Guard Your Heart

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭NLT‬‬
“Guard your heart” - this is an interesting statement! The idea given is to “watch” or “stand vigil in protecting”. The word “heart” is not the muscle that that pumps the blood in our body. The actual meaning is the “ruling center” of our whole person. Here is where our lives are determined. Our heart is the place where information is received, processed, and acted upon. Deep within our lives, beyond the physical level, lies our spirit and soul. Mankind cannot physically touch these components of our being but they are the core of our lives. How we guard these two (spirit and soul) determines how we behave and what we become in physical life. Out of these flow life giving water or poison. How we order our personal life is the issue! We cannot allow just anything or everything to flow into our spirit and soul and expect a holy result. You’ve probably heard it this way - “Garbage in, garbage out”! This is true. We are what we eat (spiritually, psychologically, and physically). What we allow into our private quarters is paramount. We cannot go to bed with the devil and expect a holy lineage. Our society is paying an awful price because most of us (human beings) are completely oblivious to this truth. We must remember that our lives directly impact others. Who we are, what we are like, and how we behave have far reaching consequences. Our lives affect so many other people. How we order our personal lives (our habits and disciplines) directly determine the course of our lives. Properly ordering our lives, in the most private, intimate things, prepares us for the moments that sorely try us. Have you ever seen someone who completely fell apart when the unexpected happened? Storms of life are going to come!! How we are rooted makes all the difference!! We can build our lives with superficial materials (things that look and feel comfortable) or we can set them upon the bedrock of Jesus Christ! The storm will certainly test the quality of our lives. Anyone can live inside a house made of straw when the weather is good but not when the hurricane comes.
We must build our lives upon the eternal, rock solid foundation of God’s Word!
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:24-25‬ ‭NLT‬‬
What is your life being built upon? What do you do in your private time? What is your thought life like? What television programs do you allow to feed your heart? What music do you listen to? What books do you read? How much time do you spend on social media? Who are your closest friends? What are they like? Do they curse, gossip, tell dirty jokes, or have habits that are unholy? How about you? Do you pray regularly, study God’s Word, and attend church regularly or are you carelessly chasing the wind, pursuing the path of least resistance? What kind of fruit are you yielding? Is your life contributing to the good of others or is it contributing to their demise? Fathers and mothers need to especially consider this! Our children pay a terrible price when we don’t guard our heart.
Bottom line: We MUST guard our heart!! How we protect our heart determines the issues of our lives! How guarded is your heart??
Prayer for today: Father, in Jesus name, give me Your heart! May my life be under the command of your Lordship! Help me walk in the presence and power of Your Holy Spirit! In Jesus name! Amen!!!

Curtis R. Norris