Saturday, February 26, 2011

Psalms of Discipleship--Principle # 8--February 26, 2011--Prayer

Hello my dear friends! As I write today, Spring is in the air (though where I live, the return of winter is only a random cold front away). As I gaze out my window I see my neighbor working in her flower bed and a few of the plants are beginning to suggest new buds are on the way. The season of deadness (winter) is giving way to a new season of life. The writer of Ecclesiastes was right when he said "for everything there is a season."

In a sense, we have all experienced a season that one writer called "the dark night of the soul", when we were hurting and God seemed to be so far away. Today's Psalms of Discipleship is a wonderful reminder that God does care for us. He is only a prayer away to help the one who is in desperate need of rescue.

Looking to the King who will rescue me,

Denny


Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #8

Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life

Key Scripture: O LORD my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me. Psalm 30:2 (NASB)
God, my God, I yelled for help and you put me together. Psalm 30:2 (MSG)

Core Value: Prayer

When we were younger we were told the story about “Humpty Dumpty.” Though it was a silly rhyme, there lies within it a powerful truth: brokenness is a common theme for all of us, even those who love the Lord. If we have lived enough life, we have been touched by the brokenness of a difficult circumstance that, even today, may still provoke strong emotions within us. The memories of a personal crisis can be haunting, especially when they are triggered by a new crisis. When we “fall off the wall” we are reminded of how fragile we really are. We have been touched by the brokenness of our sin. We, as Paul, still do the things we do not want to do and struggle with attempting to do the things we want to do (Romans 7). We, even as disciples of Jesus, are broken. The children's rhyme reminds us “all of the king’s horses and all of the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty back together again.” Pretty sad. Pretty depressing. We need to be rescued. Fortunately for us, we do have a King who rescues us from brokenness and restores us and heals us. This is the power of the Gospel. This is Good News.

Principle #8 & Personal Application: The quality disciple makes an intimate and desperate appeal to the only One who can help, heal and put us together.

Although the implication of this passage of Scripture is that God actually brought physical healing to David, we know that God also heals in other ways too. When we pray . . .

• We can pray that God will heal our memories that have been seared by painful events.

• We can pray that God will heal our emotions that have been shattered; leaving us fragile and weak.

• We can pray that God will heal our sick soul that has been wounded by sin.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; Luke 4:18 (NKJV)

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

What kind of brokenness does Jesus need to touch in my life today?

In what ways have I experienced the Lord’s healing touch in my life?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I thank You that I can cry out to You for help and know that You will respond to my need for healing. You, and only You, can touch me and put me together. You, and only You, can heal me.

The Essential Core Values Of The Quality Disciple Are…
Grace—Worship—Bible Study—Prayer—Community—Service—Evangelism

Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2011 All rights reserved.

www.dennybates.com
http://thequalitydisciple.blogspot.com/

Note: Looking for a way to enhance your devotional life in 2011? Allow me to suggest purchasing a copy of Psalms of Discipleship: Growing in Grace. You can order your copy for only $15.99 (a $4 savings!). 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, follow this link to my website where you can download a FREE SAMPLE at,

http://www.dennybates.com/Home/PODGIG.html

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Psalms of Discipleship--Principle # 7--February 19, 2011--Prayer

Hello my dear friends! I want you to consider this question, a very important one: when you are faced with a situation where you feel very weak and anxious, what is your initial response? Is it panic . . . or is it prayer; and if it is prayer, what are you requesting the Lord to do?

This week's Psalm reminds us not only to pray to the One who can do something about our need but also gives us clear instructions on what we should be requesting of the Lord.

What is being offered to us, His disciples, is a wonderful transaction: our weakness for His strength; our anxiety and fear for His peace.

Overwhelmed by His goodness,

Denny


Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #7

Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life

Key Scripture: The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace. Psalm 29:11

Core Value: Prayer

There are times in the life of the disciple of Jesus where one’s present circumstances seem to be overwhelming and hopeless. Be it one’s means of employment, a fractured relationship, a loss of health, or a strong temptation that is baiting us to do wrong; we need more life-sustaining resources than what we can muster up. We need a strength that goes beyond ourselves. We need a peace that will last beyond the present crisis. We need the Lord. We need to pray the truth of God’s Word and ignore the lies of the one who is our adversary. Thankfully, through prayer, we can look to Him and to His promises given to His people: The Lord will give strength to His people. The Lord will bless His people with peace. The Lord will. Will we trust Him to do so?

Principle #7 & Personal Application: The quality disciple looks only to the Lord for strength and peace.

• Prayer is the path of provision where we can exchange our weaknesses for His strength.

• Prayer is the path of provision where we can exchange our anxieties and fears for His peace.

• Prayer is the path of provision where we can experience a changed life, empowered by His strength, blessed with His peace.

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

When I feel spiritually weak and out of strength, how do I glean strength from the Lord?

Are there any circumstances I am facing which cause me to become nervous to the point of panic? How do I appropriate the peace of God when I am anything but peaceful?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Your promise to me is precious. You will give me Your infinite strength in exchange for my weaknesses. You will bless me with Your lasting peace in place of my anxiety and fear. You give me the grace to live a life of wholeness. When so many people are lacking in strength and are overcome with fear, You give me Your strength and Your peace and I am made whole in You.

The Essential Core Values Of The Quality Disciple Are…
Grace—Worship—Bible Study—Prayer—Community—Service—Evangelism

Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2011 All rights reserved.

www.dennybates.com
http://thequalitydisciple.blogspot.com/

Note: Looking for a way to enhance your devotional life in 2011? Allow me to suggest purchasing a copy of Psalms of Discipleship: Growing in Grace. You can order your copy for only $15.99 (a $4 savings!). 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, follow this link to my website where you can download a FREE SAMPLE at,

http://www.dennybates.com/Home/PODGIG.html

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Psalms of Discipleship--Principle # 6--February 12, 2011--Worship

Hello my dear friends....allow me to pose this probing question: do you ever feel like your problems are bigger than God? Of course, the "right" answer is there is no problem we have that is bigger than God. But, in the deep recesses of our heart, do we always believe it to be true; that God can take care of our biggest problems?

Going back to the Word of God is always a great reminder of who God is and what He can do for us. Today's Psalm is a declaration of His greatness and His worth to be praised and worshiped.

There is a saying I heard years ago that rings true: "Praise (or worship) breaks the back of the mood monster." May He give us the grace to worship Him in the midst of our problems and break the back of the mood monster.

Learning to worship Him,

Denny


Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #6

Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life

Key Scripture: 1 Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of the mighty, Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in holy array. (See also verses 3-11) Psalm 29:1-2

Core Value: Worship

All of us have faced big problems: a relationship that has meant so much to us over the years has gone south and looks beyond repair; our personal income has been squeezed where we are frequently experiencing more month than money; the constant pounding of a familiar temptation to give in and compromise our Christian testimony has weakened us into near surrender. Our problems look so big. We are discouraged. We are desperate. We are right where we need to be: dependent upon the Lord. The good news (the Gospel) is that our God is much bigger than our problems. We need to become “preoccupied with God.”

Donald Whitney offers a clear perspective of the power, the impact and beauty of worship:

“Worship is the God-centered focus and response of the inner man; it is being preoccupied with God. So no matter what you are saying or singing or doing at any moment, you are worshiping God only when you are focused on Him and thinking of Him. But whenever you do focus on the infinite worth of God, you will respond in worship as surely as the moon reflects the sun.” Pg. 88-89

“Worship is a Spiritual Discipline insofar as it is both an end and a means. The worship of God is an end in itself because worship, as we’ve defined it, is to focus on and respond to God. There is no higher goal than focusing on and responding to God. But worship is also a means in the sense that it is a means to Godliness. The more we truly worship God, the more we become like Him.” Pg. 94-95

“The act of worship without actual worship is a miserable, hypocritical experience. So if worship wearies you, you aren’t really worshiping.” Pg. 96. Whitney, Donald S. 1991. Spiritual disciplines for the Christian life. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

Principle #6 & Personal Application: The quality disciple gives to the Lord all glory, strength, and honor—all of the time.

With the backdrop of a majestic storm, David exhorts not only angels (sons of the mighty) to acknowledge God’s awesome greatness, but this same exhortation applies to those who are a disciple of Jesus. Even during the storms of our lives . . .

• We must give to the Lord and acknowledge His glory and strength. It is a worship that gives perspective on how great God is and how small we are.

• We must give to the Lord the glory due to His name. It is a worship that focuses upon what belongs to God and to Him alone—His glory.

• We must worship the Lord in holy array. It is a worship that transcends, what can be for many, a stale and meaningless religious ritual into an authentic and transformational relationship with Him.

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

What are the catalysts that trigger my awareness of God’s awesome power?

What kinds of things can I begin to practice that will assist me in experiencing a deeper worship of God?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, it is by Your grace that I can even offer worship to You. So by grace, I ascribe, I give, I acknowledge glory and strength to You. In grace, I ascribe the glory that is due to Your beautiful name. In grace, I worship You not in a half-hearted way, but worship You and honor You in holy array.

The Essential Core Values Of The Quality Disciple Are…
Grace—Worship—Bible Study—Prayer—Community—Service—Evangelism

Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2011 All rights reserved.

www.dennybates.com
http://thequalitydisciple.blogspot.com/

Note: Looking for a way to enhance your devotional life in 2011? Allow me to suggest purchasing a copy of Psalms of Discipleship: Growing in Grace. You can order your copy for only $15.99 (a $4 savings!). 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, follow this link to my website where you can download a FREE SAMPLE at,

http://www.dennybates.com/Home/PODGIG.html

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Psalms of Discipleship--Principle # 5--February 5, 2011--Worship

Hello my dear friends! Have you ever experienced a season of your life where you felt alone, really alone? The kind of loneliness where it seemed no one cared about what you were feeling? Do the words "cut off," "separated," "excluded" have any special meaning for you? What is a disciple of Jesus to do (and think) when one's circumstances become overwhelming and is a fast-track to discouragement and even depression?

We must learn to worship Jesus. Worship will not make the problems of life go away, but it will give us the tools we need to take the next step towards a greater intimacy and dependence upon God. The Psalmist knew all about the troubles we face and he chose to worship Him. So must we.

Learning how to worship when life is hard,

Denny


Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #5

Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life

Key Scripture: The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. Psalm 28:7

Core Value: Worship

An old Gospel hymn reminds us of this wonderful truth: “No one ever cared for me, like Jesus.” This song written by Charles Weigle came out of a season of his life that was filled with deep depression. Rejected by his wife, he felt forgotten and very alone. From his perspective, no one cared for him. To Weigle, it seemed that the burdens of life were impossible to resolve and a hopeless despair was to become his intimate partner for the rest of his life. And then, in the midst of his pain, the Lord began to stir his heart with the message of grace and of God’s love for him. As a result, adoration and worship filled his heart, culminating in these familiar words of his journey and his testimony of God’s goodness:

I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus,
Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true;
I would tell you how He changed my life completely,
He did something that no other friend could do.
No one ever cared for me like Jesus,
There’s no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me,
O how much He cared for me.

Are you in a spiritual funk today? Your worship of the Lord will help you take your eyes off of your circumstances and place them on the One who cares, who really cares, for you.

Principle #5 & Personal Application: The quality disciple has discovered the secret of living the victorious Christian life is a robust worship of the Lord.

A robust worship of the Lord will lead . . .

• To an inner strength and strong sense of divine protection: “The LORD is my strength and my shield”

• To a deeper trust in the plan Jesus Christ has for us: “My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped”

• To a life that is marked with thanksgiving: “Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him”

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

What one thing can I do in my life that will enhance my worship of the Lord?

How is my worship of the Lord linked to my ability to trust Him for those things that lie beyond my own control?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, may I never be satisfied with a luke-warm worship of You. Help me come to realize the great value that is mine when I make it a habit to offer to You a robust worship. For then, and only then, will I come to experience what it means for You to be my strength and shield; what it means to trust You with my whole heart; what it means to be helped by You; what it means to have a life marked by thanksgiving.

The Essential Core Values Of The Quality Disciple Are…
Grace—Worship—Bible Study—Prayer—Community—Service—Evangelism


Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2011 All rights reserved.

www.dennybates.com


Note: Looking for a way to enhance your devotional life in 2011? Allow me to suggest purchasing a copy of Psalms of Discipleship: Growing in Grace. You can order your copy for only $15.99 (a $4 savings!). 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, follow this link to my website where you can download a FREE SAMPLE at,

http://www.dennybates.com/Home/PODGIG.html