Psalms of Discipleship. Principle #22 (Prayer). June 16, 2013

Hello my dear friends! Today's Psalms of Discipleship reveals the heart of our Great God. He does care, really care, for you and for me. It is a Psalm of deliverance, a Psalm of what it means to have an intimate relationship with Jesus, a Psalm of the power of prayer, and a Psalm of promise and hope.

A witness to His great promises,

Denny

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #22

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

Key Scripture: 14 "Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. 15 "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. 16 "With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation." Psalm 91:14-16

Core Value: Prayer

This passage of Scripture is quite personal. In June of 1998, I had this Psalm written on an index card and kept it in my shirt pocket, often reflecting upon it throughout the day. On July 2, I had a massive heart attack. During the aftermath, it was touch and go: either it was going to be graduation day and I would finally meet Jesus face to face, or He would extend my life on this earth. After my heart attack my wife found the index card on my dresser and she began to claim the wonderful promises mentioned in these verses. By no means are these promises a “formula” for getting what we want. Instead, the promises of God are based upon the relationship we have with Him, trusting Him for the outcome that will bring Him the greatest glory.

In His mercy, He delivered me. In His mercy, He answered and rescued me. In His mercy, He has added almost 15 years to my life. In His mercy, He will be there for you too.

Principle #22 & Personal Application: Quality disciples love and know the Lord and communicate with Him too.

• We pray because we love the Lord. Because we love the Lord, He desires to deliver us.

• We pray because we know His name. Because we know His name, He desires to set us securely on high.

• We pray because when we are in trouble we know that we can call upon Him. Because we call upon Him, He will answer us and rescue us and honor us.

• Because the Lord is our Shepherd, our Refuge, Our Mighty God, He will satisfy us with a long life and allow us to see His salvation.

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

When I pray (especially when I am in trouble or burdened) do I do so out of a heart of love and worship or is my motive to relieve my discomfort?

There are many promises in this passage of Scripture for the disciple of Jesus. Which one resonates with me?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, may I always have a heart that is full of love for You. May I become fully acquainted with knowing Your name. Thank You for delivering me from the things that are harmful to my walk with You. Thank You for the provision of prayer where I can cry out to You and receive Your protection. Thank You for showing me Your great Salvation.

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 #20 (Prayer). May 26, 2012

Hello my dear friends! I hope you are finding the joy of the Lord to be your strength today. His joy is the juice that fuels our soul when we become weary in the journey. I've had a week like that. I'm walking through the churned up waters of career transition but here is what I have discovered to be true: I can trust in Him at all times. I can pour out my heart before Him. He is a refuge for me. . . . and if you are a disciple of Jesus, the same rings true with you too.

Learning to abide in His presence and care,

Denny


Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #20

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

Key Scripture: Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. Psalm 62:8

Core Value: Prayer

What comes first? Is it the chicken or the egg?

This saying has puzzled many for a long, long time. In the final analysis, does it really matter? Both the chicken and the egg are forever intertwined. Next question: what comes first? prayer to the Lord or trust in the Lord? In order for us to have meaningful times of prayer to the Lord, we must trust in Him too. And in order for us to place our trust in Him, we need to be about the business of prayer. Both trust and prayer are essential for the disciple of Jesus.

Wherever one starts, prayer and trust lead to the same destination: a deeper, more intimate relationship with Jesus.

Principle #20 & Personal Application: Quality disciples trust in the Lord at all times.

• Prayer is the way we can place our trust in the Lord. “Trust in Him at all times, O people.”

• Prayer is the way we can make a full commitment to the Lord. “Pour out your heart before Him.”

• Prayer is the way where we can find that safe place that is found only in the Lord. “God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

What kinds of promises does this verse have for the person who feels anxious?

If I really applied the truths behind this scripture, how would it impact the way I pray?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, by Your grace, help me to place my trust in You at all times. May I have the freedom to pour out my heart before You. Thank You that in You I can find a refuge, a place of safety.

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/

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Psalms of Discipleship--Principle #47--Worship--December 3, 2011

Warm greetings to you, my dear friends! Today we are going to spend our time pondering the greatness of our God. Sometimes, a busy lifestyle can dilute our view (and even need) of God. You probably know what I mean when I say it is easy to slip into an auto-pilot mode in my relationship with the Lord. I want to enjoy His presence, but not always want to focus upon Him. The Psalmist reminds us of how awesome our God is. As we celebrate the month of Advent, today's Psalms of Discipleship is a great reminder of how great our Savior really is: He is awesome!

Our God is an awesome God!

Denny

Need some encouragement on how to set in place a heart of worship and thanksgiving this holiday season? At the end of today's devotion is a link to a resource called "Christmas Meditations of Worship: Four Weeks of Advent. A Season of Worship and Celebration."

Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #47

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

Key Scripture: 1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, has spoken, And summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth. 3 May our God come and not keep silence; Fire devours before Him, And it is very tempestuous around Him. Psalm 50:1-3

Core Value: Worship

How awesome is your God? Not how awesome is his God or her God nor their God, but your God? Do you only know God by His reputation in the lives of your family or peers? Has your view of God been limited to somewhat familiar Bible stories that occurred a long, long time ago? Or have you experienced the reality of His power in your life? One of life’s saddest testimonies is to live a life where one is so close to experiencing God, but remains so far away. One of the great dangers that disciples of Jesus face is to get so used to worshiping an abstract God that religious ritual replaces a vibrant relationship with the Lover of our soul, and we fail to notice the difference.

How do we keep the fire for a passionate love for God blazing? The first step is to adjust our view of God. We must see Him as a holy and majestic God! And when we do, everything we do changes: the way we understand grace, the way in which we worship, the way we crave God’s Word, the way we pray, the way we become engaged in community, the way we serve, and the way we share our faith with those who need to be introduced to Jesus.

Principle #47 & Personal Application: The quality disciple has a big view of a holy and majestic God.

• We worship a God who is the Mighty One, God, the Lord.

• We worship a God who is majestic over all the earth.

• We worship a God who is the perfect example of beauty.

• We worship a God who cuts a path of holiness, making His presence known.

Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…

Is my view of God one that is high and lifted up, where He has sovereign power or is He more on my level, unwilling (or unable) to handle my big problems?

Do I typically worship God for what He can do for me or do I worship God for who He is?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the Mighty One, God, the Lord, and You have spoken. Help me to listen. You are majestic over all the earth. Your sovereignty rules over Your creation. You are perfect in beauty. There is no one like You. You are holy. You are awesome. You are good. And . . . You love 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.

"Christmas Meditations of Worship: Four Weeks of Advent. A Season of Worship and Celebration."

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For many people, Christmas is nothing more than a materialistic exercise in futility. The hectic pace of the holiday season often depletes more than it fills, and the craziness of the season is normalized, causing many believers to settle for a “Christ-less” Christmas.

Reflection upon the first Advent is the first step towards regaining the reason believers celebrate Christmas: worship of Jesus Christ. You are invited to back away from the edge of Christmas season sanity and begin a four-week journey of reading, reflection, prayer, journaling, singing and serving that will give you the merriest Christmas of all.

Available in print ($10.00 includes shipping) and e-book ($5.00 pdf download) formats. Click this link to begin placing your order:

http://www.dennybates.com/Home/Advent.html

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