The Family Disciple Me Podcast // Discipleship Starts With a Conversation
In a world filled with a lot of talk, we want to have meaningful, biblical conversations with those God has entrusted to us. Join Tosha Williams and the Family Disciple Me ministry for Devotion Driven Discipleship conversation starters that will encourage you to "Seek Him Speak Him" in your own life.
Family Disciple Me is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Christian ministry dedicated to catalyzing Devotion Driven Discipleship in our own lives and homes as well as around the world.
For more information, visit familydiscipleme.org
The Family Disciple Me Podcast // Discipleship Starts With a Conversation
LIFE VERSES | Fulfill Your Pledge | Convo #6 in "Finding Scriptures That Shape Your Story"
Moving beyond the world of "oughts" and "shoulds," we discover the transformative power of saying "I will" to God. The determination to fulfill our sacred pledges stands at the heart of authentic faith, creating a testimony that impacts not just our lives, but those around us.
The Psalmist declares, "I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people" (Psalm 116:17-18), showing us that our commitments aren't meant to be private matters, but powerful witnesses. Throughout Scripture, we find God's people making bold declarations—"I will give thanks," "I will sing," "I will fear no evil," "I will walk in your truth." These aren't casual statements but expressions of holy determination that shape their stories.
What's your pledge to God? Perhaps it's "I will trust you in this difficult season" or "I will teach my kids your word" or "I will praise you in the valleys." Whatever God impresses on your heart becomes not just a personal commitment but a living testimony. When we fall short—as we all do—God doesn't demand perfection but invites us back to devotion, allowing His grace to sustain our "I will" statements.
This devotion-driven discipleship forms the foundation of a life transformed by Scripture. We seek God in His Word, finding those verses that speak deeply to our hearts, and then we speak those truths to others. Our personal pledges become the bridge between our devotional life and our discipleship influence.
As we conclude this series on finding life verses that shape our story, remember to look for the promises, prayers, purposes, praises, and pledges in Scripture that God can use to transform your journey. Don't settle for good intentions—rise up with strength and say "I will" to the Lord, allowing His Word to shape your story every day for the rest of your life.
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The Family Disciple Me ministry exists to catalyze devotion driven discipleship in our homes and around the world. We believe that discipleship starts with a conversation, and FDM provides free, easily-accessible, biblical resources to encourage these meaningful conversations along life's way. Sign up through our website to be "the first to know" about upcoming releases and resources (including the FDM App - coming soon!!!) You can also follow Family Disciple Me on social media.
Family Disciple Me is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry, and all donations are tax deductible. More information, blogs, statement of faith and contact info can be found at familydiscipleme.org
We live in a world of oughts and shoulds, mights and coulds. I might do this, I should do that, I ought to go there, I could get around to that, but in all of this, the power of I will is being lost in our culture. Thing is throughout Scripture, god shows us that he calls His people to live in strength and determination and commitment Not perfectly, but with the boldness that says I will. That's what we're going to talk about today as we conclude our conversations through this series. We're calling Life Versus Finding scriptures that shape your story. You know, today we're going to talk specifically about the concept fulfill your pledge.
Speaker 1:I love what the psalmist wrote in Psalm 116, verse 17 and 18. It says this I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. Notice those words I will. These aren't just possibilities or good intentions, they're commitments. All throughout the Bible, god's people rise up with this language of determination. I like what it says in Psalm, chapter 9, verse 1, I will give thanks to you, lord, with all my heart. Or Psalm 89, verse 1, says I will sing of the Lord's great love forever. Psalm 23, very familiar passage says I will sing of the Lord's great love forever. Psalm 23, very familiar passage says I will fear no evil, for you're with me. Psalm 63, verse 1, says I will seek you in the morning. Psalm 86, verse 11, says I will walk in your truth.
Speaker 1:We could do a whole Bible study just on the I wills of Scripture and in fact come to think of it. We do have another discipleship conversation guide that does exactly that. But for now the focus is what is your pledge to God that you will fulfill For me? One of my life verses is Philippians 1.20, which I talked about in the last episode, but depending on the translation you read, it says I will continue to be bold, to move on, to press into what God has for me. That is a personal pledge that I made and that I'm going to keep. So I'm gonna to ask you what is your pledge, what is your promise, your I will to the Lord, your pledge that you will fulfill when you open your Bible and come to God in his word, what rises up in your heart? I love how Psalm chapter 116 gives us a picture of someone overwhelmed by God's goodness and they ask how can I repay the Lord for all the good he's done for me? Of course, we can never truly repay Him, but what we can do is respond with gratitude and devotion. And this is not just a wishy-washy I ought or I could, but this is an I will.
Speaker 1:We could make a personal pledge that starts with God I will. Maybe it's God, I will trust you in this difficult season. Maybe, it's God, I will teach my kids your word. Maybe it's God, I will forgive, even when it's hard. Maybe, it's God, I will praise you on the mountaintops and in the valleys, whatever it is that God's impressing on your heart. These aren't just casual words. These are sacred commitments, and as you search the scriptures and you find these verses that pour life and express these truths, then make a commitment to the word in that way. Highlight those verses, write them and put them around your house, include them in texts that you send your families or in daily reminders that you send yourself. Pause for a moment and make sure that you're not living half-heartedly.
Speaker 1:We all know how easy it is to drift into vague intentions and unkept promises. I'll be honest there's been plenty of times I've told God I will, but then I fell short. Honestly, that's the human condition, isn't it? That we all fall short of the glory of God. But thing is, god isn't calling us to perfection, he calls us to devotion, just like Jonah who declared as for me, I will fulfill what I have vowed. We can rise up again and we can recommit. We're not alone in this journey. We're all learning to say together I will to the Lord and then lean on his grace every step of the way. And here's where discipleship comes, in step of the way. And here's where discipleship comes in.
Speaker 1:Your pledge, that vow that you say I will fulfill. Well, it's not just for you. When you say I will seek God, or I will walk in His truth, or I will disciple my kids, or I will be bold, or I will praise aloud more often, whatever it is, your commitment becomes your testimony. It points others your kids, your friends, your spouse, your family, your co-workers toward Jesus. And think about this. The psalmist in our key verse didn't say I'll fulfill my vows in private. Nope, he said I will fulfill my vows to God in the presence of all his people. Our commitments are meant to be lived out in community and shared as a witness. So here's a challenge. Don't just keep your pledge personal. Share it. Let others see what God is doing in your life. Speak it in conversations with your kids, with your family, your small group at church, even with a friend who doesn't yet know Jesus. I want to encourage you to go to the Family Disciple Me app and spend some time in the accompanying conversation guide and walk through this.
Speaker 1:Fulfill your pledge conversation. Use it in your own devotion as you seek him and then turn around and let it be the resource that launches you into discipleship to speak him. That, my friend, is what devotion-driven discipleship looks like. You seek him and then you speak him. Seek him and then you speak him. Thing is, your story is being shaped by the pledges you make to God.
Speaker 1:Don't settle for less. Don't settle for good intentions, even great intentions. Rise up with strength and say I will, as you do. Your life is going to be a testimony of the power and faithfulness of God working through you. So what is your pledge? What is your I will to the Lord. I encourage you to let it become a life verse, a scripture that shapes your story. Oh, friend, as we come to the end of this collection of conversations, my greatest prayer is that you will be able to remember this as you go forth in God's Word and that, again and again, you will look for these specific points along the way the promises, the prayers, the purposes, the praises and the pledges and that you will allow Scripture to shape your story every day for the rest of your life. That is what Scripture is all about and that's why we want to have Life Verses. Oh friend, go with God, be encouraged, be blessed. I'll see you again in another Conversation Collection.