Monday - June 13, 2016

Woodlawn Family Bible Study

Monday

BIBLE READING:  Matthew 13: 3-9, Luke 8:5-15

MAIN IDEA: “Parable of your heart”

DISCUSSION:
In Christ’s parable written in Matthew 13 and Luke 8, neither the skill of the sower nor the power of the seed is the issue. The seed is the word of God (Luke 8:11). This parable is about our hearts. The importance of having a tender heart, not calloused. Christ is comparing our hearts to four possible types of soil; 1- Along the roadside, 2- Rocky places, 3- Thorny places, 4- Fertile soil. Three of the four types of soil represent the heart of the hearer that falls short of fully committing to God’s word. Only the heart that is tender (good) will please God.

To understand what causes a calloused heart, we should learn how we get a tender heart. Are we born with a tender heart?

After the flood when Noah offered a sacrifice to God, we read in Genesis 8:21- Jehovah smelled a sweet odor. And Jehovah said in His heart, I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, because the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. And I will not again smite every living thing as I have done.

So from youth, we must learn to control the evil things that come into our hearts. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:22- flee youthful lusts, and follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 

That is really nothing new is it? Aren’t we exposed to the temptations of Satan early in life? (Lying, slander, covetousness, greed, envy, gossip.)  This week let’s look at 4 ways to grow a tender heart in a calloused world.

APPLICATION: Take a few minutes to share one thing in your life that doesn’t help make your heart tender.

PrayerRequests

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday - October 4, 2016

Woodlawn Family Bible Study TUESDAY BIBLE READING:    Genesis 32:22-32 Do you want to be blessed? That sounds like a rhetorical question, doesn’t it? Who doesn’t want to be blessed? I guess it really depends on your definition of “blessed.” Many people desire blessings that will make them wealthy or, perhaps, material goods. However, being blessed is not limited to those physical things. In fact, sometimes we can be blessed in the most unusual ways. For instance, in Genesis 32:26, we find Jacob wrestling with what we often call an angel. Within the story, Jacob is overtaking the angel and holding him down; refusing to let go until the angel gives him a blessing. The angel obliges Jacob, but not in the way he might have imagined. The angel changed his name from “Jacob” to “Israel,” but he also did something else. He put Jacob’s hip joint out of socket, causing him much pain and difficulty walking. In part, his blessing had to do with him walking with a limp. How is tha...
Read more

Resolutions: Draw closer to God through study of His word

BIBLE READING: John 14.7 Spend time alone with God’s Word.  Besides the spiritual growth we will gain from study, we will also come to know Him better.  Reading His word brings us in touch with Him.  Jesus tells us in John 14:7 – “If you had known Me, you would have known my Father also.”   Just studying the life of Jesus will help us to know God better.   In seeking God’s help, we can draw closer to Him through prayer, meditation, nature, and study.   “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night.” Psalm 1:2  I Tim.4:13,15 - “Give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine… meditate on these things; give yourself wholly to them.”   Regardless of our circumstances we can rely on God’s unchanging character.  God is good. God loves me. God is with me. God knows my problems. God cares. Romans 8:31(b) tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Make a resolution to slo...
Read more

“Examples”

BIBLE READING: Mark 13- Luke 1 DISCUSSION                                                                                   This past week we have read of some great examples in the bible.   We read in Mark 13 about us being ready and being prepared for when Jesus returns.   We need to all stay awake!   In Mark 14 we read of one action having such an impact.   How this woman gave her very best to Jesus because of her love for Him.   In Mark 15 we read of Pontius Pilate and his desire to keep his power.   He loved his power and did not want to give it up even if that meant sending an inno...
Read more