Lesson Six Discussion Guide for Group/Individual Use (click more)
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time you have provided for us to come together to hear from you and have fellowship in your Word and to learn and apply your Word to our hearts. We need you, Lord. We need your grace all the time. We praise you for your goodness and your love and mercy. Please open our hearts to you and to one another and lead our discussion. Help us not to fear, but to put all of our hope in Christ. Help us to remember there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. May you be glorified in all our thoughts and words and deeds. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I. LECTURE
Will someone share how the Lord used the lecture to speak to your heart? Did anyone have any questions or concerns about the lecture? If you ever have a question or something is unclear, please let us know. We want to serve you in any way we can!
II. PLEASE READ THE MAIN POINT FROM THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK
When we have been given the awesome, magnificent, and merciful gift of eternal life, and our hearts are transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of life, we must care for our hearts with deep gratitude and devotion. In Christ we have been given new hearts (Ezekiel 36:25-27). Sin left unattended in our hearts will slowly corrupt the heart and then impact the whole body. The wellspring of life flows from our hearts (Proverbs 4:23).
Repentance is one of the tools the Lord has given to us to help us root out the sin in our hearts. Once we have seen our sinfulness and seen His mercy, and once we have laid down every part of our sinful lives and received His perfect righteousness in return, we must continue walking forward and live in that posture of humility. Repentance means we must stop doing what we are doing and turn from our sinful ways to His righteous ways. We must get at the sin and remove the root and replace that root with the root of righteousness.
III. QUESTIONS FROM THE HOMEWORK
Go through the homework, occasionally calling on women. Read scriptures aloud. After asking a question, remember to allow a brief period of quiet “wait-time” to give women a chance to think before answering. After pausing, if no one shares, go ahead with your answer, rephrase question, and/or move on.
DAY ONE
1. Read Matthew 12:33-35. Laurie stated that in Christ we have been given the marvelous and priceless gift of eternal life. We have been given new hearts and we need to tend to them. As in the story of the unattended house, what would someone find in the nooks and crannies of your heart if they entered in? What has been shut up there, hidden where no one can see?
DAY TWO
2. Would someone share one of the scriptures you found that best addresses your root sin?
3. What have you chosen to fast from?
DAY THREE
4. Do you have a repentant heart? If not, why not?
DAY FOUR
5. We are to identify our old self, but no longer identify with her. Do you still struggle with not identifying with your old self? How so?
DAY FIVE
6. Read Job 42:1-6. When the Lord allows us to remain in our circumstances, we often ask, “God, do you see what I am going through? Do you care? Why do you allow such things?” How do you respond when God allows you to stay in your circumstances?
7. Did you humble yourself and repent of your pride by bowing yourself before the Lord on the floor, acknowledging to Him that He knows what is best? If not, why not? What holds you back?
8. Read 2 Corinthians 7:10-11. We want to repent of our sin and of our fear and longing for something other than His best and Him alone. Would someone vulnerably share from your list of doubts, insecurities, fears, and longings?
IV. PLEASE RECITE YOUR SCRIPTURE MEMORY VERSES TOGETHER
V. TAKING THE TRUTH TO HEART TIME
We will now focus on taking God’s truth to our hearts and bringing it to life. James 5:16a states; “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” And 1 Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
Please turn to the Taking the Truth to Heart and Bringing it to Life page on Day Six. We will each have 3 minutes so that everyone will have a chance to share. Please record one another’s confessions on the Taking the Truth to Heart Guide on the following page so that you can pray for each other throughout the week. Leaders, please set the example by going first.
VI. PLEASE CLOSE IN PRAYER
