Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #13 (Prayer). Apirl 6, 2013

Hello my dear friends! On occasion, we can find ourselves facing impossible circumstances. These impossible events can either become stepping stones to an even greater faith or the stones that cause even deeper wounds. By God's grace I am learning to cast my cares upon Him, especially the ones that are impossible.

Growing with you,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #13

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

Key Scripture: 1 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me; For I am afflicted and needy. 2 Preserve my soul, for I am a godly man; O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You. 3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, For to You I cry all day long. 4 Make glad the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. 6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; And give heed to the voice of my supplications! 7 In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You, For You will answer me. Psalm 86:1-7

Core Value: Prayer

"This one is going to take a miracle!” Have you ever allowed these words to enter your heart and come out of your mouth? Perhaps you were facing a financial crisis or were emotionally reeling from a severely wounded relationship that had crashed and burned right in front of you. Maybe you had lost your way and had no clue on how to get to where you needed to go. All that you knew was your hope for a good outcome was running on fumes and at any time you were ready to give in and give up in your “day of trouble.” When we are in trouble, there is no better time to offer up our impossible circumstances with impossible prayers to the God who makes all things possible.

Principle #13 & Personal Application: Quality disciples present their impossible needs to the only One who can answer impossible prayers.

• We pray impossible prayers when we are afflicted and needy

• We pray impossible prayers to a God we cannot see but by faith we know He is listening

• We pray impossible prayers when our circumstances are far greater than our ability to fix them

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

What impossible prayer am I asking from the Lord?

Has it been my habit to pray prayers that I can answer or have I been praying prayers that will take a miracle?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You that when I pray, You hear my heart: the words that are spoken as well as the secret cries stored away in the depths of my soul. No matter my circumstance, You have promised to answer 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.

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 #51--Grace--December 31, 2011

Hello my dear friends! As we come to the end of another year, its a convenient time to reflect upon the experiences that impacted us this year; both the good and the not so good. In every day, and in every experience, the Lord was with us. One of the most profound things He has done is the work He has done in our heart. Today's Psalms of Discipleship gives us a front row seat into the thoughts of David as He asked God for a great miracle: a brand new heart.

A new heart, every day, all year long. What a gift for each one of us to look forward to in the coming new year.

Happy New Year!

Denny



Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #51

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

Key Scripture: 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Psalm 51:10-11

Core Value: Grace

Planned obsolescence. We buy it. We use it. We break it. We dispose of it and begin the whole cycle again until we die. Those of us who are old enough remember the quality that went into the electrical fan that sat on a table keeping us cool. Our sole responsibility was to inject lightweight oil into the motor on occasion that not only guaranteed the long life of the appliance but also meant we could spend our hard-earned money on other things.

The human heart is the epitome of planned obsolescence. It breaks all the time and needs to be constantly replaced. The disciple’s heart comes with an extended lifetime warranty of sorts. Unlike the fans that kept on working after many years of use, the human heart is different. Because of sin (which rusts us away), our heart is always in need of repair. Those who have given their heart to Jesus have the promise of a replacement heart that is clean. It is a miracle every time it happens.

In a word, it is grace. May we learn to echo the prayer of David when he requested, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”

Principle #51 & Personal Application: A quality disciple requests a miracle every day: the creation of a clean heart from the Lord.

• It is a miracle of grace when God can “create” (literally make something out of nothing) in me a clean heart.

• It is a miracle of grace when God renews a steadfast spirit within me.

• It is a miracle of grace when God does not cast me away from His presence.

• It is a miracle of grace when God does not take His Holy Spirit from me.

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

What does it feel like, what descriptive words come to mind, when God removes the plaque of sin that has sickened my heart?

Am I more prone to allow guilt to keep me from enjoying the presence of the Lord or do I live like the shed blood of Jesus has set me free?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the miracle of a clean heart. You are the Great Physician and only You can heal the sin-sickened heart. Thank You for the miracle of renewing in me a steadfast spirit. Thank You that I will always be a child of Yours and You will never cast me aside and take away Your precious Holy Spirit from me.

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.blogspot.com/

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