My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.—Proverbs 4:20-23
If you are counting there are a lot of exhortations in the word of God that tell us to hear and pay attention to instruction. Solomon speaks to his son here, but inspired by the Holy Spirit, he also speaks God’s words to us as His children. The word of God should be in our view and in our heart because they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh. That is quite a promise. Most of us would spend a lot of money to obtain an offer like that. But all we need really do is keep the words of our Father in Heaven in the midst of our hearts. When Scripture refers to our heart, it speaks not of the physical organ but of our inner self including our mind, thoughts, attitudes, motives, and desires.
Jeremiah tells us in Chapter 17 of his book that
"The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
John MacArthur reminds us that the heart of the human problem has always been the problem of the human heart. The problem of sin is internal.
I think the most instructive and all encompassing verse in regard to our heart is this one.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen—1 John 5:21
Guard your heart…keep it from anything that would usurp God’s rightful place of pre-eminence. View everyone and everything that crosses your path through the lens of Christ. Allow the Holy Spirit to use the word of God to give you wisdom from above and direct your path. Dwell on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous or praiseworthy. Do as the sweet psalmist of Israel did…
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.—Psalm 119:11
I will meditate on Your precepts,
And contemplate Your ways.
I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.—Psalm 119:15-16
Princes also sit and speak against me,
But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
Your testimonies also are my delight
And my counselors.—Psalm 119:23-24
Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.—Psalm 119:36-37
Our heart is the seat of our wills. It is the very core of our life. As believers it is also where the Spirit of God makes His home and as such the heart…
Should be Carefully Guarded
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.—Proverbs 4:23
Because the heart…
Determines Character
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
"Eat and drink!" he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.—Proverbs 23:7
so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.—Matthew 6:18
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.—Matthew 6:21
but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.—Romans 2:29
Because the heart is a…
Source Of Defilement
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."—Matthew 15:18
Because out of its abundance the mouth speaks…
Controls Speech
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
Because it is the…
Source Of Faith
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.—Romans 10:10
Beloved…Here is what I know…I cannot keep my heart unless God by His grace does it for me. With that said, there is not a more perfect way to soar into the heavenlies than to pray that God would direct your heart into His love. What better way to keep ourselves from the false gods of this world than to spend all our time here on earth head over heels in love with our God.
Father…my misplaced affections cause me much trouble and heartache. They waste my time and set my heart on the earthly rather than the heavenly. By Your grace, direct my heart aright. Keep me in Your love. Set my affections on things above and not on the earth. May I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and as I do may all my other affections be ordered in accordance with Your perfect will. As I love You more, Father, may my faith in Your Son, Jesus, abound more and more. May I see your goodness surrounding me and your kindnesses always before my eyes.
But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.—Psalm 13:5-6
He will not be afraid of evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.—Psalm 112:7
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.—Psalm 119:7-14
