What Is Shaping You?
Matthew 6:19-21 NIV
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Your heart doesn’t drift towards what you say matters, it drifts towards what you consistently give your time and your attention too.
Mark 10:17-22 NIV
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[a]”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
The issue isn’t that something is important to you. The issue is when that thing becomes more important than Jesus.
A heart that isn’t fully devoted to Jesus will eventually be devoted to something else
Mathew 6:21 NIV
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
What consistently gets your time, your energy, your defense, and your sacrifice, is what you value most deeply, and what you value most deeply is what has your heart.
If you have time for everything but Jesus, you have a heart issue.
Exodus 34:14 NIV
14 Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
God is a Jealous God and He Demands your whole heart.
Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Mathew 6:24 NIV
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
James 4:14 NIV
14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Talk It Over Questions
1. When you look at your schedule this past week, what did you give most of your time and energy to?
2. What topic dominates your conversations the most right now?
3. What tends to affect your mood the quickest — positively or negatively?
4. What do you defend most quickly when someone challenges it?
5. If life is a mist, what are you currently investing in that won’t matter in eternity?
6. What are your children (or younger people around you) learning from your priorities?
7. If your kids modeled your spiritual habits exactly, would you be encouraged or concerned?
8. If Jesus asked you to surrender the one thing you struggle to let go of, what would it be?
9. What does wholehearted devotion to Jesus actually look like in daily life?
10. Is there a difference between believing in Jesus and being fully devoted to Him? What is it?
11. What is one specific step you can take this week to realign your heart?
Ask Your Kids
1. Why do you think God wants us to pray?
2. When is a good time for you to pray?
3. What is something you can pray about this week?
4. How did prayer help Daniel?
