Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #42 (Evangelism) November 24, 2012

Hello my dear friends! There is always a cause and effect in life. For example, if I am walking close to the Lord the effect will be a positive influence on those who are near to me. This is the message of today's Psalms of Discipleship: Not only is the nearness of God my good, it is also good for others too.

Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love.

When we are near to God, we find ourselves lost in His love.

Forever lost,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #42

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

Key Scripture: But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. Psalm 73:28

Core Value: Evangelism

There is a huge difference between having a religion and a having relationship with Jesus. A religion will help you keep the rules of what to do and what not to do, of what to believe and what not to believe. A relationship with Jesus will help you achieve all of that and so much more. A relationship with Jesus causes you to love because He has unconditionally loved you. A relationship helps you to believe in Him because He believes in you.

People can become an expert in religion and still miss out on eternal life with Jesus. The years come and go, the nations of the earth rise and fall, but one thing remains the same: Jesus is the only way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Sometimes, you may be the only witness of Jesus’ love that others see. The closer you get to Him, you will become more fully aware of His goodness. The closer you get to Him, the burden to share His love with the lost will consume your life.

Principle #42 & Personal Application: Quality disciples seek to grow closer to the Lord, and as a result, gives a personal testimony of the Lord’s great power.

• Our relationship with the Lord is a personal one: “But as for me”

• Our relationship with the Lord is an intimate experience: “the nearness of God is my good”

• Our relationship with the Lord is a strategic choice: “I have made the Lord GOD my refuge”

• Our relationship with the Lord is the platform from which we share our faith: “That I may tell of all Your works”

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

In what ways have I discovered that the nearness of God is my good?

What has the Lord done in and through me that would be an encouragement for others to know?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, but as for me, the nearness of God is my good. By Your grace, I choose to make the Lord GOD my refuge and not trust in my own strength. May I give a faithful testimony to others of Your great works that have impacted my life.

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/

When You Give To Something New, You Are Making An Investment In Discipleship Training And Leadership Development. Click on the link below for more information on DiscipleMakers4Jesus. Your prayer and financial investment is deeply appreciated!

http://www.dennybates.com/#!give/c1ya0

Black Friday has come and gone. Now, are you ready to refocus? Are you ready . . . for Advent?

Advent begins soon! Get your devotional copy today. Ebook version is only $5.00. For more information, click on the link:

http://www.dennybates.com/#!advent-christmas-meditations-of-worship/cmz0

Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #24 (Worship). June 30, 2012

Hello dear friends! Warm, very warm, no, really it's HOT greetings from sunny South Carolina! This week's devotion reminds us of what happens when we choose to focus upon the character of God: we are reminded of His goodness and His greatness. As we live in uncertain times, its good to know that His goodness and greatness remains the same.

Worship Him!

Denny


Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #24

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

Key Scripture: 4 How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You To dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple. 5 By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation, You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea; 6 Who establishes the mountains by His strength, Being girded with might; 7 Who stills the roaring of the seas, The roaring of their waves, And the tumult of the peoples. 8 They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy. Psalm 65:4-8

Core Value: Worship

Do you remember praying this simple prayer as a child? “God is good. God is great. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen.” For me, as I folded my little hands and closed my eyes, it was a memorized prayer that became a routine part of my every meal. After awhile the words I was praying lost their impact upon me. This sweet prayer became a religious duty instead of a heartfelt prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving. This familiar example is one of many I share on how easy it is for the believer to lose the magnitude of what we are saying out loud. In this case, GOD IS GOOD. GOD IS GREAT. WE SHOULD THANK HIM FOR EVERYTHING HE PROVIDES to us.

This is what the Psalmist does in this portion of Scripture. As He describes the goodness and greatness of God, he becomes overwhelmed with waves of worship. The more He talks about the goodness and greatness of God, the more his heart fills up and the more he has share about the goodness and greatness of God. This is what happens when we set our focus upon the character of God: we become personally acquainted with His goodness and greatness, filling our hearts with expressions of worship.

Principle #24 & Personal Application: Quality disciples are blessed as they worship a great, awesome, and mighty God.

• We worship God because of His drawing us, by grace, into His presence.

• We worship God because of His awesome deeds.

• We worship God because of His majestic power and glory.

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

When I begin to set my focus upon the Lord and His power, what kinds of thoughts come to my mind?

What kind of things can I do that will help me worship God for who He is?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are a mighty and glorious Savior. You invite me into Your presence. You satisfy my soul. You are the God of all creation and I am in awe of You. And powerful and mighty You are, You love me; You value me; You call me Your very own.

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:

I am genuinely excited for the opportunity of doing things that I have only dreamed about previously. By God’s grace I hope to build a leadership coaching and speaking business and impact the market place for Jesus. My business is a RELATIONSHIP business, so as you pray for me ask the Lord for KEY contacts that will lead me to KEY people in KEY organizations. In your own circle of influence, do you know anyone who desires to grow in leadership? I’d love to meet them.

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

http://www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/dennybates

In today's picture are two of my mentors. Everyone needs one. Who is yours?