TRUTH Day 04: Guard Your Heart

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The Bible has a lot to say about the heart! In fact, so much that I started this post before Thanksgiving and keep placing it on the back burner. There is so much information about our hearts in the Bible and keeping your heart in check is such an important aspect of spiritual growth. Like Solomon says below, EVERYTHING you do flows from your heart!
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. PROVERBS 4:23-27

The Heart

God's Word isn't referring to our physical, blood-pumping organ heart, or those cute little red hearts we draw on love notes ;) The "heart" referred to in the Bible represents our intellect, emotion, and will.
"Our heart dictates to a great extent how we live because we always find time to do what we enjoy." Proverbs 4:23 commentary in the Life Applications Study Bible (NLT)

An Unguarded Heart

If we don't guard our hearts, this can result in a loss of God's blessing and direction and may lead to spiritual destruction. An unguarded heart is easily lead astray by Satan's lies. Keep your heart in check by watching what you think and say. If you are saying mean things and thinking nasty thoughts about others, that is a sign there is a heart problem going on!
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. MATTHEW 12:34

Summary

In Proverbs 4:23-27, Solomon tells us to guard our hearts above all else and to concentrate on desires that keep us on the right path; the "right path" being God's Way.
  1. Guard what I watch, listen to, read, and think about.
  2. Make sure my affections lead me in the right direction.
  3. Put boundaries on my desires and don't go after everything I see! Pray for discernment.
  4. Keep my eyes focused on Jesus and don't get sidetracked. (Proverbs 4:23-27)

I'm thankful for...

Mr. E looking like a fine gentleman and me in my "homemade" ugly sweater.
Eli was dedicated to the Lord on Sunday!
I'm also thankful for Oreo Delight... in moderation, that is :) I will share the recipe in a future post. It's a recipe I got from Leo's mom and it's heavenly and ridiculously easy to make!
The TRUTH Challenge Series --- Day 01: Wisdom, Day 02: Worry, Day 03: Love


Study Resources: http://www.biblestudytools.com/
NLT, NIV, KJV Bible Translations

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Comments

  1. TraceyDecember 16, 2013 at 5:00 PM

    What a wonderful reminder of a truth I'm trying to live - and teach to my children!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amy WDecember 18, 2013 at 12:27 PM

    Thanks for stopping by, Tracey! Proverbs (and the Bible as a whole) gives us such great wisdom and truth to live by and pass on to our children :)

    ReplyDelete

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