Proverbs 4:23

"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."
~Proverbs 4:23~


Part II in the perseverance series we will look at the role our thoughts and desires play when it comes to our walk with God.

In Proverbs we read that our heart is what will determine the course of our lives. Reading this I think of the too oft used phrase of "should I listen to my heart or to my head?" as well as the oft used phrase of "go where your heart tells you".

The heart and your very thoughts play a large role in each decision you make. Whether it's career oriented, a life partner, even what you want to cook for dinner. Too often we say "my heart is not in this" when we want to bow out of something. So make no mistake, the heart and the mind play a role when it comes to how we approach our relationship with Christ and our Christianity.

In the Old Testament at Song of Solomon 8:6 this verse talks about how strongly a heart can feel for the love of our Lord: "Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm: for love is as strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame."

Can we all truthfully say we love our Savior so much that it becomes a flaming desire? Each day as we awake is the first thing we do seek out a moment to simply say "Thank You Lord for this day and for the love that you give me daily. I love you Lord so much for all you've ever done for me. Thank you Lord! You are amazing and my God!"? Is our commitment so strong that you figure the Lord into each decision that you make?

Is the condition of your heart so solid for God that you are determined to follow His laws to the very end? (Psalms 119:112)

As believers we need to examine our hearts and how set they are towards God.

At Psalms 25:2,3 we find David asking of God: "Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. For Your loving kindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth."

If the Lord were to examine ours what would He find? Would He find a response like David's in us saying we walk with God daily and praise Him for all He has done?

Our very thoughts guide where our hearts lie. If our thoughts are set or trained to look towards God for all that we are and could be then the relationship we have with our Savior can only grow deeper.

It's our thoughts and our heart that can weaken us and become a tool for the Adversary. They can be weakened by allowing relationships we have with others affect it. Unforgiveness, holding grudges, bitterness etc can play factors the Adversary can use to weaken us spiritually. Setting our thoughts and our heart on materialistic things like careers and money spending more time in pursuit of material goals than on time for God can weaken the relationship as well and play right into the Adversary's traps.

Not to say working hard is a bad thing and possessions themselves aren't bad in and of themselves as well..but if the race to obtain them or to use them come before QT with God or worship then for a believer that's not good. (1 Timothy 6:10)So where in the end do our priorities lie? God or elsewhere?

The stronger our thoughts and hearts are towards God, the stronger our faiths become as well as our relationship with God. If we make it a conscious choice to put God as numero uno before anything and top priority our hearts and our thoughts will be more set on Him. Thereby the walk will just get better daily. The Devil will have no hold in our lives as there will be little for him to work with. Making persevering in Christ more effective and possible.

Can we say like Jesus said:

You did not want sacrifice and offering, but You prepared a body for Me.
You did not delight in whole burnt offerings and sin offerings.
Then I said, “See— it is written about Me in the volume of the scroll—
I have come to do Your will, God!

~Hebrews 10:5-7~

What is the condition of your heart and thoughts today?
Are they centered on God?

Revelation Song - Jesus Culture



To read the ministry series in progression please go to these links:

I Hebrews 10:36 Part 1 focuses on being faithful to God in all things. Utmost importance!

II. Proverbs 4:23 Part 2 is focused on the role your thoughts and heart play into your spiritual walk.

III. Ephesians 6:10-18 Part 3 examines the role spiritual warfare plays in your walk. It identifies various methods of spiritual warfare and how to be freed from the grip of the spiritual bondage.

IV. ! Corinthians 9:24,25 Part 4 focuses on being "spiritually fit" and running the race successfully to reap the reward of eternal salvation. I use my history in running as an illustration.