Psalms of Discipleship (Prayer) Principle #6. February 18, 2012

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—Evangelism

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

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

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/Home/OneYearJourney.html for how you can purchase your copy today!

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.

http://www.dennybates.com/

www.dennybates.com