Essential Heart Attitude

Hope of Glory

Growing in Christ

 

Back 1 Lesson Next Lesson
Back Forward

Introduction:

A disciple is a student of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just like students in school there are certain characteristics and attitudes that tend to make some more successful than others. This lesson will focus on some of the attitudes we need to possess to be good students/disciples. We will learn how to cooperate with the Master in our journey toward becoming like Him.

Scripture Memory:  Philippians 2:5

 

Heart's Desire

Have you ever had your heart set on something?

When I was a young boy, I regularly watched the science fiction adventure stories of "Captain Video". Occasionally, they would offer really neat stuff in exchange for a lot of box tops from some Ralston-Purina cereal. All I needed was ten or twenty box top flaps plus some money for postage and handling, and I would be the proud owner of the "Captain Video Secret Decoder Ring"! From the time I saw the first advertisement, this ring was all I could think about. I considered any family member a traitor to the cause if they ate anything other than Ralston-Purina cereal. Once I had saved enough box tops and money, I sent off for this treasured item. It seemed like an eternity, but finally it came. I now had the inside scoop on all the secret messages that Captain Video gave us at the end of each program. This decoder ring and the secret knowledge that it gave me was my heart’s desire.

When you want something or someone with all your heart, all of your anticipations and expectations are focused on the object of your desire. Nothing can satisfy you except your heart’s desire.

What do you have your heart set on?

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God." (Colossians 3:1 NIV)

Earthly Things Things Above
Health & Safety An intimate relationship with the Lord
Family Becoming like Jesus
Friends Trusting God in everything
Occupation Reconciling those estranged from God
Wealth & Possessions Making disciples
Fame & Influence Helping others in Jesus' Name
Recreation Walking in the Spirit
   
   
   

There's nothing inherently wrong with the things on earth.  However, when they are our primary focus, they crowd out the things in Heaven.  When we begin to think of these things on earth as the source of our fulfillment, security or well-being, they become our idols!

 

Christ-likeness or the Beatitude Attitude

This segment of Lesson 3 will introduce the personal characteristics shown in the Beatitudes and how they are to be assimilated into our lives in total. Each is entwined with the others by a common attitude of HUMILITY. It is the primary condition of heart that each disciple must possess. "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus..."

Complete the following charts by writing in the right hand column a definition of the phrase in the left hand column. Put the definitions in terms most meaningful to you.

Matthew 5:3-11

Blessed are:

 

 

Luke 6:20-26

Blessed are:

you who are poor recognize their material needs, but do not focus all their energies on correcting the situation
you who hunger now survival is not their first priority; they do not live by bread alone
you who weep now empathizers who feel the pain of others and respond in love
you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man follow the Lord regardless of the consequences. Trust & Obey without reservation

 

Woe to:

you who are rich serve the Lord at their convenience
you who are well-fed now meet their needs first then if any is left, help out - perhaps
you who laugh now pleasure seekers who are insensitive to the pain around them because they are okay and that’s what really counts
you when all men speak well of you what will people think if they see me trying to reach the lost on their playground???

Becoming like Christ is the whole point of discipleship.

What was Jesus like?

The heart attitude that disciples need to possess is a humble willingness to put Jesus first in every aspect of their lives. None of us totally reflect the character of Christ, but we must see this as the goal that supersedes all others.

 

Vulnerable/Teachable

We must be willing to take a risk by being real before God and man and by being open to allowing God full reign of our lives. Let’s look at the teachable Peter in Luke 5:4-8.

Peter had been working all night long. He might have responded to Jesus’ request by complaining how tired he was. Peter might have said, "What does a carpenter know about fishing?" "I will make the fishing decisions around here!" He could have been concerned what his fellow fisherman or the people on shore might think of this silly antic. BUT, instead, Peter was teachable. He referred to Jesus as MASTER. He willingly put out to sea and let down his nets. Just imagine how embarrassed he would be after making his partners row back out and cast the nets only to have them come back empty? Peter went out on a limb and Jesus held the saw. Peter was vulnerable. His attitude, rather than bringing embarrassment and insult, however, put him in a place to witness the miraculous power of God!

Peter’s attitude was one of FAITH. "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) Can you think of other examples in the Gospels of people who allowed themselves to take a risk and be vulnerable and teachable?

Most of our problems with faith stem from our reluctance to believe that God truly has our best interests at heart. Let’s consider the question - WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

There are typically two types of fear that we face when considering yielding our lives 100% to the Lord. There are both justifiable fears and unfounded fears. In the justifiable category, we find that God will remove all of our idols if we let Him have full reign in our hearts. The second category of fear is based on the mistaken belief that God doesn’t really love us as much as we love ourselves.

If you are clinging to something or someone as your source of joy and peace, you will be confronted by God to let go and rely solely upon Him. He does not allow us to have any other gods before Him. This takes us back to the list of the Things on Earth. If you become dependent upon things in that list so much so that you would be unwilling to follow God if it meant letting go of them, these things or people have become your idols, your gods. God simply wants the best for each of us, so He consistently works to remove second class gods. This can be a fearful thing, because from your vantage point, it appears that the more important something is to you, the more likely it is that God will want to remove it. The reality is that He wants only the best for you and wants you to have the desires of your heart. However, He will not allow these desires to become destructive to your relationship with Him.

If, on the other hand, you are concerned that God is just waiting to have complete sway in your life so He can make you miserable, you are selling Him way short!

Those of you who are parents, suppose your son or daughter came to you and declared their undying love and complete submission to your will. What would your first instruction to them be? Would you try to make their life miserable or wonderfully fulfilled? Do you suppose God loves you less?!?

In summary, a disciple needs to start out with an attitude of humility and trust, considering doing the Will of God the number one priority of his or her life. Then each disciple must be willing to obey the Lord’s directions regardless of the potential risk involved. Trust and obey for there’s no other way.