Guard Your Heart
February 24th, 2006
Matt Erdmann
Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.”(NLT)
Issues of the heart, matters of the heart, the spiritual condition of the heart is a major theme and concern to God. In Proverbs 4:23, Solomon puts the guarding of the heart as a top priority. “Above all else…” First and foremost guard your heart and monitor what affects it in this world, because it affects everything. The heart guides and directs my actions and attitudes.
God wants my heart. He wants my heart completely committed and drawn close to Him. He knows the potential of my heart. He knows that my heart has the ability to be “far away” (Matt. 15:8). Jesus said in Matt. 15:19 that from the heart come evil thoughts and all kinds of sin. Psalm 19:12, David knew there was sin lurking in his heart. But when I give my heart to Jesus, receive his cleansing and forgiveness, my heart is clean. My heart is His and my heart is being guarded, guided, and directed by His grace and mercy, because I’ve given my heart to Jesus Christ.
As a follower of Christ my first and foremost concern needs to be, above all, the giving of my heart to Him. Because when I truly commit my heart to Christ, that heart decision, affects everything I do. How I live, why I live, what I live, and who I live for.
Jesus, please help me to daily guard my heart and give it to you. Lord, the world wants to corrupt me. The enemy would seek to destroy me. There are so many things that could do damage to the condition of my heart and my commitment to you. Thank you for protection. Thank you for your Word that makes this issue of guarding a top, the top, priority. Help me Father to make that a personal, daily commitment.
Psalm 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart, be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
That’s my prayer to you Lord, today.