Guarding Your Heart
August 2012
Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health. Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust. Proverbs 4:20-27 MSG
Growing up I was always the girl who wore her heart on her sleeve. Although I grew up hearing, "guard YOUR heart" (Proverbs 4:23) at home, in church, etc., I still did not quite grasp what God was trying to say. It wasn't until I went off to college that I found out what this scripture really meant and how important it is. So the question today is, "How do I guard my heart?"
First things first, you must understand why it is important to "guard your heart". You are a tri-part being. You have a spirit, soul, and body. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, "And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through (separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God); and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete (and found) blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)." Paul used all three words to describe the complete makeup of a person. Your body is your flesh...it's the physical you. Your soul is your mind, will, and emotions. And lastly, the most important part of you.....your spirit. It is the heart of you! It is the only part of you that got saved when you ask Jesus to be your personal Savior. If you are saved, your spirit....your heart belongs to Jesus. Your spirit....your heart....your inner man is then led by Jesus, resulting in your spirit leading your soul and body. For this reason...it is important that you guard your heart! You see, if you don't guard your heart and allow your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions to lead you; you will be up today and down tomorrow...because your emotions, mind, and will are constantly changing. And if you allow your body which is your flesh to lead you; you can and will possibly walk down a path that will lead you to destruction. Because of this you must first give your life to Jesus, seek Him and keep Him first! And then allow your spirit to lead you in everything you do and every decision you make.....AND YOU MUST, YOU MUST, YOU MUST...GUARD YOUR HEART....for it does determine the course of your life!
So to answer the above question....this is how you can GUARD YOUR HEART!
1. What are you looking at?
"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) If you are going to guard your heart it is vital that you are careful of what you allow yourself to see! A light illuminates your path...it helps you to see clearly and helps you not to run into anything that could hurt you....but in order for your path to be illuminated and your body to be full of light your eye must be single. Meaning that your eyes must be on God and God alone! You must do what Proverbs 4:20-22 says and countless other scriptures say and, "....attend to My words; consent and submit to My sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them , healing and health to all their flesh!" Remember Proverbs 4:21? God says to, "Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart!" If you don't stay focused and keep your eyes on Jesus....the devil will try to distract you with any and everything that will eventually lead to your heart being troubled. He will try to get you focused on the circumstances and cares of life.....he will try his best to get you to walk by sight and not by faith! So today, be sure to keep YOUR EYES ON JESUS....GUARD YOUR HEART!
2. What's on your mind?
What is on your mind? What do you think of when you first wake up? What controls your thoughts throughout the day? What do you think of when you go to bed at night? Do your thoughts line up with God's Word? How about your imaginations? If we could watch what goes on in your mind as on a television screen, would it be pleasing to God or displeasing to Him? 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, "Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ!" If you are going to guard your heart it is important that you watch what you allow your mind to think about. Proverbs 23:7 even says, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he!" Your life tends to go in the direction of your most dominant thoughts! Your most dominant thoughts will always become reality. This is why you have to constantly monitor your thoughts! Be selective about what you think! Now negative and positive thoughts will come across your mind on a daily basis. You can't prevent negative thoughts from coming, but you can prevent them from lodging in your mind and taking root! 2 Corinthians 10:5 lets us know that we are to put every thought under the obedience of Christ. Notice God did not say that He will take away bad thoughts or clear our minds...but He told us to cast down anything that tries to exalt itself against the knowledge of Him. The key to being victorious and experiencing God's best is renewing your mind. For this reason it is important that you renew your mind with the Word of God, because if you don't the devil will try to infiltrate your mind with worry, fear, doubt, and unbelief....once again causing your heart to be troubled. Whatever is planted on the inside of you will produce outward results. What goes in must come out. Whatever is dominating your mind will eventually drop down into your heart! But if you want perfect peace you must do what Isaiah 26:3 says and keep your mind on Christ! Think about things that are true, honest, just, pure, of a good report....if there be any virtue and if there be any praise....THINK ON THOSE THINGS! (Phil. 4:8) So today, watch what you allow your mind to think about....GUARD YOUR HEART!
3. Watch your mouth!
"Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip!" Proverbs 4:24 MSG If you want to guard your heart....watch what you say! Remember, "Death and life is in the power of the tongue!" (Proverbs 18:21) You can speak life or you can speak death. If you continually speak life....if you continually speak the Word of God over every aspect and circumstance in your life...your heart will be full of life! But if you speak death....if you continually speak fear, doubt, and unbelief...once again you will find your heart troubled. Watch your mouth......GUARD YOUR HEART!
4. Who are you hanging with?
Question, is he or she helping your walk with God or is he or she hindering it? Proverbs 13:20 says, "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." If you are going to guard your heart it is vital that you watch who you hang around. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, "Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits....." Wrong friends can cause wrong actions, wrong behaviors, wrong emotions, wrong thoughts, wrong conversations.....wrong EVERYTHING! Like Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Your friends....the people that you hang around should encourage you to live for Jesus, to stay focused on God, to watch your mouth by speaking the Word of God only, and to renew your mind with the Word of God! And by your friends and the people you hang around encouraging this...in essence your heart will be guarded! So...if you want to GUARD YOUR HEART....watch who you hang around!
5. What or who are you listening to?
What or who are you listening to? "Dear friend, listen well to My words; tune your ears to My voice." Proverbs 4:20 It is vital that you watch what you hear....if you are going to guard your heart. How can you watch what you hear? Consider the music you listen to. What do the lyrics say? Sometimes you create images in your mind and certain things drop into your heart without you knowing because of the music you listen to. Or consider the person that you always talk to.....if you are around them long enough, what they say you will say....for this reason you must be mindful of what you choose to listen to! Your ears are directly connected to your faith....Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God!" If you want more faith...you must HEAR MORE WORD! Less faith is due to hearing little or no Word! And with little or no Word your heart will be troubled and the devil will once again use fear, doubt, and unbelief....causing your heart to be troubled. For this reason.....you must watch what you listen to....if you want to GUARD YOUR HEART!
6. Who do you serve?
Do you serve; Jesus or people, Jesus or the world, Jesus or the devil? Know that you are a slave to whoever you serve....Romans 6:16 says, "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" The greatest way to guard your heart is to serve and be a slave to Jesus! Being a slave to people will never satisfy you. Being a slave to this world....let's face it the world changes every day....that is definitely not a good idea! And being a slave to the devil only leads to defeat. But God! Being a slave to Jesus, serving Him with gladness and contentment and wholeheartedly following after Him will gain you everything! God wants the best for you and has great plans for YOU! If you serve Him; if you are a slave to Him you will be complete, satisfied, and at peace! You will find comfort, healing, direction and purpose for your life! Being real....serving the Lord will bring you inexpressible joy! So....if you want to guard your heart....give your heart to Jesus...the glass slipper of God's love fits you perfectly!
So today, remember that what is inside of YOU flows out of YOU!!! So.....GUARD YOUR HEART! Guard your heart by watching what you allow yourself to see, to think about, to hear, and to say. Guard your heart by watching who you hang around and being sure to serve and be a slave to Jesus and only Jesus! Remember that the Word of God will always plant positive seeds and produce great fruit! Make a commitment to begin shutting out all the negative influences around you and begin planting the Word of God into you daily. You have to control what you allow your ears to hear, eyes to see, and your heart to be opened to.....GUARD YOUR HEART! Renew your mind with the Word and think the thoughts of Christ....GUARD YOUR HEART! If you want to truly live, free of bondage, fear, lack....etc....look at Proverbs 4:21-22! It says, "Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health." When your mind is renewed and your heart is in God's hands your will, will be conformed and your emotions will be controlled! Your body, soul, and spirit will prosper! GUARD YOUR HEART! Be blessed!
Growing up I was always the girl who wore her heart on her sleeve. Although I grew up hearing, "guard YOUR heart" (Proverbs 4:23) at home, in church, etc., I still did not quite grasp what God was trying to say. It wasn't until I went off to college that I found out what this scripture really meant and how important it is. So the question today is, "How do I guard my heart?"
First things first, you must understand why it is important to "guard your heart". You are a tri-part being. You have a spirit, soul, and body. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, "And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through (separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God); and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete (and found) blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)." Paul used all three words to describe the complete makeup of a person. Your body is your flesh...it's the physical you. Your soul is your mind, will, and emotions. And lastly, the most important part of you.....your spirit. It is the heart of you! It is the only part of you that got saved when you ask Jesus to be your personal Savior. If you are saved, your spirit....your heart belongs to Jesus. Your spirit....your heart....your inner man is then led by Jesus, resulting in your spirit leading your soul and body. For this reason...it is important that you guard your heart! You see, if you don't guard your heart and allow your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions to lead you; you will be up today and down tomorrow...because your emotions, mind, and will are constantly changing. And if you allow your body which is your flesh to lead you; you can and will possibly walk down a path that will lead you to destruction. Because of this you must first give your life to Jesus, seek Him and keep Him first! And then allow your spirit to lead you in everything you do and every decision you make.....AND YOU MUST, YOU MUST, YOU MUST...GUARD YOUR HEART....for it does determine the course of your life!
So to answer the above question....this is how you can GUARD YOUR HEART!
1. What are you looking at?
"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) If you are going to guard your heart it is vital that you are careful of what you allow yourself to see! A light illuminates your path...it helps you to see clearly and helps you not to run into anything that could hurt you....but in order for your path to be illuminated and your body to be full of light your eye must be single. Meaning that your eyes must be on God and God alone! You must do what Proverbs 4:20-22 says and countless other scriptures say and, "....attend to My words; consent and submit to My sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them , healing and health to all their flesh!" Remember Proverbs 4:21? God says to, "Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart!" If you don't stay focused and keep your eyes on Jesus....the devil will try to distract you with any and everything that will eventually lead to your heart being troubled. He will try to get you focused on the circumstances and cares of life.....he will try his best to get you to walk by sight and not by faith! So today, be sure to keep YOUR EYES ON JESUS....GUARD YOUR HEART!
2. What's on your mind?
What is on your mind? What do you think of when you first wake up? What controls your thoughts throughout the day? What do you think of when you go to bed at night? Do your thoughts line up with God's Word? How about your imaginations? If we could watch what goes on in your mind as on a television screen, would it be pleasing to God or displeasing to Him? 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, "Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ!" If you are going to guard your heart it is important that you watch what you allow your mind to think about. Proverbs 23:7 even says, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he!" Your life tends to go in the direction of your most dominant thoughts! Your most dominant thoughts will always become reality. This is why you have to constantly monitor your thoughts! Be selective about what you think! Now negative and positive thoughts will come across your mind on a daily basis. You can't prevent negative thoughts from coming, but you can prevent them from lodging in your mind and taking root! 2 Corinthians 10:5 lets us know that we are to put every thought under the obedience of Christ. Notice God did not say that He will take away bad thoughts or clear our minds...but He told us to cast down anything that tries to exalt itself against the knowledge of Him. The key to being victorious and experiencing God's best is renewing your mind. For this reason it is important that you renew your mind with the Word of God, because if you don't the devil will try to infiltrate your mind with worry, fear, doubt, and unbelief....once again causing your heart to be troubled. Whatever is planted on the inside of you will produce outward results. What goes in must come out. Whatever is dominating your mind will eventually drop down into your heart! But if you want perfect peace you must do what Isaiah 26:3 says and keep your mind on Christ! Think about things that are true, honest, just, pure, of a good report....if there be any virtue and if there be any praise....THINK ON THOSE THINGS! (Phil. 4:8) So today, watch what you allow your mind to think about....GUARD YOUR HEART!
3. Watch your mouth!
"Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip!" Proverbs 4:24 MSG If you want to guard your heart....watch what you say! Remember, "Death and life is in the power of the tongue!" (Proverbs 18:21) You can speak life or you can speak death. If you continually speak life....if you continually speak the Word of God over every aspect and circumstance in your life...your heart will be full of life! But if you speak death....if you continually speak fear, doubt, and unbelief...once again you will find your heart troubled. Watch your mouth......GUARD YOUR HEART!
4. Who are you hanging with?
Question, is he or she helping your walk with God or is he or she hindering it? Proverbs 13:20 says, "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." If you are going to guard your heart it is vital that you watch who you hang around. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, "Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits....." Wrong friends can cause wrong actions, wrong behaviors, wrong emotions, wrong thoughts, wrong conversations.....wrong EVERYTHING! Like Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Your friends....the people that you hang around should encourage you to live for Jesus, to stay focused on God, to watch your mouth by speaking the Word of God only, and to renew your mind with the Word of God! And by your friends and the people you hang around encouraging this...in essence your heart will be guarded! So...if you want to GUARD YOUR HEART....watch who you hang around!
5. What or who are you listening to?
What or who are you listening to? "Dear friend, listen well to My words; tune your ears to My voice." Proverbs 4:20 It is vital that you watch what you hear....if you are going to guard your heart. How can you watch what you hear? Consider the music you listen to. What do the lyrics say? Sometimes you create images in your mind and certain things drop into your heart without you knowing because of the music you listen to. Or consider the person that you always talk to.....if you are around them long enough, what they say you will say....for this reason you must be mindful of what you choose to listen to! Your ears are directly connected to your faith....Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God!" If you want more faith...you must HEAR MORE WORD! Less faith is due to hearing little or no Word! And with little or no Word your heart will be troubled and the devil will once again use fear, doubt, and unbelief....causing your heart to be troubled. For this reason.....you must watch what you listen to....if you want to GUARD YOUR HEART!
6. Who do you serve?
Do you serve; Jesus or people, Jesus or the world, Jesus or the devil? Know that you are a slave to whoever you serve....Romans 6:16 says, "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" The greatest way to guard your heart is to serve and be a slave to Jesus! Being a slave to people will never satisfy you. Being a slave to this world....let's face it the world changes every day....that is definitely not a good idea! And being a slave to the devil only leads to defeat. But God! Being a slave to Jesus, serving Him with gladness and contentment and wholeheartedly following after Him will gain you everything! God wants the best for you and has great plans for YOU! If you serve Him; if you are a slave to Him you will be complete, satisfied, and at peace! You will find comfort, healing, direction and purpose for your life! Being real....serving the Lord will bring you inexpressible joy! So....if you want to guard your heart....give your heart to Jesus...the glass slipper of God's love fits you perfectly!
So today, remember that what is inside of YOU flows out of YOU!!! So.....GUARD YOUR HEART! Guard your heart by watching what you allow yourself to see, to think about, to hear, and to say. Guard your heart by watching who you hang around and being sure to serve and be a slave to Jesus and only Jesus! Remember that the Word of God will always plant positive seeds and produce great fruit! Make a commitment to begin shutting out all the negative influences around you and begin planting the Word of God into you daily. You have to control what you allow your ears to hear, eyes to see, and your heart to be opened to.....GUARD YOUR HEART! Renew your mind with the Word and think the thoughts of Christ....GUARD YOUR HEART! If you want to truly live, free of bondage, fear, lack....etc....look at Proverbs 4:21-22! It says, "Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health." When your mind is renewed and your heart is in God's hands your will, will be conformed and your emotions will be controlled! Your body, soul, and spirit will prosper! GUARD YOUR HEART! Be blessed!