A good day to all of you, my friends! I pray that you are well and are experiencing a fresh expression of God's great love for you today. This week's principle addresses the kind of life where prayer becomes the habit rather than the occasional desperate plea. We find in this Psalm that the kind of prayer that God wants us to experience is based upon having an intimate relationship with Him. May all of us grow closer to the Lord this week...as we pray.
Praying for you,
Denny
Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #8
Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life
Key Scripture: 1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, Consider my groaning. 2 Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to You I pray. 3 In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. Psalm 5:1-3
Core Value: Prayer
Prayer is what Henri Nouwen suggests to be, “a great adventure.” This great passion that lies in the heart of the quality disciple to pray is best learned . . . by praying. In Christian bookstores today are a multitude of books dedicated to the subject of prayer. There is no lack of materials concerning the subject of prayer. But in spite of all the “how to” books, none of those books will pray for the disciple. From the heart of each believer must come the willingness to go beyond the theory behind prayer and to begin praying. Sometimes one needs to just take “baby steps” when one wants to renew one’s commitment to pray. Small successes go a long way with the person who wants to develop a deeper prayer life. A quality disciple will become a man or woman of prayer.
Principle #8 & Personal Application: The quality disciple of Jesus Christ has a dynamic life, marked by the spiritual discipline of prayer and a firm expectation that God is at work.
• A life of prayer goes beyond the superficial. Instead, the disciple offers to the Lord a prayer that uses words (both spoken and unspoken), passionate groaning, as he or she cries for help.
• A life of prayer is God-centered and not me-centered. The disciple directs his or her prayer to the Lord, to “my King and my God. For to You I pray.”
• A life of prayer is driven by spiritual discipline: “In the morning I will order my prayer to You.” The disciple is willing to make a sacrifice of time.
• A life of prayer is given the privilege of having a front row seat as we “eagerly watch” how God is going to work through our prayers to Him.
Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…
When I pray, what is my expectation of the Lord? Is the foundation of my prayer life God-centered or me-centered?
What one thing can I do this week that will enhance my prayer life?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You offer great comfort to those who pray to You—knowing that You not only hear the deepest concerns of my heart but You also are working for Your glory and for my good. May my prayer life to You become mature as I learn to trust You more.
The Essential Core Values Of The Quality Disciple Are…
Grace—Worship—Bible Study—Prayer—Community—Service—Evangelism
Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2010 All rights reserved.
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