God wants you to guard your heart!

Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Today I have to have a stress test.  My cardiologist wants a base read on how my heart functions.  I don’t have cholesterol problems, matter of fact I am a pretty healthy, albeit chubby, woman according to my blood work.  But I have chest pains and a family history of heart disease, so the doctor ran some tests and also wants me to get on that treadmill today. 

I love the challenge that I face today.  I love getting rated on my physical ability because I am the type of person who wants to win.  I may collapse after the test, but I want them to have to tell me to stop because their machines can’t go any faster.  I want to beat the best score ever given on this thing!  Who knows if I will be able to walk tomorrow because I am so out of shape that I will probably pull a muscle, but I will face today with a flint like face and conquer it.  (Ya’ll whom have done this are probably laughing because you know I will end up falling off and busting my head open or something)

Proverbs 4:23 isn’t talking about my healthy (or non healthy) heart.  It is talking about my inner Sheri.  Because who I am is what I will do and say.

Jesus said in Matthew 15:18-19 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

The inner man is fed by what we read, meditate on and spend time doing.  Proverbs instructs us to keep (preserve, watch over, protect) our hearts with ALL DILIGENCE.  That means it can’t be a passive act, it needs to be a decisive measure we take in order to guard what goes in our lives.  How is that for a basis for good morals?  People want to argue over what is tradition of men and what is Scriptural, but honestly, can’t we wake up and smell the coffee here?  Listening to music that speaks of adultery, filthy living and perversion is NOT keeping our hearts.  Rather it is corrupting it and if it is corrupt, what comes out of our lives and our mouths will be corrupt as well. 

Go listen to an album by a famous hip hop artist.  Not the clean version, but the explicit.  Memorize the lyrics and sing them to yourself and see if the next time you stub your toe if an expletive doesn’t fly out!  I know that sounds silly and basic, but you get my point. 

Listen, Jesus Christ is coming soon.  We don’t know when.  We need to be living for Him and in Him until that day.  We need to protect our inner man from anything that would teach us otherwise.  Set your sights on 2016 with a determination to guard your heart from wrongful influences so that the majority of what comes out of your mouth is to the edification of others and leading some to salvation!

Guard your heart!

Until next time, Lord willing,

Sheri