New Covenant Christian Church
Guard Your Heart
Study guide & verses for the week of May 17th
Locations & Times
New Covenant Christian Church
3318 5th Ave S, Fort Dodge, IA 50501, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
WEEKLY STUDY GUIDE
Study guide for the week of May 17th
This pandemic is shaping up to be a marathon, not a sprint. We do not know what the future holds, and there are a lot of different opinions about what should and shouldn’t be done moving forward. The reality is that this pandemic is changing the way we live our lives, and it will for years to come. Do you agree with that? Has it changed the way you have shopped? Has it made a difference in your monthly budget? How has this pandemic changed the way you live?
With that being said, it cannot change WHO you are. In fact, it does not change WHOSE you are! You are a child of God! Galatians 3:26–28 (NLT) “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” If you have placed your faith in Jesus, you are a child of God! You have a heavenly Father who cares about you and the things that you care about. Stop for a minute and think about that. God sees you, knows you, cares for you, and loves you. Has this truth been on your mind? Or has your mind been filled and preoccupied with all of the different information and activity going on around you?
This scripture also says something incredibly important. We are UNITED with Christ and are ONE in Christ. We, all who profess faith in Jesus, are ONE BODY IN CHRIST. I am sure that you have seen a brother or sister in Christ say, post, or believe something that you do not agree with. Instead of judging them, pray for them. Instead of wanting to set them right, ask God why this offends you. We can, and should, continue to love others whether we agree with them or not. This pandemic is dividing people in so many different ways, but we can still be united in our love for Jesus and one another. Guard your heart, and be careful how you think, especially when it is about others. How can you promote oneness with Christ during this time of so many opinions, thoughts, and ideas?
Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV) Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23 (NCV) Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.
What is Proverbs 4:23 telling you?
Our thoughts produce actions, our actions produce habits, habits determine character, and our character determines our destiny. Our thoughts run our life. When you think about this pandemic, what do you think about? Time to spend at home with family. Working from home. I’m afraid to go out. Anger. Peace. Uneasiness. Confusion. Worry. Help others. The list could go on. Here’s the point: Thoughts run your life. If thoughts run our life, it is important what we think about! What are you allowing to influence you? Are you thinking about what God says about you and your future? Are you thinking about what this world says about you and your future?
Luke 6:45 (NKJV) “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
Those thoughts that we think turn to words that come from our heart—the center of who we are.
Are you speaking from a heart full of fear?
Romans 8:14–16 (NLT) For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
Acts 1:8 (NLT) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
We have not received a spirit that makes us fearful slaves! Go back and read that Romans scripture again! We have received the Spirit of God and are now adopted into His family! We have been given the Holy Spirit! We possess a power that raised Christ from the dead. Speak from a heart full of faith and not fear! We should do our best to listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. This is hard when the media is so loud and opinions are so loud. Talk to someone about how you are feeling and ask for prayer.
I (Josh) had a hard time tuning out opinions and the media these last few weeks. It helps to talk with someone, ask for prayer, and pray to God the Father. His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we belong to Him! Have you been speaking form a heart of fear? Join a Zoom Community Group at ncccfd.org/communitygroups or talk with a trusted friend or one of the pastors.
Are you speaking from a heart that believes in conspiracy theories?
There are a lot of questions about all kinds of things floating around right now. Asking questions is fine, but spreading conspiracies is not something for us to engage in. God has not called us to be easily fooled, and gullibility is not a Christian virtue. Believing and sharing conspiracies does not honor God. You are actually damaging your witness.
Austin Jones tweeted, “Last week my Facebook feed was full of people posting crazy COVID conspiracy theories, followed by posts about evidence for the resurrection. I don’t think they realize the message they are actually sending.”
Here’s what he is saying. Constantly sharing and believing conspiracy theories will cause people to see you as someone who is easily fooled. When you try to tell them about your resurrected Savior, they will just assume that you were fooled again. Do you see the problem with conspiracy theories? Ephesians 5:15 (NCV) “So be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely.” It’s good to ask questions and want to learn more, but don’t just believe something because it was shared by a friend. Pray for discernment. Do your research. Worry less about proclaiming the newest piece of “information,” and instead proclaim Jesus and the work He did on the cross to set you free! It’s a better use of your time, and it makes an eternal difference! Have you been falling for conspiracy theories? Have they made you better or bitter? Do they make you happy or angry? What will you do to proclaim the name of Jesus above everything else?
Are you speaking from a heart full of hope?
Romans 15:13 (NLT) I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hope is a confident expectation. It is an expectation that God will do what He has promised. He will never leave you or turn His back on you (Hebrews 13:5)! He has the whole world in His hands (Psalm 95:4)! He sent the Holy Spirit to be our helper and comforter in all things (John 14:26). Are you speaking out of a heart of hope or have you been believing the worst case scenarios?
Are you speaking from a heart full of love?
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT) Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
Now we have arrived back to the beginning. We have been united together as one body in Christ because of the love that He has for us! With all of the divisiveness, strong opinions, and differing information, let everything you do be done out of love for God and love for others. How can you love someone who thinks so differently about things you are passionate about?
Remember to be careful about what you are thinking about, because thoughts run your life.
Study guide for the week of May 17th
This pandemic is shaping up to be a marathon, not a sprint. We do not know what the future holds, and there are a lot of different opinions about what should and shouldn’t be done moving forward. The reality is that this pandemic is changing the way we live our lives, and it will for years to come. Do you agree with that? Has it changed the way you have shopped? Has it made a difference in your monthly budget? How has this pandemic changed the way you live?
With that being said, it cannot change WHO you are. In fact, it does not change WHOSE you are! You are a child of God! Galatians 3:26–28 (NLT) “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” If you have placed your faith in Jesus, you are a child of God! You have a heavenly Father who cares about you and the things that you care about. Stop for a minute and think about that. God sees you, knows you, cares for you, and loves you. Has this truth been on your mind? Or has your mind been filled and preoccupied with all of the different information and activity going on around you?
This scripture also says something incredibly important. We are UNITED with Christ and are ONE in Christ. We, all who profess faith in Jesus, are ONE BODY IN CHRIST. I am sure that you have seen a brother or sister in Christ say, post, or believe something that you do not agree with. Instead of judging them, pray for them. Instead of wanting to set them right, ask God why this offends you. We can, and should, continue to love others whether we agree with them or not. This pandemic is dividing people in so many different ways, but we can still be united in our love for Jesus and one another. Guard your heart, and be careful how you think, especially when it is about others. How can you promote oneness with Christ during this time of so many opinions, thoughts, and ideas?
Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV) Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23 (NCV) Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.
What is Proverbs 4:23 telling you?
Our thoughts produce actions, our actions produce habits, habits determine character, and our character determines our destiny. Our thoughts run our life. When you think about this pandemic, what do you think about? Time to spend at home with family. Working from home. I’m afraid to go out. Anger. Peace. Uneasiness. Confusion. Worry. Help others. The list could go on. Here’s the point: Thoughts run your life. If thoughts run our life, it is important what we think about! What are you allowing to influence you? Are you thinking about what God says about you and your future? Are you thinking about what this world says about you and your future?
Luke 6:45 (NKJV) “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
Those thoughts that we think turn to words that come from our heart—the center of who we are.
Are you speaking from a heart full of fear?
Romans 8:14–16 (NLT) For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
Acts 1:8 (NLT) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
We have not received a spirit that makes us fearful slaves! Go back and read that Romans scripture again! We have received the Spirit of God and are now adopted into His family! We have been given the Holy Spirit! We possess a power that raised Christ from the dead. Speak from a heart full of faith and not fear! We should do our best to listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. This is hard when the media is so loud and opinions are so loud. Talk to someone about how you are feeling and ask for prayer.
I (Josh) had a hard time tuning out opinions and the media these last few weeks. It helps to talk with someone, ask for prayer, and pray to God the Father. His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we belong to Him! Have you been speaking form a heart of fear? Join a Zoom Community Group at ncccfd.org/communitygroups or talk with a trusted friend or one of the pastors.
Are you speaking from a heart that believes in conspiracy theories?
There are a lot of questions about all kinds of things floating around right now. Asking questions is fine, but spreading conspiracies is not something for us to engage in. God has not called us to be easily fooled, and gullibility is not a Christian virtue. Believing and sharing conspiracies does not honor God. You are actually damaging your witness.
Austin Jones tweeted, “Last week my Facebook feed was full of people posting crazy COVID conspiracy theories, followed by posts about evidence for the resurrection. I don’t think they realize the message they are actually sending.”
Here’s what he is saying. Constantly sharing and believing conspiracy theories will cause people to see you as someone who is easily fooled. When you try to tell them about your resurrected Savior, they will just assume that you were fooled again. Do you see the problem with conspiracy theories? Ephesians 5:15 (NCV) “So be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely.” It’s good to ask questions and want to learn more, but don’t just believe something because it was shared by a friend. Pray for discernment. Do your research. Worry less about proclaiming the newest piece of “information,” and instead proclaim Jesus and the work He did on the cross to set you free! It’s a better use of your time, and it makes an eternal difference! Have you been falling for conspiracy theories? Have they made you better or bitter? Do they make you happy or angry? What will you do to proclaim the name of Jesus above everything else?
Are you speaking from a heart full of hope?
Romans 15:13 (NLT) I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hope is a confident expectation. It is an expectation that God will do what He has promised. He will never leave you or turn His back on you (Hebrews 13:5)! He has the whole world in His hands (Psalm 95:4)! He sent the Holy Spirit to be our helper and comforter in all things (John 14:26). Are you speaking out of a heart of hope or have you been believing the worst case scenarios?
Are you speaking from a heart full of love?
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT) Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
Now we have arrived back to the beginning. We have been united together as one body in Christ because of the love that He has for us! With all of the divisiveness, strong opinions, and differing information, let everything you do be done out of love for God and love for others. How can you love someone who thinks so differently about things you are passionate about?
Remember to be careful about what you are thinking about, because thoughts run your life.