Proverbs 4 – 6

Posted on Jun 5, 2016 in Reading the Bible in 2016 |

Sunday

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (4:23). I like to reflect on this verse for today. In ancient times the heart was the seat of one’s emotions and when you infected your life with anger and impure thought, it would threaten your heart’s purity.

You’ll notice that many times throughout Proverbs that these insights and ways to guard your heart are spoken about. They are designed to help the reader stay true to God, and to himself.
 

We live in a world that would like to entice us onto its deadly path, to cause us to become more like the world than like the Savior we should be emulating. Little by little we slip into the path of destruction. We accept lies as the truth and call the truth, being intolerant. We waste our time in meaningless ways, ie, video games, tv watching, sports entertainment and no time at all in reading our bibles, or attending church or bible studies. (Now don’t misunderstand me here either, some down time spent in being entertained isn’t all bad, it’s just how much time we spend and in doing what – are you polluting your mind or is it beneficial?) The problem comes when we start to idolize the wrong people or buy into their views. And so proverbs warns us to guard our hearts, be very careful what we allow in. Put away corrupt talk – your mouth can cause so much harm, your mind allowed to wander and take you in the wrong direction.

There’s an old computer adage, gigo. “Garbage in, garbage out.” If what you put into your heart is garbage than you can expect that garbage will come out. I think that is why Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, 
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
 

So put boundaries on your thoughts, your actions, your words and focus instead on the one who brings us only goodness, Christ Jesus.

Pondering God’s Word

Pastor Kathy

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