Twitter....Facebook.....Texting....Email.....Instant Messaging....Skype......Blogging....and the old-fashioned, but very useful, face to face meeting over a cup of coffee. Words, words, words. We live in a day and time where our capacity to communicate has never been better. Or is it?
Hello my dear friends. It is true. Modern technology has provided us with multiple platforms to use words. And yet, with all of these new ways to communicate, are we listening and talking any better than we were before?
This week's Psalms of Discipleship focus is upon the use of words (those that are spoken and those that are just inner thoughts) and how they can be used to worship the Lord and please Him.
The fresh challenge before each one of us is this: do the words we use please the Lord? It is my prayer that His Words would become our words and words of worship to Him.
Seeking to improve my worship of Him by using the right kinds of words,
Denny
PS. Thanks to all of you who have ordered your copy of Psalms of Discipleship: Growing in Grace. If you would like to have a devotional book that also serves as a spiritual life journal as well as a unique 21 point Bible study and personal assessment on grace, my newest book is now available for purchase. For more information, follow this link to the Psalms of Discipleship: Growing in Grace facebook page.
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Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #36
Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life
Key Scripture: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Core Value: Worship
Worship can be an inward experience as well as an outward expression of the heart. Our worship of God can take on different kinds of forms. One form of worship is words. Words have meaning. Words are the windows that reveal what we seek to communicate. Words help us offer our worship to the Lord. The constant challenge for each disciple of Jesus is to make certain the words one is using (those that are spoken and those that are only thought) are acceptable to the Lord.
Here are some questions that must be posed to the quality disciple: “does what I say aloud match what I am pondering upon in the deep recesses of my mind? Or have I succumbed to a life where what I say and think no longer has credibility?”
When we make a commitment to have His words become our words, our worship of Him impacts every area of our life. Remember, worship is not just limited to what we do on a Sunday morning with other believers. Worship is a lifestyle. Brad Waggoner says this:
“You know when you are around a leader who spends time meditating and reflecting on God’s Word. During the times in my life when I am consistently in God’s Word, it comes out my pores. You cannot keep it contained. It bleeds out into your thinking and into your conversations.” Pg. 70 (Waggoner, Brad J. 2008. The shape of faith to come: spiritual formation and the future of discipleship. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group.)
Michael Wilkins says,
“Abiding in Jesus’ words does not mean perpetual Bible study. Rather, it means to know and to live in what Jesus says about life. Instead of listening to the world’s values, disciples must listen to what Jesus says.” Pg. 357 (Wilkins, Michael J. 1992. Following the Master: discipleship in the steps of Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
In other words, we listen to His Word, we think about it, and then we say it out loud.
Principle #36 & Personal Application: The quality disciple of Jesus Christ experiences an authentic worship that is both verbal and non-verbal.
Using words that are acceptable to the Lord will help us worship the Lord in the way He desires:
• Authentic worship is personal as we “let” or open our life to the person and influence of Jesus Christ
• Authentic worship is spoken via the words of our mouth
• Authentic worship occurs in the deep recesses of our heart, meditating upon the greatness of our God
• Authentic worship is acceptable in the sight of the One who alone is worthy of our worship
• Authentic worship is directed to the Lord, our rock and our Redeemer
Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…
What is it like for me to experience a conversation with God or with others after I have marinated my heart in God’s Word?
How can my words become a catalyst for worship?
What do I spend most of my waking hours thinking about within the recesses of my heart?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, like the psalmist, I too desire this to be true of me: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
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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