Proverbs 4:23 - Above All Things Guarded, Guard Your Heart.
The passage of Proverbs 4:23 speaks the word of God that guard your heart over everything stored up; because from it flows life. It is important to know and know that God commands us to keep our hearts now. Why does God command us to keep our hearts? In this article we will break down some aspects that are important for our life as children of God and that we must continue to fulfill the purpose and design of the Lord.
What is the heart?
The heart is one of the most important organs of the human body, with our blood system being driven throughout the body. Did you know that in addition to your physical heart, you have a spiritual heart? When it is spoken in the word of God, on everything stored, keep your heart refers to the spiritual heart, since it is connected to the physical heart.
The heart is one of the most important parts, since it is the center of our being and the main door to the spirit. It is the organ that determines everything we are, as well as the fulfillment of our destiny on this earth and in eternity.
On everything stored, save your heart because of it, life flows
Proverbs 4:23
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The heart is what determines who we are, as we mentioned before how we behave and is where we make every decision in our life.
"Because what is your thought in your heart, such is he." Proverbs 23: 7
The decisions that come from the heart are what make us take the big steps in life, that is where all the strength of our being comes out to obtain the victory, what we want to achieve, and overcome the various situations or tribulations that come our way. . And most importantly, it is the place where our salvation or our condemnation is determined.
"Because with the heart one believes for justice, but with the mouth one confesses for salvation". Romans 10.10
Only the heart is able to bring the soul to true repentance and to submit it to change our behavior, our intentions and motivations. The heart is a spiritual bridge that links our spirit and our soul, and is directly connected to the cardiac organ of the body.
Know these 5 aspects that you should consider to keep your heart so that you have an abundant life
Components of the heart
In the same way that our physical heart has two parts, the spiritual heart is also divided into two, a part that is connected to the spirit and another to the soul.
The physical heart, which is the image of the spiritual, has one side that receives dirty blood and cellular waste, and another that receives purified blood and sends it to the whole body.
You could also read: 3 Aspects In Luke 6:45 That Define The Content Of Your Heart
- The ventricles
This same design is found in our intangible being. We have a carnal ventricle that deals with the affairs of the soul and a spiritual ventricle that receives everything that comes from God and our spirit. In the area of the spirit's ventricle is where God writes his laws. This part is surrounded by the consciousness that comes from God and that was placed inside us from our birth. On the other hand, it is connected to communion through a conduit through which life flows to our whole being.
"This is the covenant that I will make with them. After those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws in their hearts. And in their minds I will write them. " Hebrews 10:16
The heart pumps either iniquity, or power of God and life, to our whole being. It is from the carnal ventricle that the thoughts of the heart come out that contaminate the soul and the body. In the spiritual world there are substances. That is why it is written that faith is the substance of what is expected; and also says that iniquity enters the organs and bones to corrupt them.
"But what comes out of the mouth, from the heart you go out; and this contaminates man. " Matthew 15:18 "He clothed himself with a curse as with his garment, and it entered in his entrails like water, and like oil in his bones." Psalm 109: 18 "My heart was like wax, melting in the midst of my bowels." Psalm 22:14
- The foreskin of the heart
This is a part of our consciousness that was thickening and desensitizing, through sin, the evil and unbelief of the Adamic nature. As long as it is not removed and changed by a reformed conscience, it will be like a stopper that prevents the flow of God from illuminating and irrigating our soul. Therefore, God calls us to circumcise our hearts so that the life and holiness of God can be manifested in the renewal of our souls.
"Circumcise, therefore, the foreskin of your heart, and harden not your neck any more." Deuteronomy 10:16
The conscience that surrounds the heart is corrupted, producing disbelief. Corruption not only comes from sin, iniquity and rebellion, a broken or wounded heart also gets corrupted. Destructive emotions such as envy, jealousy, bitterness, among others ... are important factors that corrupt the heart. The more corruption, the greater the unbelief and the lack of faith.
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This foreskin in the conscience is a true lens of darkness that makes people see distorted. It makes us distrust everyone. A heart in this condition is blocked in many ways and can not trust even in God; his mouth can say that he loves him and that he believes in him, but his deeds and the fruit of his life show that he trusts only in himself and in his own reasonings.
"All things are pure for the pure, but for the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure to them; for even his mind and conscience are corrupted. " Titus 1:15
All this corruption, becomes dense veils that prevent people from seeing God. We were created to see and enjoy our maker, Jesus is the image of the invisible God and when we convert from the heart, He manifests and allows us to see Him.
"And even to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is placed over their hearts. But when they turn to the Lord, the veil will be removed. Because the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Therefore, we all, looking bare-faced as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed from glory to glory in the same image, as by the Spirit of the Lord. " 2 Corinthians 3: 15-18
When the veil is removed, the Spirit of God comes to us and gives us the freedom to look at the face uncovered, so that we can be transformed in the same image.
- The center of emotions
One of the most relevant parts of the heart is the center of emotions. Everything we feel, whether good or bad, is processed and emanates from the heart.
"From within, from the hearts of men, come forth the evil thoughts, the adulteries, the fornications, the murders." Matthew 7:21
The heart is an immense chest full of treasures, memories and experiences, good and bad. It is like a book of everything we treasure in the soul. It is the newspaper library, where all our experiences are kept and recorded. It is from there, that we form our personality, our way of thinking and believing.
"The good man, out of the good treasure of his heart brings out the good; and the evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out evil; Because of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks". Lucas 6:45
The emotions are connected to the two ventricles, the spiritual and the natural. In this way the heart is able to process the feelings and sensations that come from the soul as well as those that come from God, such as: joy, peace, or the expectation of a miracle.
Our emotional center is also connected to the physical heart, the mind and the brain. Hence, our emotions play a very important role in the chemistry of our body.
Joy and joy, for example, will send a signal to the brain and tell you to unleash substances called peptides, which are imparted to the whole body. These substances are vital for the proper functioning of our organs.
On the other hand, emotions such as sadness, envy or anger, to name a few, will send negative signals to the brain, and this will supply substances harmful to our health. Hence, the word mentions that these types of feelings dry the bones.
"The happy heart is a good remedy. But a broken spirit dries the bones". Proverbs 17:22
Our center of emotions is one of the main doors to the spirit.
- The flow of life and the heart valve
It is from our spirit that life flows, since it comes from and is part of God.
Whether we have received the regeneration of our spirit through Jesus Christ or not, we all receive from God the natural life.
When someone is still in his Adamic nature, he continues to receive from his spirit, the flow of life to be able to exist on this planet.
When someone is filled with the Spirit of God, the flow of life will be an abundant stream of the resurrection life that will flow from the center of communion to his whole being.
The imparting of every perfect gift and of the divine nature flows essentially from a conduit that links the spirit to the carnal ventricle.
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While we have not been circumcised in the heart, the valve will be practically closed, letting out only the minimum flow of life necessary for the body not to die.
One of the most important functions of this valve is that it is the door through which we connect to see the Kingdom of God.
When a person is born again, he learns that by "being in the Spirit", he opens by means of this valve to see the dimensions of the sky. By exercising faith and expectation to see in the spiritual world, the valve widens, allowing our spirit to look into this invisible realm.
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice like a trumpet, and I turned to see the voice that spoke with me; and returned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. " Revelation 1: 10-12
Another way in which it opens is by loving. When my heart is projected towards God to pour out my love for Him, it is when I can contemplate its beauty and get to see it face uncovered.
"One thing I have asked of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple." Psalm 27: 4
The heart in its three manifestations, spirit, soul and body, is the center that determines life.
- The will
This part of our heart is also connected to both ventricles and determines whether we live by the Spirit or by the flesh. Like the rest of the heart, it is surrounded by the conscience who will help us make good or bad decisions.
The importance of this part is that our eternal life will depend on it either in salvation or in condemnation.
"For those who are of the flesh think of the things of the flesh; but those who are of the Spirit, in the things of the Spirit. " For to be caring for the flesh is death, but to be mindful of the Spirit is life and peace. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you cause the deeds of the flesh to die, you will live. Because all who are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God!
The will functions as a lever that indicates the heart towards the flesh or toward God.
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This is what we also call free will. It is free, because no one can manage and control it, but only us, God can not make decisions for us and of course neither does the devil.
The only thing the devil can do is to seduce the will so that the person surrenders to his temptations and lies.
While a person's life is not established in Christ, sin dominates being. The darkness occupies the place designated to the golden pitcher, they settle there and the conscience is cauterized. In this state the fallen soul listens very faintly to the voice of conscience and at great volume the seductive lies of the devil.
Even though the wages of sin are death, the "Sheol", or the "dwelling place of the dead" these have great power the unregenerate soul.
"As for flocks that are led into Sheol, death will shepherd them, and the upright will rule over them in the morning; his good looks will be consumed, and Sheol will be his dwelling place. But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol, because he will take me with him. Selah. " Psalm 49: 14-15
This Psalm is extremely revealing and tells us about the influence and power of death; This is through sin and deceit.
Although the will is ours and ours alone, it receives the voices of life and death, which influence to choose one or the other.
When we understand the power that God granted us, even in sin, to have authority over the will, we began to control it absolutely.
How can I have a heart according to God's?
This is the heart of those who love and fear God, not basing their lives on the flesh but on the Spirit. As mentioned in Romans 8: 11-14. The Spirit of God has taken control and our conscience has been cleansed and restored making us sensitive to the ways of God and the environment of the Spirit.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" Matthew 5: 8
The heart is in total service of the Spirit and can receive the thoughts of God, the revelation and all the hidden mysteries. Rivers of living water and divine knowledge will come from the mouth of the believer.
By receiving directly from our spirit the direction of all things, will send it to the mind of the soul, to make us know the will of God.
"We do not cease to pray for you, and to ask you to be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual intelligence." Colossians 1: 9
Why does God tell us? On everything stored, save your heart because life flows from it.
Many times God has to use a difficult circumstance in which the heart is broken, so that the person calls to Him. This will begin to soften the heart and prepare it to meet Jesus. Once sensitized, the conscience will begin to speak to him and bring the person to repentance. This is the moment that the Lord had been waiting to touch the doors of his heart and bring it to his feet. When the person has opened to believe, the valve expands enough for the life of Jesus to penetrate to the depths of the spirit.
The Lord tells us in this passage of Proverbs 4:23 Keep everything in your heart; because of him, life flows. Because it is from the heart that everything that is good or bad comes from, what this heart is filled with is what you are going to give. If you have bitterness, bitterness you will externalize, place other things more ... Then everything that is inside our heart leads to a healthy life or a miserable life. It is important that you take out all the things that are in your heart that do not bring you a physical or spiritual well-being, what your health depends on.
How to keep our heart according to the bible?
- Treasuring the Word of God
- Praying
- Studying the word of God
- Putting the word of God into action.
- Putting a brake on distractions and harmful messages
- Choosing well my relationships and friendships.
- Asking for help to the people indicated
From the heart, life flows
Our intense attention to our hearts translates into a straight interior life. We must keep our total person. It starts in the heart, all the matters of our life are affected positively or negatively by what is in our heart.
God in his complete mercy and love, is always giving us that little push we need, either through advice, exhortation or perhaps preaching, because He wants our understanding of the spiritual to be complete, just as our physical body possesses a anatomy, because our spirit and our soul, also possess it; and it is there where all the things that we need to transform so that the power of God can enter and leave, because otherwise we cleanse ourselves of all contamination of spirit, as, then, the light of God can enter into our Being, if it is covered with darkness.
Proverbs 4: 23-26 instructs believers that, "Keep your heart above every thing that is guarded, for out of it springs life, remove the wickedness from your mouth, and put away the iniquity of your lips from you. Eyes look straight, and direct your eyelids towards what is before you, Examine the path of your feet, and all your ways be straight. " When Solomon refers to keeping the heart, he really means the inner essence of a person, the thoughts, feelings, desires, will and decisions that do what a person is. The bible tells us that our thoughts often determine what we become (Proverbs 23: 7; 27:19). The mind of a man reflects what he really is, not only by his actions or words. That is why God examines a man's heart, not simply his outward appearance and what he appears to be (1 Samuel 16: 7).
Just as there are many diseases and disorders that can affect the physical heart, there are many ailments of the spiritual heart that can affect growth and development as a believer. Arteriosclerosis is a hardening of the arteries due to the accumulation of cholesterol plaques and scars on the arterial walls. Hardening of the spiritual heart can also occur. The hardening of the heart occurs when the truth of God is presented to us, and we refuse to recognize or accept it.
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We Christians should always endeavor to place a cage around our hearts it is very important as well as mandatory and we can successfully achieve that by what by the spirit of God and the word of God sieved by our spirit.The Bible which is God's word gave us this admonition to guide our hearts because out of it are the issues of life so we can see how necessary that is.
I pray that God should take away every stony heart or every pharaoh like heart and substitute with that heart of flesh and we should also likewise have this belief and also try to teach these belief right from the word of God to friends,young children and all which will foster a wonderful relationship in this present society.
Building good relationships, developing our minds, and nourishing our imaginations must be prioritized in our own lives, but we must also teach them to our children and encourage others with these ideas.
The psalmist said.
In my heart Oh Lord, I have hidden thy word.
He said this to show that he kept what was most dear to him God's word in his most valuable storage his heart
Thanks for this deep teachings
One of the best place to guide with all our might is our heart.
The bible made us to understand that all the issues of life are filled with the heart and we are to guide the heart with all diligence.
We need to be careful of what is running through our heart and what occupied our heart because what we have running in our heart is capable of making us to live a fulfilled life that will give glory to his name.
We need to be checking our heart time to time and flush out what is bad and replace them with thought of good by reading the word of god everyday and putting what we learn from the word into actions.
Guild your heart towards working for the lord and doing all he wants from you .
We as christians should alway focus on the things of the Lord and make the life of those around so good .
We only eat when you work and do what the lord wants .
You don't get money when you don't work for money .
You food comes from what you do.
The Lord our savour has provided us platforms to do his will and work in his vineyard by helping the needy and bringing to him l the worship and praises he deserves.
Make hay while the sun still shines .
There is no food for a man who does work.
Never expect anything from the Lord when you don't work in his paths which is his vineyard .
We Christians should help built the society by helping out in all the places we find our self and preach the gospel of the lord
Vigilance is defined as the action or state of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties. That’s exactly what God calls us to do with our hearts. We are to pay extra attention to our hearts and watch them closely. There will be dangers and difficulties we will for sure face in this life, and we should be ready.
The heart of man.....hmmm is the door way to who we are .......let Guard our heart with the word of God...
Everything shared about the human heart is true. It is something we should guard and we can do so by help of God's spirit. I pray that God turns every stony heart into flesh and draw every perishing soul to Him.