Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep thy heart with all dilligence; for out of it are the issues of life." The New Living Translation puts it this way, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do."

In Western society, we tend to think that our seat of the emotions (where we think, feel and reason) is our brain, but the Bible identifies this place as our heart. This is the place where everything that we see and experience is recorded. These things affect everything that we do. I believe that is why the writer of Proverbs warned us to guard our hearts, but how do we do that? The word "heart" is mentioned 855 times in the KJV Bible so I decided to search some of these verses for the answer.

Here are some things that I want to make sure are in practice in my life:

1. I must recognize God in my heart - Psalm 14:1 says, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." Don't want to be a fool!
2. I must trust God with all my heart -Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths."
3. I must memorize God's Word - Psalm 119:11 - "Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee."
4. I must love others sincerely and from a pure heart - I Peter 1:22 - "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart."
5. I must spend more time cultivating the virtues of my heart than on my outward appearance - I Peter 3:3-4 - "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."
6. I must serve God from my heart. - Ephesians 6:6 - "Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart."
7. I must love God with all my heart. - Matthew 22:37 - "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."
8. I must guard my heart against things that are in it. - Mark 7:21-23- "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man." Okay, so I'm not a man, but a woman's heart can contain these same evil leanings!
9. I must strive to keep a merry heart. - Proverbs 17:22 - "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." I want to be a blessing to those who are around me and uplift their spirits.
10. I must submit my heart to God for examination and be willing to let Him lead me in His ways. - Psalm 139:23-24 - "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."