Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 4:20–27 NKJV

My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.

Our world is broken

Government is broken.

Educational systems are broken.

Religious systems are broken.

Families are broken.

Marriages are broken.

Hearts are broken.

Our world is polluted (corrupt)

Genesis 6:11–12 NKJV

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

By sin

By selfishness

By lust

By pride

By power

By greed

By deception

Our world is hostile

Political hostility

Racial hostility

c. Hostility against police

d. Gender hostility

e. Economic hostility

f. Religious hostility

Guard your heart

We can’t always escape the brokenness, corruption, and hostility of the world around us, but we can take steps to keep it from getting inside our heart.

Proverbs 4:23 NKJV

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

We must learn not to trust or “follow” our heart.

Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

We are responsible for what we allow to pass in and out the gateway of our heart.

What we allow to get inside will eventually come out.

Luke 6:45 NKJV

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

"What is in the well of the heart will come up in the bucket of the mouth." (EKH)

How do you guard your heart?

Guard your MOUTH

Proverbs 4:24 NKJV

Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.

A “deceitful” mouth is a one that speaks contrary to the truth.

“Perverse” lips are impure speech or conversation.

Commit to telling yourself the truth. Don’t deny or lie against the truth.

James 3:14 NKJV

But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

Guard your EYES

Proverbs 4:25 NKJV

Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.

Don’t allow your eyes to wander in desire for what is unwise or forbidden.

Guard your FEET

Proverbs 4:26–27 NKJV

Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.

Don’t stray into the path of the wicked.

Don’t stray into the path of the immoral.

Don’t stray into the path of the ungodly.

Don’t stray into the path of the unbeliever.

1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV

Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

Surrender your HEART to Jesus