Welcome to DEVOTED DISCIPLES Bite-sized Bible Themes for busy followers of Jesus – interactive devotionals to grow in faith with Scripture, Application, Prayer, Memory Verses, and Worship.
Why is devoting time to God so important?
Read the following verses and look for one benefit of growing in The Knowledge of God. Write notes as you listen to what the Holy Spirit is teaching you.
2 Peter 1:2-10 (NAS)
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence,
6 and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,
7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
But how can I study the Bible? I’m so busy!
Pray about it! Ask the Lord to show you a time and place where you can dedicate a minimum of fifteen minutes to quiet your heart to hear from Him.
- rest in grateful worship
- meditate on His Word
- lift up your prayers
- receive what He says for today
The more you spend time with Him, the more you’ll want to be with Him.
Draw near to Him – He’ll draw near to you (James 4:8a).
Receive His love – It surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:19).
Receive His joy – It is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
Receive His peace – beyond comprehension (Philippians 4:7).
Receive His provision – according to His riches (Ephesians 3:14-21)
Receive His wisdom – He gives it generously (James 1:5-8).
DEVOTED DISCIPLES Bite-sized Bible Themes are organized by topic to build your faith one step at a time. Each lesson is rooted in the whole counsel of God’s living Word, bringing transformation by the renewing of your mind through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in you. Application, Prayer, and Worship will further nourish your heart and soul as you walk on mission with Jesus.
A Sample:
Bite-sized Bible Themes: Are You a Friend of God?
Theme 0.1 Did you know God calls His followers “friends?”
As a follower of Jesus, what is your relationship with God like?
Do you relate to Him as awe-inspiring Creator, holy Disciplinarian, fearsome Judge, benevolent Provider, loving Savior, powerful Healer, or in some other way?
What about as your friend?
We never want to diminish the holiness of God, nor fail to give Him all the honor and glory He is due. Yet, have you pondered in wonder at how He humbled Himself on our behalf, not just for a moment, but to share Himself and His goodness with us forever?
- He created us in His image (Genesis 1:26-28).
- He taught us how to walk with Him (the whole Bible).
- He took on flesh (John 1:14).
- He dwelled among us as the Son of Man (Matthew 8:20).
- He took our place on the cross as a sinner (Isaiah 53:4-6, 11).
- He conquered death to give us His eternal life (John 11:25).
- He lives inside of us so we can grow and serve Him (Galatians 5).
- He keeps us in His presence from conception to death (Psalm 139).
- He gives equal access and co-inheritance with Him in heaven (Ephesians 1:3-14).
Most astounding is that a Holy God would call His followers friends!
James 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
Luke 5:20 And seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”
Luke 12:4 Now I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that they have nothing more that they can do.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.
Application:
John 15:14-15 [Jesus said]You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
- Identify one way you are enjoying friendship with God in this season of life.
- Identify one way you freely obey God’s commands, as you are His friend.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
You walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 1:8-10)
Enoch walked with You 365 years and went straight to heaven (Genesis 5:22-24).
You spoke with Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11).
You and Abraham were friends (Genesis 11:27-25:11).
Jesus Christ came to earth to save His friends (John 15:13).
As Your friend, I can obey You (Philippians 4:13, Galatians 2:20).
Thank you so much for calling me Your friend (John 15:15).
Hallelujah!
In Jesus’ matchless name (Acts 4:12),
AMEN.
Memory Verse:
John 15:14 [Jesus says] You are my friends if you do what I command you.
The Versify app will make Bible memory verses fun and easy!
Literal Word is a study tool that digs into the original Hebrew and Greek words.
Worship:
Thanks for reading DEVOTED DISCIPLES Bite-sized Bible Themes!
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