Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #21 (Worship) June 3, 2012

Hello my dear friends! Grace to you this day. Are you "thirsty" and where do you go to quench that thirst? The Psalmist allows us to listen in on his conversation with the only One who has the power to quench his thirst. Listen carefully as we discover the "how."

Refreshed by Living Water,

Denny

P.S. At the end of this week's devotional, is a prayer update. Thanks for taking the time to read it.

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #21

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

Key Scripture: 1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. 3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. 4 So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. Psalm 63:1-4

Core Value: Worship

Eleven times in these four verses the word “You” or “Your” is mentioned. It is pretty apparent that the Psalmist has His focus upon the Lord. This is an ultimate, unchanging principle of worship in the most simplest of terms: what I choose to focus my mind upon is what I am going to worship.

Conversely, eight times the Psalmist refers to himself with the words, “my” or “I.” Now, be sure to catch this: Each time he refers to himself, it is always in the context of submission to God. This is the beauty of worship. The Lord did not create us as mindless robots with no will. God took the risk and gave us “free will” to love and worship Him freely.

And this is what God’s love does to us: His love has overcome our hearts with spiritual thirst. And we, with gratitude, freely worship Him.

Principle #21 & Personal Application: Quality disciples cultivate a spiritual thirst that only the Lord can satisfy.

A heart that is thirsty for the Lord will experience several things:

• A thirsty heart will seek God earnestly.

• A thirsty heart will have a soul that yearns for the Lord.

• A thirsty heart will be aware of God’s power and glory.

• A thirsty heart will be satisfied because of God’s lovingkindness and mercy.

• A thirsty heart will worship and praise God with one’s lips and with one’s hands.

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

When I am spiritually thirsty, where do I go to quench my thirst?

What practical things can I do that will enhance my thirst for the Lord?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are my God! By Your grace, I desire to seek You earnestly. May my soul always thirst for You and for You alone. May I experience Your power and glory. May I be the recipient of your mercy. May I always offer you praise and worship with my lips and with my hands.

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

Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2012 All rights reserved.

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

One Week Later on the Journey:

I want to thank all of my Psalms of Discipleship friends for your kind words and heart-felt encouragement. I have been overwhelmed by many friends like you with inspirational notes, phone calls, text messages, and occasional hugs this past week. The best way I can compare the experience of this week is living long enough to hear all of the testimonials of my funeral before I die. Your love and encouragement have taken away the sting of last week’s announcement. I really am doing okay and at peace, knowing that my Father will not only give me direction but also provide for my every need.

I am genuinely excited for the opportunity of doing things that I have only dreamed about previously. By God’s grace I hope to build a leadership coaching and speaking business and impact the market place for Jesus. My business is a RELATIONSHIP business, so as you pray for me ask the Lord for KEY contacts that will lead me to KEY people in KEY organizations. In your own circle of influence, do you know anyone who desires to grow in leadership? I’d love to meet them.

In order to gain a better understanding of what I am offering, you can check out my website at

http://www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/dennybates

The Lord has a good plan in all of this. He is amazing in how He takes the hard things and brings good things to His kids (Romans 8:28). As you pray for me, I am also praying for you. May He grant each one of us a renewed sense of our love for Him and love for each other.

Leading with Quality in mind,

Denny Bates