Watch Your Heart

I have a heart problem. No, not a physical issue but a spiritual heart problem. It’s a condition that’s plagued me my entire life and will not be ultimately cured until heaven. To be sure, Christ saved me and transformed me (and all who believe in him). There is, however, the matter of free will. You and I choose what to put into our hearts just as much as we have a choice on what to eat. Last week I mentioned the quote, “the eyes are the window to your soul.” Today, let us look at the heart and the warnings God gives us. Proverbs 4:23 warns us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” King 9Solomon wisely asserts that we must protect our hearts by filtering what goes into them. The phrase “garbage in, garbage out” holds true. What we take in our heart affects our actions and lives. The simple children’s song gives us a warning. A sampling of lyrics includes:

Oh, be careful little ears what you hear, Oh be careful little eyes what you see, Oh be careful little tongue what you say, Oh be careful little hands what you do, Oh be careful little feet where you go. For the father up above is looking down in love, oh be careful...

Similarly, when we fill our hearts with the things of this world, it builds a barricade between God and us. In Matthew 13:15, we find, “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”

Are today’s culture and society any different? So then, how do we guard our hearts? We must die daily to ourselves and surrender to Christ’s will and way. A daily walk and relationship with God will keep our hearts protected. Until we put Christ on our heart’s throne, we will never fully experience what Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8. Finally, prayer changes our hearts. We have incredible access to

God through prayer, and the Apostle Paul reminds us that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:7.

I leave you today with the last verse of the familiar hymn. Take My Life and Let It Be.

“Take my will and make it Thine, it shall be no longer mine; Take my heart, it is Thine own, It shall be Thy royal throne, It shall be Thy royal throne.” www.momsinprayer.org

Our Mission: Moms In Prayer International impacts children and schools worldwide for Christ by gathering mothers to pray.