Hello my dear friends! I pray that each one of you are experiencing the abundant life promised to those who are in Jesus Christ. I pray that your soul is full of God's goodness, poured out upon you, and that you are overflowing in His grace and love; and that you are impacting the lives you touch on a frequent basis with His love.
This week's Psalms of Discipleship is about how "tasty" our experience is with the Lord and how, because of what we have tasted, we are compelled to encourage others who have yet to taste and see that the Lord is good.
Mmmmm good, is the Lord. Taste and see for yourself.
Denny
Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #18
Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life
Key Scripture: O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Psalm 34:8
Core Value: Evangelism
“Have I got some great news for you!” Really? For many believers, news about how well their 401K is doing is something to shout about (perhaps, at least, that may be true for some of us). Other believers get really excited when talking about the success of their favorite sports team. Still others love to share of their personal exploits, scoring points of pride from their adoring fans.
May I offer some balance here? There is nothing wrong with sharing good news. It is a blessing to share one’s joyous experiences with others. Life’s joys are meant to be celebrated! But there is an even greater joy, greater news we can share that has eternal ramifications. It is the good news of the Gospel. God loves us and He demonstrated that love by sending His Son, His only begotten Son, to a world of people who were desperately lost, without hope. This is great news for people who have discovered what it means to be loved by God and have received the life-changing, soul-saving, gift of His Son. It’s also great news for those who have yet to experience the Lord’s salvation and great joy. The prophet Isaiah foresaw this great news when he wrote,
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Isaiah 12:2-4 (KJV)
Now, that’s some great news we need to pass on!
Principle #18 & Personal Application: The quality disciple desires to share the greatest invitation ever to the seeking unbeliever: taste and see that the Lord is good!
• The quality disciple’s relationship with the Lord is personal: On our own, we are to taste and see that the Lord is good.
• The quality disciple’s relationship with the Lord is passionate: Because we have experienced the goodness of the Lord, we need to invite the seeker to join us in having a relationship with Him.
• The quality disciple’s relationship with the Lord has purpose: Our lives are not our own but are given to invite the seeker to experience the Lord and to find their refuge (salvation) in Him.
Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…
Who invited me to taste and see that the Lord is good?
Who are the seekers on my prayer list that I can extend a personal invitation and introduce them to the Lord?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You that someone invited me to taste and see for myself that You are good. Thank You for the refuge I have been given in You; a place of comfort and safety. May I be filled with boldness when I am given the opportunity to invite the seeker to also taste and see that You are good.
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/
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