Proverbs 4:23
Guard your heart with all diligence; for out of it flow the issues of life.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No.5341
Guard: to watch, to keep; to watch over, to protect
From the Hebrew word 'natsar' (pronounced naw-tsar'): to guard the way of the heart.
OUR HEARTS
Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
To Guard our hearts is to be careful of what goes into our hearts. It is our treasure box, treasure chest: whatever we put into it, we will pull out of it. Like a child keeping all his favorite things in a shoebox, hiding it under the bed or in the closet and pulling it out to finger and gaze upon all his treasures, we too, should be examining our hearts, choosing only the best treasures.
Our hearts are fickle by nature. We change our minds as often as we breathe or blink. According to the Smithsonian, in their science and nature category, our eyes blink about 15 to 20 times per minute. We blink so often we are not aware of it. But we need to be more aware of how often our hearts can deceive us because of their nature to wander away from the focal point we try to maintain: specifically, our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I walk through a garden and want to smell every flower, to inhale the sweet perfumes. But not every flower should be smelled. There are weeds, some of which stink. There are bees, some so small you can't see them unless you open your eyes. There are spiders and all manner of insect activity in the garden.
Our hearts need to be open to the Lord and closed to the devil. Closed to the devil's deceits and cunning ways of distraction. Closed to his deliberate lies and prevarications (distortions, exaggerations, lies, fabrications, evasions, misrepresentations). Satan is a liar and the father of lies: John 8:44.
The heart of the Christian must be aligned with the Word of God in order to live a successful life, a life that honors God. Being a successful Christian does not mean the road is paved with gold; it does not mean we will always have money in the bank. Nor does it mean we will always be happy and not know turmoil or pain. With God success is being obedient to Him in a way that is honorable to Him.
A HEART THAT HONORS GOD
The Book of Proverbs gives great Wisdom from God on how to have a heart that honors God. Today we are focusing on Proverbs 3:1-12 which speaks on teaching our hearts to obey God.
- Remember His commandments in our hearts
- Keeping His commandments lengthens our days & gives peace to our lives
- Bind mercy and faithfulness around our necks, write them on the tablets of our hearts
- Then we will find favor with God and with man
- Trust in the Lord with all our hearts, lean not on our own understanding
- In all our ways we are to acknowledge Him: He will make our paths straight
- Don't be wise in our own eyes; fear the Lord and turn from evil
- Doing this will bring healing to our bodies, refreshment to our bones
- Honor the Lord with our wealth, the firstfruits of all of our harvest
- For only then will our storehouses be overflowing
- Reject not the discipline of the Lord, for He only disciplines the ones He loves and delights in
That's how we train our hearts to be obedient to The Word of God. We start with love, the pure love of God which is extended to us through His Son Jesus Christ, through the cross, through the blood which was shed by His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, through His grace, His mercy, His forever lovingkindness.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
1 John 4:8, 9
8. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
9. This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
That's successful living. A heart that loves like God loves has Jesus Christ living in it. As this new year begins, let us love one another with guarded hearts which have Christ living in them.
SHEPHERD OF MY SOUL by Rivers & Robots
LOVE IS KIND by John Lucas
(I WILL) WAIT ON YOU by Hillside Recording and Diana Trout
