Saturday, January 26, 2013

Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #3 (Worship). January 26, 2013

Hello my dear friends! In today's Psalms of Discipleship we are going to be reminded of one of the most obvious truths of Christianity: Jesus is to be worshiped. We will discover that the worship of Jesus does not happen by accident, but by choice.

May my life be remembered as "a verb."

Dr. Denny Bates

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #3

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

Key Scripture:

1 Sing for joy to God our strength; Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob. 2 Raise a song, strike the timbrel, The sweet sounding lyre with the harp. 3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, At the full moon, on our feast day. 4 For it is a statute for Israel, An ordinance of the God of Jacob. 5 He established it for a testimony in Joseph When he went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not know: Psalm 81:1-5

Core Value: Worship

Worship of Jesus is a verb, a intentional act. As disciples of Jesus, we are created to be “worshipers.” And as disciples of Jesus who are worshipers of Him, we are to do what we were made to do: to worship and glorify the Lord. Far too many professing Christians are simply spectators when it comes living a life of worship. There is no value to watching someone else engage in heart-filled worship if the spectator does not join in too. The exhortations from the Psalmist are to the point: “Sing (verb) for joy to God . . . Shout (verb) joyfully to the God of Jacob . . . Raise (verb) a song, strike (verb) the tambourine.” Is it time to check your spiritual grammar?

Principle #3 & Personal Application: Quality disciples express a heart-felt worship that finds its roots in the Words and Works of God.

• We are to worship God with joy

• We are to worship God for what He has said

• We are to worship God for what He has done

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

Is it my habit to worship God out of a routine ritual that has little, to no meaning or can my worship be described as an exuberant act of joy?

What has the Lord spoken to my heart that has caused me to worship Him?

What has the Lord done for me that has caused me to worship Him?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, by faith I will sing for joy to You with all of my strength. May I always remember all of the great truths from Your Word that bless my heart. May I always remember to worship You for all that You have said to me and done for me.

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

Dr. Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2013 All rights reserved.

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

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #2 (Prayer). January 19, 2013

Hello my dear friends, grace to you.

In this edition of Psalms of Discipleship we are going to look at an "obvious" solution to our greatest need. But sometimes, even with the most committed disciple of Jesus, we can put more faith in our ability to "fix" our problems than to place our entire trust in Jesus to fix us.

Learning as I go,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #2

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

Key Scripture: O God, restore us And cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved. (See also vs. 7 and 19) Psalm 80:3

Core Value: Prayer

Have you ever come to the end of yourself? It seems that everything you have attempted to do in order to “fix” your problem has crashed and burned. Out of the ashes of another failed attempt to fix the unfixable, do you often return to the very same way of doing things that will give you the very same outcome again?

Here is the illusion: sometimes we believe we are the answer to our removing our trials (and maybe, sometimes this is absolutely true). But there are some personal challenges that require us to look beyond ourselves. Some people look to man’s wisdom. Others look to false gods. The disciple of Jesus looks to the God of grace, the One who restores us, the One who shines His face upon us, the One who saves us.

Principle #2 & Personal Application: Quality disciples learn to keep short accounts with God through humility and brokenness.

• The person who keeps short accounts with God looks to the Lord for restoration and the forgiveness of sin

• The person who keeps short accounts with God is graced with the warmth and kindness of His love

• The person who keeps short accounts with God experiences the beauty of God’s salvation everyday

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

How does a prayer of repentance help me see God’s love for me more clearly?

What does it mean to have God’s face shine upon me?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, may I always keep short accounts with You. Without Your restoration, I am doomed to spiritual ruin. May Your face always shine upon me. May Your great salvation never be taken for granted by me.

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

Dr. Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2013 All rights reserved.

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

Helping lovers of Jesus make disciples for Him is the heart of my ministry. If you would like more information on how you can partner with DiscipleMakers4Jesus and Something New Ministries, click on this link.

http://www.dennybates.com/#!give/c1ya0
Hello my dear friends, grace to you.

In this edition of Psalms of Discipleship we are going to look at an "obvious" solution to our greatest need. But sometimes, even with the most committed disciple of Jesus, we can put more faith in our ability to "fix" our problems than to place our entire trust in Jesus to fix us.

Learning as I go,

Denny @[683113295:2048:Andrew Bates]


Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #2

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

Key Scripture: O God, restore us And cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved. (See also vs. 7 and 19) Psalm 80:3

Core Value: Prayer

  Have you ever come to the end of yourself? It seems that everything you have attempted to do in order to “fix” your problem has crashed and burned. Out of the ashes of another failed attempt to fix the unfixable, do you often return to the very same way of doing things that will give you the very same outcome again? 

Here is the illusion: sometimes we believe we are the answer to our removing our trials (and maybe, sometimes this is absolutely true). But there are some personal challenges that require us to look beyond ourselves. Some people look to man’s wisdom. Others look to false gods. The disciple of Jesus looks to the God of grace, the One who restores us, the One who shines His face upon us, the One who saves us.

Principle #2 & Personal Application: Quality disciples learn to keep short accounts with God through humility and brokenness.

• The person who keeps short accounts with God looks to the Lord for restoration and the forgiveness of sin

• The person who keeps short accounts with God is graced with the warmth and kindness of His love

• The person who keeps short accounts with God experiences the beauty of God’s salvation everyday

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

How does a prayer of repentance help me see God’s love for me more clearly?

What does it mean to have God’s face shine upon me?

Prayer:
 Lord Jesus, may I always keep short accounts with You. Without Your restoration, I am doomed to spiritual ruin. May Your face always shine upon me. May Your great salvation never be taken for granted by me. 

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

Dr. @[526579554:2048:Denny Bates] & Something New Christian Publishers © 2013 All rights reserved.

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

Helping lovers of Jesus make disciples for Him is the heart of my ministry. If you would like more information on how you can partner with DiscipleMakers4Jesus and Something New Ministries, click on this link.

http://www.dennybates.com/#!give/c1ya0

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #1 (Prayer). January 5, 2013

Hello my dear friends and a very happy new year to you! Today's Psalms of Discipleship is a good lesson to remind us once again that there is power in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It does what we cannot do. Save us and forgive us.

He is mighty to save.

Denny


Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #1

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

Key Scripture: Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name's sake. Psalm 79:9

Core Value: Prayer

There are some things we can fix, and there are some things that we cannot fix. The problem comes when we spend energy trying to fix the things we cannot fix and ignore the things we need to fix.

For example, we can fix our eyes on the unseen by having faith
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV)

We are to fix our eyes on His ways
I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. Psalm 119:15 (ESV)

We are to stay focused upon the right things
25 Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. 26 Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. 27 Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. Proverbs 4:25-27 (NLT)

What we cannot fix is our own sin problem through works or trying to be better or to work harder. This is the message of the Gospel, the Good News: Only Jesus can deliver us and forgive us of our sins.

Principle #1 & Personal Application: Quality disciples look to Immanuel, God with us, for the cleansing power of His blood that not only delivers the sinner from the penalty of sin, but also forgives them of their sin.

• It is because of Jesus and His love for us that He is the God of our salvation

• It is because of Jesus and His great name that He is our deliverer

• It is because of Jesus and His shed blood that He is the forgiver and cleanser of our sins

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

--> In what ways does the fact that Jesus is the God of my salvation cause me to live in obedience to Him?
 
Are there any sins that have entangled me where I need His deliverance and forgiveness?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me, I pray; O God of my salvation. For the glory of Your name, deliver me from destructive habits and forgive me of my sins, for Your name’s sake.

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

Dr. Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2013 All rights reserved.

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

Are you looking for a helpful resource that will guide your spiritual growth in 2013? I'd like to recommend this book, "A One Year Journey With The Shepherd." Now in e-book and printed versions.

http://www.dennybates.com/#!a-one-year-journey-with-the-shepherd/c6pu

Hello my dear friends and a very happy new year to you! Today's Psalms of Discipleship is a good lesson to remind us once again that there is power in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It does what we cannot do. Save us and forgive us.

He is mighty to save.

Denny


Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #1

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

Key Scripture: Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name's sake. Psalm 79:9

Core Value: Prayer

There are some things we can fix, and there are some things that we cannot fix. The problem comes when we spend energy trying the fix the things we cannot fix and ignore the things we need to fix.

For example, we can fix our eyes on the unseen by having faith
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV)

We are to fix our eyes on His ways
I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. Psalm 119:15 (ESV)

We are to stay focused upon the right things
25 Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. 26 Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. 27 Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. Proverbs 4:25-27 (NLT)

What we cannot fix is our own sin problem through works or trying to be better or to work harder. This is the message of the Gospel, the Good News: Only Jesus can deliver us and forgive us of our sins.

Principle #1 & Personal Application: Quality disciples look to Immanuel, God with us, for the cleansing power of His blood that not only delivers the sinner from the penalty of sin, but also forgives them of their sin.

• It is because of Jesus and His love for us that He is the God of our salvation

• It is because of Jesus and His great name that He is our deliverer

• It is because of Jesus and His shed blood that He is the forgiver and cleanser of our sins

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

In what ways does the fact that Jesus is the God of my salvation live in obedience to Him?

Are there any sins that have entangled me where I need His deliverance and forgiveness?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me, I pray; O God of my salvation. For the glory of Your name, deliver me from destructive habits and forgive me of my sins, for Your name’s sake.

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

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

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

Are you looking for a helpful resource that will guide your spiritual growth in 2013? I'd like to recommend this book, "A One Year Journey With The Shepherd." Now in e-book and printed versions.

http://www.dennybates.com/#!a-one-year-journey-with-the-shepherd/c6pu