Proverbs 4:23 English Standard Version (ESV)
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
Last time, I talked about the importance of Word!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Guard my heart – I want to dig into the words, because I want to know a bit more about the words!
Why?
Well, I believe everything started with a word (phrase, actually)
Genesis 1:3 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Jesus is the Word…and was there in the beginning!
John 1:1-3 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Prologue
1 In the beginning was the Word,[a]
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 All things were created through Him,
and apart from Him not one thing was created
that has been created.
To be like Jesus, I need to know Jesus more.
Jesus is the incarnation of God the Father, and the way that God made for me to KNOW Him better.
The Holy Spirit is the indwelling person of the Godhead. To know Him, I need to spend time with Him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next word/phrase is all vigilance, diligence, utmost care, and above all else.
It’s serious.
It’s to be done intentionally.
This is how I will guard my heart with all diligence.
- Walking in the Spirit.
- Living in the Spirit.
- Hide the Word in my heart.
- Study Jesus!
- Be like Jesus!
- Keep account of my days…Ps 90:12
- Seek wisdom
- Be Prepared for what’s coming.
One thing that I’m certain of, in the focus upon words, that we will be judged by our words.
Matthew 12:36-37 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.[a] 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Proverbs 18:21 Life and death are in the power of the tongue.
Proverbs 13:2-3 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
2 From the words of his mouth,
a man will enjoy good things,
but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.
3 The one who guards his mouth protects his life;
the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
What does the mouth have to do with the heart?
Matthew 12:34 King James Version (KJV)
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Luke 6:45 King James Version (KJV)
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
The mouth is the indication of what is in the heart! My words can tell me what is the state of my heart.
James 1:26 King James Version (KJV)
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
To protect my heart, I need to govern my tongue.
Psalm 34:13 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from deceitful speech.
Psalm 39:1 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
I said, “I will guard my ways
so that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle
as long as the wicked are in my presence.”
Psalm 141:3 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)3 Lord, set up a guard for my mouth;
keep watch at the door of my lips.
James 3 talks about taming the tongue.
The thing is, James 3:1 fits the diligently warning…
The Berean Bible says it this way:
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
I’ve talked about us being judged…above about our words, our tongue. What about other ways?
1 Corinthians 11:28-32 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
28 So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body,[a] eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep. 31 If we were properly evaluating ourselves, we would not be judged, 32 but when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned with the world.
Jeremiah 31:17-20 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
17 There is hope for your future—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
and your children will return to their own territory.
18 I have heard Ephraim moaning,
“You disciplined me, and I have been disciplined
like an untrained calf.
Restore me, and I will return,
for you, Lord, are my God.
19 After I returned, I repented;
After I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief.
I was ashamed and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.”
20 Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to Me,
a delightful child?
Whenever I speak against him,
I certainly still think about him.
Therefore, My inner being yearns for him;
I will truly have compassion on him.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Itty Bitty Bible Study Habakkuk 1 talks about how allows things to discipline us. How much better to be disciplined by the Father, than judged without grace!
IBBS Habakkuk 3 goes into the reason that we want the Father to discipline us…as His sons.
The point here is not judgement in the sense of condemnation, but rather conviction and self searching to rid ourselves from anything that would be displeasing to the Lord!
Psalm 139:23-24 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.
24 See if there is any offensive[a] way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way.
Our Prayer – our heart – should be that Father God would help us to search our hearts,
Psalm 51 is a prayer for cleansing, of repentance, and of trust that the Lord would renew us, in the light of some consequences for choices that make life a bit uncomfortable. That discomfort is to cause us to turn back to the Lord, and repent from the ‘other’ that we were following.
If we were supposed to be perfect, we would not have the promises in 1 John for an advocate that will cleanse us from our sins!
It’s our job to check our hearts…and to continually put off those fleshly things and put on the things of the Spirit…the fruit, the qualities of Love, the beattitudes that Jesus taught…to crucify the flesh and strengthen the Spirit by the Power of the blood of Jesus, and the renewing of the mind.
romans 12:1-2
There is a Christian comedian/satirist named John Christ. He has several videos about Check your heart!
Seriously, why should we check our heart?
Well, there are others that are…Christian and non Christian…as well as our Father in Heaven!
I wrote about the difference between Judas and Peter – they both denied Christ…but one had heart knowledge of forgiveness.
Jesus pled with the disciples at Gethsemane to Watch and Pray that they not fall into temptation! Matthew 26:41
Jesus told Peter that Satan had a target on his back! Luke 22:321
Paul wrote much about being aware of the enemy’s schemes.
I believe it is the heart issue.
We’ve talked a lot about how works are the evidence of our salvation. The outward sign of our inner work is how the Episcopalians describe sacraments. Neither the sacraments, nor the disciplines of faith, nor even the fruits gain us salvation, but they are evidences of our salvation. Jesus said that we can know them by their fruit.
- Judas was willing to betray this man – but Peter was not willing to have him wash his feet!
- Judas was known to be a thief – but Peter was willing to step out on water, and was declaring his dying loyalty!
- Judas did not understand the concept of forgiveness – Peter had been taught over and over, and was alive to experience Christ’s forgiveness.
I wonder what Peter learned from his experience with JESUS. When Peter stepped out of the boat in faith and walked on the water, and then he looked around at the storm and he took his eyes off Jesus, and said “Lord Jesus save me”, and Jesus reached out his hands and caught him. I wonder, did that impact Peters understanding that Jesus knows we’re going to mess up, and Jesus would forgive. This experience had to be enormously impactful to this fisherman!
IBBS Ephesians 2:11-19 goes into the comparison of flesh and spirit.
If we are showing fleshly behaviors…our heart is in the flesh!
If we are showing spirit behaviors…our heart is in the Spirit!
Galatians 5:19-21 lists the works of the flesh.
Galatians 5:22-25 lists the fruit of the Spirit:
Galatians 5:22-25 King James Version (KJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
IBBS Galatians 5 goes into detail about how we can be free from the law, but also, needing to walk in the Spirit and producing fruit.
In John 15, we have Jesus talking to us about abiding in Him, and producing much fruit.
John 15:8 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be[a] My disciples.
We prove that we are God’s disciples by our fruit!
One of the ways we can judge the fruit is by the words that come out of someone’s mouth…or, our own mouth!
Dear friends, in checking my heart, I’ve been listening to the words of my mouth.
They may not be all horrible, but they are not always positive!
Phil 4 has so much in it about how to stand firm in God, but verse 8 talks about what things to focus upon.
Philippians 4:8 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.
If these are the things I’m meditating upon, wouldn’t these be the qualities of what comes out of my mouth?
Back to life and death are in the power of the tongue.
When God gave me this focus for this year, to guard my heart, I thought that it was going to be a study on the heart.
No…it’s a study on how to CHECK my heart!
Here’s my heart Lord, take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above!
Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links.
- Got Questions provides a detailed explanation of The Roman’s Road.
- Billy Graham’s version of the Plan of salvation
Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest
Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.
- Naomi’s Heart Ministries
- Obed’s House Ministries
- Project Based Missions, Global
- The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.
- Compassion
