Our goal is simple: to follow the instructions of Jesus Christ and go and make disciples. Remember, a quality disciple makes up a quality life. The Discipled Life: We need to study it, practice it, and teach it. "For Ezra had set his heart TO STUDY the Law of the Lord, and TO DO IT and TO TEACH his statutes and rules in Israel." Ezra 7:10
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Psalms of Discipleship (Prayer) Principle #6. February 18, 2012
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| Now available in Ebook format! |
Hello
my dear friends! Multiplied grace and peace to you this day. Today's
Psalms of Discipleship is a prayer of desperation offered up by the
psalmist. He was in trouble. He was under attack from his enemies. They
wanted to devour him and he was becoming weary of the fight. Instead of
surrendering to them, he surrendered to the Lord. Its a great example of
how we are to respond when we are facing our enemies: we need to pray.
Praying for you. Thanks for praying for me.
Denny
Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #6
Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life
Key Scripture: 1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; And do not hide Yourself
from my supplication. 2 Give heed to me and answer me; I am restless in
my complaint and am surely distracted, 3 Because of the voice of the
enemy, Because of the pressure of the wicked; For they bring down
trouble upon me And in anger they bear a grudge against me. 4 My heart
is in anguish within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5
Fear and trembling come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me. Psalm
55:1-5
Core Value: Prayer
What are we to do when we
are being attacked by our enemies? In a perfect world, everyone would
get along with each other, be kind to each other, and would love each
other too. It is easy to assume that those who have yet to become
disciples of Jesus would be the greatest source of our troubles. After
all, they don’t “know” the Lord like we do. However, far more often than
not, our greatest challenges can come from within the body of Christ,
from those who claim to “know” the Lord. Instead of edifying us,
encouraging us, loving and accepting us, they hurt us instead. We begin
to experience what I call “Cannibal Christianity” where believers are
devoured just as Paul reminded the Galatian churches when he wrote, “You
shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one
another, take care that you are not consumed by one another (Gal.
5:14b-15).
Here is the biggest challenge disciples of Jesus
face when they are attacked by other believers: to retaliate and bite
back or to pray and yield to the power of the Spirit which allows us to
“walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh”
(Gal. 5:16). When we walk by the Spirit, we will do spiritual things . .
. like pray.
Principle #6 & Personal Application: Quality
disciples, when faced with circumstances that cause overwhelming fear,
turn to the Lord in prayer.
The Psalmist David was in serious
trouble. His enemies sought to harm him and were sparing no energy in
attempting to do so. Like us, he was human. Like us, he was in desperate
need of His Lord. A disciple of Jesus who faces the terror of life. . .
• Seeks out God in prayer (vs. 1-2)
• Shares the reality of the obstacles with the Lord (vs. 3)
• Speaks honestly with God in describing one’s feelings (vs. 4-5)
Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…
In what ways does the Lord comfort me when I feel overwhelmed by fear?
Do I feel I can be honest with God with my inner feelings? In what ways can I be more honest with God?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when I am in trouble and feel threatened by my enemies,
help me to remember to seek You out in prayer; to share with You the
obstacles I am facing; and to speak honestly about what I am feeling.
The Essential Core Values Of The Quality Disciple Are…
Grace—Worship—Bible Study—Prayer—Community—Service
Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2012 All rights reserved.
www.dennybates.com
http://
What others are saying about A One Year Journey With The Shepherd:
“Denny hit a home run in Psalms of Discipleship, his sincerity in
writing brings you into an atmosphere of worship and learning.” Jeff
Hoffart. Upper Level Manager, Business Consultant
“I am
consumed with excitement and a fresh love for the Lord after reading A
One Year Journey With The Shepherd!!! . . . The personal application
sections are thought provoking, and attainable. I believe they are
challenging in a way that creates a desire, instead of being out of
reach for the growing believer.” Ericka Miller, MA Clinical Counseling
Now available in print and eBook formats. See http://www.dennybates.com/
Why A One Year Journey With The Shepherd May Be A Great Resource For You!
You are invited to spend some time reading and reflecting upon “Psalms
of Discipleship: A One Year Journey With The Shepherd,” a simple, easy
to use, devotional experience. By spending five minutes or fifty-five
minutes on the weekly devotion and Bible study, you will be afforded the
opportunity to enhance your spiritual growth. This unique devotional
consists of fifty-two practical lessons designed for small group or
individual study.
What Is Psalms of Discipleship?
Psalms of Discipleship is:
•Word-Centered
•Explained Simply
•Practical for Life Situations
•Reflective and Thought-Provoking
•Devotional in Format
This unique devotional consists of not only fifty two lessons designed
for small group or individual study, but also includes a topical index
for a deeper study as well as a topical bibliography for the quality
disciple’s reading list.
It is our hope that Psalms of
Discipleship will become a useful tool for you, the reader, to learn how
to better live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. The format is simple, by
design. The commitment to apply the Psalms to your life is up to you.
May we all begin to experience a fresh approach to spiritual growth by
living the discipled life with the help of grace, worship, Bible study,
prayer, community, service, and evangelism.
www.dennybates.com
Labels:
anxiety,
deliverance,
enemies,
fear,
prayer,
protection
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
"Spiritual Intimacy: Cupid Can't Touch This!"
On this Valentine's Day its an opportune moment to celebrate the love
of the greatest lover of all. "Cupid" will be getting a lot of praise
today as he shoots his love-dipped arrows into the heart. You know the
drill: when he draws back his bow and lets the arrow fly the person you
are pursuing falls in love with you.
May I offer another perspective
on Valentine's Day? We are the unsuspecting person who was pursued by
the greatest lover of them all. Instead of a bow and arrow He used a
cross to get His point across. Using the power of love and grace He had a
direct hit upon our hearts and for us, life has never been the same
again. His love wooed us, changed us, and allowed us to be drawn into a
love that never grows old. Happy Valentine's Day!
May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:5
http://www.dennybates.com
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Psalms of Discipleship (Worship) Principle #5. February 11, 2012
 |
| Now in Ebook Format. See below for details |
Hello
my dear friends! We are going to be reminded in this Psalms of
Discipleship of the power that a life of worship can be for the disciple
of Jesus. No matter where we are on our journey we will face enemies of
the soul whose sole mission is to seek and destroy us. Using our own
strength, we will crash and burn into spiritual failure. Using His
strength, we choose to worship Him and leave the hard work (delivering
us from all trouble) for Jesus to do. We fail when we try to do His job
and rescue ourselves. In sum: its our job to worship Him. Its His job to
rescue us.
Rescued by Him,
Denny
Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #5
Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life
Key Scripture: 6 Willingly I will sacrifice to You; I will give thanks
to Your name, O LORD, for it is good. 7 For He has delivered me from all
trouble, And my eye has looked with satisfaction upon my enemies. Psalm
54:6-7
Core Value: Worship
Under attack lately? There
are times when spiritual enemies on every side surround us. There are
enemies within: like doubt, temptation, fear, and pride. Then, there are
enemies without: like those who persecute us, who are unkind to us, who
bully and abuse us. We feel outnumbered, we feel discouraged. We feel
like giving up and surrendering our will to fight against our enemies
any longer. In our own strength, we can become quickly overwhelmed and
at a loss for what to do.
One of the great weapons in our
arsenal of spiritual tools is the volitional decision to worship the
Lord no matter how we feel, no matter how dire is our circumstance. It
has been said, “praise breaks the back of the mood monster.” Worship
that is real is a worship that occurs even during the direst of times.
Praise and worship is what will get us through our spiritual battles.
Having a heart of worship worked for the Psalmist years ago and it will
work for us too.
Principle #5 & Personal Application:
Quality disciples offer an intentional act of worship to the Lord that
is filled with thanksgiving and praise.
A disciple with a heart of worship willingly . . .
• Makes a sacrifice of worship to the Lord.
• Gives thanks to His name.
• Acknowledges God for His deliverance.
Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…
How proactive have I been when it comes to willingly giving God worship and praise for who He is?
When is the last time I can remember when the Lord “delivered me from all trouble?” What was going on and what was the outcome?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, willingly I will sacrifice to You; I will give thanks to
Your name, O LORD, for it is good. For You have delivered me from all
trouble, And my eye has looked with satisfaction upon my enemies. May I
always offer You an intentional act of worship that is filled with
thanksgiving and praise.
The Essential Core Values Of The Quality Disciple Are…
Grace—Worship—Bible Study—Prayer—Community—Service
Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2012 All rights reserved.
www.dennybates.com
http://
What others are saying about A One Year Journey With The Shepherd:
“Denny hit a home run in Psalms of Discipleship, his sincerity in
writing brings you into an atmosphere of worship and learning.” Jeff
Hoffart. Upper Level Manager, Business Consultant
“I am
consumed with excitement and a fresh love for the Lord after reading A
One Year Journey With The Shepherd!!! . . . The personal application
sections are thought provoking, and attainable. I believe they are
challenging in a way that creates a desire, instead of being out of
reach for the growing believer.” Ericka Miller, MA Clinical Counseling
Now available in print and eBook formats. See http://www.dennybates.com/
Why A One Year Journey With The Shepherd May Be A Great Resource For You!
You are invited to spend some time reading and reflecting upon “Psalms
of Discipleship: A One Year Journey With The Shepherd,” a simple, easy
to use, devotional experience. By spending five minutes or fifty-five
minutes on the weekly devotion and Bible study, you will be afforded the
opportunity to enhance your spiritual growth. This unique devotional
consists of fifty-two practical lessons designed for small group or
individual study.
What Is Psalms of Discipleship?
Psalms of Discipleship is:
•Word-Centered
•Explained Simply
•Practical for Life Situations
•Reflective and Thought-Provoking
•Devotional in Format
This unique devotional consists of not only fifty two lessons designed
for small group or individual study, but also includes a topical index
for a deeper study as well as a topical bibliography for the quality
disciple’s reading list.
It is our hope that Psalms of
Discipleship will become a useful tool for you, the reader, to learn how
to better live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. The format is simple, by
design. The commitment to apply the Psalms to your life is up to you.
May we all begin to experience a fresh approach to spiritual growth by
living the discipled life with the help of grace, worship, Bible study,
prayer, community, service, and evangelism.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Psalms of Discipleship (Grace) Principle #4 February 4, 2012
Hello
my dear friends! Greetings to you on this first Saturday of February.
All of us are on a journey. For some of us, life has been challenging,
really hard at times. When it seems we can go no further and we come to
the end of ourselves, the Lord is there to comfort, strengthen, and give
courage to take the next step by faith. This week's Psalms of
Discipleship is a powerful reminder of how great our God really is.
Resting in His care for me,
Denny
Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #4
Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life
Key Scripture: Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul. Psalm 54:4
Core Value: Grace
Wits Inn. Nobody wants to go there, but it’s a place we do visit from
time to time. It’s a place where we go when we get to the end of our
rope, when we reach the last nerve, when we’ve come to the final straw.
Strange as it may seem, Wits Inn can be God’s best place for us. Why?
Wits Inn is a place where the broken are welcomed and treated like
royalty. Wits Inn is a place where healing can begin. Wits Inn is the
place where the only currency allowed is the currency of grace. Wits
Inn: who can’t afford to miss this place?
Principle #4 & Personal Application: Quality disciples place their full assurance in God’s sustaining power.
• Behold, God is: This means He is the One who is the primary constant in my life—He will always be there for me.
• God is my helper: This means He is the One who helps me when I cannot help myself.
• The Lord is the sustainer of my soul: This means He is the One who
fills my depleting tank of spiritual emptiness when I become discouraged
and weary of life.
Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…
In what ways is “God my helper?”
How does the Lord sustain my soul?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You that You are my helper; thank You that You are
the sustainer of my soul. May I always place my full assurance in Your
sustaining power.
The Essential Core Values Of The Quality Disciple Are…
Grace—Worship—Bible Study—Prayer—Community—Service
Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2012 All rights reserved.
What others are saying about A One Year Journey With The Shepherd:
“Denny hit a home run in Psalms of Discipleship, his sincerity in
writing brings you into an atmosphere of worship and learning.” Jeff
Hoffart. Upper Level Manager, Business Consultant
“I am
consumed with excitement and a fresh love for the Lord after reading A
One Year Journey With The Shepherd!!! . . . The personal application
sections are thought provoking, and attainable. I believe they are
challenging in a way that creates a desire, instead of being out of
reach for the growing believer.” Ericka Miller, MA Clinical Counseling
Now available in print and eBook formats. See http://www.dennybates.com/
Why A One Year Journey With The Shepherd May Be A Great Resource For You!
You are invited to spend some time reading and reflecting upon “Psalms
of Discipleship: A One Year Journey With The Shepherd,” a simple, easy
to use, devotional experience. By spending five minutes or fifty-five
minutes on the weekly devotion and Bible study, you will be afforded the
opportunity to enhance your spiritual growth. This unique devotional
consists of fifty-two practical lessons designed for small group or
individual study.
What Is Psalms of Discipleship?
Psalms of Discipleship is:
•Word-Centered
•Explained Simply
•Practical for Life Situations
•Reflective and Thought-Provoking
•Devotional in Format
This unique devotional consists of not only fifty two lessons designed
for small group or individual study, but also includes a topical index
for a deeper study as well as a topical bibliography for the quality
disciple’s reading list.
It is our hope that Psalms of
Discipleship will become a useful tool for you, the reader, to learn how
to better live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. The format is simple, by
design. The commitment to apply the Psalms to your life is up to you.
May we all begin to experience a fresh approach to spiritual growth by
living the discipled life with the help of grace, worship, Bible study,
prayer, community, service, and evangelism.
www.dennybates.com
http://
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