MEMORISE: Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are all the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 119:145 - 152, Proverbs 31:12, 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
BIBLE STUDIES: Matthew 13:18-23
Why do we keep our bin bags outside our homes – without the fear of it been stolen or anything – and our mobile phones, laptops, Ipads – inside our homes? Why do people pay a lot of money to keep documents in bank vaults and cast their broken TV outside their homes? Why do we insure our cars and do not insure our wastes? It is simple. We keep our mobile phones/laptops/Ipads with all diligence because they valuable to us and throw our bin bags outside because they are of no value. People keep documents in bank vaults because the information in those documents is worth something but they throw their broken TV outside – for the bin collectors to pick them – because they are worth nothing. Friend, we insure our cars and properties because they are useful to us and as such, we want to be able to replace them in case they are damaged or destroyed but no one insures his or her waste because it is useless.
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are all the issues of life.” The moment we hear the word ‘keep,’ words like - ‘valuables,’ ‘useful,’ ‘important’ and their synonyms, comes to mind. The heart of man can be compared to a soil (Matthew 13:18-23). Whatever you plant in it –good thoughts or bad thoughts, hatred or love - will germinate and bear fruits. If you leave it unattended to, weeds –destructive thoughts - will start to grow in it. Why do you need to keep your heart with all diligence? There are a lot of reasons why you need to keep your heart with all diligence but we will look at two. Firstly, you need to keep your heart with all diligence because according to Proverbs 4:23, out of it flows the issues of life. Proverbs 23:7 says,” for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” I read this from somewhere and I will like to share it with you. “Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become your habits. Watch your habits, for they become your character. Watch your character, for they become your destiny.” In a nutshell, you are the sum total of your thoughts. Your thoughts inform your speech. Your thought dictates your action. Your thoughts determine your mood. Your thought will define the direction of your life. Secondly, you need to keep your heart because there is someone who desperately wants to take possession of it. The person is Satan. He wants access to your heart because he knows that once he gets it, you are finished. He wants to sell some lies to you. He wants you to believe that you are a failure. He wants you to believe that there is no God. He wants to put fear inside you so that your faith will disappear and you displease God. As such, you need to keep it with all diligence so that he does not gain access into it. The moment he gains access into it, he will start to direct your life. The enemy is always looking for access and he gains access mostly when we are down or facing challenges. This is why you must never stop meditating on the word of God. This is why you must be careful who you discuss things with.
CONFESSION: I reject every evil thought in the name of Jesus.
PRAYER POINT: I purge my heart of every destructive thought in the name of Jesus.
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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.
