Devotionals for March 27, 2023
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READ
Matthew 28:18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
I Corinthians 9:25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified
REFLECT
Donuts are my Kryptonite. Donuts and Brownies. Do you ever notice they never last long enough? That’s because they are empty calories with very little if any, nutritional value. They never really satisfy what your body needs. They just have an emotional appeal. Your body needs to burn calories to function, but it’s the calories with nutrition that make it grow and thrive and achieve healthy fitness. A diet of mostly sugar and carbs starves the rest of the body.
It’s the same way with being a disciple of Christ. We have a command from our King to learn, obey, and teach others. How spiritually fit are we if we never make it past the donut table in our learning how to be like Jesus? It is not going to be convenient, easy, or full of instant gratification.
Discipleship is the harder road, but the end result is glorious. We are training like a runner as Paul describes in I Corinthians 9:25-27. But unlike running a physical race, where a runner only has their body and mind to see them through, we have a Savior who is with us every step of the way.
To re-iterate from Sunday’s sermon…here’s how we describe a disciple at TNLC:
A disciple is someone who is learning, obeying what they are learning, and teaching others to do the same.
APPLY
Q: What stage in your discipleship journey are you today?
Q: What can you do to dig deeper into your relationship with God and His Word?
Q: Are there things you have learned in your discipleship journey that may help others?
SING
“Destined to Win” by DeGarmo & Key
PRAY
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
Dear God our Father, may your praise be ever on my lips, my mind, and my spirit. Help me to keep the tabernacle of my body, mind, and spirit holy for you. Help me to move away from a shallow relationship with you to deeper waters and strengthen my faith.
READ
Matthew 28:18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
I Corinthians 9:25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified
REFLECT
Donuts are my Kryptonite. Donuts and Brownies. Do you ever notice they never last long enough? That’s because they are empty calories with very little if any, nutritional value. They never really satisfy what your body needs. They just have an emotional appeal. Your body needs to burn calories to function, but it’s the calories with nutrition that make it grow and thrive and achieve healthy fitness. A diet of mostly sugar and carbs starves the rest of the body.
It’s the same way with being a disciple of Christ. We have a command from our King to learn, obey, and teach others. How spiritually fit are we if we never make it past the donut table in our learning how to be like Jesus? It is not going to be convenient, easy, or full of instant gratification.
Discipleship is the harder road, but the end result is glorious. We are training like a runner as Paul describes in I Corinthians 9:25-27. But unlike running a physical race, where a runner only has their body and mind to see them through, we have a Savior who is with us every step of the way.
To re-iterate from Sunday’s sermon…here’s how we describe a disciple at TNLC:
A disciple is someone who is learning, obeying what they are learning, and teaching others to do the same.
APPLY
Q: What stage in your discipleship journey are you today?
Q: What can you do to dig deeper into your relationship with God and His Word?
Q: Are there things you have learned in your discipleship journey that may help others?
SING
“Destined to Win” by DeGarmo & Key
PRAY
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
Dear God our Father, may your praise be ever on my lips, my mind, and my spirit. Help me to keep the tabernacle of my body, mind, and spirit holy for you. Help me to move away from a shallow relationship with you to deeper waters and strengthen my faith.