Hello my friends! I have just returned from the Catalyst Leadership Conference in Atlanta with a full heart and a tired body. All that I experienced can be best described as drinking from a fire hydrant. I'm still processing what I have heard, but one quote I will share with you as it pertains to this week's Psalms of Discipleship. "We can become tired doing the wrong things instead of doing the things God puts before us to do." In other words, we often work in our own strength, wasting our energy, doing the things that wear us out to the point where we find ourselves not having the energy to do the things that God is directing us to do. The bottom line? We face the ongoing challenge of living by works or by grace.
Learning with you,
Denny
Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #39
Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life
Key Scripture: 4 You are my King, O God; Command victories [or salvation] for Jacob. 5 Through You we will push back our adversaries; Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us. 6 For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me. 7 But You have saved us from our adversaries, And You have put to shame those who hate us. 8 In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah. 9 Yet You have rejected us and brought us to dishonor, And do not go out with our armies. Psalm 44:4-9
Core Value: Grace
There are two ways that people seek to live out the Christian life. One way is to try as hard as one can to appear spiritual. This means we pray more, study more, and serve more in the attempt to make God like us more. This leads to an obvious question: how much is enough in order to gain God’s favor? The second way, the biblical way, is to pray more, study more, and serve more as a response to God’s great love for us. This is the path of a grace-driven life. Consider this wonderful, freeing truth: Before we do one thing for God, we have already experienced His favor because of the finished work of Christ.
A note of background here: Psalm 44 is a wonderful contrast between grace (unmerited favor) and works (or performance). When we live by grace (God does it all) we experience an outcome we do not deserve. When we deviate from grace and live by works (We do it all) we experience an outcome we do deserve. In the context of this Psalm, all is going well until verse 9. May we not repeat the mistakes of our spiritual forefathers.
Principle #39 & Personal Application: The quality disciple must live by grace and not by works or grace will become spoiled.
• It is by grace that we are saved.
• It is by grace that we are victorious in the Lord.
• It is by grace that we realize our own efforts (our bow and sword) will not save us.
• It is by grace that we can give thanks to the name of the Lord forever.
• It is by works that we reject God’s grace and suffer the results of our choice.
Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…
In what ways have I noticed the grace of God strengthening my relationships with family and friends?
How can I guard myself from poisoning grace with my desire to take matters into my own hands?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am so grateful for Your grace. It has not only saved my soul, but has also empowered me to live the Christian life as Your disciple. May I never trust in my own bow and sword. May I always boast in Your ability to take care of my every need.
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.
Looking for practical and easy to devotional book and personal journal based upon the Psalms? Psalms of Discipleship: Growing in Grace may be a book for you! Click on the link for a free sample. Available in both print and ebook formats. http://www.dennybates.com/Home/PODGIG.html
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