Lesson Prepration Guide for "The Lord Looketh on the Heart"

In his General Conference talk, Elder Ronald M. Barcellos explores the profound truth that the Lord looks beyond outward appearances and judges us by the condition of our hearts. Through scriptural examples and personal insights, Elder Barcellos emphasizes the importance of aligning our hearts with God's will. He encourages us to engage in spiritual assessments and to take actions that will strengthen our relationship with Christ, align our will with His, and serve others with sincerity. This talk offers guidance on how to cultivate a pure heart and experience the joy and peace that come from living a Christ-centered life.

Ideas for Opening the Lesson

Begin by sharing the story of David being chosen as king and discuss how appearances can be deceiving. Ask the class to reflect on times when they misjudged someone based on appearance.
Invite class members to ponder the phrase "The Lord looketh on the heart" and share what it means to them personally.
Start with a brief silent reflection on the condition of our own hearts and what it means to have a heart aligned with God's will.
Share a personal or historical story of someone who demonstrated a "pure heart" in their actions and discuss what we can learn from them.
Ask the class to consider what it means to have a "broken heart and contrite spirit" and how it applies to their lives.

Topics

Understand God's Focus on the Heart

Elder Barcellos highlighted that God values the condition of our hearts over outward appearances. He recounted the story of David being chosen as king not for his physical attributes but for his heart's devotion to God. This serves as a reminder that God seeks those who love Him genuinely and strive to obey His commandments with sincerity.

For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

How can we better align our hearts with God's expectations?
What are some ways we can ensure our actions reflect a pure heart?
Why do you think God values the heart over outward appearances?
Can you share an experience where you felt judged by your appearance, but your heart was in the right place?
How does understanding God's focus on the heart change your perspective on personal worth?

Assess Your Heart with Spiritual Tests

Elder Barcellos encouraged us to evaluate our spiritual health through various tests, such as examining our priorities, obedience, scripture study, and thoughts. These assessments help us understand if our hearts are truly aligned with God's desires for us.

The Savior has also provided us with a set of spiritual tests we can use to assess our hearts’ spiritual condition.

What spiritual tests have you found helpful in assessing your heart's condition?
How do our priorities reflect the state of our hearts?
Why is it important to regularly evaluate our willingness to obey God's commandments?
In what ways can scripture study reveal the condition of our hearts?
How can we ensure our thoughts and words reflect a pure heart?

Strengthen Your Relationship with Christ

Elder Barcellos emphasized the importance of daily efforts to come closer to Christ through prayer, scripture study, and fasting. These practices help transform our hearts and align us more closely with the Savior's teachings.

As we dedicate time daily to come closer to Christ, our hearts are changed.

What daily practices help you strengthen your relationship with Christ?
How has regular scripture study impacted your spiritual growth?
Why is daily prayer essential in aligning our hearts with Christ?
Can you share an experience where fasting brought you closer to the Savior?
How does strengthening our relationship with Christ change our hearts?

Align Your Will with God's Will

Aligning our will with God's involves making and keeping covenants, repenting, and striving to follow His commandments. Elder Barcellos encouraged us to demonstrate our love for God by aligning our desires with His.

He invites us to demonstrate our love by making and keeping covenants with Him.

What does it mean to align your will with God's will?
How do covenants help us align our desires with God's?
Why is repentance a crucial part of aligning our will with God's?
How can we better understand God's will for us?
What challenges have you faced in aligning your will with God's, and how did you overcome them?

Serve God and Others with All Your Heart

Elder Barcellos taught that serving God and others with sincerity and intent strengthens our faith and fills our hearts with joy. Service is a key aspect of discipleship and helps us become more like Christ.

When we choose to do each thing the Lord has asked us to do...with a sincere heart and with real intent, each act of service and worship becomes a powerful spiritual experience.

How does serving others help us develop a pure heart?
What are some ways we can serve with real intent?
Can you share a time when service brought you closer to God?
Why is it important to serve with sincerity rather than obligation?
How can we overcome barriers to serving others with all our hearts?

Additional Discussion Questions

What does it mean for you personally that 'the Lord looketh on the heart'?
How can we cultivate a heart that is pleasing to God in our daily lives?
What role does humility play in aligning our hearts with God's will?
How can we guard against the temptation to judge others by outward appearances?
In what ways can we support each other in strengthening our spiritual hearts?
How does understanding God's focus on the heart affect our view of repentance?
What are some ways to ensure our motives align with God's desires?
How can we use the sacrament as a time to assess our hearts?
What impact does having a 'broken heart and contrite spirit' have on our relationship with God?
How can we create an environment in our homes that fosters pure hearts?