Walk

320. Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 4:23 (KJV) says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

“Heart” can also be translated as mind, which includes the will, intellect and emotions, as opposed to the spirit of man wherein dwells the Holy Spirit in a believer. The “heart,” or soul, as it is defined, represents our areas of free will and choice, therefore we must always guard them.

Notice this Scripture says that we should spend all of our diligence to guard our heart.

According to Luke 6:45, Jesus contrasts a good man’s actions with those of an evil man. “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” (Luke 6:45).

Our actions are a result of what is in our heart.

It is like a computer, whatever software we put in it that is what the computer will do and nothing else. A computer is only a machine that obeys what we put into it. Likewise, we eventually will do whatever we program into our hearts. We have no choice, this is a law!

Proverbs 4:24-27 tells us how to guard the heart. The heart and mouth are connected. So are the eyes, the feet and your turning abilities. “Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:24-27).

“Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).

Meditate on some of the ways you can guard your heart according to these Scriptures.

What are you taking into your eyes, your ears, where do your feet go and what is your mouth saying? Which way are you turning, towards the Lord or towards the World?

Our mouth: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29). According to this verse, our mouths are to be used for building people up, not for cutting them down. We can guard our heart in this way.

Our Paths or feet: “I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her; for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it; do not travel on it; turn away from it, and pass on” (Proverbs 4:11-15).

Our eyes: “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways” (Proverbs 23:26).

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23, KJV).

Our ears: “If any man has ears to hear, let him hear. Then He said to them, ‘Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him” (Mark 4:23-25).

Our turning: Turning determines our direction. Are we facing the Lord and His Kingdom, or are we facing the World and its lusts and pleasures? If we turn, or repent, then the Holy Spirit opens our eyes and we see Jesus. Acts 26:18 says, “…to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”

Keep your heart honest: “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience (Luke 8:15).

The Word of God will do the work: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

The Promise for guarding our hearts is to be blessed by God.

Psalm 1:1-3 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.”

Proverbs 3:5-8 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.”

What is the promise God gives us for giving Him all of our heart? What is our responsibility?

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

The issues of your life are controlled by your heart.

Keep it clean, keep the Word in it. Watch your mouth, your ears, your feet and path, guard it with all of your energy.

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