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My Heart Christ's Home Bible Study

by John Owens
11/03/2023 / Bible Studies

One of the most beloved pieces of Christian literature of the 20th century is MY HEART CHRIST’S HOME by Robert Boyd Munger, first published in 1951. More than ten million readers have enjoyed this spiritually challenging meditation on Christian discipleship. Imagining what it would be like to have Jesus come to the home of our hearts, Munger moves room by room considering what Christ desires for us. In the living room we prepare to meet Christ daily. In the dining room we examine together what appetites should and should not control us. We even explore the closets in our lives that Christ can help us clean out. Munger's practical and profound booklet helps you give Christ control over all of your life.

This is a group study for exploring this booklet in greater depth which I have prepared and used in Sunday evening classes.

Robert Boyd Munger

Robert Boyd Munger, author of the best-selling book My Heart—Christ's Home, died February 16, 2001, at age 90. He earned degrees from the University of California at Berkeley, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Whitworth College. Ordained as a United Presbyterian minister, he served as pastor of several congregations, including the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, California, where he first preached the sermon "My Heart—Christ's Home." Munger also served for many years as a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. His other books include What Jesus Said, New Life to Live; Jesus, Man of His Word; and Leading from the Heart.

MY HEART, CHRIST’S HOME SCRIPTURE STUDY

GOD’S WORD SPEAKS OF THE HEART

Man’s heart condition

Jer 17:9- The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Rom 3:23-for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

1 Cor 4:5- Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the ^[counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Ps 84:2- My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Promise of help

Ezek 36:26- I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Jer 29:13- And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

2 Cor 5:17- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Rev 3:20- Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

The Divine presence

Col 1:27- To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: ^[^a^]which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Ps 40:3- He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.

Jn 14:23- Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

THE LIBRARY – BATTLEGROUND FOR THE MIND

Phil 4:8- Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Rom 12:2- And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

2 Cor 10:4-5- ⁴For the weapons of our warfare are not ^[^a^]carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

DISCUSSION:

The library was found to be a very small room with very thick walls. How could that be compared to the mind?

Why is the library the most important room? Do we value the importance of what we allow into our minds and what ways can we control such input?

In what ways are we to evaluate the materials in the library? Why would the Lord ask for everything else to be thrown out?

How often is Scripture meditation to take place in the believer’s life?

What is a way to take every thought captive?

THE DINING ROOM – APPETITES AND DESIRES

Jn 4:13-14- ¹³Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, ¹⁴but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Jn 6:32-33- ³²Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

Lk 16:24-25- ²⁴“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ ²⁵But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.

Ps 34:8- Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Heb 6:4-5- …enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,…

DISCUSSION:

Can you remember the desires of your heart changing after you received Jesus into your heart? What was thrown out?

How does the worldly fare that you once enjoyed appeal to you now?

How can a person taste of the things of God?

Can you describe what you are now living for?

How are your appetites and desires now directed?

THE DRAWING ROOM – CLOSE CONVERSATION

Song of Solomon 2:10- My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Is 32:18- My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places

Mark 1:35- Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a ^[^a^]solitary place; and there He prayed.

Matt 26:40- Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?

Luke 11:1- Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

Job 33:26- He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness.

Ps 91:1- He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Luke 24:32- And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

DISCUSSION:

Would you say that having a time and place of prayer may require some self-discipline before it becomes a delight? Why is it difficult?

Should you feel condemned if you are to fall asleep in prayer?

If you could have anyone for a prayer partner, who would it be?

Why do you think that daily prayer is not often given a high priority?

THE WORKSHOP – KINGDOM PRODUCTION

Eph 2:10- For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Exod 35:10- All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded.

1 Cor 12:5-6-⁵There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works ^[^a^]all in all.

1 Pe 4:10-11- ¹⁰As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ¹¹If anyone speaks, let him speak as the ^[^a^]oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the ^[^b^]dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Phil 2:13- for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Luke 12:42-44- ⁴²And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food ^[^a^]in due season? ⁴³Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. ⁴⁴Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.

DISCUSSION:

Describe the difference between doing charitable deeds in our own way and being directed by the Holy Spirit. How should the church differ from the world?

How does a person receive spiritual giftings? How can they be discovered?

Are there people who come to church who have God-given gifts and talents that are unused? How can they be activated?

Compare saving faith and working faith.

THE RUMPUS ROOM – FRIENDSHIP AND GUIDANCE

Jn 15:13- Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Rom 13:13- Let us walk ^[^a^]properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

Eph 5:18- And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

Ps 1:1- Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ^[^a^]ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

Prov 3:6- In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall ^[^a^]direct your paths.

2 Cor 13:14- The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the ^[^a^]communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

1 Jn 2:6- He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Matt 24:37-39- ³⁷But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ³⁸For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

DISCUSSION:

Describe the difficulty as well as the opportunities involved in changing relationship with Jesus from part-time to full-time. Describe the difference.

Do you seek the Lord’s approval before going places and doing things? Has God ever stopped you from something?

How do you handle old friends?

THE HALL CLOSET – COVERED SIN

2 Cor 2:15-16- ¹⁵For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. ¹⁶To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life…

Prov 28:13- He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

Matt 10:26- …For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

Song of Sol 2:15- Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.

1 Sam 15:22-23- …Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.²³For rebellion is as the sin of ^[^a^]witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…

Matt 5:8- Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Ps 51:10- Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

1 Jn 1:8-9- ⁸If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

DISCUSSION:

Have you ever hunted through the kitchen trying to find the source of a fowl odor? Compare the nature of sin.

A single grain of sand can shut down a diesel engine. What harm can one little sin do? Biblical examples.

How can we uncover and be cleansed from closet sins?

TRANSFERRING THE TITLE – ABSOLUTE LORDSHIP

Rom 7:19,24-25- For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. ²⁴O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? ²⁵I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord…

Rom 8:2-4- ²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. ³For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: ⁴That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Gal 2:20-I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

2 Cor 5:17- Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Zech 4:6- … Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

Rom 12:1- I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

DISCUSSION:

Have you made the wonderful discovery of the Spirit-filled life? Describe the difference in terms of freedom from guilt, righteousness, peace, and joy.

How do you view the ten commandments? Their purpose?

How aware are you of the Divine Presence of Jesus Christ? When are you most aware?

God desires for you to see yourself as being one with Him – righteous in His eyes because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross: (John 17)

²⁰Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

²¹That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

²²And the glory which thou gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

²³I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

God admonishes us to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on your new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:20-22)

PRAYER OF SALVATION:

Dear God, I realize that I need you to rule and reign in my life. I can’t do it myself. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your only begotten Son and the only way to eternal life. I believe that He died for my sins and You raised Him from the dead for my salvation. I repent and turn from my old selfish way of life. I ask you now to forgive me of all my sins. Come into my life and be my personal Lord and Savior. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. I renounce the devil and surrender my life to you. Live your life in me to the glory of the One who suffered and died for me – Jesus Christ. I am yours. In His Name. Amen.

John L. Owens and his family were full-time missionaries to the former USSR in the early 90's. He continues to write and minister to truck drivers from his home in Coastal Georgia. His website, www.TheNinthGeneration.com, features his two published novels.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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