Proverbs 4:23 - GUARD YOUR HEART!
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) Above all else, guard
your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) Guard your heart above
all else, for it determines the course of your
life.
Proverbs 4:23 (AMP) Keep and guard your
heart with all vigilance and above all that you
guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs 4:23 (GNT) Be careful how you
think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
WORD STUDY
The "heart commonly refers to the mind as
the center of thinking and reason (3:3; 6:21;
7:3), but also includes the emotions (5:15, 30),
the will (11:20; 14:14), and thus, the whole
inner being (3:5). The heart is the depository of
all wisdom and the source of whatever affects
speech (v. 24), sight (v. 25), and conduct (vv. 26,
27). [MacArthur Daily Bible 2003]
COMMENTARY PEARL
God is far more interested in changing
your mind than changing your circumstances.
We want God to take away all of the
problems, pain, sorrow, suffering, sickness, and
sadness. But God wants to work on you first, because
transformation wont happen in your life until you renew
your mind, until your thoughts begin to change.
Why is it so important that you learn how
to manage your mind? Let me give you three
reasons.
1. Manage your mind because your thoughts
control your life.
Proverbs 4:23 says, Be careful how you
think; your life is shaped by your thoughts
(GNT). Your thoughts have tremendous ability to
shape your life for good or for bad. For example,
maybe you accept a thought someone told you when
you were growing up: Youre worthless. You
dont matter. If you accepted that thought,
even though it was wrong, it has shaped your
life. You must choose what thoughts you will let
affect you for good or for bad.
2. Manage your mind because the mind is
the battleground for sin.
All temptation happens in the mind. Paul
says in Romans 7:22-23, I love to do Gods
will so far as my new nature is concerned; but
there is something else deep within me, in my
lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins
the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that
is still within me. In my mind I want to be
Gods willing servant, but instead I find myself
still enslaved to sin (TLB).
One reason you get mentally fatigued is
because theres a battle in your brain 24 hours a
day. Its debilitating because its intense,
and its intense because your mind is your
greatest asset. Satan wants your greatest asset!
3. Manage your mind because its the
key to peace and happiness.
An unmanaged mind leads to tension. A
managed mind leads to tranquility. An unmanaged mind
leads to conflict. A managed mind leads to
confidence. When you dont try to control your mind
and the way you direct your thoughts, you will
experience an enormous amount of stress in your life.
But a managed mind leads to strength and
security and serenity.
Letting your sinful nature control
your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit
control your mind leads to life and peace (Romans
8:6 NLT). [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
COMMENTARY
Diligent heart-keeping is essential to a
healthy growth in grace. The heart in its natural
state is a habitation for unholy thoughts and
sinful passions. When brought into subjection to
Christ, it must be cleansed by the Spirit from all
defilement. In the work of heart-keeping we must be
instant in prayer, unwearied in petitioning the
throne of grace for assistance. The Saviour has
told us to pray without ceasing. The Christian
can not always be in the position of prayer, but
his thoughts and desires can always be upward.
They should cultivate a love for meditation, and
cherish a spirit of devotion. 3BC1157
The heart must be renewed by divine grace,
or it will be in vain to seek for purity of
life. He who attempts to build up a noble,
virtuous character independent of the grace of Christ
is building his house upon the shifting sand.
In the fierce storms of temptation it will
surely be overthrown. Those who would not fall a
prey to Satan's devices must guard well the
avenues of the soul; they must avoid reading,
seeing, or hearing that which will suggest impure
thoughts. The mind should not be left to wander at
random upon every subject that the adversary of
souls may suggest. This will require earnest
prayer and unceasing watchfulness. We must be aided
by the abiding influence of the Holy Spirit,
which will attract the mind upward, and habituate
it to dwell on pure and holy things. And we
must give diligent study to the word of God.
PP460
As God works upon the heart by His Holy
Spirit, man must cooperate with Him. The thoughts
must be bound about, restricted, withdrawn from
branching out and contemplating things that will only
weaken and defile the soul. By beholding we are
to become changed, and as we meditate upon the
perfections of our divine Model, we shall desire to
become wholly transformed and renewed in the image
of His purity. There will be a hungering and
thirsting of soul to be made like Him whom we adore.
The more our thoughts are upon Christ, the more
we shall speak of Him to others, and represent
Him to the world. 3BC1145
To keep your heart in heaven, will give
vigor to all your graces, and put life into all
your duties. To discipline the mind to dwell upon
heavenly things, will put life and earnestness into
all our endeavors. As exercise increases the
appetite, and gives strength and healthy vigor to the
body, so will devotional exercises bring an
increase of grace and spiritual vigor. 3BC1157
ILLUSTRATION
The film 127 Hours tells the true story
of Aron Ralston, who was rock climbing alone in
Utah when a boulder shifted and pinned his arm.
He tried everything he could to get out from
under the boulder, but nothing was working.
Two days passed, and he was hungry,
thirsty, and cold. He realized that no one was coming
to rescue him. He also knew there was only one
way he could get out of there. He would need to
take the worst step imaginable if he wanted to
live. He needed to cut off his own arm.
So he did. He used a pocketknife, and it
took a long time. Then he rappelled 65 feet to
the canyon floor and walked out. I guess he
figured it would be better to be alive with only one
arm than to be dead with two. So, he took
radical action.
In Matthew 5 Jesus said, So if your
eye - even your good eye - causes you to lust,
gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for
you to lose one part of your body than for your
whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your
hand - even your stronger hand - causes you to
sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better
for you to lose one part of your body than for
your whole body to be thrown into hell (verses
29"30 NLT).
Now, Jesus wasnt speaking literally
here, because even if you cut off your right hand,
for instance, you could still sin with your left
hand.
The heart of the problem is the problem
of the heart. It all comes down to the heart.
Thats why you must decisively and quickly deal
with whatever causes you to fall into sin.
So, do what needs to be done. [Greg
Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
CLOSING THOUGHT
I am often reminded of the importance of
what I allow to remain in my heart (thoughts and
attitudes). A guard keeps watch over an area in order to
keep it safe, and that is what God wants us to do
concerning our heart.
What is in our hearts will eventually be
demonstrated in one way or another, so it is pointless to
think that we can hide what is in our heart. Our
thoughts and attitudes affect us in either a positive
or a negative way. As Gods Word teaches, the
very springs of life flow out of the heart.
Are you carefully guarding your heart on
a regular basis? If not, please begin doing so
right away.
Father, help me guard my heart and only
allow things to dwell in me that are pleasing to
You. [My Time with God by Joyce Meyer]
ONE LINER
We may close every door to impure imaginings
and unholy thoughts by lifting the soul into the
presence of God through sincere prayer. SC99
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
Proverbs 4:23 - Your Mind and Your Destiny.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20160117-1005.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor
(live now): https://www.revelationnow.com/
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (recent):
https://bible.awr.org/en/the-signs/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
