Outline: HOW TO HAVE A TENDER HEART
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HOW TO HAVE A TENDER HEART?
“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezequiel 36:26 NLT)
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STEP 1: RESULTS ACHIEVED
What specific action did you commit to take last week? What was the results?
STEP 2: REFLECTIONS
Instructions: Take turns reading the following paragraphs with your peers. As you read, underline the ideas that stand out to you.
God his children over and over again, but the condition of each heart determines the result. Those with a godly heart listen to his voice and yield to him in obedience, but those with a hard heart reject his admonitions and commands. Surprisingly, by hearing the same voice some believers are motivated to have a deeper and more obedient relationship with the Lord, while others despise and reject it.
Hardening is a slow process that is often accompanied by justifications and excuses, warning signs may not be easily recognized. How do you respond when the Lord speaks to you through his Word, your conscience, or scriptural messages? Carefully consider the following characteristics of a hardened heart:
Insensitivity to what God says.
Refusal to submit to his authority.
Disobedience to fulfill what God asks.
Justification of sinful conduct.
Resistance to warnings from others.
Concern for the things of this world (career, relationships, material things).
Little interest in spiritual matters.
Lack of devotional life (Bible reading and prayer).
A rebellious heart doesn’t have to remain in that condition. If you have discovered any of the above characteristics in your life, start turning back to the Lord today. Ask him to give you a new heart to meet him. Remember that He specializes in making all things new.
The Lord wants to give each of us a genuine heart so that we may be docile and sensitive to Him. When touched by the finger of God, a godly heart yields to the pressure and assumes the shape He desires, much like what a lump of clay does when it lets the potter determine the shape of the pot.
To help in this process God has sent the Holy Spirit to indwell each believer and make him sensitive. Yielding to the promptings of the Spirit with quick obedience, the heart becomes ever more tender and receptive to His direction. The Lord can impart a greater understanding of His Word to a meek heart because it has faithfully accepted and obeyed what it has been taught.
Any resistance to God will result in hardening. But those who are accustomed to having a close relationship with Christ, which is the result of submission to Him, will quickly deal with the sin in their lives, and return to the point of obedience and blessing.
People with tender hearts seek to uplift and encourage others in their life of faith. These people are not only receptive to what God wants to say to them; they are also docile to learn; They are willing to listen and be corrected by others.
This week as you read your Bible and pray, let your heart be open to the Lord’s words. When He touches a hard area of your life with His fingertips, listen to His teaching and trust that the power of the Spirit will help you surrender and obey. Let God make you a useful and beautiful vessel.
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Benefits of having a tender heart:
You will have more understanding of the Word of God.
The Word of God will germinate in your heart and bear much fruit.
It will not be difficult for you to live in obedience.
You will be more sensitive to his voice.
You will have a teachable heart.
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Steps to follow:
Recognizing. If your heart has hardened, recognize it and ask God for forgiveness.
Ask the Holy Spirit for help. He is the one who helps us to soften a hardened heart.
Pray and read the Word of God. When you do, ask God to make his heart sensitive to hear his voice.
Surrendering. Surrender to God all that you are and ask him to do in you all that He wants to do in his life so that you will be a beautiful and useful vessel in his hands.
HOW TO HAVE A TENDER HEART?
STEP 3: REFLECT AND RESPONSE
Choose something that you underlined as important to you. Take a minute to share with everyone what you chose and why it is important to you.
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STEP 4: AUTO EVALUATION
Respond the following section of self-evaluation:
In a scale of 1 to 10: How well do you demonstrate this quality in your life? _______________________
Why did you give yourself this score?
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What benefits would you obtain from improving your score?
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What people do you know that are a good example of this quality? What do you admire the most from this person?
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What specific action can you take immediately to improve your score?
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STEP 5: SHARE YOUR ACTION STEPS
Take a moment to share your responses from the self-evaluation section, include the action that you plan to take to improve in that area. We ask that everyone participates.
Instructions for the host:
Make the calling:
“Lord Jesus I recognize that I have sinned and that you died for me. Today I repent and ask for forgiveness. I give you my life and my heart so that you may be my Lord and personas Savior, amen”.
Impartation: Pray and activate what you have learned today.
Pray for the offering.
Invite all the members of your HOP to take the classes that Apostle will teach on Tuesdays, which will help and equip them to maintain spiritual success in all areas in these last days.