If You Hold to My Teaching

By Sidney Dockery

Calling disciples back to Christ, If You Hold to My Teaching offers a thirty-day devotional to help you refocus and stay focused. Author Sidney Dockery reminds you to continue your pursuit of God and righteous living in his kingdom by putting scripture into practice in your life.

True discipleship is about educating the mind, heart, and soul to develop the conviction needed to hold to the teachings of Christ. This divine and spiritual education will produce genuine faith which is necessary to hold onto the word. Reading each day prompts you to act and build your relationship with God. It’s meant to encourage you to continue in the word, continue in discipleship, motivating you to protect your salvation in the Lord.

If You Hold to My Teaching focuses on ten key factors:

Understanding of the word.

Surrender to the word.

Commitment to the word.

Growing spiritually versus worldly.

Fleeing from sin.

Embracing freedom in Christ righteously and enjoying it.

Maintaining righteous behavior in all circumstances.

Pursuing God daily.

Growing in obedience with a joyful heart.

Honoring God with your life.

This devotional helps you reignite your fire, make you hot for God again, and be a step toward restoring your faith

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664279698

Sidney Dockery

Sidney Dockery is the lead evangelist at Tri-County Church in Jackson, Mississippi. He’s been a disciple of the Lord for twenty-seven years and counting. He loves reaching out to people, changing lives, and helping others build a relationship with God by teaching them to follow Jesus.

Book preview

Contents

Day 1     God’s Word

Day 2     If You Hold

Day 3     If You Hold

Day 4     To My Teachings

Day 5     Really My Disciples

Day 6     The Truth

Day 7     Set You Free

Day 8     Come After Me

Day 9     Must Deny

Day 10   The Cross Daily

Day 11   Follow Me

Day 12   Forgive

Day 13   Love One Another

Day 14   God Breathe

Day 15   Testing God

Day 16   Glory Thief

Day 17   Happy Obedience

Day 18   Will Not Abandon

Day 19   Choose Wisely

Day 20   Salt Is Good

Day 21   Beyond Flesh And Blood

Day 22   Stewardship

Day 23   Procrastination

Day 24   I’ve Got The Power

Day 25   Participate

Day 26   Reach Everyone

Day 27   Take Me To The Water

Day 28   Glory, Power, Wisdom

Day 29   Pass It On

Day 30   Never Forget

Bibliography

Day 1

GOD’S WORD

"If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples

And the truth will set you free."

John 8:31

Understanding of the Word Brings Clarity

Holding to the teachings of Christ is a matter of life, death, freedom, and slavery. It is about making a choice either to live in the dark and never know the love that God wants to lavish on you, or to live in the light as a free person who is obedient to God. Jesus makes it clear that his teachings are not his own but that everything he teaches comes from God and God alone (John 7:16). The Word gives clarity to our lives, helping us make the right decisions based on the teachings of God and Christ (1Timothy 4:16) and not our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). The Word of God teaches us to love unconditionally, holding no parts of ourselves back, and giving God our all (Matthew 22:36–39). It teaches us to serve when asked and when not asked. It teaches us to seek him out wholeheartedly so that he may be found. It teaches us to commit to his plan of reconciliation so that all may know and hear the Word (2 Corinthians 5:18). God’s Word gives freedom from the bondage of sin. It clears up all confusion about him and helps to break the trap of frustration that we live in when we live apart from God and Christ.

Understanding the Word brings clarity to our lives and helps us to see all things clearly through God’s eyes and not our own. The Word will revive and breathe life into us, revealing our purposes on this planet and giving clarity to the eternity that awaits us. With God’s Word, we can win souls, change lives, and make a difference in this world. Holding on to the teachings of God that comes to us through Christ must be a priority in our lives. God has no interest in lip service, good intentions, or those who think maybe tomorrow I will change. God is looking for sold-out believers who bear the name of Christ and do not waver. He is looking for sold-out disciples who acknowledge Jesus as Lord of their lives and are obedient to his lordship. His expectation of all believers is a sold-out attitude within their minds, hearts, souls, and strengths and who live such lives inside out. We cannot choose what parts of the Word we will abide by. With God, it is either all or nothing (Revelations 3:14–16).

God’s Word: This is a new year, a new day, a new beginning; our view must be that we will hold to the teachings of God, which is his Word. Why? Because it is a matter of life and death.

Pray: Ask God to draw you deeper into His Word so that you may see things clearly through his eyes and not your own, and so that His Word will be your standard for living.

Read: Hebrews 4:12–13, James 1:19–25, 1 Timothy 4:15–16, and John 12:47–48.

Questions of Conviction and Commitment

How does Day 1 makes it clear that God’s Word gives my life purpose?

How do I view the Word of God in my life?

What steps will I take to seek clear direction for my daily living from God’s Word?

How will I honor God in this life with his Word?

Lordship

Salvation

Free will

Day 2

IF YOU HOLD

"If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples

And the truth will set you free."

John 8:31

Free Will

You have to love the God that we worship. Not only has he created our world, us, and everything in it, but he gave us his most prized possession—his one and only son, Christ. Christ, who is our Lord, demands obedience and loyalty. He is our Savior, granting us salvation through lordship. What an amazing gift God has given us. The scriptures say, What is a man that you are mindful of him (Psalms 8:4). It is mind-blowing that a creator would love his creation so much that