Keeping a Quiet Heart in Disquieting Times

Transcription

1 Keeping a Quiet Heart in Disquieting Times I. Your Top Priority II. Your time in the Word III. Your Trials IV. Your Trust V. Your Talk VI. Your Territory VII. Your Testimony Today more than ever a woman is challenged with keeping her heart and habits aligned with God's Word so she can remain grounded in faith and be a sound example to others. The purpose of this study is to encourage and help women pursue a quiet spirit and proper focus, especially during unsettling circumstances. The expected benefit from participating in this study is to develop Godly patterns of thinking and behavior that will help you to maintain a quiet spirit and positive influence on family, church family and community. Like the ripples of one small pebble tossed in a pond, one quiet spirit can have a far-reaching effect. This study is designed for individual or small group use. The study is divided into seven lessons. Each lesson begins with studying the scripture and answering several questions. An On your Own section at the end of each lesson gives suggestions for application of the lesson throughout the week. Memory Verse: Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Pro 4:23 1

2 I. Your Top Priority A. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Mat 11:29 B. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Pro 4:23 diligence - with haste; earnestness in accomplishing or striving after anything C. Let your adorning be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 1Pe 3:4 1. Definition of a meek and quiet spirit. a. mildness of disposition (not needing to get your own way) b. gentleness of spirit c. tranquility that comes from within 2. A meek and quiet spirit is imperishable. a. will not decay like physical beauty b. is not dependent on outside conditions c. has eternal value--it goes beyond this life 3. God sees a meek and quiet spirit as a very costly jewel. D. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts; Col 3:15 rule - to be an umpire, to decide, determine, to direct, control 1. Jesus is meek and lowly in heart, and desires that for your heart, too. It is helpful to understand what meekness looks like, and the importance of being meek. Using a concordance, look up a number of verses in the Bible about meekness and being meek. Record what you learned and how it can be applied to your life. 2

3 2. Are you looking to Jesus Christ to find rest and quietness in your heart? Where are other places one might look for relief from the stresses of life? 3. What are you earnestly striving to accomplish? What fills your schedule? 4. Busyness is one thing that can rob you of a meek and quiet spirit. What are other things that affect your spirit? How is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart concerning areas that need pruned in your life? 5. What is currently ruling in your heart? Practice letting the peace of God control and direct your thoughts. On Your Own A. When you are feeling pressured from the stresses of life, slide your shoulders right into Jesus' yoke and let Him give you the rest for your soul that you are longing for. B. With the Lord looking over your shoulder, prayerfully review the past several months of your calendar. Ask Him to reveal to you what He sees you diligently striving to accomplish. Ask the Lord to expose one area of your heart that needs attention. 3

4 C. Be especially aware of your interactions with others. What is your response when your will is crossed? Is this response honoring to Christ? If not, confess your failings, seek forgiveness, and look to Jesus to create a new heart in you. Reflect on the importance of how you present yourself physically to others. Place a reminder note on your mirror to check if your inner self is also properly adorned. D. Give yourself permission to disregard disquieting thoughts. Write out four or five Bible verses to review when you need to replace disquieting thoughts with the peace of God. 4

5 II. Your Time in the Word A. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. Col 3:16 B.,, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful --to sit at Jesus' feet and hear his word. Luke 10: C. Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. Psalm 119: What actions are you taking to let the word of Christ dwell in you richly? 2. What things are keeping you from sitting at Jesus' feet? 3. Is something offending you and robbing you of peace? On Your Own A. On your calendar, schedule a specific time each day this week to spend time in God's word. B. Quiet your heart before the Lord and listen for His voice. Journal what you hear Him speaking to you. C. In Psalm 119:165, offend means to cause to stumble or fall. Is there an area where you are stumbling? Pray that God will give you a great love for His law. 5

6 III. Your Trials tribulation - a pressing, pressure; anything which burdens the spirit. A. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. 1Pe 4:12 B. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world. John 16:33 C. [The righteous] shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid. Psalm 112:7-8 D. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. Pro 3:25-26 E. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1Pe 5:10 1. What is your biggest challenge(trial) at this time? 2. In the midst of your trial, have you been thinking that some strange thing has happened to you? Do you have to wait until you have no trials to have a quiet heart? What is Jesus saying directly to you? 6

7 3. According to John 14-16, what are some of "these things" that Jesus has spoken to you, that in Him you might have peace? What does it mean to be at peace with God? 4. Thank God that you can place your confidence in Him, and He will make you perfect (complete), and will stablish, strengthen and settle your heart. We trust and obey, He perfects us. What does it mean that God perfects us? Have you experienced this? On Your Own A. Journal all that is pressing on your heart and burdening your spirit. B. Be of good cheer and accept the peace that Jesus offers you. C. Memorize one or more of the verses from Section III. Recite the verse(s) whenever you feel afraid. D. Meditate on Jeremiah 32:27 (Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?) E. 1 Peter 5:10 says that God will make you perfect, stablish, strengthen and settle you. Find at least three other verses in the Bible that tell what God will do for you. 7

8 IV. Your Trust A. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1Pe 5:7 Do you recollect the delicious sense of rest with which you have sometimes gone to bed at night after a day of great exertion and weariness? How delightful was the sensation of relaxing every muscle, and letting your body go in a perfect abandonment of ease and comfort! The strain of the day had ceased, for a few hours at least, and the work of the day had been laid off. You no longer had to hold up an aching head or a weary back. You trusted yourself to the bed in an absolute confidence, and it held you up, without effort, or strain, or even thought, on your part. You rested! But suppose you had doubted the strength or the stability of your bed, and had dreaded each moment to find it giving way beneath you and landing you on the floor; could you have rested then? Would not every muscle have been strained in a fruitless effort to hold yourself up, and would not the weariness have been greater than if you had not gone to bed at all? Let this analogy teach you what it means to rest in the Lord. Let your souls lie down upon the couch of His sweet will, as your bodies lie down in their beds at night. Relax every strain, and lay off every burden. Let yourself go in a perfect abandonment of ease and comfort, sure that, since he holds you up, you are perfectly safe. Your part is simply to rest. His part is to sustain you; and He cannot fail. Hannah Whitall Smith B. Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. Psalm 36: Whom are you casting your care upon? Do you need to make any changes? If so, what are you going to do differently? 8

9 2. If you compare resting in perfect abandonment vs. dreading a collapsing bed, what does your trust look like? 3. What hinders you from completely trusting in the Lord? 4. From which character trait(s) of God can you draw strength for your current trials? On Your Own A. Can you simply rest in the Lord, lying down upon the couch of His sweet will? If not, what exactly can't you trust God with? Where does your will not match with His sweet will? Can you really do a better job than God can? Journal your conflict. Surrender your will. ALL your cares, every last one--cast them on Jesus. Now fill your journal with praise and thanksgiving. B. Daily seek out God's character in His word. (Ex 34:6, Ps 86:15, Ps 116:5, Ps 145:8&9) Measure what you find against your current image of God. Journal how your trust can grow from what you are learning about God's character. 9

10 V. Your Talk A. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45 B. Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col 3:16 C. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Col 4:6 D. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; Titus 2:3 E. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 1Tim 2: Listening to your own talk, what does this expose about the condition of your heart? 2. What steps can you take to help you implement these instructions for speaking words of grace to others? 3. We really need to be careful with our speech. From Titus 2:3, what do you need to actively guard against, and what should you actively incorporate into your speech? 10

11 4. Women like to wear clothing that is becoming on them. What kind of behavior is becoming to a woman of God? What does shamefacedness and sobriety look like? What are some examples of good works? On Your Own A. Ask God to help you hear what comes out of your mouth--and how it sounds to others. B. In Colossians 3:16, what is the prerequisite for teaching (instructing) and admonishing (warning, exhorting) one another? Are you fulfilling that particular instruction? Sing psalms, hymns, or spiritual songs as part of your devotions this week. C. Think about all the areas of your life that affect your speech. Are you taking care of your physical body by getting sufficient rest, exercise, and proper nutrition? D. A woman who exhibits behavior as becomes holiness is not given to much wine. What are some activities (done to excess) that you may be using to avoid responsibilities or relationships? Pray for an opportunity to teach good things to someone this week. E. Stand in--or in front of--your closet and ask God to speak to you about your wardrobe. 11

12 VI. Your Territory busybody - busy about trifles and neglectful of important matters; inquisitive about others' affairs A. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. 1Tim 5:13-14 B. That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Titus 2:4-5 C. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 1Co 7:34 1. What are you busy about? What are your thoughts busy about? 2. Whether we are single or married, God gives us something to focus upon, something to DO. What assignment have you been given for this time of your life? 3. What are the most important matters that you should not neglect if you are married? What are ways you can focus on and bless your family if you are single? What are some things of the Lord you should be caring about? 12

13 4. What affairs are you inquisitive about that are outside of your God-given territory? 5. What does it look like today to "wander about from house to house speaking things you ought not"? 6. For married women, what could happen if your main focus is away from your husband, children, and home? For single women, why is it important to be, holy in body and spirit and honor your parents? On Your Own A. Spend time meditating on 1Tim 5:13-14 and 1Co 7:34. Pray that the Holy Spirit will work in your heart, exposing any of these areas that might need attention. B. It IS our territory to take an active role in guiding younger women in godly behavior. Study Titus 2:4&5 in depth and pray that you can truly grasp the teachings of these verses and truly grasp your responsibility to teach these principles to younger women. Pray that God will lay on your heart specific relationships with other women that He wants you to invest in. 13

14 VII. Your Testimony A. Why should you pursue a quiet heart? "It is no abstract thing--the state of your heart is the state of your home." Rachel Janhovic B. How do you pursue a quiet heart? Colossians 3 provides direction to guide our thinking and our interaction with others. When your heart is not quiet, check it against Colossians 3. We trust and obey; Christ transforms our heart. remember you are risen with Christ seek those things which are above (that is where Christ is) set your affection (mind) on things above do not set your affection (mind) on things on the earth remember you are dead (this is not about you) and your life is hid with Christ in God mortify (put to death) lusts of the flesh put off (cast away) anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy (speech injurious to another's good name), foul speaking lie not one to another remember you are the elect of God, holy and beloved put on bowels of mercies (a heart of compassion) show kindness to others have a humble opinion of yourself be gentle and mild do not hastily retaliate a wrong bear with one another (make allowances for others' faults) forgive one another if you have a quarrel against anyone, forgive them as Christ forgave you most importantly, show charity (agape love) to others let the peace of God rule in your heart be thankful let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teach and admonish one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs sing with grace in your heart to the Lord 14

15 whatever you say or do, do all in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. submit yourselves unto your own husband, as it is fit in the Lord whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men C. How do you remain diligent in pursuing a quiet heart? 1. Accountability 2. Discipleship The best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else. 1. The condition of a woman's heart reaches far beyond the confines of her own self. A quiet heart in one woman can transform an entire household. In turn, that transformed household can influence extended family, church family, community, and beyond. Are you willing to pursue a quiet heart? Can you think of an example where one person's demeanor influenced (positively or negatively) an entire group of people? 2. List three directives given in Colossians 3 that would help improve your current disquieting circumstances. 3. Who would be a good person to keep you accountable in the areas covered in this Bible study? 15

16 On Your Own A. Consider the state (atmosphere) of your home. What does it say about the state of your heart? B. Laminate the Colossians 3 calendar on the next page (or put it in a page protector) so the "verse-of-the-day" can be marked with a sticker or dry erase marker. Hang the calendar in a place where you will look at it frequently. Continue to review Colossians 3 (a verse per day) and put effort into implementing the instructions, beginning first in your own home, and then to extended family, church family, community, and beyond. C. Can you commit to speaking to others about what you are learning? Pray that God will place someone specific on your heart who could use encouragement. We pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thess 1:11-12 Resources: KJV Bible Strong's concordance Vine's Dictionary blueletterbible.org A Christian's Secret to a Happy Life, by Hannah Whitall Smith. Loving the Little Years, by Rachel Janhovic 16

17 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Be gentle and mild Be thankful Know that you are serving Christ: you will be rewarded for doing right; he that does wrong will receive for the wrong he has done; there is no respect of persons Colossians 3 Remember you are risen with Christ Seek those things which are above (that is where Christ is) Set your affection (mind) on things above Do not set your affection (mind) on things on the earth Remember you are dead (this is not about you) and your life is hid with Christ in God Mortify (put to death) lusts of the flesh Put off (cast away) anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy (speech injurious to another's good name), foul speaking Lie not one to another Remember you are the elect of God, holy and beloved Put on bowels of mercies (a heart of compassion) Show kindness to others Have a humble opinion of yourself Do not hastily retaliate a wrong Bear with one another (make allowances for others' faults) Forgive one another If you have a quarrel against anyone, forgive them as Christ forgave you Most importantly, show charity (agape love) to others Let the peace of God rule in your heart Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom Teach and admonish one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs Sing with grace in your heart to the Lord Whatever you say or do, do all in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him Submit yourselves unto your own husband, as it is fit in the Lord* Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men *Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God.