Heart of a Woman
Heart Search in the Psalms
Sample Lesson
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If you would prefer, you can purchase the workbook, ebook, and other resources at http://www.thistlebend.org or you can continue the purchasing process below As Christians, we too often ignore the symptoms of sin in our lives, and we don’t take the time, have the focus, or have the trust in the Lord that is needed to look inward to the root of our sin and deal with it. The Lord has called us to be holy as He is holy, so we want our hearts to reflect the holiness and righteousness of God Most High. But we have to be willing to do the hard work to see our sin from His perspective. In this intermediate-level discipleship study, women are led to begin asking the Lord to reveal to them what is deep and hidden within their hearts, so that they can confess and believe that they will be cleansed of sin and filled instead with the righteousness of Christ. The goal of this study is lasting heart transformation, not imparting more head knowledge.
Supplementary Study Materials
MEMORY PASSAGE: Colossians 3:5-17 ESV Lesson 1: vv. 5-6 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. Lesson 2: vv. 7-8 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Lesson 3: vv. 9-10 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Lesson 4: v. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Lesson 5: vv. 12-13 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Lesson 6: v. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Lesson 7: v. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Lesson 8: v. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Lesson 9: v. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Taking the Truth to Heart
TAKING THE TRUTH TO HEART INSTRUCTIONS Follow these instructions daily and weekly (they are in your workbook as well) and use the Take a Note feature that is available for each lesson. Record your answers within Take a Note and then access them whenever you need a reminder throughout the week. You will need to create an account (like you might for Facebook or Instagram) to use this feature if you haven't already done so. DAILY: 1. Choose one Scripture from the day to apply to your heart. 2. Write it out and take it with you throughout the day to meditate upon. WEEKLY: 1. TAKING THE TRUTH TO HEART: Write one Scripture from the week that the Lord is using to renew your mind and transform your heart. (Rom. 12:2) How is God using this Scripture to teach, instruct, reprove, correct, or train you? (2 Tim. 3:16-17) 2. PUTTING THE FLESH TO DEATH: What sin (wrong thinking or ungodly thought, belief, attitude, action, or inaction) is being addressed by the Scripture you wrote? Confess this in writing. Also include an example of where you saw the evidence of this sin in your life this week. Ask for the Lord’s forgiveness and receive His mercy and grace. (1 John 1:9-10) What do you now need to “put off” from your old self (Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:5-9) or adjust in your thinking, beliefs, attitude, or behavior to submit to God and apply His truth to your mind and heart? 3. BRINGING THE TRUTH TO LIFE: Walking forward in repentance and faith by God’s grace, what will you “put on” (Eph. 4:23- 24; Col. 3:10, 12, 14)? How are you going to do this? Be specific in your plan of action and be encouraged by what the Lord is going to do. Remember God’s love in the gospel, that you have died and Christ now lives in you. Walk in love. Take God’s Word to heart. Submit to it. Humbly live it out.
NEW 2024 Lesson One: Planted by Streams of Water
March 2, 2024
Lesson One: Discussion Guide for Group or 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 If we are in Christ, our hearts have been forever changed. We have been given new hearts. We have been rescued and cleansed and have had our sin paid for in full by the blood of Christ! We have been given the power to overcome our sin. We’ve been commanded to join in the work of overcoming our remaining sin, trusting in the power we have been given in the Holy Spirit and the grace and forgiveness we have been given in Christ. We need to ask God to give us eyes to see our sinful ways so that we are able to get to the root of them and overcome them. We will be asking the Lord to search our hearts and reveal to us what lies deep within. By God’s grace, as we pick up our cross, die to self, and confess and repent of our sins, a powerful, life-changing work will be accomplished in us. Remember, each time you see your sin to look to Jesus, your Savior and your Lord, and hide yourself in Him. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). 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 In the devotion, Laurie talks about the ‘disconnect’ between what God’s Word had taught her and the reality of what was truly going on in her heart and mind. If we are in Christ, how are our hearts changed and what amazing gifts are we given? What do we want to do to overcome the sin in our hearts and truly be rooted and established in Christ and His love for us? How did the Prayer of Intent speak to your heart? DAY TWO What did you observe from reading Psalm 32? What did you observe from reading Psalm 139? DAY THREE Read Psalm 1:1-3. What does the blessed man not do? What does he do? What are the results? What does this look like in practice? DAY FOUR 7. Read Psalm 23:1-4. What does it mean to you that the Lord is your Shepherd? How is this a comfort to you? DAY FIVE 8. Read Psalm 25:1-5. What do you learn from these verses? What is the psalmist asking of God? What did you learn about God and the one who trusts in the Lord? 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
NEW 2024 Lesson Two: Preparing to Ask God to Search Your Heart
March 9, 2024
Lesson Two 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 how to 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 Although it can be frightening to ask the Lord to show us what is truly in our hearts, doing so will bring the greatest joy, freedom and hope you have ever known in Christ. Yet we resist. Really, we just want things to be enjoyable and comfortable. We must not resist. We must trust that the Lord loves us perfectly when we are in Christ. We must truly believe Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” We must preach the good news of the Gospel to ourselves everyday. This week we asked the Lord to take us gently by the hand and show us why we resist. We resist because of our blindness, fear, pride, laziness, selfishness, control and unbelief. We move from resistance to repentance by going to the throne of our merciful and loving Savior and confessing these sins and strongholds to Him and receiving His forgiveness in Christ. 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. The devotion points out that even though we thirst to be filled with something that truly satisfies, we often resist the Lord as He beckons us to come to Him to be filled by Him. What spoke to you the most clearly about why you resist looking at your heart? 2. Spurgeon writes that the cheap “kiss of outward profession” is easy but to truly cleave to the Lord requires much. He states, “Blessed among women shall those be who for Christ’s sake can renounce all…” Are you ready to suffer “all worldly loss for the Master’s sake?” Why or why not? DAY TWO 3. Read Psalm 32:1-5. Will someone transparently share what you have been afraid to confess to the Lord OR where is your greatest weakness – the area that you struggle with the most and feel like you’re losing the battle because you continue to do it? DAY THREE 4. Read Romans 8:1. Does your life show that you truly believe this truth? Or do any of you still struggle with feelings of failure, hopelessness, or condemnation in an area? Will someone vulnerably share how these feelings have kept you from living in the freedom Christ has provided? DAY FOUR 5. Read Psalm 51:3-4, 15-17. Are you struggling with a sense of insensitivity toward your sin? Are you sorry for the consequences it causes but not necessarily sorry about the grief it causes God’s heart? 6. What has kept you from having a broken and contrite spirit? DAY FIVE 7. Read Psalm 32:7-9. God is our hiding place, but sometimes we hide from Him. Where did God show you that you run and hide? 8. When have you turned a deaf ear to what your pastor said on Sunday or to a scripture that convicts you to the core? 9. Who do you listen to? 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
NEW 2024 Lesson Three: I Bow My Knees Before the Father
March 16, 2024
Lesson Three Discussion Guide 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 Prayer is the open door into the private chambers of our heavenly Father. In Christ we have been given direct access to God on High. Until we are in heaven, we must not cease to pray. There is nothing of any value that we are able to obtain without Him and there is nothing that we need that He will not provide. We develop this relationship of utter dependence on the Lord by spending time alone with Him daily. We must leave the temporal world of sin continually through prayer. It is through humble adoration, confession, and thanksgiving that we draw near to God. We must take our eyes off of ourselves long enough to see Him so that we may know Him in order to reflect Him. And we must listen to Him. If we don’t listen to Him in everything, we are not likely to hear Him in anything. 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 Hebrews 4:15-16 . It is by spending time alone with the Lord and through humble adoration, confession, and thanksgiving that we develop a genuine, intimate relationship with Him. In what areas is your prayer life strong? In what areas is it hindered or in need of change? 2. Laurie writes that “Prayer is the open door into the private chambers of our heavenly Father. It is the true passage-way to intimate communion with Christ.” Prayer enables us to really know God and hear Him; it changes lives. Where are you putting your trust? Are you listening to God and obeying? Why or why not? DAY TWO 3. How did Psalm 32 help you this week? DAY THREE 4. Read Psalm 66:1-4. When we praise the Lord, our eyes are lifted off self, our mind is focused on the Lord, our cares and burdens are diminished, our knowledge of Him grows, our vision is corrected, our thinking is transformed, and our faith is nurtured. Are you praising the Lord throughout your day? Why or why not? 5. What are your thoughts and attitudes really like? How does your focus affect what you do and say? DAY FOUR 6. Read Psalm 38:1-3. Confession is an amazing and abundant provision from the Lord. When we confess, we are forgiven, released from bondage, healed from pain and old thinking is replaced with godly ways of thinking. We are transformed. What did the Lord show you that you need to address? Will someone share what you are avoiding? 7. Does anyone have an example of how the Lord has transformed an area of your life through confession? DAY FIVE 8. Read Psalm 107:1-3. We know we are to rejoice in the Lord always and be thankful in all circumstances. Would someone please share what they wrote recalling 3 or 4 instances when the Lord brought you through difficulty or rescued or protected you? 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
NEW 2024 Lesson Four: Ask the Father In My Name
March 23, 2024
Lesson Four Discussion Guide 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 Prayer is one of the greatest gifts the Lord has given to us. It is part of our sanctification process. It is the lifeline in our relationship with the Lord. Prayer plus faith is our very conduit to the grace and power and mercy of God. It is a pivotal ingredient in our journey of moving our hearts from sinful to Spirit-filled. This week we focused on supplication, which is the process of making a humble and earnest plea before God on our own behalf and on the behalf of others. There are three key pillars to all prayer which must be anchored in the foundation of a humble and contrite heart that understands there is nothing we can do apart from God. Pillar One is “Trust in the name and person of Jesus.” Pillar Two is “Trust and obey the truth of God’s word.” And Pillar Three is “Faith in the power of the One who hears our prayers.” 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 11:28-30 and Romans 8:1 on the first page of Day One . There are three key pillars to prayer. Share vulnerably with one another which pillar you struggle with the most and why. 2. In Spurgeon’s devotion he stated, “When God does not answer His children according to the letter, He does so according to the spirit…If you seek physical health, should you complain if instead He makes your sickness result in your spiritual health?” Will someone share an example when God answered your prayer differently than you asked or anticipated? DAY TWO 3. Read Daniel 6:10. Daniel stayed faithful in praying to the Lord three times a day even when he could be put to death for it. What stood out to you as you observed the outcome of Daniel’s obedience to God and commitment to prayer? 4. Are there prayers you have been praying for so long that you feel as though you have been losing hope or losing heart? Is there unbelief germinating or fear around unanswered prayer? Explain. 5. Is your dialog with God becoming more intimate? How? What obstacles hinder you in your prayer life? DAY THREE 6. You were instructed to read several prayers from David, Jehoshaphat and Paul. What correlation do you see between the faith of all these men and their prayer lives? 7. What did you observe that can help you structure your own prayer life? 8. What does Paul instruct you to do in Philippians 4? DAY FOUR 9. What did you learn from Abraham or Solomon’s example that you are going to apply to your own prayer life? 10. Where do you need to grow in your faith? How would it impact your thinking about your prayer life if you understood that God has entrusted it to you as a provision for you in your role in the body of Christ? 11. Do you wrestle with fully believing in the power of prayer? How so? DAY FIVE 12. What did you learn from reading the verses in John’s gospel? What did you observe about Jesus’ prayer in John 17? 13. How has the Lord moved in your heart this week to make prayer a priority? 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.
NEW 2024 Lesson Five: A Holy Fast Fasting to Feast
March 30, 2024
Lesson Five 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 Jesus calls us to come to Him by faith, die to our sinful selves, and receive His righteous life. Once we have made that great exchange, how do we continue on in a pursuit of holiness? How do we seek to be filled with Him and be emptied of self? We must continue to feast upon Him, to eat of the flesh of the son of God and drink His blood through humble, faith-filled and diligent study of the Bible, prayer, and fasting. We are focusing on fasting to discover what lies within our hearts that is not of God and to root them out. When we fast we are doing what only we can do as we ask God to do what only He can do. We are bowing before Him and asking Him to open our ears to hear Him and our eyes to see our sin as He sees our sin. We are appealing to Him to have mercy on us and to grant us hearts that are truly satisfied in Him and in Him alone. As you fast, always keep before you that it is all about Him, for Him, and from Him. We can’t do anything to change our hearts – only God can. 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 Philippians 3:8. How much do you desire God? How much do you desire to see a work of God in your heart? How much do you believe that He is the only thing that truly satisfies? How much do you believe that only He can accomplish anything of eternal value? DAY TWO 2. Which verses from Psalm 139 have spoken the most deeply to your heart? DAY THREE 3. Read Daniel 9:3 and Psalm 63:1. In hungering after holiness and seeking the Lord, have you been looking up scriptures that speak to your heart regarding your sin? Have you found any? How are you responding to what the Lord has shown you? DAY FOUR 4. Read James 4:6-8. Have you asked the Lord to help you fully submit to Him and draw near to Him? What is holding you back from fully submitting to Him? 5. How are you doing fixing your eyes upon Jesus and meditating on your verses? Are you able to take every thought captive and fast from your old ways of thinking? Why or why not? DAY FIVE 6. Read Luke 9:23-25. Will someone vulnerably share the list of things you don’t want to “die” to? What do you need to die to? What will it cost? 7. What do you feel in your heart when the Lord asks you to pick up your cross, die to self, and lose your life? 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
NEW 2024 Lesson Six: Repentance—A Posture of Humility
April 13, 2024
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
NEW 2024 Lesson Seven: A Victory Garden—Planting Righteousness
April 20, 2024
Lesson Seven: Discussion Guide for Group or 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 Repentance means we must stop doing what we are doing and turn from our sinful ways to his righteous ways. But it also means we must go forward in the path of righteousness. Holy transformation doesn’t mean that we just stop doing something; it means that we stop doing things our way, and instead, do them God’s way. We want our hearts to be like a magnificent garden. This lush garden will bloom in our hearts when we put off the old, repent from our sin, and allow the Holy Spirit to deeply till the soil within our hearts and plant the character and righteousness of Christ. Our goal, our desire, and our vision should be to be a vessel that God uses to cause others to want to know Him more, to be brought to their knees in worship, to believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God, their Savior! As our sinfulness is replaced by His righteousness, as our flesh is put to death and we are filled more with His Spirit, we will be blessed, and we will be a blessing to others. We will be the sweet aroma of Christ, a garden of righteousness and holiness that may draw others closer to Christ. This is the gospel - “Not I, but Christ.” We must labor for the harvest 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. Repentance means we must stop what we are doing and turn from our sinful ways to God’s righteous ways. Will someone share a scripture you are using to replace your ungodly thinking with righteous thinking? What sin does this address? 2. Did you ask for help from a fellow sister in Christ, your husband, or family member? Did you share with a friend the truth you desire to plant in place of the old lie that you are uprooting as instructed to do? DAY TWO 3. What scriptures did you find that speak to the righteous response to your sin? DAY THREE 4. Read Psalm 25:4, 8-10. We were encouraged to make this Psalm our own prayer, asking God to lead us in His righteousness and being as specific as possible. How has the Lord loved you and instructed you? 5. Where have you been encouraged as He has helped you put off your sin-corrupt flesh and put on the Spirit of Christ? 6. What new heart attitudes and actions are blooming and sprouting forth from the new truths that have been planted in your heart? DAY FOUR 7. Read Psalm 119:1-6. Who does this scripture say is blessed and how are they blessed? 8. As you read through more of this psalm, how did you answer the question, “Are my eyes fixed on His commandments? Are they always before me, a measurement for all I do?” DAY FIVE 9. Read Psalm 119: 33-36. Can you say that you delight in His testimonies? Are they your focus and great desire? Why or why not? 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
NEW 2024 Lesson Eight: A Fruitful Harvest—Ongoing Weeding and Planting
April 27, 2024
Lesson Eight: Discussion Guide for Group or 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. DISCUSSION INTRODUCTION 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 We are sinners, we are weak, and we are prone to wander. But at the same time, we are also saints who have been given the Holy Spirit. We have been given faith to walk in the Spirit and bear fruit. In order to live like Christ, we must believe it is only through Christ and by His Spirit who lives within us that we are able. We must choose Christ by faith. It’s not a matter of reasoning, it’s a matter of resurrection. Without faith we cannot please God. In our hour of need, we must remember it is no longer you who live but Christ who lives within you. Our flesh no longer has power to control us. We must choose to believe that God has given us everything we need – Himself. What we really believe and how we act on that belief will make all the difference in the harvest from our lives. Our harvest is multiplied when we understand and truly believe who we are, who Christ is, and what God has given to us in Christ. If we sow righteousness, we will reap 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 Ephesians 2:8-10. We were born of the Spirit to bear fruit – His fruit. What does that look like in your daily life? 2. What do you want to spring forth from your heart? What type of fruit do you want growing from your life and your decisions? What fruit do you want to display before your friends and your family? What kind of harvest do you want to reap? DAY TWO 3. Is anyone continuing their fast? How is it going? How has the Lord used it in your life? DAY THREE 4. Read James 2:23. Do you believe that God has truly given you all of the righteousness you need to walk in righteousness? What is keeping you from believing this truth? 5. It is no small thing to have been given faith and Christ’s righteousness. What will you do with the priceless gift that God has given to you? DAY FOUR 6. Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, 21. Will someone share a time from the past week or so that you have chosen to walk forward in Christ and not your old self? 7. What have you learned as you seek to replace your old pattern of thinking and acting with a godly way of thinking and acting? What are your struggles, and what are your failures? Have you seen areas where God has granted you grace? DAY FIVE 8. What did you learn from the passage in James? 9. Will someone share something that is keeping them back from completely submitting to the Spirit, to Christ? What is it that you don’t want to lose? 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