Heart Condition

Sermon Notes October 6, 2019 Proverbs 4:20-23 Short Review Review the main points of the morning message. Focus on: The focus of our Heavenly Father is the heart – and should be the focus of earthly parents, and our focus in growing as His children Some Questions for Discussion: 1. Break the ice in some way (game? Song?). Perhaps with this: Some airlines recently announced that they will mark all the seats where infants will be seated so passengers can pick seats away from them. What do you think of this arrangement? Would you pay extra for such seats? Infants may cry for all sorts of reasons, but at what age would you start to blame parents for misbehaving children? 2. Behavior: a. Is our text saying that behavior has nothing to do with the heart? Why or why not? b. How does the heart determine behavior? c. Read Matthew 15:7-8, Luke 18:9-14. What’s wrong with these “well-behaved” people? How would you ‘read their hearts’? 3. Reason and Education: a. Read Romans 1:18-23 and Psalm 14:1. Comment on how thinking/reasoning is affected by the faith commitment of the heart. b. Do you know any examples (in history, in our culture) of reasoning (even of educated people) which goes astray because it starts in the wrong place? 4. How can parents know what is in the heart of children? Comment on Matthew 12:34, 15:19 and Prov. 4:24-26. 5. Discuss the specific examples of heart issues: Delight in the Fear of the Lord; Choice of friends; Lovers of peace; Self-control; Teachable. a. Can parents assume too much responsibility for responding to seeing these things? What are signs of that? b. How can parents and teachers practically rely on God to change hearts? Discuss Prov. 21:1, John 7:3739. 6. How are parents/teachers/grandparents/Aunts and Uncles in the church to respond to what they perceive about a child’s heart? 7. How do you pray for your children? For children in the Church – those God has entrusted to us as a body? 8. How can we pray for one another in response to the word today?