A Motivating Exhortation

Heart Matters  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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This sermon exhorts to the duty, design, and drive for keeping our heart.

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THE DUTY OF HEART KEEPING.

Keep your heart, seems to put it upon us as our work, yet it does not imply sufficiency in us to do it. We are no more able to stop the sun in its course, or to make a rivers run backward, as by our own will and power to rule and order our hearts. We may as well be our own saviors as our own keepers; and yet Solomon speaks rightly when he says, Keep your heart, because the duty is ours, though the power is of God; what power we have depends upon the assisting strength of Christ.
John 15:5 ESV
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Colossians 1:29 ESV
For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
Colossians 1:28–29 ESV
Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

THIS DUTY REQUIRES . . .

Keeping one’s heart is the Christian’s chief business.

Christian’s have been given a new not a neuter heart.

Christian’s have been given a new not a neuter heart.

A new heart is not free from sin but free not to sin.

Our new heart gives us a new spiritual inclination but it does not inoculate us from sin.

Our duty is to keep our hearts from defilement.

1 Samuel 13:14 ESV
But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
Acts 13:22 ESV
And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
Psalm 51:10 ESV
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

A new heart is like a musical instrument which no matter how well built and tuned will require constant tuning and attention. Neglecting to tune one’s instrument negates the instruments intended glory.

Our duty is to keep our hearts from disorder.

Psalm 51:11–12 ESV
Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

DILIGENCE

Diligience describes its difficulty.

Psalm 77:6 NRSV
I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit:

VIGILANCE

Vigilance describes its duration.

The keeping of the heart is a work that is never done until life is ended. There is no time or condition in the life of a Christistian which will allow for an intermission of this work.

THE DESIGN OF HEART KEEPING

DILIGENCE

Diligence describes its difficulty.

Psalm 77:6 NRSV
I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit:

Participation in religious duties with a carefree spirit will cost a person nothing. To set ones self constantly and seriously before the Lord will cost something.

Possessing a proficient prayer language is easy; but to have one’s heart broken while confessing sin is quite different. The latter guards the first doesn’t.

Supplicate the Scriptures

Whatever it takes, Lord. . .
give me delight in you as the greatest treasure of my heart.
align the desires of my heart with yours.
increase my awareness of my dependence on you in everything so that I will live continually by faith.
teach me to discern good from evil through the rigorous exercise of constant practice.
keep me desperate for you because i tend to wander when I stop feeling my need for you.
discipline me for my good that i may share your holiness and bear the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
increase my resolve to do your will with all diligence.

VIGILANCE

Vigilance describes its duration.

The keeping of the heart is a work that is never done until life is ended. There is no time or condition in the life of a Christian which will allow for an intermission of this work.

Remember Moses hands; when they were raised Israel had success against Amalek. However, the moment his hands begin to sink due to weariness Amalek prevailed. Let us not forget Peter sad state when he failed to be vigilant on the night of Christ denial.

THE DRIVE OF HEART KEEPING

THE DUTY

THE MOTIVE

“The wellspring of life” is the capacity to live with joy and vigor ultimately comes from within and not from circumstances.

The New American Commentary: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (5) The Fourth Exhortation: A Father’s Plea (4:1–27)

It is “the wellspring of life” in that the capacity to live with joy and vigor ultimately comes from within and not from circumstances.

Proverbs 16:9 ESV
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Proverbs 23:19 ESV
Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.
Matthew 12:35–37 ESV
The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Keeping our hearts has an eternal and earthly consequences.

THE DETAILS OF HEART KEEPING

The word keep is a military word and that is why it is often translated “guard”. I want to give you an acronym to help you to apply today’s teaching and the remaining sermons in this series. I want to use a military term as well “AIM”.

Aim means to to intend or direct for a particular effect or purpose.

ATTENTIVE

--
Proverbs 4:20 ESV
My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
“I am the resurrection and the life.

INCLINE

Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.
--
Proverbs 4:20 ESV
My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.

MEDITATE

Do you believe this?”
Proverbs 4:21–22 ESV
Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
--
Romans 10:8–10 ESV
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Let’s read this together:
“Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ,
the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
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If you are in Christ, be reminded this morning that our God doesn’t just see your sorrow and need from afar, but he knows it intimately.
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He experienced sickness and death as he walked this earth among us. Most of all, he is good, and he is for you. Let’s continue to sing about the God who cares for us.
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