The Heart of Man

Today's Reading:  Proverbs 4:20-27; 6:16-35; & Rom 8

 

Scripture:

"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life,"  Proverbs 4:23

 

Observation:

The heart of man is the battle field of God and Satan.  It is the most tender and vulnerable part of a man.  Cut the heart, cut the man.  Reward the heart, reward the man.  Control the heart, control the man.  Destroy the heart, destroy the man. 

 

Application:

There is no part of me that I had better understand more deeply than my heart.  I must protect it will all that is within me.  Proverbs 4:23-27 offers a few good reminders on how to keep it safe.

 

First, I must guard my mouth.  What gushes from my mouth is the clearest indicator of what is taking place in my heart.  The world will tell you to bite your tongue but what the Word of God says is clean your heart. 

 

Second, I must guard my eyes.  There is not a sin committed by me that does not originate by something I have seen with my either my outward, physical eyes or the inward eyes of my imagination.

 

Finally, I must guard my steps.  Not to the left or to the right but straight towards Him.  That is the call from the scripture.  Do not even turn my foot towards something not on His path. 

 

Prayer:

Father, the freedom to speak is one of the most dangerous gifts You gave me.  In the heat of the moment or in a moment of carelessness I can utter some really nasty things.  Help me to monitor the things that come from my mouth, but to realize allowing You to heal my heart is the only hope I have in ever taming my tongue.

 

My eyes.  They are the most blessed gift I have.  Through my eyes I see the beauty of Your creation.  Through them I see the adorable kids You gave me.  Through them I see the perfect mate You provided in my wife.  And through them I betray everything I know to be Holy and good to pursue something worthless.  I pray that You help me return to my heart and allow You to heal it each time I sense my eyes seeing something that they should not see.

 

Whether it is my physical feet carrying me or the inward feet of my choices and decisions; my feet complete what my mouth and eyes start.  Each time I sense the desire to turn towards something that is not of You I pray that You slow me down long enough to examine my heart and allow You to heal it.

 

Father the depths of my heart are unsearchable by me.  I can only know their content after they have been revealed through my choices and actions.  But You Father know what is there.  I pray that as much as possible You reveal to me the impure desires of my heart before they have given full birth to sin.