Guard your heart

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life

If we challenge ourselves to take a scripture and study it biblically, and if we really got that scripture rooted and planted in us so as to truly understand it, we'd be much richer, joyful, fuller, and blessed. God's Word is our daily bread, after all.

This scripture is a good one to start with for a study.

Guard your heart...for out of it flow the springs of life.

Jesus says that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So, the question is, what is your mouth speaking? Is it faith filled words that line up with God's Word? Words that encourage, exhort, bless and give life? Are they words that are pure, lovely and seasoned with salt?

Or words of judgement, condemnation, bitterness, anger, envy, base, and unsavoury?

The words that come out of our mouth reveal who we are and direct our lives. They produce an atmosphere of praise, or an atmosphere of negativity. They disclose the hidden secrets of our innermost being, and they can build someone up, or tear them down.
We may be quite adept at saying words that flatter, words that don't truly match up with our heart, however, at some point, in the heat of the moment, words that truly represent our heart come tumbling out of our mouths.

James tells us that out of our mouths come blessing and cursing, and that it ought not be so. A spring can't bring forth both fresh and bitter water. So too, the intent of our hearts are either full of desire for Jesus, or full of desire for self.

The area is one that, if studied out, will reveal how vitally important it is to truly guard our heart. And to understand what it means when the word heart is used.

There's much to learn about this one area. Too much to add here. But we must guard our heart, the area where our very life springs from. If we belong to Christ, the new Life that Jesus gives us flows here. Unless of course we quench that life giving flow....

What is springing from your heart? What is coming out of the core of who you are?

Is it life-giving, grace filled, Jesus centred, agape love inspired, Word rooted desires?

Or it it flesh driven, self seeking, me-centred, greed inspired, world rooted desires?

Take time to examine your heart today.