HOW’S YOUR HEART?
Do you really know your heart? What God says about it? And wants it to
be? Who is the real you? Your feelings? Your thoughts?
The word “heart” in Hebrew is mostly the word “leb” and in the Greek “kardia”.
The heart is the innermost center of the natural condition of man. It is the
center of the rational-spiritual nature of man.
The heart is the seat of love (1
Tim. 1:5) and of hatred (Lev.
It is the governing center of the entire person, with all his attributes,
physical, intellectual, and psychological. Character,
personality, will, mind are modern terms which all reflect something of
the meaning of “heart” in its biblical usage.
H.W. Robinson gives the following good classification of the various
senses in which the word “heart”, the Hebrew words of which are “leb” and “lebab” are used:
1.
The physical
organ or a figurative use – 29 times
2.
Personality,
inner life, or character in general (e.g.,
motives, nature) – 257 times
3.
Emotional
states of consciousness, found in widest range – 166 times
4.
Intellectual
activity – 204 times
5.
Volition/will
or purpose – 195 times
The New Testament usage
is very similar.
Gen.
6:5 What did the Lord say about the heart/nature of
mankind before He destroyed the world with the flood?
Would
you have ever pictured all of mankind’s basic nature and/or thought-life in
this way? Why?
Is this how you view
your human nature and/or thought-life apart from the new nature that is
received through conversion (trusting in
Jesus Christ as Savior), and why?
Gen. 8:21 What does God say
about the intent (inclination, thoughts,
and desires) of mankind’s heart (mind)
from his youth (“neurim”
– which means the very time when mankind begins to act with consciousness)?
Is
this how you view the inclinations of “nice, innocent”, little kids? Why?
Is
this how you see the thoughts and desires of your own childhood? Why?
Gen. 20:2-6 What
does this passage say about king Abimelech’s heart (motives) in regard to taking Sarah as a wife?
Have you ever been
just about ready to do something in all honesty of heart (motives) only to discover that what you were about to do was
wrong? Or, you
actually did something with pure motives, only to find out later that it was
wrong to do?
Why
did God do this?
How
do you feel about what God did, and why?
Ex. 25:2; 35:5 From whom did God want a contribution?
Why do you think that God specified this as the
motive or prerequisite?
When you contribute
things to God or people, what motivates you to do so, or what’s your attitude
in or for contributing what you do?
Num. 15:39, 40 Why did God want
the Israelites to wear tassels on the corner of their garment?
Do you have any kind of reminders (i.e.,
notes, posters, bookmarks, etc.) to help you keep perspective on obeying
God’s Word rather than your own desires, goals, drives, or feelings? If so, what?
And how effective have they been in keeping you on target with obeying
God rather than your own wants and lusts?
What could you do
that you’re presently not doing that would help remind you to obey God rather
than your feelings and desires?
Deut. 4:3, 4, 9 Why
were the Israelites to give heed to themselves and
keep their souls diligently?
How
quickly do you forget the lessons that God teaches you or the answers to prayer
that He grants you?
How
can you keep these lessons from ever departing from your heart (thoughts)?
Deut.
Have you ever
backslid or fallen out of fellowship with God for a time and then genuinely
repented (changed your thinking) and
then desired close fellowship with God again with all your heart (will/purpose)? If so, what happened?
Deut.
How
seriously do you take to heart/mind the fact that the Lord is God in heaven and
on earth?
Do
you take it to heart to the point where it motivates you to obey the Bible?
Or,
is it just intellectual, factual data that doesn’t budge you to take action in
your Christian life?
How
does a person go about taking this to heart?
Deut. 6:5 (Mk.
[To love
the Lord with all your heart (will/purpose) is to love Him with full sincerity
of choice.].
Are you doing this, and why?
What
things keep you most often from loving God in this way, and why?
How
can you prevent this from happening in the future?
Deut. 8:2, 3 Why did God test the
Israelites during their wilderness wandering?
Has
God ever tested you by bringing trials, hardships, and/or pressures into your
life?
If so, what did you discover about your heart (inner being/nature/character) as far as
your attitude toward God?
Did you keep obeying, loving, and serving God in
spite of these trials, and why?
Deut. 8:11-14 What
were the Israelites to watch out for (beware
of) when things would go well for them and they’d forget to keep God’s
commandments (vs. 14)?
When things are going
well for you, do you tend to forget about God (your prayer times as well as Bible study times get shorter or cut out)
and get proud of heart/mind, thinking that it’s you or your achievements that
are gaining your success or prosperity?
How can you prevent
this?
Deut. 9:4, 5 What weren’t the
Israelites to say in their heart/mind when God was to drive their enemy out of
the land?
When God does some
good thing for you, do you automatically think that it’s because of your
righteousness or something good about yourself? Why?
Deut. 10:12, 13 How were the Israelites to serve the Lord?
How do you serve God (e.g., half-heartedly; out of obligation; lazily; apathetically; or wholeheartedly), and
why?
Deut. 13:1-3 Why
would the Lord allow a false prophet or dreamer to have a sign or a wonder come
true?
Have you ever allowed
circumstances which seem to fall into your favor or in line with your desires
to cause you to depart from loving (obeying)
God in what you once knew was right and His will (e.g., evangelism and building up believers), and instead you went
after other gods (e.g., career, romances,
money, sports, music, possessions, etc.)?
What can you do to
prevent yourself from allowing mere circumstances to determine God’s will for
you, and why?
Deut. 17:16, 17 Why shouldn’t a king over
Has your heart (love for)
ever turned away from God because of selfish desires (i.e., possessions, relationships, money, etc.)? If so, what happened?
How
can you prevent this from happening?
Deut. 20:8 Why
did the army officers encourage the fearful and fainthearted soldiers to go
home?
If you’re pursuing a mission or project that God has given you and your
Christian team to do, and some of the people in your team are afraid and
fainthearted to go on the mission, what might be the wisest thing that you
could do, if you were one of the team leaders? Why?
Deut. 26:16 What
were the Israelites to carefully do with all their heart and soul?
Is
your attitude one of carefully seeking to obey God’s Word, the Bible, with all
your heart/will/purpose and soul/desire?
If so, how do you plan to do so specifically?
If
not, how would or could you specifically carry this out?
Deut. 28:47, 48 Why
were the Israelites going to serve their enemies?
How do you serve God (e.g., grudgingly; mechanically; out of
obligation; or with joy and a glad heart/disposition), and why?
1 Sam. 7:3 God promised that He
would deliver the Israelites from the Philistines if the Israelites did what?
If someday you find
yourself worshipping or serving the gods of career, sports, money, possessions,
computers, popularity, music, romance, family, education, or politics, and you
want to be delivered from your enslavement to them or the mess your life is in
because of them, do you know what you’d need to do? If so, what?
Will you return to
the Lord with all your heart/inner being, and why?
1 Sam. 14:7 What
did Jonathan’s armor bearer say to Jonathan?
Have
you ever expressed your loyalty to a close Christian friend in this way or some
similar way? Why?
Or,
has anyone ever expressed his/her loyalty to you in a similar way?
Do
you think that God would have you to tell someone this? Why?
1 Sam.
Has your heart/emotions ever failed (been
in despair) because of a hopeless looking situation (or a giant of a circumstance threatening your life)? Why was this so?
What will it take for
you to have David’s perspective (vss. 37,
45, 47)?
2 Sam.
Have you ever despised anyone because you were jealous of that person’s
love for God and/or things spiritual (e.g.,
doing evangelism and building up believers spiritually)? Why?
Or, have you known of
anyone who despised you in his/her heart/mind because of your love for God, His
Word, or will (e.g., in doing evangelism
and building up and training believers)?
2 Sam.
24:2, 10 How was David feeling after he had sinned by
numbering the people of
Has
your heart (conscience) ever troubled
you (with guilt) after you’ve sinned? Why?
What
did you do to remedy your troubled heart (e.g.,
rationalize your sin or confess it and do what God wants you to do)?
1 Ki. 3:6 How
does Solomon describe his father David’s life (“walk”) before God?
Could
people say this about your father? Or about you? Why?
If
not, what would you need to start doing for your heart/character to be upright (morally honest)?
When
will you start? How?
1 Ki. 3:9 What did Solomon ask
God to grant him, after God had told Solomon that he could ask for whatever he
wanted?
For
what would you have asked God (e.g.,
money, a mate, a popular career, an understanding mind, etc.), and why?
1 Ki. 8:17-19 What was in the heart/desire of David?
How did God view David’s heart/desire (vs. 18)?
What is in your heart/desire to do for the Lord,
and why?
1 Ki. 8:61 What
does Solomon tell the people of
Is
your heart (your entire being) wholly
devoted to the Lord as demonstrated by your obedience to His commands, and why?
Have you ever admonished anyone to do this? If
so, when, and why?
1 Ki. 8:66 Why
were the people of
Is
your heart (feelings) glad when God
blesses other godly people, or are you jealous of them, and why?
1 Ki. 11:1-4 Why did God tell Solomon not to associate with foreign
women?
Why is it important
to not closely associate (if at all)
with people (whether Christians or not)
of the opposite sex who are good looking, but are living in sin, carnal,
worldly, or out of fellowship with God?
And why is it
important to not pursue a relationship with non-Christians or Christians of the
opposite sex who have wrong priorities, values, goals, objectives, or purpose
in life (those contrary to the Bible –
those excluding biblical evangelism, building up spiritually and training
Christians, and living holy lives themselves)?
Will you heed this
warning? Why?
1 Ki. 11:9, 10 Why
was the Lord angry with Solomon?
Has the Lord ever been angry with you because your heart/inner being (the real you) turned away from Him to
go after selfish desires and self-centered goals? If so, why did you let this happen?
How can you prevent
this from happening again, or for the first time?
1 Ki.
Have you ever devised
evil or wrong things in your heart/mind, for selfish reasons, in order to keep
others from doing what is right and trying to drag them down to your level of
sinful living, and why?
1 Ki. 15:3 What
does this say about King Abijam’s heart (inner being/self)?
Are you just partially devoted to God, doing just those things which
are convenient and comfortable for you or that fits in with your schedule or
goals, and why?
If so, what do you
plan to do to be wholly devoted to the Lord and His Word, and when will you
start?
1 Ki.
What are you doing to insure that your heart is wholly devoted to God
all of your days, and not just when you are an idealistic, young person?
Will materialism,
career, money, settling down in marriage, raising a family, or anything else
detract your heart (i.e., you) from
being wholly devoted to the Lord and His mission for your life (i.e., witnessing and building up believers),
and why?
2 Ki.
Does carefulness imply determination and
watchfulness as an act of your will?
How do you demonstrate carefulness to do so with
all your heart?
2 Ki. 14:1, 3, 10 What did military victory do to
this good king’s heart (mind)?
Though you may be a spiritual or good Christian now, what steps do you
plan on taking now to avoid having a proud heart over any successes that God
may grant you?
2 Ki.
Is your heart/inner being that tender (sensitive) to sin both in your own life
as well as in those around you, so that you weep because of it and deal with it
(by turning from sin)? Why?
1 Chron.
When
you support/help someone that you believe is in the right, do you support him
totally and loyally, and why?
1 Chron
If you have ever
helped place a spiritual person in a leadership position, did you do so with a
perfect heart (having no ulterior motives
or separate interests, but simply because you believed the person qualified to
be in that position)?
1 Chron.
Is
your heart set on worshipping God by showing honor and allegiance to Him in
obedience and praising Him, and why?
If so, how are you doing this specifically, or
how could you be?
1 Chron. 28:9 What did David tell his son
Solomon to do, and why?
Did
your father ever give you advice like this? Has
anyone?
Have
you ever given another Christian this counsel? Why?
Are
you serving God wholly (with entire
determination/singleness of purpose) or just partially (with divided allegiance), and why?
1 Chron. 29:17 What does David
say that God does to our heart/inner being (i.e.,
the real you)?
Has God
tried (tested) your heart recently to
see whether or not He is your first love and priority?
If so, how did He do
that (for example, was it giving you a
choice: between Him and an appealing job
that would interfere with your service to Him; or between Him and a
relationship with someone that would hinder your obedience to His Word; or
between Him and an opportunity for comfort and ease apart from doing His
perfect will)?
2 Chron.
Do you think that this could be one of the major
reasons why you do evil when you sin?
How
does one go about setting their heart/mind/purpose to seek (pursue an intimate relationship with) the Lord?
Is
this what you’re doing, and why?
2 Chron. 16:9 Whom
does God strongly support?
Is your heart/inner
being completely His, or is it divided among other desires and interests (i.e., sports, pleasures, politics, hobbies,
home, cars, grades and education, lust, computers, money, etc.), and why?
What do you need to
start doing right now to give Him your complete heart (love, obedience, and loyalty)?
Will you, and why?
2 Chron. 25:2 What does it say about King
Amaziah?
Have you ever read
your Bible, prayed, shared your faith with someone, and/or built up Christians
spiritually, but did so reluctantly or with wrong motives rather than because
of your whole-hearted love for God?
If
so, how can you prevent this from happening again?
2 Chron. 26:16 What was the result of king Uzziah’s becoming militarily strong?
Have your good looks,
intelligence, popularity, possessions, job, grades, money, etc. made your heart/mind
proud so that you made foolish decisions and became unfaithful to God?
How can you avoid
this from happening?
2 Chron. 32:24-26 Why didn’t king Hezekiah give a return (of thanks) for the benefit he received from the Lord?
What
was the result of Hezekiah’s pride?
Does
this give you an incentive to never let your heart get proud? How did Hezekiah stop God’s wrath (vs. 26)?
If you ever realize
that you are proud of heart (maybe you
haven’t given the Lord a return, a thank You, for a benefit you’ve received
from Him), will you humble yourself and do what you know is right?
2 Chron. 32:31 Why did God
leave king Hezekiah alone (safe from his enemies)?
Has God ever left you
alone (free from enemies, troubles, or
trials) for awhile in your Christian life, to test you in order to see what
was in your heart/mind (whether you’d get
proud because you feel that your time of peace or prosperity is somehow due to
you)?
If so, what did you
discover about your heart/thinking?
2 Chron. 36:11-13 Besides stiffening his neck, what else did King Zedekiah do
against the Lord?
Have you ever
hardened your heart/will against turning to the Lord and not humbled yourself
before a Jeremiah (a spiritual leader or
trainer) who spoke for the Lord (so
to speak) in confronting your sin as he spoke from what the Bible teaches?
If so, what should
you do about it, and why?
Ezra 7:9, 10 Why was
the good hand of God upon Ezra?
Is your heart/mind
“set” on studying, practicing, and teaching God’s Word, the Bible?
Or, is your heart (set) on graduating
from college so you can get a job to make lots of money, so you can get
married, raise a family, and then retire comfortably, and why?
[Though there is nothing wrong with these things in
and of themselves, they become wrong if placed above loving and obeying God and
His purpose for your life in evangelizing and helping to build up Christians
spiritually, Matt. 28:19, 20; 1 Thes. 5:11.].
Job 31:7-11 Job asks to be judged if what was true,
vs. 7?
Do you allow your
heart/desires to follow your eyes (lusts,
covetousness, desires for selfish gratifications), or does your heart
follow the Word of God and what you know to be God’s will for your life, and why?
Psa. 4:4, 5 What
does David say that we should do upon our bed in addition to being still?
Do you ever take time to be still and meditate on (think about) God, your life, and how you can love, obey, and trust
Him more fully? If so, how often, and why?
If you have not, when
will you start, and why?
Psa. 9:1 What does David say that he will
give to the Lord with all his heart/being?
When you give thanks to God, do you do it with all your heart/being or
just mechanically mouth the words?
How can you insure that your thanks will be sincere and genuine with
each occasion that you give it?
Psa. 11:2 What
does it say that the wicked do to the upright in heart (character)?
Knowing this, does
this demotivate you from becoming upright (morally
honest)? Why?
Psa. 12:1, 2 How does the
treacherous speak falsehood to one another?
Have you ever been a
two-timer, saying one thing to someone (i.e.,
making promises or giving compliments) and yet doing or thinking another
thing (being deceptive, a liar, or
fickled)? Why?
Has anyone ever done
this to you? How did that make you feel?
Psa. 14:1 Who
has said in his heart/mind, that there is no God?
Have you ever thought this in your heart/mind when things didn’t turn
out or go for you the way you wanted them to, or when God didn’t answer your
prayers the way you wanted?
Psa. 16:8, 9 Why is David’s heart glad?
Is your heart glad
when you continually set the Lord before yourself (to do His will; keep His commandments) and realize that He’s
right beside you, as His child?
Psa. 19:8 What
rejoices the heart according to David?
Do God’s commandments motivate you to rejoice, or do you view God’s precepts
as a burden and move you to depression and guilt, and why?
Psa.
Have you ever prayed this?
Do you think that the
meditations of your heart/mind would be acceptable to God, or are your
meditations (thoughts and day-dreams)
filled with lust, jealousy, pride, and covetousness?
How can you change
what you meditate upon, and will you?
Psa. 25:16, 17 What does
David say has enlarged?
Have you ever prayed anything like this for similar reasons, and why?
Psa. 26:1, 2 What
did David ask God to do (vs. 2)?
Have you ever asked God to test your mind and heart/feelings to see if
they were properly God-centered, and why?
Psa. 27:1-3 What would David’s heart/emotions do even if surrounded by
enemies?
Why (vs. 1)?
What would your heart/emotions do in a similar situation, and why?
Psa. 27:8 When God told David to seek Him,
what did David’s heart (he himself)
say to God?
When God tells you to
do something, like go “make disciples (converts)
of all the nations”, what does your heart (you
yourself) say?
Psa. 28:7 Whom
does David’s heart (he himself) trust
in?
Because David is helped, what does his heart do?
What or whom does your heart (you
yourself) trust in, and why?
Psa. 31:23, 24 What are we
(godly people) told to let our
heart/inner being do?
When circumstances are not going the way you’d like, what do you let
your heart do, and why?
Psa. 37:4 What
does it say that God will do if we delight in the Lord?
Have you experienced God giving you the desires of your heart (inner being)? If so, what?
Psa. 44:20, 21 What does God know?
Do you ever dwell on
the lusts of your heart/mind or evil schemes, thinking that no one will ever
find out or know what you’re thinking? How
will remembering this passage change your thinking, and why?
Psa. 51:10 What
did David ask God to do after he confessed his sin?
Is having a clean (pure) heart/life your desire after you
have realized that you have sinned, or do you deep down really want to commit
that same sin again, and why?
Psa. 51:16, 17 What does God prefer over animal
sacrifices to Him?
After you sin, do you
try to buy God off by either doing things for Him or giving Him things, or do
you have a humble and repentant heart/attitude over your sin, and why?
Psa. 61:1, 2 What
does David do when his heart/courage is faint?
What do you do when your heart is faint?
Do you give up or give in to the pressures? Get bitter
toward God and/or people?
Or, do you pray, and why?
Psa. 62:8-10 Whether things are or aren’t going well for you, what should
you do (vs. 8)?
Is this what you do
or are doing, and why?
What shouldn’t we set
our heart/thoughts and feelings upon for safety, security, or well-being (vs. 10)?
What are you setting
your heart upon for your well-being in life, and why?
Psa. 66:18 When
does the Psalmist say that the Lord will not hear his prayers?
Do you think that the Lord will hear your prayers if you regard/cherish
sin in your heart/life, and why?
If you know there is
sin in your life, will you continue to rationalize it, cherish it, or confess
it, and repent of it, and why?
Psa. 69:3, 4, 20 What has
reproach done to David’s heart?
Has your heart (emotions)
ever been broken? If so, what did you do, and why?
Psa. 73:13 What
does the Psalmist think that he has done in vain?
Why does he feel this way (vss.
3, 14)?
Have you ever felt
that you have kept your heart/life pure in vain as you’ve viewed the seeming
fun and prosperity of the wicked as opposed to the pressures of living a godly
Christian life?
How does the Psalmist
finally deal with his original feelings (vss.
16-20, 25, 26)?
Have you come to
grips, with an eternal perspective, that the wicked will perish while the godly
will be in heaven with God?
If not, do you think
that having such an eternal perspective will change your thinking about the
seeming vanity of keeping your heart pure, and why?
Psa. 73:21, 22 When was the Psalmist senseless and
ignorant and like a beast?
Have you ever acted
senseless and ignorant and like a beast because you had bitterness in your
heart/mind?
What did you do about
your bitterness, and why?
Psa. 78:17, 18 How did the
Israelites put God to the test in their hearts/thinking?
Have you ever put God
to the test in your heart by asking for selfish desires (e.g., for lots of money, a non-godly mate; material possessions for yourself,
etc.)?
What does God
sometimes do with our selfish desires (vs.
29)?
But how does God
really feel about our selfish desires (vs.
31)?
What do we sometimes
do when God disciplines us (vs. 34)?
But what do we sometimes do after a short time (vs. 36), and why (vs. 37)?
How steadfast,
consistent, genuine, and faithful is your heart/will in sticking with promises
you make, and why?
Psa. 81:11-13 What did
God do to
Has God ever given
you over to the stubbornness of your heart/mind because you wouldn’t listen to
Him? If so, what happened?
How can you prevent
this from happening in the future, or get out of the mess you’re now in, if you
are living in disobedience now?
Psa. 90:12 Why
did the Psalmist ask God to teach him to number his days?
Why do you think that
the Psalmist’s awareness of the shortness of his life would affect how he would
present his heart/life to God?
How are you
presenting your heart/life to God, and why?
Psa. 95:10 What
does God say about the hearts/lives of the Israelites?
Would God say this about your heart/life at the present time, and why?
Psa. 101:3-5 What did
David say shall depart from him?
Do you agree with David, that you don’t want a
perverse (obstinate/stubborn) heart/attitude,
and why?
What are you doing to
insure that you don’t have a perverse heart?
Who won’t the
Psalmist endure?
Do you condone,
tolerate or ignore people who have arrogant hearts/attitudes? Why?
Psa.
107:11-13 How did God humble the hearts/lives/attitudes of the Israelites?
What did they do before the Lord saved them out of their distresses?
Has God ever humbled your heart/attitude with labor or with having you
do something that you did not like?
At what point did the Lord deliver you from your distress?
Psa. 119:2 Who is blessed (happy)?
Are you blessed (happy)? If
not, could it be because you’re not seeking Him with all your heart/whole being?
Psa. 119:34 Why did
the Psalmist pray for understanding?
Have you ever prayed for understanding for this reason?
Is your obedience to God (keeping
His laws) done with all your heart/whole being?
Psa. 119:36 For
what does the Psalmist ask God?
Have you ever asked God to direct your desire/heart to the keeping of
His commandments?
Psa. 119:80 Why
does the Psalmist desire a blameless heart/life?
Do you desire a blameless heart, and why?
Psa. 141:4 For
what does David ask God?
Have you ever asked God to not direct your desire/heart to any evil thing so as
to commit sin, and why?
Psa. 143:3, 4 What was
David’s heart/mind like because his enemies persecuted him?
Has your heart ever been appalled (discouraged
within you), and why?
What did you do to deal with your heart condition, and why?
What did David do (vs. 7)?
Prov. 2:2, 5 What
does Solomon tell his son to incline his heart/desire to, and why?
Is your heart/desire bent on understanding (seeking to be understanding of life,
people, God, etc.), and why?
Prov. 3:3 What
are we to write on the tablet of our heart/mind?
What does this mean?
How would a person go about doing this?
Why do you think these two qualities are important?
Prov. 3:5 What
are we to do with all our heart/being?
Are you doing this? In
what areas/situations of your life, and why?
In what areas aren’t you, and why?
Prov.
How can you specifically watch over (guard) your heart/mind, so that right
actions (springs of life) flow from
it?
Prov. 5:11-13 How did
the guy who later fell into adultery/fornication feel about being reproved by
his teachers (vs. 12)?
Does your heart (i.e., do you) hate and spurn the
instruction and reproof of your spiritual leader? Why?
Prov.
Does your heart/mind ever devise wicked plans toward those whom you’re
jealous of, or those who have wronged you in some way? Why?
Prov. 6:23-26 What shouldn’t guys desire in their
heart/mind, and why (vs. 26)?
[“a loaf of bread” – means “go broke”].
Do you
want to go broke by wasting your money on this sin as well as suffer other
consequences, and why?
If not, what do you plan to do about it?
Prov.
And what does that sometimes result in for a naïve guy (vss. 22, 23, 26)?
Are you wise enough to avoid the craftiness of immoral women? If so, how?
[Guys shouldn’t allow their heart/mind to turn aside
to the harlot’s ways (fantasizing immorally) because they’ll be cast down and
slain, vss. 25, 26.].
Prov. 10:8 What
will the wise of heart/mind receive (i.e.,
gladly accept)?
What does that mean to you?
Do you gladly accept the commands given to you by both God and your
spiritual leader, so that you’d be considered wise?
Prov.
What can make it glad?
When you see people who have anxiety of heart, do you try to give them
a good word to cheer them up, and why?
Prov.
Has your heart ever been sick for this reason? If so, what specific hope was
deferred?
How did you deal with
your heart sickness/depression/discouragement?
Prov.
Have you ever pretended to be happy when on the inside you were in
pain/hurting? If so, why did
you?
Prov.
Have you ever fallen away from God in order to “do your own thing”,
only to discover that in time it really didn’t satisfy you? If so, what did you do
about it at that point or thereafter?
Prov.
What happens when the heart/feeling is sad?
How often is your heart joyful, and how often is it sad, generally?
What makes your heart to be in each of these conditions (e.g., circumstances; what you dwell on; etc.)?
Prov.
Do you think before you speak, or just babble whatever impulses you
have, and why?
What are the benefits of thinking before speaking?
Prov. 16:5 Who
is an abomination to the Lord?
What are you doing to prevent yourself from being an
abomination to God?
And what happens before destruction (
How much do you fear destruction/ruin for this reason?
Prov. 17:3 What does it say that the Lord does?
How do you feel about
the Lord testing your heart/attitudes, and why?
What do you think He would discover about your heart/attitudes (e.g., that you’re genuinely committed to
Him; supremely love Him; give up anything or anybody to follow and serve Him; or,
that you’re just playing games and are not sincerely serving Him)?
Prov. 21:2 Though
every man’s way is right in his own eyes, what does the Lord do?
Do you think that God is only concerned about your outward actions and
not your motives?
Do you only view your choices and actions and always think that they
are right?
What could you do to be more aware that your motives, not just your
actions, are very important to God?
Prov.
And what will remove it far from him?
Was this true of your childhood?
Prov. 23:6,
7 Though
selfish people may tell you to help yourself with their food, what is true of
their heart/true feelings or thinking?
If that’s the case,
what shouldn’t we do?
When you’re confronted
with this situation, what will you do, and why?
Prov.
Are you delighting and giving (applying)
your heart/mind to discipline (instruction)? If so, how?
Prov.
Do you ever envy the possessions, wealth, power, prestige, or immoral
relationships of sinners, and why?
Prov. 24:17, 18 What
shouldn’t we let our heart/emotions be glad about, and why?
Have you ever been
glad (gloating) about your enemies
ever stumbling (having problems or
failures), and why?
Prov. 25:20 What
is a person like who sings songs to a troubled heart/mind/life?
Are you sensitive to the troubled hearts of people, so as to not joke
or make light of serious or sorrowful situations?
If not, how can you learn to be?
Prov. 26:24, 25 Who
shouldn’t we believe when he speaks graciously, and why?
How gullible are you to the gracious sounding words of
hateful people?
Prov. 28:14 What
will happen to the person who hardens his heart/mind (is unteachable)?
What steps are you taking so that you don’t fall into disaster because
of being unteachable to biblical advice or teaching?
Prov. 28:26 Who is
a fool?
Why would this be the case?
Would Jeremiah 17:9 and Titus 3:3 shed some light as to why? If so, what light?
Eccles. 7:9 For what shouldn’t we be eager in
our heart/emotions, and why?
Are you eager in your heart to be this way, and why?
Eccles.
Do you have to
discover this by personal experience before you’ll be careful to watch out for
this? Why?
Eccles. 11:9 What
does Solomon sarcastically tell young men to follow?
What will this result
in, however, if the young man does this?
Are you following the
impulses of your heart/emotions and the desires of your eyes (i.e., sexual lusts and fleshly romances;
greed for wealth or materialism; power or position; etc.) rather than
waiting upon God to provide for you what He thinks you need and when He thinks
you need it? Why?
Jer.
As a Christian, have
you ever lived this way and gone backward in your Christian life rather than
forward, and why?
What were you
stubbornly resisting God about (e.g., who
or when to marry; what to do after college – secular career or full-time
Christian work; the priority of building up believers spiritually and
evangelism over personal desires, goals, and ambitions; giving up some sport,
hobby, activity, or relationship in order to have the time to be spiritually trained
and to train others…)?
Knowing this, what
changes do you plan to make in your life, and how soon?
Jer.
When was the last
time God tested your feelings and heart/attitude toward Him?
How did He do this,
and what happened?
Jer. 17:5 Who
is cursed?
What would it take to
turn your heart/inner being from the Lord (e.g.,
a disappointment of unanswered prayer; a romance with a person who doesn’t want
God and His mission of building up Christians spiritually and evangelizing the
lost being first in your life; a job that consumes all of your time and energy,
so that you’re too tired to spend time with God in Bible reading, prayer, and
evangelism; a career that causes you to compromise your integrity and biblical
morals; an incurable, long-term illness), and why?
Jer.
Why?
When God does this to you, what do you think that He will find, and why?
Ezek. 28:5 What
did increased riches do to the king of
How can you prevent riches from lifting up (bringing pride) to your heart?
Matt. 5:8 Who
is blessed (happy)?
Are you one whose heart (inner
character/being/thoughts/motives) is pure?
If not, what do you need to do to be sincere, honest, and correct in
your heart?
Matt.
Did you ever think
that just because you never committed the outward/physical act of adultery or
premarital sex, that you never committed either sin? Have you discovered
by now that in God’s view to think something in your heart/mind is as though
you did it outwardly? How
will this affect your motives, thoughts, attitudes, and feelings in the future?
Matt. 6:19-21 Where will
a person’s heart/mind be?
Why do you think that this is so?
Where is your treasure (what’s
very valuable or important to you), why, and is this what God thinks it
should be?
Matt.
What fills (consumes/occupies)
your heart/thinking?
Is this what you most often talk about, and why?
Matt. 15:18, 19 From
where do evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false
witness, and slander come?
Have you ever thought that your heart/human nature
contained these things, and why?
Matt. 18:34, 35 How are we to
forgive Christians who offend or owe us something?
Do you forgive from your inner being those who offend or owe you
something, and why?
Matt. 19:8 Why
did Moses permit the Jews to divorce their wives?
Was it God’s original intention that anybody should divorce for any
reason at all?
When people’s hearts/minds are hardened (calloused toward God), what don’t they care about?
Mk. 3:5 What
was Jesus’ reaction to the hardened hearts/thinking/feelings of the Jewish
religious leaders?
Have you ever been
grieved over the hardened heart of another Christian because that Christian
wanted to go his own way and do his own thing, rather than God’s?
Has anyone ever been
grieved (that you know of) over the
hardness of your heart?
How did you respond
to their grief, and why?
Mk. 6:51, 52 Why
didn’t Jesus’ disciples gain any insight from the incident of the loaves (Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000)?
What can you do to
prevent your heart/mind from being hardened/closed, so that you can gain
insight into the things that God wants to teach you?
Will you be making a
conscious effort to prevent the hardening of your heart?
Mk. 7:6 What can and has been true of some
people who honor God verbally?
Have you ever shared your testimony, evangelized, given a speech, or in
any other way verbally honored God, but you did so mechanically rather than
genuinely, because your heart/inner being was far away from God?
If so, did you realize that your heart/inner being was far away from
God at the time?
If so, what did you do about it, or what should you have done about it?
Lk.
How do you think that the devil takes away the
word/gospel from their minds (e.g., 2
Cor. 4:4)?
Lk. 18:1 Why was Jesus telling His
disciples a parable here?
When persecution or
opposition for your Christian faith and lifestyle comes your way, do you lose
heart/motivation (get depressed and
discouraged), or do you pray and share your feelings and thoughts with God
in order to gain a new perspective and strength, and why?
Lk.
Is your heart/mind
weighed down with the worries of life (e.g.,
career, finances, marriage, popularity, possessions, graduating college, etc.)? If so, how can you prevent your heart from being
weighed down with these things?
Lk. 24:25 What
did Jesus say to His disciples after His resurrection, other than that they
were foolish?
How quick are you to
believe what the Bible says?
For example, how quick
are you to believe the Bible’s teaching that God’s will/purpose for your life
is to evangelize the spiritually lost and build up believers spiritually and
that this should be a higher priority in your life than your career, schooling,
wife, husband, children, parents, self, etc. (Lk. 18:28, 30), and why?
Lk. 24:38 What
question does Jesus ask His followers during one of His resurrection
appearances?
Do doubts ever arise
in your heart/mind as to things that (Jesus
or God through) the Bible says to you (e.g.,
His will for your life, His promises, etc.), and why?
Jn. 13:2 What did the devil put into the
heart/mind/will of Judas?
Have you ever known
of a disciple (follower) of some
Christian leader today who betrayed (turned
on to do harm to) his/her spiritual leader? Do
you think that demonic influences were involved in this betrayal, and why?
Jn. 14:1 Why weren’t Jesus’ disciples to
let their hearts/minds be troubled?
As a Christian, when
circumstances look bad for you here in this life, why don’t you have to let
your heart be troubled?
How does knowing
God’s Word (His promises, as in Rom.
Acts
And what did they say?
How do you respond to
God’s Word (either upon reading it or
hearing it taught by someone) when it points out sin, disobedience, or
error in your life, and why?
Acts
Are you of one purpose and mind with the Christians who you fellowship
regarding all that the Bible teaches, and why?
Acts 5:3 Who had filled (controlled) Ananias’ heart/will to lie
to the Holy Spirit?
Were you aware that
Satan could control the hearts/wills of apparent Christians to sin?
Has your heart ever
been controlled by demonic forces to do wrong, that you know of? If so, how did you know?
Acts
Have you ever initially been obedient to God in action, but later
turned back in your heart/mind to do what you once were doing because of
selfish desires? Why?
Acts 8:18-22 What does
Peter tell Simon the magician (vs. 9)
because he thought that he could buy the gift of God?
Have you ever wanted
spiritual powers or a leadership position because of pride?
If so, did you realize
that your motive/heart was wrong?
Did someone point
this out to you, or did you discover this on your own?
In either case, what
did you do about it, and why?
Acts
Have you ever
encouraged another Christian to remain true to the Lord and to do so with a
resolute (determined/faithful) heart?
Why?
Or, has anyone ever
done so to you? If so, how
did you feel about him/her?
Acts 15:8, 9 How did
God not make a distinction between Jews and Gentiles who believed in Christ as
personal Savior?
How has or is your
heart/inner being cleansed of its sin, and why?
Acts 21:10-13 How did
Paul respond to the local residents begging him not to go up to
Has anyone ever broken your heart/feelings? If so, how did
you cope with it?
Rom.
Do you know anyone like this? If so, how do you feel about their attitude?
Rom.
From where did you derive your concept of God (e.g., books, school, religious people,
church, or the Bible)?
How does your concept of God affect the way you live?
Rom.
From where (what source) does your obedience to God
and the Bible stem, and why?
Is there anything or
anybody over which/who you have unceasing grief in your heart/feelings? Why?
Rom.
Have you ever
wondered why primitive peoples who’ve never heard of the Bible or the 10
Commandments have regarded murder, stealing, etc. as wrong? Has this passage helped to explain why?
Rom. 10:9, 10 When shall
a person be saved, and why?
When or how were you
saved?
How often do you
confess with your mouth, Jesus as Lord?
Rom.
Has your heart/mind
ever been deceived by so-called Christians who flatter you into thinking that
NT, Christ-styled evangelism and building up believers spiritually and training
them is not for today?
If so, how did you come out of this deception?
What should be our
relationship to those who deceive, and why?
1 Cor. 4:4, 5 What
will the Lord do when He comes?
What do you think the Lord will expose as to your motives for all the
various things you have done for God and people?
Were your motives
self-centered (e.g., to get a pat on the
back and recognition from people, or to get a good feeling from helping someone
out), or to glorify God?
2 Cor. 2:4 How did Paul write to the
Christians in
Why did he write to them such a rebuking letter?
Have you ever written to someone out of much anguish
of heart/emotions? Why?
2 Cor. 4:15,
16 Even
though Paul and his helpers were getting worn down physically because of
persecution and rough living conditions (“outer
man is decaying”) and because God’s grace was spreading to more people to
God’s glory, what was true of Paul and his companions?
Do you lose
heart/motivation (enthusiasm and strong
desire) for the Christian life, when persecution, opposition, and
criticism come your way because you’re trying to obey and serve God in the best
way that you know how? Why?
How do you deal with
these feelings?
2 Cor. 9:6, 7 How were each of these Christians to do
their giving (donating money to help out
other Christians in need)?
When you give money to help support Christians in need, how do you
give, or how do you determine the amount that you give, or what’s your attitude
in giving? Why?
2 Cor.
Are you appreciative
that God gave you the Holy Spirit as a pledge that He’ll follow through on
giving you eternal life in heaven?
Why?
Gal. 6:9 What shouldn’t we lose heart/motivation in, and why?
Do you ever lose
heart in doing good, especially when what you do is either unnoticed,
unappreciated, or even criticized, and why?
How do you keep from
quitting or losing heart, especially in these kinds of situations?
Eph. 1:18, 19 For what
did Paul pray for these Ephesian Christians?
Why?
Are the eyes of your heart/mind enlightened? How do you know?
Have you ever prayed that the eyes of the hearts of
Christians you know would be opened? Why?
Eph.
Have you ever lost
heart (been discouraged, given up, been
depressed) at the trials or hard times that Christian friends of yours have
had?
What was the outcome,
or how did you finally respond to the situation, and why?
Eph. 4:17-19 Why were
the Gentiles living in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their
understanding, excluded from the life of God?
When a Christian has
a hardened heart/mind (Mk.
Have you ever made
some foolish decisions and lived in the futility (uselessness and vanity) of your mind, being darkened in your
understanding of God’s will for you, because you had a hardened heart?
What eventually
happened, or are you still living in that condition?
Eph. 6:21, 22 Why did
Paul send Tychicus to the Christians at
Have you ever comforted
another Christians’ heart/emotions when they were experiencing stress, discouragement,
or disappointment? How?
Eph. 5:17-19 What are
we to do with our heart/mind to the Lord?
Do you ever sing in your mind to God, and why?
If not, what will it take for you to start doing so?
Eph. 6:5, 6 How
were slaves to obey their masters?
How do you obey those whom are in authority over you, and why?
Phil. 1:6, 7 Why
did Paul feel that it was right to have confidence in God’s perfecting a good
work in these Christians?
Do you think the best
of certain people because you have them in your heart (thoughts of a warm, positive, and good attitude toward them)?
If so, why would you
have certain people in your heart?
Phil. 4:6, 7 What
will guard our hearts/emotions and minds in Christ Jesus when we’re tempted to
worry about circumstances?
What do we need to do for this to be true, however?
Are you doing this? Why?
Col. 3:12 What
kind of heart (attitude or disposition)
are we to put on (choose to have as an
act of our will)?
Have you chosen to have this kind of heart? If
so, why, and when?
Col. 3:15 What
are we to let rule in our hearts/inner being?
How?
Are you doing this? Why?
1 Tim. 1:5 What
was the goal of Paul’s instruction?
What is the goal of your instruction of others, and why?
If it’s not for them to love God and others from a
pure heart/motivation (purified of all
corrupt affections), why not?
2 Tim.
Are you pursuing these qualities? If so, are you doing it alone or
with someone else?
If with someone else, does that person have a pure (unmixed, single-minded, loyal) heart/motivation?
Why would this be important to do?
2 Thes.
Why would Paul pray
for something like this?
Have you ever prayed
this for anyone? Why?
2 Thes. 3:5 What
else does Paul desire/pray for regarding the hearts/inner being/lives of these
Christians?
Why would Paul pray for this for them?
Have you ever prayed
this for someone? Why?
Philemon
How was Philemon to do this for Paul (vss. 15-18)?
What are some ways you can refresh people’s hearts/inner being/lives in
Christ?
Have you refreshed
anyone’s heart in Christ lately? How?
Philemon 1:7 What did Philemon do to the hearts/lives
of the saints?
Could people say this about you? Why?
If not, when will you
start?
Heb.
Have you ever fallen away from God or been on the brink of falling away
from God because of an evil, unbelieving heart/mind?
[Maybe you felt that God let you down by
not answering your prayers, or letting a close friendship break apart, or not
coming through on one of His promises (i.e., Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 10:13; Matt.
6:33; etc.).].
What are we
Christians to do to try and prevent this from happening, and how often (vs. 13)?
Why should we do this (vs. 13)?
Are you daily encouraging
other Christians to trust God and His Word? If
so, how?
If not, what will you
do to start being obedient in this area of encouraging?
If you’ve ever been
on the brink of falling away from God because of an evil, unbelieving heart,
what can or should you do to prevent actually falling? Why?
[If the Christian life or God’s promises don’t seem to
work for you, just remember that it does work, but something on your part isn’t
right (i.e., expectations; concept of God; or disobedience on your part). Ask a
godly Christian to help you out!!!].
Heb.
[God’s Word probes the deepest recesses
of the heart/mind and provides spiritual light for those who will accept its
truth. If allowed to do its probing work, the Word leaves nothing hidden. It
will reveal completely what man is – totally depraved apart from God’s
influence.].
When you read the
Bible conscientiously, does it often convict you of sin in your life (i.e., wrong motives, attitudes, actions,
words, etc.)?
What do you do when
you’re convicted of sin in your life, and why?
Heb.
10:19-22 Because we’ve been forgiven of all of our sins
because of Jesus’ death on our behalf, how are we to draw near to God?
Are you drawing near to God with a sincere heart/inner being; or, are
you playing games with God, being insincere in your Christian life; or, are you
going through the motions of a Christian but being insincere because your heart/inner
being is away from God?
Why?
If you answered “yes”
to the 2nd or 3rd question in the above series of
questions, what do you plan to do about it?
When, and why?
Heb. 12:2, 3 Why are
we to consider the hostility that Jesus endured from sinful people?
The next time you
experience persecution, opposition, or criticism from people (i.e., non-Christians or worldly, carnal,
disobedient Christians) for your obedience to God, will you reflect upon
just how much Jesus suffered and died for you?
How will reflecting
on this help you to keep on living an obedient life?
Heb. 13:9 It’s
good for the heart (spiritual life of a
person) to be strengthened by grace (the
spiritual worship of God), and not by what?
Have you ever thought
that the mere performance of external ritual, rites, and/or religious rules
would strengthen your spiritual life?
Why?
How does God insist
that we worship Him (Jn.
Heb. 3:7, 8, 15; 4:7 What
is said over and over again that the Jews weren’t to do?
Why do you think that this is stressed so much?
How does this apply to you?
Jas.
Have you ever been
made aware, by anyone, that you were deceiving your own heart, because while
thinking that you were spiritual, you were actually committing sin of some
sort?
If so, what did you
do when they made you aware of your deceived heart, and why?
Jas. 3:14, 15 What shouldn’t those who have bitter
jealousy and selfish ambition in their heart/mind/inner being do?
Have you ever gotten proud and rejected God’s Word or certain commands
in the Bible, such as to do evangelism and build up other believers spiritually
(“lie against the truth”) because of
bitter jealousy in your heart toward those who are doing aggressive/initiative
evangelism and spiritually teaching and training other Christians?
Or, have you ever
been tempted to pursue your own selfish ambitions, such as: getting a normal,
regular, secular job and just comfortably settling down and maybe helping out
in a church when it’s convenient rather than building and training believers
and evangelizing the way the NT Christians did (and so “lie against the truth” by rationalizing this compromise of
yours)?
What can you do to
keep from being bitterly jealous or having selfish ambitions?
1 Pet.
Are you fervently (intensely) loving the Christians that
you mingle with, and are you doing so from your heart/inner being (sincerity and genuineness)? Why?
If not, how can and
should you start doing so, and when will you?
Will your obedience
to this be short-lived or on-going?
How can you insure
that it will be on-going?
1 Pet. 3:14,
15 Instead
of fearing people’s intimidation for doing what’s right and being troubled,
what should we do?
When things are going
rough for you because of your righteousness, do you want to take charge of your
life and do things your way, or do you sanctify (set/make) Christ as Lord, Master, and Controller of your
heart/life, and why?
1 Pet. 3:3, 4 With
what imperishable quality are women to adorn the hidden person of their
heart/lives?
Women, is your adornment precious in the sight of God?
Men, are you being attracted to and appreciating the right kind of
adornment in Christian women – the hidden person of their hearts of a gentle
and quiet spirit rather than to mere externals, like jewelry or clothing?
How can you encourage
Christian women to adorn themselves in this way?