Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #42 (Worship). July 19, 2014

Hello my dear friends! Are you JOYful or joyLESS today? That is the theme of today's Psalms of Discipleship. One of the ways we can increase our joy is to increase our thankfulness.

This quote from Michael Hyatt frames our discussion:

The truth is that we will never have more of what we truly desire until we become fully thankful for what we have. —Michael Hyatt

A thankful heart always leads to a joyful one.

Learning with you,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #42

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

Key Scripture: Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Psalm 100:1

Core Value: Worship

Joy, exuberant joy, is a vital commodity for the disciple of Jesus Christ. There are some who simply endure their brand of Christianity. Their faith is nothing more than a mundane religious experience—a lot of activity but offers nothing that ever produces any measure of joy. How sad. How frequent. How come?

Often, it is because they have replaced a relationship with God founded upon love (grace) and embraced a religion based upon performance (works).

Those who “enJoy” the Lord have discovered the power behind their ability to experience joy, no matter how challenging the present circumstance may be. They experience His joy and receive His strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

Here is the takeaway: God never requires us to do something without first giving us all of the resources we need to obey Him. In this case, we are able to shout joyfully to the Lord because He has filled our heart with joy. He gives it. We give it right back to Him.

Principle #42 & Personal Application: Quality disciples shout joyfully to the Lord.

• When we are full of His joy we shout.

• When we are full of His joy we shout joyfully to the Lord.

• When we are full of His joy we shout joyfully to the Lord along with all the earth.

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

How does it make you feel when you experience the joy of the Lord?

In what ways does His joy impact your worship of Him?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, my worship of You is prompted by Your grace that fills my heart. Because of all You have done for me I will shout joyfully to You along with all the earth.

You can learn how to live as a Quality Disciple and a DiscipleMaker4Jesus by visiting my website at www.dennybates.com and my teaching blog at http://thequalitydisciple.blogspot.com

Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #36 (Worship) January 5, 2014

Hello my dear friends! One of the greatest gifts given to the disciple of Jesus is the ability to offer to the Lord our worship to Him. The Psalmist shows us that worship is not an activity void of personal involvement. Worship is a verb.

Learning with you,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #36

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

Key Scripture: 4 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises. 5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre; With the lyre and the sound of melody. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout joyfully before the King, the LORD. Psalm 98:4-6

Core Value: Worship

We live in a world where we are stimulated by many things such as sporting events, high-energy concerts, and a multitude of different varieties of media. There is an on-going competition within each one of us for our focused attention. Here is the irony: not everything that pulls on our senses is a bad thing. Many things are good and should be enjoyed. The challenge before each disciple of Jesus is this: is there anything in our lives that is more exciting for us than Jesus?

The Psalmist shared his experience of what His relationship with the Lord looked like: He had an enthusiastic love for the Shepherd of the Psalms. May we learn how to grow in our worship of the Lord.

Principle #36 & Personal Application: Quality disciples joyfully express their enthusiastic love for the Lord.

• We express an enthusiastic love for the Lord when we shout joyfully to Him
• We express an enthusiastic love for the Lord when we break forth and sing for joy

• We express an enthusiastic love for the Lord when we sing praises to the Lord with instruments

• We express an enthusiastic love for the Lord we direct our worship to the King, our Lord

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

In what ways can this passage of Scripture enhance the depth of my spiritual growth?

For me, what does it look like when I direct my worship to the King, my Lord?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, may my worship for You be an enthusiastic experience. May You fill my heart with joyous songs of worship and praise. May my life be like a musical instrument, composed with songs of mercy and grace. May my love for You be an offering of praise to my King and my Lord.

You can learn how to live as a Quality Disciple and a DiscipleMaker4Jesus by visiting my website at www.dennybates.com and my teaching blog at http://thequalitydisciple.blogspot.com/

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

Here's a New Year's Resolution That Every Leader Needs To Make in 2014: To Live Above The Fray. Learn how to purchase your copy on Amazon.

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Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #26 (Worship & Community). July 22, 2013

Hello my dear friends! Today's Psalms of Discipleship reminds us of the great joy that awaits the believer if we seek to worship Him instead of seeking to entertain ourselves. May we be a true worshiper today.

Learning with you,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #26

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

Key Scripture: 1 O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. 3 For the LORD is a great God And a great King above all gods, Psalm 95:1-3

Core Value: Worship and Community

There is a stark contrast between corporate worship and corporate entertainment. In corporate entertainment, the focus is upon the ones who are entertaining and the ones who are being entertained. As a result, men applaud men and steal from God’s glory. This kind of corporate entertainment happens every Sunday and it is passed off as “corporate worship.”

On the other hand, authentic corporate worship sets the focus upon the Lord and upon Him alone. Corporate worship that is set upon Christ projects all glory and praise unto Him. Like a sweet aroma, worship offered in His name ascends and magnifies His glory. Christ-centered corporate worship fills the hearts of true worshipers with great joy. Far too many of us settle for the goose bumps of corporate entertainment instead of embracing the kind of joy that explodes within our heart when we worship Him together.

Principle #26 & Personal Application: Quality disciples sing for joy to the Lord because the Lord is a great God and a great King.

• A thankful heart is a singing heart that offers worship to the Lord

• A worshipful heart is a shouting heart that is expresses joy to the rock of our salvation

• A humble heart is an adoring heart that comes into His presence with thanksgiving

• A Word-centered heart is a marinated heart that is filled with the truths of Scripture

• A transformed heart is a focused heart that gives Jesus His rightful place as a great God and a great King

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

When I begin to sing out to the Lord in worship, what kinds of emotions tend to fill my heart?

Based upon this Psalm, what is my responsibility in worship of Him?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, may I always seek to worship You in a way that pleases You. By faith, I sing for joy to You. I shout joyfully to the rock of my salvation. By grace, I come into Your presence with thanksgiving. May You fill my heart with Your Word so I may offer Your Word back to You as a offering of worship to You. I make this commitment to You: May I live my life in a way that best glorifies You as a great God and great King.

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.

You can learn how to live as a Quality Disciple and a DiscipleMaker4Jesus by visiting my website at www.dennybates.com and my teaching blog at http://www.dennybates.com/#!blog/c1a4e

Psalms of Discipleship, Principle #22 (Grace) June 9, 2012

Hello my dear friends! Have you ever felt like you were grasping onto the last straw and when it breaks (and it most likely will) you will fall into an abyss of hopelessness and despair? If that resonates with you, you are not alone. Many believers today are facing challenging circumstances with frayed relationships, uncertain financial times, and an unending assault upon the truth. What is a disciple of Jesus to do? We can look to the example of the Psalmist and refocus our mind upon the Good Shepherd of the Psalms.

Clinging to Him,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #22

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

Key Scripture: 6 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, 7 For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. 8 My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:6-8

Core Value: Grace

One of the greatest challenges that face the disciple of Jesus is the battle that lies in the mind. It is in the mind where spiritual battles are either won or lost. There is always the constant tension to believe the truth and live it out or to embrace the lie and be bound up in it.

The best way, the only way, to win the battle for the mind is to focus it upon the Lord. This does not come easily. It takes a strong will. It requires a choice. But when we do make the choice to focus our thoughts upon the Lord, the truth of His promise becomes crystal clear: We see that He is our help. We will have a song of joy. And we will cling to Him as He holds us up.

Principle #22 & Personal Application: Quality disciples experience the mysterious tension of doing their part as God does His.

• Disciples of Jesus are to keep their focus upon the Lord: “When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches”

• Disciples of Jesus are to remember the faithfulness of God: “For You have been my help”

• Disciples of Jesus are to experience His presence and respond with joy: “And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy”

• Disciples of Jesus do their part and Jesus does His: “My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me”

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

What kinds of spiritual disciplines (habits) I can practice that will cultivate a more focused meditation upon the Lord?

What circumstance am I facing today where I sense my soul is clinging to the Lord? How does this Scripture describe God’s part in helping me cope with my circumstance?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, may You always remind me of Your faithfulness to me. Help me remember those sweet times of when I experienced Your touch. May I always remember that You have been my help, even during the dark times. May I always be comforted by Your presence as I sing for joy to You. And may I remember to do my part (cling to You, by grace) as I behold Your keeping power of Your right hand.

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/

Postscript:

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

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Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #14 (Worship). April 14, 2012

Hello my dear friends! Worship of Jesus is to be a very intimate experience. Some of our best worship experiences are not always in a church service with hundreds (or even thousands) of other believers. Instead, we may often experience a deeper worship while taking that walk in the park, when driving alone in our car during a long trip, or even when we are alone with our thoughts in our favorite chair. Today's Psalms of Discipleship reminds us that our worship must become deeply personal before we attend the next corporate worship service.

Does any of this resonate with you? I'd love to hear your feedback.

Learning to worship the Lord as an audience of One,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #14

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

Key Scripture: But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress. Psalm 59:16

Core Value: Worship

Worship is a very personal experience. Yes, there are times when it is appropriate to worship with other believers. When corporate worship is focused upon Jesus and His glory and is not distracted by those who those who either intentionally or unintentionally draw attention to them, corporate worship can be a good thing, a very good thing to do. However, unless we are able to worship our God in a personal way and learn how to be alone with Him, our corporate offerings of worship can be shallow, lacking any depth of an authentic worship experience.

The Psalmist gives a very practical testimony: “But as for me.” May that be our response also. “But as for me, may I sing of Your strength, of Your lovingkindness, and of Your protection.”

Principle #14 & Personal Application: Quality disciples have a heart that sings of the Lord’s strength, His lovingkindness, and His protection.

In this Psalm, David’s enemies have surrounded him on every side. His foes desired to crush and humiliate him. What can we learn from his experience? Even though our enemies may surround us, like David, we can offer to the Lord a heart of worship:

• We can sing and worship Him for His strength

• We can joyfully sing of His lovingkindness (mercy) in the morning

• We can worship Him for His protection: “For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress”

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

When I feel overwhelmed by the enemies of my soul, what do I need to do?

Is there a heart of worship inside of me? What do I need to do in order to cultivate the kind of trust that will help me get through the difficult challenges of life?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You so much for being with me during my times of troubles. My enemies are great, but You are greater! Remind me to offer my worship to You. Help me to sing of Your strength. Help me to sing of Your lovingkindness (Your mercy) in the morning, and help me worship You for Your great protection to me.

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.

Are you interested in going deeper in your walk with Jesus? Check out my website for a list of resources that will help you become "A Quality Disciple."

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