Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #30 (Worship). August 31, 2013

Hello my dear friends!

In this week's Psalms of Discipleship we are going to learn how to give thanks and why it is good for us to give thanks to the Lord. Its another great reminder of all He has done for us.

Learning with you,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #30

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

Key Scripture: 7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts. Psalm 96:7-8

Core Value: Worship

Throughout the Psalms the disciple of Jesus is exhorted to give thanks (Ps. 44:8; 57:9; 75:1; 100:4, etc.). Have you ever considered why? It is good to give thanks to the Lord because it reminds us of all He has done for us. It is good to give thanks because it moves our mentality of independence from the Lord to dependence upon the Lord. It is good to give thanks because it fills our hearts with praise and adoration of Him.

Principle #30 & Personal Application: Quality disciples, by faith and through grace, give their lives to the Lord as an act of worship.

• We give our worship to the Lord together

• We give our acknowledgement to the Lord that He is deserving of all glory and strength

• We give to the Lord the glory of His name

• We bring an offering (ourselves) as we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise (Psalm 100:4)

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

What kind of worship environment helps me to focus upon the Lord?

When I consider giving the Lord glory and strength, what am I doing? What are some of the Names of God that have special meaning to me?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for allowing me to return to You what belongs to You: my praise and worship of You and Your glorious name. May I always ascribe to You all glory and strength. May I always be a part of a community of worshipers who praise and glorify You.

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

Do you have a spiritual life plan? Everyone needs one. Click on this link for more information:

http://www.dennybates.com/#!my-spiritual-life-goals/c17n7

Psalms of Discipleship (Worship) Principle #29. August 18, 2013

Hello my dear friends. Much love to you. Today's Psalms of Discipleship reminds us of the great value of making good choices to worship. To create a lifestyle of worship it requires a daily decision to take the right path.

On the path with you,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #29

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

Key Scripture: 4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. Psalm 96:4-5

Core Value: Worship

Life is filled with choices. Sometimes we make good ones and sometimes we experience the consequences of bad decisions. For the disciple of Jesus it is critically important to make good choices when it comes to our worship of Him. The best way to cultivate a lifestyle of worship is to be consistent. It is best done when we make daily habits (or choices) to worship God. A life filled good choices makes all the difference in the world.

Poet Robert Frost said it well:

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Principle #29 & Personal Application: Quality disciples love a great God with a great worship.

• We love a great God and greatly praise Him

• We love a great God who is greater than any idol in our life

• We love a great God who is a great and mighty Creator

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

In what ways does the Lord make Himself great in my life?

Are there any idols in my heart that hinder my worship of the Lord?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I love, worship, and adore You. You are a Great God and deserve my greatest praise. There is no one like You. May my heart always be filled with fidelity for You. May no idol, within or outside of me, ever steal my devotion for You.

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 #28 (Worship) August 11, 2013

Hello my dear friends. 

Today's Psalms of Discipleship reminds of us the sharp contrast between being entertained by others and entertaining the Lord. May we all learn the importance of presenting our lives to an audience of One.

Learning with you,

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #28

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

Key Scripture: 1 Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. 3 Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. Psalm 96:1-3

Core Value: Worship

We live in an entertainment culture. We want to be entertained. This, in itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. Entertainment can fill our emotional tanks. The problem is when this legitimate activity bleeds into our worship of God. Instead of being entertained by others, we need to entertain the Lord. He needs to be the focal point in our concert of One.

Here is the personal inventory question regarding worship each disciple must ponder: do I want Jesus and others to entertain me or do I want to entertain Him?

Principle #28 & Personal Application: Quality disciples sing to the Lord as they daily proclaim of His great salvation and tell of His glory and wonderful deeds to everyone.

• We worship when we sing to the Lord and bless His name

• We worship when we proclaim good tidings of His great salvation every day

• We worship when we tell of His glory among the nations

• We worship when we tell of His wonderful deeds to everyone

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

Biblical worship is an energetic, enthusiastic, engaged lifestyle. What kind of worship environment is most conducive to my worship of God? (For example, is it solitude; with a large group; lots of music; outdoors; indoors, etc.)

What kinds of thoughts fill my heart when I am worshipping the Lord?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I sing to You a new song. I praise You for I do not sing alone. There are many others who are filling the earth with praise songs for You. As I sing, I bless Your holy Name and proclaim the good tidings of Your great salvation every day. By faith, I will tell everyone I know about Your glory and the great deeds You have done for 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 #27 (Worship). August 3, 2013

Hello my dear friends,

Worship of the Lord is one of the greatest activities granted to us by Him. Worship is far more than a bland ritual performed out of a religious duty. Biblical worship is grace-driven and based upon a love relationship with Jesus. The Psalmist offers the invitation to worship. He invites us to come.

Coming with you,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #27

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

Key Scripture: 6 Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. 7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Psalm 95:6-7

Core Value: Worship

Worship is more than singing a song and beating a tambourine. Worship is more than just showing up at a specific location on a specific day at a specific time with specific people going through specific rituals. Worship is simply bowing one’s will to the will of God while at home, at work, or even at church. Worship is a grace-driven activity that enhances the spiritual growth of the Quality Disciple.

Is your experience a ritualistic, works-driving worship or are you responding to His irresistible grace that draws you into His presence? His invitation to you and to me is one of grace: to come and worship Him.

Principle #27 & Personal Application: Quality disciples follow the lead of the Great Shepherd into an intimate worship experience.

• The invitation is to come and worship

• The invitation is to come in humility

• The invitation is to come before the Lord our Maker

• The invitation is to lead to this great confession: He is our God and we belong to Him

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

What is my “worship style?” In other words, in what ways do I worship the Lord?

What is my greatest challenge that keeps me from cultivating a habit of worship?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I gratefully accept Your offer to come and worship You. I come with a posture of humility as I bow down my knee and my will to You. I confess that You are my Maker and my God. I look to You as the Shepherd of my soul.

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