Hello my dear friends,
This week we are going to take a closer look at prayer and the value it can add to our lives . . . if we pray. I hope and "pray" that the Lord will speak to us in a fresh way and remind us pray to Him.
Still learning how to pray after all of these years,
Denny
Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #20
Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life
Key Scripture: 17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:17-19
Core Value: Prayer
Any disciple worth his or her salt knows that prayer is an essential practice for one’s spiritual growth. We know that prayer is the communication connector between God and us. And we know that when we do pray, it is a good thing to do. And yet, for many of us, we often pray as a last resort, or even worse, not at all. Why is this so? Perhaps . . .
This week we are going to take a closer look at prayer and the value it can add to our lives . . . if we pray. I hope and "pray" that the Lord will speak to us in a fresh way and remind us pray to Him.
Still learning how to pray after all of these years,
Denny
Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #20
Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life
Key Scripture: 17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:17-19
Core Value: Prayer
Any disciple worth his or her salt knows that prayer is an essential practice for one’s spiritual growth. We know that prayer is the communication connector between God and us. And we know that when we do pray, it is a good thing to do. And yet, for many of us, we often pray as a last resort, or even worse, not at all. Why is this so? Perhaps . . .
• We trust more in our ability than in God’s.
• We are too prideful to humble ourselves and ask for God’s help.
• We have allowed our heart to wander away from a sweet communion with the Lord and have forgotten that we can “do all things through Christ who strengthens us” (Phil. 4:13).
• We have accepted a way of life that is separated from the life of Christ, forgetting that apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:4-5).
• We have become so focused upon competing in “the rat race” that we have neglected to tap into His resources of grace, mercy, and peace so that we may “Sabbath” or rest in Him.
Prayer is not a new thing. It has been around . . . for a long, long time. May we come to a new realization of how an old spiritual discipline can help us grow closer to Jesus and experience His presence, His deliverance, and His comfort. Let’s pray.
Principle #20 & Personal Application: The quality disciple understands the great value of being positioned “in Christ” and praying in His name.
• When we offer our prayers in Jesus’ name, we know that the Lord hears us: The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
• When we offer our prayers in Jesus’ name, we experience His loving care: The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
• When we offer our prayers in Jesus’ name, we are able to place our trust in His mighty power to save: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…
What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name?
How confident have I become in the effectiveness of my prayers? What kinds of steps can I take that will enhance my prayer life?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I thank You for giving me Your ear. As I pray in Your name, I know You will hear my cry and will deliver me out of all of my troubles. You, O Lord, are near to the brokenhearted and You save those who are crushed in spirit. Though my afflictions may be many, Your promise to me is that You will deliver me out of them all.
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.
http://thequalitydisciple.blogspot.com/
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