the s of a godly heart · 2009-10-29 · the psalms open our eyes to the wonder and beauty of god....

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Day 1 What is your favorite song? Which notes cut straight to your heart and remind you who you are? Music is powerful. Where words engage the mind, music engages the heart and soul. Songs often work their way around the pressure, pride, and perfectionism that tend to hide us, even from ourselves. Music speaks a common language that delights and satisfies hearts around the world. While the form may change, the substance of music has the power to reach deep inside us and captivate our souls. The Psalms are God’s songbook. They are the music of the Bible. There is a depth and beauty to the Psalms that have the power to move us beyond the walls of our own lives and straight into the presence of God. They reveal the heart of man. More importantly, they open the door to the heart of God. I am so thankful that you have chosen to walk through the Psalms with me. The Psalms are full of prayers, petitions, questions, adoration, deep emotion, and powerful praise. They provide a mirror by which we can examine our hearts. They offer us a window by which we can see God more clearly. It is His heart that is at the heart of the Psalms. Write Psalm 13:6. Describe three ways in which the Lord has been good to you. 1. 2. 3. Psalms – The Big Picture The Book of Psalms is a collection of 150 poetic songs. Its very name reveals the purpose of the book – Psalms means “songs of praise.” 1 1 The s of a Godly Heart

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Day 1

What is your favorite song? Which notes cut straight to your heart and remind you who you are? Music is

powerful. Where words engage the mind, music engages the heart and soul. Songs often work their way

around the pressure, pride, and perfectionism that tend to hide us, even from ourselves. Music speaks a

common language that delights and satisfies hearts around the world. While the form may change, the

substance of music has the power to reach deep inside us and captivate our souls.

The Psalms are God’s songbook. They are the music of the Bible. There is a depth and beauty to the

Psalms that have the power to move us beyond the walls of our own lives and straight into the presence of

God. They reveal the heart of man. More importantly, they open the door to the heart of God.

I am so thankful that you have chosen to walk through the Psalms with me. The Psalms are full of

prayers, petitions, questions, adoration, deep emotion, and powerful praise. They provide a mirror by

which we can examine our hearts. They offer us a window by which we can see God more clearly. It is

His heart that is at the heart of the Psalms.

Write Psalm 13:6.

Describe three ways in which the Lord has been good to you.

1.

2.

3.

Psalms – The Big Picture

The Book of Psalms is a collection of 150 poetic songs. Its very name reveals the purpose of the book –

Psalms means “songs of praise.”1

1

The s of aGodly Heart

● What is praise? How do you think studying the Psalms might help you praise God more richly

and deeply?

The Psalms span a huge portion of the history of ancient Israel and were written by many different pens. The

earliest of the Psalms were written by Moses around 1440 B.C. The last of the Psalms were penned after the

Babylonian exile in the late sixth century B.C.2 For over a thousand years, God’s Spirit moved in song

through the hearts of His people. The majority of the Psalms were written between the reigns of King David

and King Hezekiah.3 While David is the best known of the psalmists, there are many others. There are

eleven known authors of the Psalms, as well as a number of the Psalms whose musicians and songwriters are

known only to God.

Finding the ABCs in the Psalms

Do you remember the “ABC” song? You know, the one that taught you the alphabet and that we still secretly

sing when we are trying to alphabetize something? Learning the ABCs is the foundation for learning

language. It allows us to read words and write sentences. The ABCs open the world of books and let us

travel far beyond our favorite reading chair. Learning to write allows poems, short stories, letters, and novels

to capture our heart-thoughts and share them with others. The ABCs open a door for communication which

allows us to interact with the world in a broader and more complete way than just talking alone.

In this study, we are going to return again to the foundational building blocks of the ABCs. Our hearts

long to walk closer to God. Recognizing His presence and being aware of His hand in our lives are our

deepest desires. We want to know God better and experience Him more richly in every moment. The

Psalms are the path which leads us into His presence. The ABCs give us a way to build our relationship

with the Lord, and open the door to learning how to enter into a richer, deeper friendship with our God.

As we walk through the ABCs of a godly heart, we will first use each letter to look deeply into the heart

of God. Days 1 and 3 will be when we allow God to reveal Himself to us. Walking closely with God is

not really about our movement. We spend so much time trying to be close to God through our own effort

and activity. God wants us to understand that He is already very near. Our responsibility is to stop and

open our eyes to His presence.

Read Acts 17:26-28. What important truth about God is Paul trying to help the Athenians see?

Learning to recognize His presence, see His heart, and understand His character is the first step in

becoming women who reflect His glory.

ABCs of a Godly Heart

2

The Psalms open our eyes to the wonder and beauty of God. Our eyes must always first look for God. We

can only truly see ourselves after we look deeply into the heart of the Lord. With every letter of the ABCs

and in every God-song, we will find that the Psalms are a place to…

P – Praise Him

S – See His Heart

A – Await His movement in our lives

L – Listen to His voice

M – Meet Him

Each week as we walk through the Psalms, we will discover that they are a place to see the heart of God.

His faithfulness, love, patience, holiness, and yearning for you will become clearer and draw you closer to

Him. Praise will well up to overflowing as we gaze at the heart of our God. The Psalms are a place to

await His movement. Becoming more like Christ means that we understand that God always moves first

to shape us into His image. Surrender and humility are hallmarks of people who learn to wait on the Lord.

Listening to His voice allows us to know Him better and respond more quickly to His call. Most of all,

the Psalms are a place to meet God. He longs to meet you on every page. The Psalms are a place alive

with the presence of God, and He is waiting to meet you there.

The Heart of God

Psalm 17 is a prayer of David. Here are the words of a man who has committed his way to God in a time

of deep distress. It is a song of praise that showcases the tenderness of God’s heart toward those whose

own hearts ache. As we battle forces which make us feel helpless and small, this song reminds us that we

are not alone. We can plant our steps on a path that leads straight into the arms of God. This psalm

highlights the heart of the One that we will meet every time we open God’s songbook. As we begin our

study, let’s take a moment to meet the God who wants to be closer to you than your own heartbeat and as

much a part of you as your next breath.

� Read Psalm 17:1-15.

�ote two ways in which David describes God.

1.

2.

There are at least six characteristics of God highlighted in this psalm that provide the perfect jumping off

place for our journey through the songs of God. As we commit ourselves to learning God’s ABCs, let’s

start by remembering who God is.

Lesson 1

3

He is…One who hears us – God is listening to you. He hears the cries of your heart. You have His full attention.

He wants you to know that you can pour out your fears, pain, frustrations, doubts, questions, praise, joy,

and laughter, and He will hear every word. When you sing, He listens. When you shout, He hears. When

you whisper, He notices.

One who demands holiness – Our God is a pure and holy God. Sin cannot dwell in His presence any

more than darkness can exist in the presence of light. His holy nature calls for us to be holy. His grace

makes it possible for that holiness to be shaped into our lives.

One who loves – God loves you. His great love is a matter of deep wonder. It stuns us with its passion. It

overwhelms us with its depth. It surrounds us with its immensity. You are His delight and the apple of His eye.

One who protects – God is bigger than your enemies. No matter how ferocious the foe, God stands to

protect and save His people. The world cannot prevail against you. It may batter you and bruise you, but,

as God’s child, it cannot beat you.

One who fills – God longs to fill the emptiness that echoes in your heart. Our hearts, whether we realize it

or not, hunger for God. God wants to move into your life and fill up the space that He created within you

just for Himself. He promises to satisfy the deepest longings in your soul.

One whose face we will see – This is God’s greatest desire and our great hope. God wants you to dwell

with Him face to face. Has a small child ever held your cheeks in both hands and drawn your face close to

theirs? This is how God wants to live with you. He wants you to reach out with all of the innocence,

transparency, trust, and love of that small child’s movements. He longs for you to seek His face and

promises that when you do, you will find that He has been very close to you all along.

Use the space below to talk to God about your desire to know Him better and your hunger to see

Him face to face.

ABCs of a Godly Heart

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Let your prayer today be a prayer of praise. Walk back through the six

characteristics of God’s heart we uncovered in Psalm 17 and thank Him and

praise Him for who He is and how He works in your life.

ray

Day 2The Psalms capture the way God sings to us and how we can return the song to His heart. As the melodies

of the Psalms implant themselves in our souls, they paint a picture of who God is. Inspired by a clearer

vision of Him, the Psalms teach us how we can interact and respond to God. The songs of praise give us a

voice for speaking to God and pouring out our hearts in His presence. They show us who we are and who

we want to be.

The Psalms do more, however, than lift our hearts in song. They hold a practical wisdom that reveal the

ABCs of becoming more like Christ. Each song gives us the building blocks for how we may approach

God and how to live our lives fully in His presence. Days 2 and 4 of our study each week will focus on

our hearts. After looking deeply into the heart of God, we will turn to the foundational pieces that will

help us walk more closely with God. Each ABC will teach how to listen more carefully to His word, love

Him with a fuller heart, and be more transparent to a world that needs to see Christ in us.

� Read Psalm 42:1-2.

Have you ever been thirsty? Really thirsty? At first, thirst is something that arrives as the sun begins to

climb and the temperatures rise. It begins as something that we notice and dismiss. There are places to go

and things to be done. As the day wears on, our thirst becomes more insistent. A picture of a glass of cold

water begins to form in our minds and the work that seemed so urgent earlier is slowed by the desire for a

drink. If we continue on without stopping to satisfy our thirst, the need for liquid becomes overwhelming.

Our desire for water dominates our thoughts and begins to fuel our actions. It changes our focus and

drives us until we find a way to meet the desperate thirst.

We were created with a thirst for God. We have a need to worship and invest our lives in something beyond

ourselves. Ignoring that thirst sends our lives into turmoil. Some try to dismiss the thirst and pretend that the

emptiness doesn’t exist. It is an illusion that works sometimes, but in the deepest, darkest moments of life,

the raging thirst roars to the surface. Many others try to satisfy their thirst with the refreshment of the world.

Material possessions, education, fame, power, pleasure, relationships, and busyness all become fountains

from which we try to satisfy the aching thirst that rises from deep within our souls.

● What kinds of “thirst-quenchers” do you see the world promoting? Which ones call out to you

most loudly?

The psalmist shows us the way to still the deep longings that threaten to overwhelm us with their

intensity. When can I go and meet with God?

Lesson 1

5

● How does meeting with God answer the deep thirst of our souls?

Read John 4:13-14. What promise does Jesus make to those who take hold of the water He is offering?

God is the deep fountain of delight. He is the ocean of unending love. He is the cool stream that refreshes

and renews. Jesus is the living water that quenches even the deepest thirst. Meeting with God means that

we come into His presence and let Him lead us to quiet waters. Our thirsty souls soak in His goodness

like the earth soaks in the rain. Meeting with God implies a time of conversation and togetherness. It is a

time for friendship and communion. It is an opportunity to share hearts and let the relationship that you

share with Him renew you and buoy your spirit.

Just like our bodies need hydration every day to stay healthy, so our souls thirst for times of regular

refreshment in God’s presence. Every day provides us with an opportunity to meet with God. The best

friendships are not structured by to-do lists and work inventories, but by time spent together laughing,

sharing, and enjoying each other. This is the way God wants to meet with you. He wants you to lay down

the laundry and the pressures of your job, and come enjoy being in His presence. He knows the laundry

needs to be folded and dinner needs to be made, but your thirst will never be satisfied completely until

you can hold hands with the One who carved trenches for the oceans and cut pathways for the rivers. You

will be able to give your family more than clean clothes and your friends more than a delicious meal if

you can share with them a heart that is overflowing with the presence of God.

The Psalms teach us how to meet God. They provide the ABCs for coming into His presence and

nurturing our friendship with the Lord. As we learn to meet God in the songs of the Psalms, we will

discover that they are a place to…

P – Pour ourselves out before Him

S – See ourselves

A – Ask

L – Learn

M - Meditate

The Psalms will teach us how to be transparent before the Lord. In the lines of God’s songs, we will learn

how to pour ourselves out before Him in prayer and praise, and empty ourselves of self so that we can be

open to His transforming power. As we learn to see God in the Psalms, we will learn to see ourselves. The

songs of God have a way of taking off our blinders and getting around our illusions of control and self-

importance. When we can see ourselves as we truly are, we can begin to see who God wants us to be. The

Psalms teach us how to ask God to move in our lives. Prayer becomes more than a list of wants and “please-

ABCs of a Godly Heart

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dos.” It becomes a dialogue between friends. The song book of God is a place to learn about who God is,

who He wants us to be, how He moves, and how He calls us to walk with Him. Learning opens the door to

transformation. Meditating allows us to soak the presence of God deeply into our lives. His words take form

in our souls. His call moves our hands and feet into action. His heart shapes our heart to resemble His own.

The Heart that Walks with God

While the Psalms were written by many men, David is the face and heart of the Psalms. God describes

David as a man after His own heart. He is a man who understands what it means to live in the presence of

God, and to be transformed by that experience.

● Would God describe you as a person after His own heart? Explain.

This is the premise and purpose of the Book of Psalms—to make us, like David, into people after God’s

own heart. God wants you to be a reflection of Himself. He wants your heart to beat in time with His. He

wants your eyes to see the world like His do. He wants your actions to be a mirror of His actions. He

wants your life to be a living picture of God for the world around you.

The Psalms teach us how. While these songs are most noted for their deep expression of human emotion

and experience, they are first and, most importantly, a portrait of God. They show us His heart. They

reveal His movement among His people. They teach us how to recognize when He is near and how to

honor His holiness. These praise songs teach us who God is and help His beauty take shape in our lives.

As we walk through the Psalms, I encourage you to keep two different colored pens at hand. Use one

color to highlight the way the psalm reveals the character of God and His movement on behalf of those

He loves. With another pen, underline the verbs that describe the actions the people of God are to make as

we move closer to His heart.

Read Psalm 1. Use your colored pens and look for what the psalm teaches you about who God is.

Circle the words or phrases that describe His heart and His actions on your behalf. Underline the

verbs that help us identify how we are to respond to the Lord.

● What does a heart that walks with God look like?

As we listen to the first song in God’s songbook, we see a person whose every action is defined by their love

for God. The heart of one who walks with God allows her relationship with God to define every movement

and moment of her life. Where she walks is determined by the voice to whom she is listening. She chooses to

walk away from the call and counsel of the world and fix her focus on the voice of God. Where she stands is

fixed by the holiness of God, who calls her friend. She won’t stand in a place where the presence of God

cannot reside. Even the places where she sits to rest and relax are measured against the heart of One who is

our daily encouragement. She refuses to sit and keep company with those whose lives are self-indulgent.

Lesson 1

7

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ABCs of a Godly Heart

A heart that walks with God finds its delight in the law of the Lord. The words of God bring her joy and

satisfaction. She takes time to listen and learn from the words that God has given us. The love and call of

God soak deeply into her heart. She thinks about His grace and keeps her eyes attentive for His presence

throughout the day. Fears and worries are laid in His hands through the watches of the night. Streams of

water nourish the roots that are planted deeply into the love and faithfulness of God. Abundance and

fruitfulness fill her soul as she draws closer to God. Joy, peace, and light grow up and prosper in her life,

giving evidence to God’s amazing presence and grace in her heart.

I want to be that woman! Don’t you? I look at my life and see all the potholes of self-pity and dark places

of sin that pull at my heart. I want to listen to God’s voice, but often respond to the call of the world. I

long for my steps to fit perfectly into the footprints of Jesus, but I tend to wander as I follow my own

desires. The mockers and the sinners have enjoyed my company far more than I would care to admit. If I

took a snapshot of my life, it might all look pretty hopeless.

Thank God He has a different perspective. The Lord watches over the way of the righteous. This life is a

journey. It isn’t defined by single moments, but by movement. First, God’s movement to pull me closer to

Himself; and then my movement to meet Him and let Him change me. Every time we choose to meet

Him, He plants us closer to Himself. He changes our eyes, our ears, and our feet. Each step of the journey

brings us deeper into the heart of God.

Let’s take an inventory as we get ready to meet God in the Psalms. Be honest and transparent with the

One who watches over your way.

Where do you walk that might make it more difficult for you to meet with God?

Where does the holiness of God need to more deeply permeate your life?

What relationships in your life make it easier to spend time with God? Where do you sit that

sometimes makes it difficult to see and experience the presence of God?

Pray through your answers to the questions above. Ask God to help you make

space in your life to meet Him. Ask Him to help you be a person whose every

movement is defined by His love and His holiness.

ray

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Our journey through the ABCs will bring us deep into the heart of

God. With each letter, we will meet Him and learn more about the

One who loves us so. Each letter will also challenge us to look at

ourselves and how we can surrender more fully, love more richly,

and walk more closely with our Lord. Each letter is a building block

that helps us learn the ABCs of a godly heart – one that looks like

Jesus and beats with the rhythm of deep faith and confident hope.

The letter A marks the starting point for our journey. It is here that

we begin with the unshakable understanding that our God is able –

able to keep His promises, able to forgive our sins, able to come to

our aid, and able to bring us home.

Once we understand that God is able, we can shake off the self-

sufficiency that keeps us running in circles, and learn

how to abide. In making our home with Him and

connecting ourselves to His sufficiency, we find a

place of rest for our hearts.

Day 3

Today we start at the very beginning. Not just the beginning of the alphabet, but with one of the basic

starting blocks of faith – God is able. This is not one of the first words that we think of when we begin to

describe God. Words like holiness, love, and glory pop up as the first colors that paint a picture of our

Lord in our minds and hearts. They are wonderful words, rich in depth and full of meaning. They are

words that we will explore as we go through the ABCs. Yet, all of these words rest on the foundation of a

basic truth that holds all the others together. God is able.

Each day as we explore the ABCs of a godly heart, we will introduce a new word and a verse that gives

that word dimension and flight. Working through the definition of each word will help us understand who

God is and how He wants to live in a relationship with us. The ABC word will also paint a picture of who

we are and who God calls us to be in Christ. These words are the foundation of our study together.

Attached to each word is a scripture that allows God to speak His definition into our hearts. Each day we

will also walk into a psalm and dig deeply into the portrait God paints of Himself there. As we study,

pray, and open our hearts to His presence, that picture will be firmly impressed into our lives and

transform us to look more like Jesus.

I encourage you to use note cards as you work through this study. Each day write the verse in the letter box

on one side of the card and the ABC word of the day on the other side. Let these cards become tools for

meditation and writing God’s word on your heart as you go through your day. Keep it on your mirror or in

your purse. At a red light, read your verse and think for a minute about how God is teaching you to see Him

more clearly. While you brush your teeth, review the ways in which God has revealed Himself to you

throughout your day. Planting His Word deeply in our lives allows it to take root, bloom, and bear fruit.

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ABCs of a Godly Heart

a ble. adjective. Capable, sufficient,strong, and powerful

Ephesians 3:20“�ow to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all weask or imagine, according to his power that is at work withinus, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughoutall generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

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Lesson 1

Write Proverbs 7:1-3.

Our first ABC word is able. This little word packs a big punch when it comes to describing our God. We

start here because at the root of our faith must be a belief and conviction that God is able. Is God strong

enough, powerful enough, faithful enough, and loving enough to do all that He has promised to do for you

and me? Is God able? Being able makes the intentions of the heart a reality. It is the power that brings

promises to fulfillment.

Describe a time when you wanted to do something to help someone but were unable to help.

There are moments that pierce our hearts and make us realize our own limitations. Some are intensely

personal – we sit by a hospital bed and watch as those who are our very hearts suffer. We want to do

something, anything to take away the pain and bring health to our dear one. Other times we watch the

news or read the paper and feel overwhelmed by the sorrow of the world – staggering poverty, famine,

floods, and violence take a toll that we are helpless to stop. Our desire to act is not the question. Our

powerlessness is.

God makes many promises to us. He promises to love us, forgive us, be with us, protect us, walk with us,

and bring us home. These are the desires of His heart. Does He have the power to back them up? Is He

able to do all that He desires and intends to do for us? If He has the desire yet is not able, then He is well-

intentioned, but powerless to redeem me. If He is able, then the magnitude of where He wants to take me

and how He wants to work in my life unfolds in infinite ways.

Read Ephesians 3:20. How much is God able to do for us? What fuels His ability to move on our

behalves?

The word able proclaims the truth that God is capable enough, strong enough, and powerful enough to

work in our lives. He is so powerful that He is able to work in ways in which we cannot even begin to ask

or imagine. He is able to meet every promise, answer every prayer, guide us in every moment, and love us

in every minute.

● Read the following verses and note what God says that He is able to do for you.

II Corinthians 9:8 –

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ABCs of a Godly Heart

BrainstormOther “A” wordswhich describe

God.

II Timothy 1:12 –

Hebrews 2:18 –

Hebrews 5:2 –

Hebrews 7:25 –

Jude 24 –

Quite a list, isn’t it? God wants our hearts to rest fully in the knowledge that He

is able to do everything He has in His heart to do for you. Paul says that he is

convinced that God is able. God wants to convince you as well. When we

understand that God is able, we can look at the world and our lives differently.

Problems are no longer measured by our own powerlessness, but by the immense

power of God. What seems hopeless to us becomes a moment in which God can

reveal His strength and glory. When God says that He will be there, extend grace,

cover us with peace, fill us with joy, and surround us with His love, we can be

confident that He will deliver. We may not understand how God will move, but

we can be absolutely sure He will move in the way that is best for us every time.

He is able and our hearts can build a giant faith on that single bedrock truth.

Psalm 34 is a beautiful song that recites the wonderful ways in which God is able

to work in our lives. In it, God reassures us that He is not only able, but willing to

walk with us through every moment of our lives.

Read Psalm 34:4-7 below. Underline all the things that David says God is

able to do for him.

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant;

their faces are never covered with shame. 6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;

he saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,

and he delivers them.

As we meet God in Psalm 34, He opens up the storehouse of His power and

shows us that He is able. When we seek God, we can rest assured that He is able

to hear us and answer us. Prayer expresses our confidence that God is able to

respond and act on behalf of His children. He is able to deliver us from all of our

fears. What is your greatest fear? You can believe that God is able to defeat the biggest fears in your life.

God is able to transform us. He can remove shame and make us radiant. He can wash away the blackness

that keeps us from reflecting His glory and change us into lights that reveal His beauty to the world. God

is able to save us out of all of our troubles. I like that word ‘all’. That little word showcases the extent of

the truth that our God is able. There is no trouble that is too big for God to handle. No situation too

complex or far-gone that our God is not able to redeem for His glory. The picture in verse seven is one of

rest and confidence. Our God is able to encamp around us. He surrounds you with His presence. He

covers you with His strength. You can rest in peace because God is able.

● Read Psalm 34:1-3. How does this song teach us to respond to the truth that God is able?

The things that we worry about are indicators of places where we need to let the truth that God is able

sink deeper into our lives. When we worry, we are measuring our own resources, ingenuity, and strength

against the struggle in our lives. The fear burrows in as we realize that we are not able to completely

change the situation in which we find ourselves. Worry keeps its eyes on self. Faith turns our eyes to God.

Is God able to bring peace to a difficult family situation? Is God able to provide for your financial needs?

Is God able to break through the sin and bad habits that are hiding your heart from His? Is God able to

transform pain and hurt into something that will help you be closer to Him? God reassures us over and

over that He is able and willing to make all things new.

What is your greatest worry today? Read Matthew 9:28 and search your heart carefully. Answer

Jesus’ question below.

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Lesson 1

Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine.

Spend this time praising Him for being able. As you talk to Him, dare to dream

God-sized dreams. Imagine a closer walk with Him.

ray

Day 4

Our ABC words are paired as a mirror and a reflection. Our first word in a letter pair is always going to be

a picture of God. We can look deeply into the word and see the heart and character of the One who calls

us to be His own. God reveals Himself to us, however, not just to show us who He is. Peering deeply into

God’s heart should have a profound impact on our hearts. He longs for us to be reflections of His image.

The presence of God is a place of transformation. When we allow Him full access to our lives, He shapes

and molds us into the likeness of His Son. Dark corners are illuminated. Rough places are smoothed and

shaped. Messes are cleaned out, and beauty takes order in our lives. Examining the character of God

should result in three things – first, adoration; second, self-examination; third, transformation.

Yesterday, we looked at the amazing truth that our God is able. He is able to meet every moment, answer

every fear, provide for every need, and fill every circumstance with His goodness. He is able and His

heart calls out to yours. When our hearts understand that God is able, our response should be to run into

His arms and make the decision to abide there.

● What does it mean to abide in God?

When we choose to abide, we are choosing to be held in the arms of God. We are making the decision

that our dwelling place, our residence, will be in the presence of God. His heart becomes our home. His

arms open wide, and we choose them as our sanctuary. We make the choice to stay put, remain, abide,

even as the world calls us to follow our own path.

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ABCs of a Godly Heart

a bide. verb. To remain, to residein as a dwelling, to be held

Psalm 91:1-2

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in theshadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge andmy fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’”

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Lesson 1

Little children know how to abide. They love to crawl up close and snuggle into your arms. They are

content to stay enfolded in your love. As they grow, their little independent streaks start to take them

farther and farther away from you. First, they want to walk without holding your hand. Next, they want

you to drop them off at the corner. Finally, they are asking for your car keys and heading out the door on

their own. We celebrate the growing independence of our children with mixed emotions. We love the fact

that they are developing just like God planned for them, but we miss the moments when they were

content to abide.

God wants us to come full circle. He wants us to leave our independent, self-determined ways and once

again become like little children, content to abide in His arms.

Read Psalm 91:1-2. How does the psalmist describe the safety and security of dwelling in the Most

High?

I love the fact that God doesn’t create a place for us to abide. He, Himself, is our dwelling place. When

we choose to abide with Him, we find a refuge and a place of safety. Life’s storms can’t reach us with the

same fury and intensity when we rest in the shelter of the Most High. We are protected from the scorching

heat of criticism and the flames of guilt and shame in the shelter of the Almighty. The arrows of the evil

one may be launched at us, but we abide in the fortress of our God.

Sin, by its very nature, promotes wandering. When Adam and Eve broke God’s heart, they had to leave

the garden. Murder pushed Cain to roam the earth. Rebellion drove Israel into the wilderness for forty

years. Idolatry forced Judah into captivity. When we sin, we choose to let go of God’s hand. When we

insist on controlling our own schedules, finances, priorities, and relationships, we pick the open road

rather than the open arms of God.

● If abiding is what is best for us, why is it so difficult for us to do?

On the surface, abiding may seem like a passive activity. Abiding often requires stillness. In our busy,

fast-paced, action-filled worlds, abiding may seem like we aren’t “doing” enough. In fact, the opposite is

true. Abiding may be one of the most demanding choices that we make. The decision to abide is the

decision to deliberately live in God’s presence. How many times does the world call for your attention or

grab your focus? Each new situation in your day demands that you make the commitment to abide all

over again. Will I walk this path with God or choose my own way? Will I live in the shadow of the cross

or strike out on my own? Abiding helps us learn to be at home with God. It makes His presence the place

where we are the most comfortable.

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ABCs of a Godly Heart

Read John 15:1-8. How does this concrete picture Jesus gives us help us to

understand what it means to abide in Him?

When you buy a new house or move into a new apartment, it takes a while for it

to feel like home. You have to move in, get settled, and become familiar with the

sights, sounds, and space of your new place. It may require that you learn

different routes to get home from your usual activities. Old hangouts may now be

out of the way. You have to meet new neighbors and get used to new routines.

Every day you arrive at your new place, it feels a little bit more like home. One

day, you make the turn in the road and realize that you did it automatically. It

becomes the place where you are most transparent, the most comfortable, the

most … at home.

● What does moving into a new home teach us about learning to abide with

God?

When we are learning to abide with God, we have to make the same kind of

deliberate choices as moving into a new home. We have to give ourselves time

for it to feel comfortable. We have to make the same effort to investigate our new

dwelling and become familiar with the landscape. We may have to change the

way we walk through our day. Old pathways may not lead us home like they

should, and we have to find new roads that will take us there. Old hangouts may

have to be left behind in order to find places closer to home. At first, we will

have to be extra conscious about choosing the way that leads us home. Every

minute will be a choice to abide. As we take on more of Christ’s nature, abiding

with God will seem more natural. It will feel just like coming home.

Read Psalm 27:4-6 below. With one pen, underline all the ways that the

psalmist chooses to abide in the Lord. With another pen, circle all the

blessings of making our home in God.

4 One thing I ask of the LORD,

this is what I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble

BrainstormOther “A” wordswhich describeour walk with

God.

he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle

and set me high upon a rock. 6 Then my head will be exalted

above the enemies who surround me;

at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make music to the LORD.

● How do we make the desire to abide and dwell in the house of the Lord the longing of our hearts?

More than anything, David wants to abide with God. He makes this the longing of his heart. He sets his

thoughts toward the beauty of living with God. His eyes find their focus when they seek God. The result

is safety, protection, victory, and joy. God longs to see this same desire burn in your heart. Let it shape the

direction of your eyes. Let it move your feet on a path toward His presence. Choose to abide in His arms.

Welcome home.

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Lesson 1

Spend some time today asking God to help you abide in His presence. Pray

through the obstacles that keep you from running into His arms. Ask Him to help

you feel at home in the shadow of His love.

ray

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ABCs of a Godly Heart

_______________1 Dunn, p1932 Life Application Bible, p8973 Dunn, p1944 Taylor