WHO IS BEAUTIFUL?

BY PASTOR CAMELIA CROSS

GUARD YOUR HEART ABOVE ALL ELSE, FOR IT DETERMINES THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFE.

PROVERBS 4:23 (NLT)

The Hebrew word “levav” is the most common word for “heart.” It includes our thoughts, wills, discernment, and affections. Fascinating. Pondering this Scripture, “Guard your heart above all else”, we ask ourselves, “Is this a suggestion?” Easy answer: No, it’s a command. Who gave this command? God did. Who is responsible for doing the guarding? Each of us.

How important is this command? It says “above all.” OK, that’s selfexplanatory. And based on the Hebrew meaning of the word “heart,” we are to guard our thoughts, wills, discernment, and affections.

In this world, we need the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit to guard our hearts successfully! And we need the truth of God’s Word to be the screen through which perceptions, thoughts, acts of will, and affections are evaluated. This world plays for keeps, and the enemy of our souls has a diabolical goal: to discourage and destroy us through thoughts. But as each idea comes to us, we can guard our hearts and ask, “Based on what the Bible says about who we are in Jesus, how much God loves us, and the good He has planned for us, is this a thought to keep or throw out as trash?”

And we can ask ourselves, “Is this affection bringing me closer to Jesus? Would what I’m about to do or say honor the Lord and encourage others to know Jesus because they see something different about how I handle the hard stuff of life?” As we guard our hearts, we must ask, “Did that thought sound like my loving Father or

Lord Jesus? Or was it trash?” The Holy Spirit will help us think about what we are thinking about!

What we focus on, we will become. Who is the most beautiful? Who has the most beautiful heart? We know, don’t we? It’s Jesus. Just look at how He loved and cared for the weak, hurting, and outcasts and gave them grace. He was gentle, yet firm and steady, moving with purpose to do His Father’s will. He guarded His heart, and His heart is beautiful.

We must live the same way, and with the Holy Spirit’s guidance in guarding our hearts, we can become more like Jesus. His leadership will make the difference in how we think and who we are.

Moving Forward

Philippians 4:6-8 tells us what to think about. Read this and see if your thought-life measures up. Watch for the word “heart” throughout Scripture, and study the teachings involved. It’s fascinating!