"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
Proverbs 4:23
Part 2
Yesterday:
“Keep thy heart with all diligence.”
If we are not good at guarding our hearts, we will quickly give in to temptation and struggle all our lives with our sin. We will be perfect in heaven until then we keep guard over our hearts.
Today:
“For out of it are the issues of life.”
As long as our physical hearts continue to receive and pump blood throughout our bodies, we live. No place in our physical body is not affected by the blood that is pumped through it. While this physical heart pumps to every part of us is nourished and fed. Inevitably the issues of life flow from our beating hearts.
Spiritually, we can understand the picture. Everything necessary in this life for us comes through our spiritual hearts. There is not a thought, an attitude, or an action that does not go through our hearts.
“If the heart be pure and holy, all its purposes will be just and good. If it be impure and defiled, nothing will proceed from it but abomination” (Clarke).
“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things” (Matthew 12:35).
“The fountains and wells of the East were watched over with special care. The heart is such a fountain, out of it flow the ‘issues’ of life. Shall men let those streams be tainted at the fountain-head?” (Barnes).
We need to take care of the “little things” in our hearts. If we do not deal with these, they will grow and become much larger and more challenging to handle.
“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled” (Hebrews 12:15).
Believers, let’s guard our hearts, better, and continuously.