Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #5 (Community) February 10, 2013

Hello my dear friends, today's Psalms of Discipleship is a sobering reminder of the responsibility the Lord gives to the disciple to be salt and light in our society. We have not been given the option to ignore the needs around us and pass them on to the government to take care of the needs. Instead, the first line of care belongs to the church.

Learning with you,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #5

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

Key Scripture: 1 God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers. 2 How long will you judge unjustly And show partiality to the wicked? Selah. 3 Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:1-4

Core Value: Community

We live in a day and time where the powerful are protected and the vulnerable people in our community (the homeless, the working poor, the single mother, the unplanned baby who is aborted, etc.) are overlooked at best, at worse, they are targeted as a “problem” and treated with disdain. It is important to note from this passage of Scripture that God is not talking to non-believers. He is addressing His pointed concern to His own congregation, to His own people.

Yes, it is important that we have people in our governments who are advocates for the vulnerable, but the greatest responsibility for the care of people does not rest entirely upon the government, but upon the people of God. Jesus was pretty clear on what He expected His disciples to do:

34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 (NLT)

Principle #5 & Personal Application: Quality disciples seek to protect and serve even the most vulnerable in society.

• The believer will not show favor to the affluent and influential at the expense of the downtrodden

• The believer will be an advocate to the weak and fatherless, to the afflicted and destitute

• The believer will be a rescuer to the weak and needy, delivering them out of the hand of the wicked

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

Is it more common for me to show favoritism to those whom society deems as “acceptable” or am I more willing to align myself with the disadvantaged? Why?

What is God leading me to do in order to speak on behalf of the powerless?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in my weakness, in my great need, You came to me. How then can I not reach out to others who are weak and needy? Grant me the grace and the courage to do the right thing, all of the time.

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/

If you are in the Florence area, you are invited to attend a one day seminar, "How to Study the Bible and Apply it to Your Life" Click on this link for more information:

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Psalms of Discipleship--Principle #26--Prayer--July 9, 2011

Hello dear friends,

Today we are going to take a look at the power of transparency and why it is such an important attribute for the disciple of Jesus. But, as we will learn, it is much easier to talk about it than to live it out day by day. For many of us, we find that living behind a mask is much safer than letting others know who we... really are. Perhaps this will be the day where the masks we collect as sick trophies of our life begin to fall off.

Learning with you,

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #26 (Prayer)

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

Key Scripture: 17 For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me. 18 For I confess my iniquity; I am full of anxiety because of my sin. 19 But my enemies are vigorous and strong, And many are those who hate me wrongfully. 20 And those who repay evil for good, They oppose me, because I follow what is good. 21 Do not forsake me, O LORD; O my God, do not be far from me! 22 Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation! Psalm 38:17-22

Core Value: Prayer

Is it safe enough for you to fail? Or to put it another way, what has been your experience when your walk did not line up with your talk? Has it been your rapid response to quickly throw on your mask, seeking to hide the “real” you? Are you safe in the presence of other Christians? Do you feel safe before God? William Shakespeare said it so well when he wrote, “God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another.” One of the saddest experiences of the Christian life is when a person either cannot or will not be real. Instead of experiencing the exhilarating sensation of being okay with whom one is (flaws and all), the defeated believer is imprisoned by the shackles of legalism, self-condemnation, and an always flawed attempt of needing to have it all together.

How sad. How defeating. How come? Perhaps, the reason we seek to hide behind a mask is due to a lack of trust—in God, in others, and in ourselves. Is there a way we can be free of hiding behind the mask? Is there a safe place where we can fail? Yes. The answer is the Gospel. It is in the Gospel where God always takes the initiative and pursues us, imperfections and all. It is in the Gospel where, what we cannot do (repair ourselves), God does reparative work through the Cross. And it is in the Gospel where God reveals to us His image (His face) as we experience a spiritual facelift where “from glory to glory He is changing us” (2 Corinthians 3:12-18). It is because of grace that we can lay down our masks (become transparent) and experience acceptance before others and before God.

Principle #26 & Personal Application: The quality disciple is transparent before the Lord and willing to confess not only one’s sin, but to appeal to the Lord for His help.

• Transparent prayer is when we acknowledge before God our spiritual failures.

• Transparent prayer is when we confess our inadequate strength in fighting our own battles.

• Transparent prayer is when we openly beseech the Lord for His help.

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

What are some of the weak areas of my life that need to be confessed to the Lord?

How does the Lord help me when I feel surrounded by the enemies of my soul?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You, above all others, know how often I fail to trust You. I confess to You that I am a sinner (though saved by Your grace) and allow my anxiety to replace Your peace too many times. I confess to You that I seek to fight my own battles far too often as I push You aside. I confess to You that I need Your help and Your presence in my life.

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.blog​ spot.com/

Looking for a Bible study this summer for you and your small group? Check out this link on how you can download Psalms of Discipleship: Growing in Grace and make it available to your small group for FREE!

http://bit.ly/lwpzNU

http://www.dennybates.com/
www.dennybates.com