Guard Your Heart

Above all else, guard your heart,

for everything you do flows from it.

Proverbs 4:23

I don't think I gave much thought to the phrase “guard your heart” until I heard Steve Green sing a song of that title. I looked up the Scripture verse and found that not only is guarding our hearts a command, but the next three verses tells us how to do it:

Keep your mouth free of perversity;

keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead;

fix your gaze directly before you.

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet

and be steadfast in all your ways.

(Letters in bold print are of my doing)

First, what do we mean by “heart” as it applies to this verse as well as to many verses we find in Scripture. It isn't unusual for us to refer to heart as being the seat of our emotions. It's that place where we think, plan, desire, feel and other of those responsibilities we feel belong to the heart. Bottom line is, we know that the heart in us only has the responsibility that is physical in nature. It is responsible for pumping blood through our bodies. All cultures, have usually referred to a body part like we do with the heart when thinking of one's inner being. Some viewed their cores as being situated in the kidneys or even liver. (Can you imagine saying to someone, “I love you with all my liver.”) We must keep straight in our own minds what we are guarding.

I can guard my physical heart through taking very good care of it. Some folks take an aspirin each day to avoid heart attacks. Some see doctors on a regular basis where one of the first things done when one is ushered into the exam room is to go through a blood pressure check. The doctor then enters and with stethoscope, listens to the heart from back and front of the body. So there is exercise, special diets and medications to keep our physical hearts healthy.

Why are we not just as careful in guarding that inner core, the center of who we are that keeps us going in every other way. This kind of heart problem can occur in almost any setting. There is no kind of aspirin or medication for attacks on our spiritual hearts. These attacks can happen in the home, watching TV, at work, on vacation, school, and yes, even in church. Somehow we feel people will be insulted if we walk away from situations that are unhealthy for that inner heart in us that no doctor's stethoscope can detect. In my single days, movies were fairly free of curse words. I remember the first time I went to see a movie and within 15 minutes, I was absolutely sick with disgust. I got up and walked out. On the way out, I saw the manager and told him if he were really a man of integrity, he would return my ticket money. I learned quickly that he wasn't a man of integrity.

There is a sweet lady in my church who does something very few women do. If someone talks to her one on one and the person begins to speak negatively of someone else, she finds a way to excuse herself. If talking with a group and the conversation turns negative, you can tell when she begins to move away from the group. She's never ugly about it and remains pleasant as she walks away. Whether she's aware of the terminology or not, she's “guarding her heart.”

How many times in our day have we seen marriages destroyed because of people having affairs with people from their offices. Many people spend more time with people at work these days than they spend at home during any waking hours with their families. My hubby and I were reminded of a lady he once worked with that worked her way into a small group of men from Brian’s section of work who went out for lunch every day. Eventually, she had worked her way into a relationship with one of those men. Two marriages/homes were destroyed, children’s lives shattered. Someone(s) didn't guard their heart(s). Included in this heart thing are friendships, family relationships, and marriages. We must set up a line of defense against anything or anyone that would cause damage to those relationships we hold dear. Our verse tells us to look straight ahead as even a casual glance to one side or the other can lead us into trouble.

I'm thinking in our day how many schools have come between students and parents. In many school settings, concerned parents are regarded as the enemy while their children are being indoctrinated, not educated. Sometimes, we have to help guard the hearts of children who are vulnerable and don't even know that there is a battle going on. I was saying to a lady just this week that if I had children in grade school in this day, I would go to the school ahead of the school year and ask to see a complete set of text books my children would be working from. If the school refused me that privilege, then I would have to regard the material as not suitable for my child and if need be would remove them from that school. Sound rash??? Guarding is serious business.

Some things we must guard against, remembering that sin will always start in the mind (spiritual heart). Avoiding sin must be our first line of defense. The following might be some things we will have to guard against:

• rebellion
• bad attitudes
• angry spirits
• gossip
• feuds
• inappropriate activities
• sin taken in through the eyes...movies, TV, books, magazines, etc.
• false teaching in the spiritual realm
• inappropriate contact with the opposite sex
• distractions
• lack of spiritual focus

Our list could go on and on. If we are to be spiritually fit, we must have a healthy heart, (that well guarded core of our being), if we are follow to God's plan for our lives. An unguarded heart will become weak and sick, weakening us in every way spiritually. Pride will suggest to us that we are above being infected by the things of this wicked day we live in. That is our first mistake. Many well-known Christians have fallen into Satan's grasp and the media is very quick in telling us all about it. We must be alert just as a soldier is ordered to be when on sentry duty, guarding a certain secure area. We too are called upon to guard a very private area of our lives...our hearts. It means determining some things ahead of time, not in a prideful way but in moving in God's strength. Pride can tear down any good intentions we might have. I've always said though that when we shoot at nothing, we'll probably hit it. Guarding our hearts is a worthy goal and God wants to equip and strengthen us in our efforts.

My dear Heavenly Father...I haven't always been as spiritually alert as I should have been. So easy it is to fall into sinful habits almost without thinking. I'm so sorry for failing You in not being all for You I should have been. Keep me alert to Satan's wiles and ways and may I be ever alert to guard my heart. I can do nothing without Your strengthening. I love You and praise You for Your love and direction in my life. Amen

Wonder of Wonders

And they were all amazed at the

mighty power of God. But while they

wondered every one at all things

which Jesus did, he said unto His disciples...

Luke 9:43

The word “wonder” is described as being filled with awe, amazement and being in the state of marveling over something that is new or unusual to someone, no matter the age of the person.

When at the age of four, I remember noticing for the first time, dew that had formed on our front yard grass. The sun had just moved enough into the sky that it shown on those dew drops. It looked like there were diamonds all over our front yard. To this very day, I still marvel at the sight of dew drops poised on blades of grass no matter where I reside. Those things we so marveled at when very young, still seem to captivate out imaginations when we are adults.

Have you ever watched a young baby when it first notices its toes? That baby will fold up and will play with those tiny toes off and on for several minutes. Sometimes, they will view their tiny fingers with an amazing fascination. It's really funny when they sense their tongue, especially when they are fed their first bite of baby food.

My mother brought me and my sister Kay to these very mountains where I now reside when I was about 5 years old. Gatlinburg was a mere village with next to nothing here. Kay and I played, digging in mountain dirt, pretended to plant seeds, all the while enjoying the aroma of trees and rocks. Even then, I was in awe of the mountains that were so huge, and they inspired such wonder in this little girl's heart.

All of us have experienced wonder in various sizes, shapes, and in various places. Whatever the wonder, it might not impress anyone else like it does us. I still stand in awe of seeing rainbows, watching a mother bear with her two or three cubs, sniffing the air after a spring rain, watching the face of a tiny baby as it sleeps and hearing it's sighs of contentment. Our wonders can come as we observe people or as we enjoy the things of nature. I marvel right now as I look out my back or front porch and marvel at the brilliant colors of fall as trees prepare for their winter slumber. God is just so smart as He capably handles all of the things of His natural world.

Just stop and think of those things around you that still almost catch your breath in wonder. My sister Kay who is now in Heaven felt that way about her various garden plots as she designed, planted, and weeded. She was a true gardener from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. She found such wonder in just feeling the earth filter through her fingers.

My youngest sister has been a new grandmother now for a little over a year. She's had the joy of watching her grand-daughter through all of those wonderful first year stages...the smiles, physical growth, hugs, crawling until little footsteps take the place of little knees. Although many of us have gone through all of this with our own children, it seemed at times that we were so involved that we might of missed some of those things of wonder but not with our grandchildren. Everything they do is pure wonder.

Life itself is a wonder. A bad cold and many simple diseases we can contract now and get over within days, are things that in the latter 1800's were killing people. We recover from bodily maladys in almost short order in our day. My friend Mary was in a horrible car accident a couple of years ago. She should have died in that accident as we look at the severity of it. I stood in awe as did others at her recovery and all that modern medicine did to “put Mary back together again.”

I was reminded of a George Beverly Shea song that only he could sing as it was meant to be sung...The Wonder of It All. I love especially the first verse and chorus:

There's the wonder of sunset at evening,

The wonder as sunrise I see;

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul

Is the wonder that God loves me.

Chorus

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!

Just to think that God loves me.

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!

Just to think that God loves me.

 

Far beyond dew drops, rainbows or a baby's smile is the wonder of God's love for me.  I don't deserve one ounce of attention of God or His Son.  I have failed Him so many times, it's not even funny.  The really amazing thing apart from my salvation is tht God never gives up on me.  That is one of the greatest examples God sets for you and me.  We are sometimes quick to give up on people who disappoint or hurt us deeply.  Amazingly, God just keeps pouring out His love and attention on all of us.

 

 

I marvel at the love He pours into our lives...love He intends for us to then invest into the lives of others.  I don't have one ounce of love to give anyone...only His love will suffice.  What a marvel it is that He would choose us to act for Him on this eart, to be chosen to



represent Him in the everyday things of life.

During our darkest times, we can look around in awe...leaf of a tree and it's intricacies, scent of a rose on a bush, an orange harvest moon, birds as they chatter with one another, innocent little children at play, a baby picking up a Cheerio and finding it's mouth, and on and on we could go. But in the wonder of it all, the simple fact is that Jesus loves me, and Jesus loves you.

Dear Father...I stand in awe of You and Your love for me even when I don't deserve any of Your consideration. It's such an honor to be one of Your children and I thank you for those benefits You daily load me down with. I love You and thank You for sending Your son to die for me that I might one day have the privilege of enjoying all of the wonders and marvels of Heaven. Amen

The Precious Hand of God

Nevertheless I am continually with thee:

thou hast held me by my right hand.

Psalm 73: 23

I'll never forget our first trip to the Smoky Mountains with little one, Jennie. She had outgrown the backpack carrier she used to ride in so now was either walking with her hand in her Dad's or riding on his shoulders at times. After about three days, we noticed Jennie was being resistant to letting her Dad hold her right hand. Finally, this dumb, first time mom asked to look at her hand. The back of her little hand had started to bruise. That little hand had been in her Dad's and at times for safety, Brian held her hand in a little tighter grip than he realized. He was upset about it because he had never intended hurt, but only her safety as we walked on those beautiful mountain trails.

I love that God holds us in the palm of His hand. I'm so grateful for his guiding hand, that hand that leads us along. There are times we are hand in hand with Him and don't even realize it. However He chooses, His hand is intended for our very best, our spiritual safety. It may seem at times that our hands are a little bruised as He holds us a little tighter trying to keep us from the evil of this world or from the steep precipices where we could so easily trip and fall over into danger.

If you are female, do you remember the first time a guy held your hand? By this I mean a guy who really “liked” you. You couldn't buy that tingle up your spine from any dime store. WOW!  Whoever he was has probably long come and gone but we are constantly holding hands with the God of the universe...our Heavenly Father. No fickle guy, this Heavenly Father of ours.  Unlike earthly fathers, our Heavenly Father constantly holds us in His hand. Scripture assures us of this wonderful ongoing practice.

He's holding my hand when:

Enemies threaten me: “My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.” Ps. 31:15

I need saved : “Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” Is. 59:1

In the good times: “Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.” Is. 49:17

But does our Heavenly Father ever withdraw His hand for a brief time? In the book of Job in chapter two, verse 10, Job makes a comment that would lead us to believe that God might withdraw His hand from us for a time. He says...”Should we accept only the good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” You see, sometimes God removes His hand and allows negative things to to happen to good people. Why would He do such a thing?

His long range eternal plans for my life may not line up with the short-range plans I have for myself that I might consider to be much more comfortable.

Just because God allows difficulties to come into our lives doesn't mean He has forsaken us. His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us is still as true from the Word of God as it has ever been. Even in the difficult times, there still is nothing that can touch you and me without His approval. He knows what we need in order to grow and be as fruitful as we can be.

In recent days, I must admit to feeling like my hand is a little bruised. In face I feel it spiritually and can definitely see it physically. After a very serious fall, plunging down 12 wooden steps, in the dark and head long into a cinder block wall, I must admit to you that I have never questioned God's presence. Some have already asked me, “Where was God?” I assure them that He was right there. It all could have been so much worse without Him. I know in the process that He has things for me to learn. In it all, there might be some folks who can also learn from my experience.

The slight bruising on Jennie's hand was very temporary but that hand holding kept her safe and near to her Dad. I am praying that my bruises will serve the same purpose.

Dear Father...I thank You for the intimacy I have with you that You and I hold hands, that You are that concerned for my well being in every way. Help me to not try to wrestle my hand from Yours and to learn and trust You as we walk together. I love holding Your hand and You holding mine. Amen

A Word to the Wise

If any of you lack wisdom, let

him ask of God, that giveth to all men

liberally, and upbraideth not; and it

shall be given him.

James 1:5

In my younger years, I often looked at people with gray hair and wrinkles viewing them as being very wise. Surely their long years of life contributed to their great knowledge. I think we look at people who have worked hard in the education arena, who have come out with a master's degree or even a PhD as being the wisest of men and women. However, the older I get, the more I recognize that people who are highly educated or who appear to be very intelligent, may have very little in the way of wisdom. We live in a day when wisdom is direly needed.

There is wisdom as the world sees wisdom that amounts to experience of life, general knowledge or even common horse sense. Doctors not only have great knowledge in their field but have an added discretion in how to apply that medical knowledge for patients and their various conditions. Just because a person is a teacher does not mean she has wisdom as God views wisdom. No one is elevated to the status of wise in our day like those who hold public office. I am constantly amazed as I see politicians interviewed on TV. Whether on the local, state or national level, many speak with great pomp as if wise beyond all others. They may have a certain level of the worlds knowledge but at times, I have to wonder even about that.

Some of the most intelligent people in the world would find their kind of wisdom in the following statements:

• Forgive a person only if they apologize to you.
• Love a person only if they love you.
• Take care of #1...self
• God won't send a good person to Hell
• Sometimes you have to do wrong in order to do right
• The older I get, the wiser I become
• Bad things just don't happen to good people
• Someone hurts me, I will hurt them back
• Wealthy people are the wisest, not people in need
  

 

All of the above can be refuted by looking up information from the Word of God. The world has it's own guidelines regarding wisdom.

The real, godly, spiritual wisdom you and I must be concerned about is the wisdom spoken of in Scripture. This wisdom is not based on the things and achievements of this earth. This wisdom is of God. It is the wisdom whereby we learn to appropriate knowledge and apply spiritual emphasis to that knowledge. In every area of our knowledge, we must apply the things of God. That's the only wisdom that counts. There is not an area of our lives exempt from the application of wisdom. Whether it is one's marriage, child rearing, career, serving God in various ways and even in more areas, wisdom is so necessary.

So how do you and I get this wisdom?

1. Spiritual wisdom is made available to the born again Christian. It is not available to an unsaved person. Proverbs 1:7 states: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The unsaved person has no fear of the Lord, thus no wisdom as God would define wisdom.
2. Spiritual wisdom is extended to each Christian by and through the Holy Spirit. The majority of our wisdom comes from the Scriptures. It is the Holy Spirit Who teaches us and interprets for us the Word of God.
3. Placing God first place in one's life is a prerequisite for receiving God's wisdom.
4. Walking in obedience to God makes one wise.
5. Being a student of God's word makes a Christian wise.
6. Ask God for it. We don't just need wisdom for major decisions but we need it in the ordinary times of life, in all of the little things.
   

One of the great examples of one seeking wisdom was King Solomon. God spoke to him in a dream at the beginning of his reign and gave Solomon a choice. God told Solomon that he could have anything he wanted. Every time I read this story, I wonder if God came to me with the same offer, and really caught me off guard, how would I reply? Solomon's answer was a surprise I think even to the most casual reader. Solomon's answer was one word...wisdom.

One can almost feel God's enthusiasm and pleasure with Solomons answer. Solomon could have asked for long life, victory in battle, all the riches his heart could desire but asked for wisdom. Unfortunately in later years, Solomon didn't draw on that wisdom as he should and could have but God was pleased in those beginning days. He not only gave Solomon unlimited wisdom but added all of those other things that were probably Solomon's desire. In Solomon's latter years, he looked back as he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes regarding the folly of having anything he ever wanted. His life didn't go in the direction he had thought it would. Although bestowed with the greatest of wisdom, he certainly didn't make the best use of it. Having all those wives is a testimony to his not appropriating wisely the wisdom he had been given.

This wisdom we should desire is not something we use in showing others what great Christians we are. God's wisdom should be very humbling that we use “wisely” to be of benefit in our lives and the lives of others. It must be used in a way that brings honor and glory to the One who is all knowing, the Source of all wisdom.

Dear Father...keep me wise as I deal with the every day things of life. I want Your wisdom, not the wisdom the world has to offer. I also want Your wisdom so that You will receive all honor and glory. When You bless me with Your wisdom, may I use it as I ought. I thank You as well for Your love in my life. Amen

Fallow Ground

Sow to yourselves in righteousness,

reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground:

for it is time to seek the Lord, til he

come and rain righteousness upon you.

Hosea 10:12

I LOVE DIRT!! You would really believe that if you were to come into my house right now and see the dusting it needs. I don't consider the dust anything but sprinkles of blessing. That might be a bit of a stretch for an excuse but the best I can do right now. I do know someone who loved the soil in her yard more than any seasoned farmer I ever knew. That was my sister, Kay. She had the most beautiful mini-gardens and settings around her house. She could have taken an acre of weeds and turned them into a million bucks in beautiful natural decor. She told me that when she could get out in her garden, digging around, she just felt a real closeness to the Lord when diggin' around in the dirt. I used to tell her that she could grow grass on concrete. She could grow anything from almost nothing...me,...well, my plastic house plants die. I guess that's why I always admired Kay's horticultural talent.

This last Saturday I attended a ladies conference where the speaker spoke on dirt and gardening. She has a bit of acreage and she engages in farming on a rather small scale. We were reminded that the main meaning of Adam's name is “man of the ground.” Guess what that makes you and me? So for a bit, let's look at ourselves as being a plot of ground...dirt.

Fallow ground is something farmers are very acquainted with. This is a field that is usually left for a season without any planting done on it. It is hoped that plot of land with take the year to replenish itself during that time of rest. There may be times when fallow ground has been forced upon a farmer. When there has been a drought, the ground may dry up and even develop huge cracks in it. Under those circumstances, nothing grows on it. Either way, the plot of land sits and can even develop a hard surface that sometimes can have a bit of a shiny look to it.

I saw a field like this I've described and said to the farmer, “What you need is a real good downpour of rain.” He immediately corrected me. He said from experience that a heavy rain could wash away valuable top soil. The harden ground doesn't always accept such a deluge of rain all at once. As it was into October at the time, he suggested that what that land could use was a nice heavy but slow falling snow. That way he said, as the snow melted, it had plenty of time to slowly melt and sink into the ground.

To this point, what do we know about a fallow field?

• It is a field that was once productive.
• Given the right conditions, it can again be productive
• For the time being, it is no longer productive...perhaps even barren
• The ground may have a crusty surface with possible cracks of varying sizes
  

 

What does that field need to be productive?

• A desire to bring that field back to being productive
• Plowed up...weeds and stones removed
• Fertilizers applied if necessary
• Rain, rain, rain
  
•  

I have recently gone through a time of feeling spiritually dryer than I want to be. As I'm definitely kin to Adam, I know my make up and know the day will come when I will return to that original state...dust to dust. Meanwhile, I have the field of my life to tend to. I refuse to sit in a fallow state spiritually. So how do we begin to get back to being as productive spiritually speaking as we know God wants us to be.

1. We must recognize the problem and want to do something about it. The Holy Spirit so sweetly nudges us to bring us to this point.
2. We must also realize that spiritual growth comes from the Lord and from Him alone. Somehow we feel that spiritual growth is our responsibility. Yes, we must be ready, willing and able in our cooperation with Him. Every farmer realizes he can do only so much in crop production. He can plow and plant...tend the fields as much as he can but only God can send the rains that are necessary for a bountiful crop to grow.
3. On our part, there may be thorns, other weeds and stones that can hinder fruitfulness in our lives. Here's where we must be honest with ourselves about those things of sin in our lives that need to be removed. Some may be huge in size, weeds with very deep roots. God will strengthen and enable us to clear our own personal plot of dirt.
   (Remember that our only responsibility is to clean up our own acre and not pull the weeds or gather up the stones from someone else's plot.)
4. God may have to do a plow job in our lives to break up that hardened, fallow ground. You can't just throw seeds out on it because they won't take root. He may have to break up the hard shell of our complacency, laziness and even our disregard for spiritual things.
5. We must allow God to plant those things in us that He wants to grow in us. All we have to do is look at Galatians 5 to see the fruit of the Spirit, those things He wants to produce in us in abundance. The things of this world will only bear weeds in our lives that are all for nothing in the whole scheme of our spiritual walk.
6. God must do the watering. I love in John 4 where Jesus talks with the Samaritan woman. It's got to be one of my favorite Bible accounts. In this account Jesus speaks to this woman regarding living water, a spiritual water that will forever quench a persons thirst. That isn't just for the unsaved person to know that encourages her to be saved. You and I have access to that living, flowing water every day we live and breathe.

 

Doctors are always tell me that I need to drink more water. I have water all over the 

place and I don't mind drinking water. I just don't do it like I should. The water in my

faucet or bottled water I keep handy is all for nothing if I don't drink it. No one is going

to feed it to me. This living water that is spiritual in nature will keep me hydrated and

healthy spiritually speaking but I must drink of it.

As I write, we are coming off of the summer months. Most Christians tend to slide somewhat during that time. Perhaps our own spiritual dirt needs stirred, the unnecessary removed and our ground being sowed and productive again. I can see more and more why my sister loved the earth, the dirt dropping between her fingers, the planting process and the enjoyment of the beauty her plots of dirt produced. The best part of it all for her was feeling so close to God in the process. That should be the end result for us in the spiritual land clearing and planting we are called to do.

Dear Father...I long to be productive for You and even closer to You in the process. Do what You must to get me where You want me to be. I'm Yours to weed, plow, plant and water...dirt in Your hands. I love You and yield myself into Your loving and capable hands. Amen.