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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Proverbs 4:23-26 instructs believers to, "above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your e...
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UDUAK Udom
The word 'keep' (KJV) in Proverbs 4:23 is translated from the Hebrew word 'natsar' (Strong's concordance 05341), and means: to guard, (to protect, maintain, obey, etc.) or (to conceal, etc.) besieged, hidden thing, keep(-er, -ing), monument, observe, preserve(-r), subtil, watcher(-man). In other words, it means to watch over (the gates of) your heart with persistent effort. Every sin proceeds from the heart (Mark 7:21), and the 'gates' are the 5 senses; but particularly the eyes and the ears. The things we see (or watch, read) and the things we hear or listen to contribute a great deal to the things we think about; and our actions proceed from our thoughts. So, guarding our hearts involve guarding all the gates to the heart to be sure nothing that pollutes gets in. Rather, God's promise for Good Success in life is for those who meditate on the word of God day and night (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3).
Diane Fletcher
Anoint your heart daily with the promises and the instruction of the Word, protecting it and keeping it tender with the Lord's mercies.
Jay Saunders
To guard your heart you have to put on the breatplate of righteousness. Jesus must become our righteousness because our righteousness is as filthy rags. We become the righteousness of God in Christ through salvation. It is a gift of God lest we might boast. All of our acts of goodness can not save us but it does prove we have changed. Our changing is a proof that Christ has become Lord of our life. That change is also called sanctification that is a on going process of the change inside taking root and changing us on the outside. Another way to guard your heart is to protect our ear gate and our eye gate. We do this by not watching movies or shows that involve profanity and nudity. We don't involve ourselves in lewd behavior or coarse conversation. Ephesians 5:4 The most important part of putting on the breatplate of righteousness is to guard our heart is in the memorization of scripture. The bible clearly says to write the scriptures on the tablets of your heart. Proverbs 7:3 Our head knowledge of the scriptures must become heart knowledge by loving and allowing the scriptures to be counsel, guidance, wisdom and knowledge that the word brings forth in our spirits. When I was a child, I thought as a child. When I became a man, I put those foolish ways away from me. 1st Corinthians 13 verse 11. Those three monkey statues of hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil, they tell us a lot visually if you put its message to practice in your daily living. You will be blessed for it. Saloam and Maranatha Jaybird
STANLEY S. DRANE
Proverbs 4:23-27 (Bible Note) Solomon tells us: Guard our hearts above all else, making sure we concentrate on those desires that will keep us on the right path. Make sure your affections lead you in the right direction. Don't go after everything you see. Look straight ahead, keep your eyes fixed on your goal, and don't get sidetracked on detours that lead to sin.
Jack Gutknecht
When I just got out of college, I left our home in Scottsdale, Arizona. Over the summer I moved in with this Christian couple I hadn't known before and I taught swimming with my Water Safety Instructorship and my Life Guard Certificate in their pool. I taught kids mainly in this Christian couple's backyard pool in Houston, Texas. Each of my classes was 5-10 kids so I had to watch them like a hawk. Most of the kids did not know how to swim at all. While I was teaching them to hold their breath when they went underwater, I had to save not just a few because they didn't know how to get their head back above the water! And it is with that same intensity that we are to guard our hearts. Watch over it. It could be a matter of life or death. The heart is the center of everything, your feet (where your feet go), your tongue (what you say), and your eyes (what you let yourself look at and gaze at). Solomon counsels his son, Rehoboam, to guard his feet (Proverbs 4:26-27), his heart (Pr 4:20-23), his tongue (Pr 4:24), and his eyes (Pr 4:25). “Guard your feet,” Rehoboam: Avoid evildoers by “mark(ing) out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe." “Guard your heart,” my son. Let wisdom guard it (Pr 4:21, 23) as your heart is the wellspring of your soul. “Guard your eyes,” Rehoboam, "Fix your eyes on what lies before you." (NLT) See this divine command verse in context: Let wisdom guard your heart (Pr 4:20-23). 1. It is the wellspring of one's body (Prov. 4:20, 22): Let wisdom's words bring life and health. 2. It is the wellspring of one's soul (Prov. 4:21, 23): Let wisdom guard your heart. --Scholars Crossing
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