never grow in your faith unless you allow me to work in and through your life. So, it is a good thing that you are done with relying on your own strength and are giving up on your own efforts. I guess so. You guess so? No, I am certain that it is good to start putting all my faith and trust in you. It is a good time for me to begin to rely fully on you for all the strength that I will need to do all that you ask me to do for you. Yes, it is.

So, what are you going to do differently? How are you going to begin to rely fully on me? Well, I will come to you to ask for your help. I will seek your wisdom. I will rely on your strength. I will ask you to give me your power. I will ask you to show me when, where, and how you want me to do something for you. I will take whatever steps you guide me to take. I will not race ahead of you. I will not lag behind you. I will not turn aside to the right or to the left. I will follow where you lead me. I will do whatever you ask of me. That will be very good.

Do you believe that I will help you? Do you have faith that I will make you able to do everything that I give you to do for me? Yes Lord, I believe that you will give me your power and strength to do whatever you ask of me. That’s very good.

Lord, I have tried to serve you with my own strength alone. Those efforts of mine have often failed miserably. I am done relying on myself. I need your help. I need all the strength that you will give me to do all that you ask me to do for you. Amen

Key Question… How are you now relying on the Lord to give you His strength to do a God sized task?

Living It Out… Rely on strength from the Lord to do all that He asks you to do for Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will give you all the strength you need to do what He asks you to do for Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has given you strength to His will.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you rely on Christ’s strength to do whatever He gives you to do for Him.

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

God’s Will – Philippians 4-13 – Do All Things – 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

See God

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - Matthew 5-8 - See God - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – Matthew 5-8 – See God – Growing As Disciples

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8 (NIV) 

Pure In Heart 

What will help or hinder your ability to see my activity in the world around you? What will you do if you want to live and walk in an intimate relationship with me? If I want to live and walk in an intimate relationship with you I must decide to walk away from the world and all its evil. How will you do that? I will make a choice. I will separate myself from what will certainly try to entangle me in the world’s sin and evil. I will not go where I should not go. I will not do what I should not do. I will choose to live a life that will not stain my heart and mind with sin and evil. Does that seem possible to you? Isn’t sin and evil everywhere you turn in the world around you? Yes, it is and at one time I was completely enslaved to sin and evil in the world. I went where I should not have gone. I did what I should not have done. I lived a life seeking all the comfort and pleasure that the world had to offer me. I lived entirely to please myself. I was on a dark path walking away from you. What happened? How was your course changed? My life had become bruised and battered and broken by the self-centered, self-indulgent, self-sufficient way I was living. I began to suffer the wages of my sinful, evil life. In my pain, I cried out to you. I asked you to show yourself to me. I told you that I wanted to turn away from my sinful life to live a new life in you. You rescued me from a life without you. You pulled me off the dark and dreary path I was on. You set my feet on solid ground and allowed me to follow you. You did show yourself to me. You showed me your love, forgiveness and mercy. You forgave me of my sin and cleansed me of all my unrighteousness. You broke the power of sin over my life. You gave me a new heart and mind. What kind of heart and mind was that? You gave me a heart and mind to want to love, follow and serve you. You made wanting to know you to be the desire of my heart. Now, I am filled with an overpowering desire to know you. That is very good. Yes, and so I now want to walk away from the sin and evil in the world so that I can love, follow and serve you. With your strength and help I will resist sin and evil of every kind. I will draw near to you as you draw near to me. I will listen to your voice. I will see your activity. I will come to know you. I will follow you to where you lead me and do what you ask of me. I will live and walk in an intimate relationship with you. Yes, you will.  

Lord, it is the desire of my heart to know you. I want to live in an intimate relationship with you. I want to hear and see your activity in the world around me. I want to be able to know and do your will. Help me to walk closely with you every day of my life. Amen

Key Question… How are you guarding yourself from sin and evil that is in the world?

Living It Out…  Separate yourself from sin and evil in the world so that you can live and walk in an intimate relationship with the Lord.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord wants you to live and walk in an intimate relationship with Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are living and walking in an intimate relationship with the Lord.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you have a pure heart, unstained by the world, so you can live in an intimate relationship with God.

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

God’s Will – Matthew 5-8 – See God – 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