GUARD YOUR HEART?

Friday 16 May

Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

Matthew 15:18-19 (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. Luke 6:45 (NJKV)

How many times have you been told to guard your heart? What does it even mean? A lot of the time people say it to a friend who seems to have taken offense to the behaviour of another person. There is much more to it however than simply damage control for someone who might be offended. That’s the stock standard response from most Christians but that’s just the tip of the iceberg so to speak. As always, let’s dive a little deeper to see what lies beneath the surface.

The Hebrew word for KEEP or GUARD is ‘nasar’ and it means to protect and maintain, preserve. It also gives the impression of keeping watch and blockading your heart from things that shouldn’t be given access. That’s extremely important.

It has a military connotation. A dictionary definition is ‘the cutting off of an area by means of troops or warships to stop the coming in or going out of people or supplies’.

Think of border patrol officers who watch to see what you are trying to bring over state lines to make sure that it is legal and not harmful.

In the same way, we are to guard or keep watch over our HEART. ‘Leb’ in Hebrew, it is best interchanged with the word MIND which as we know, is in the realm of the soul. Solomon is telling us to be watchful and protective over what we allow into our minds. The information we imbibe through the ear and eye gate.

We are instructed to do it with all DILIGENCE. ‘Mishmar’ in Hebrew, it paints a picture of a soldier on duty in a watchtower making sure no enemies storm the ramparts.

Who are the enemies in this case? Wrong thoughts that in turn produce wrong words. These words will be the direct result of what you choose to set your mind on. For example if you watch too much violent content it will affect your thoughts, speech and soon translate into your actions.

‘For out of it (your mind) flows the SPRINGS of life’. ISSUES is a better rendering here as it means the outgoings and the source. What is this telling us? Our soul-life: mind, will, emotions flows directly from our thought-life. We’ve even looked at the idea that you don’t live in your house, you live in your mind. I’m not saying this is our spiritual location in Christ but I’m sure you get the point.

Now we know that since after the resurrection, man has been able to lose his sin nature through salvation. An unrenewed mind though, can still be filled with the dirty laundry list of wrong thoughts and latent actions which proceed from allowing and entertaining the wrong ideas.

This is why Jesus said it’s not what goes into your mouth (as in food) that defiles the man but what pollution comes out of your mouth by your words.

Truth be told, whatever the abundance of thoughts are that you have granted entry into your mind will become evident in the quality of the content that will come out of your mouth in words and these words will produce death or life for you.

This is where prevention is better than cure. If you screen the wrong information and content from reaching your mind, you won’t have to deal with the consequences that will result in ‘having whatever you say’. (Mark 11:23b).

Now, back to your post, soldier.

APPLICATION

Choose to only allow what is true honest, just, pure, lovely and of a good report to enter into your mind and blockade all negative thoughts from gaining any access to your life.