Proverbs 4:20-27 New American Standard Bible 1995
20 My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your sight;
Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them
And health to all [a]their body.
23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth
And put devious [b]speech far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your [c]gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26 Watch the path of your feet
And all your ways will be established.
27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
Turn your foot from evil.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
The proverb writer, presumably King Solomon is very deeply concerned about helping his children build a wise and discerning life, avoiding his fathers errors, avoiding, learning invaluable lessons from his father David’s vast array of wild and severe intrigues which nearly cost him his throne, his family, his very life.
“Listen,” he pleads, “pay attention to what I’m saying.” (verse 20)
Throughout the early chapters of the book of Proverbs we find one plea after another like this.
And in Proverbs 4:23 the writer points out the central issue in all this teaching.
“Above all else,” the writer says, “guard your heart.”
In other words, “Look inside. Search inside, Rummage around, Be concerned about your inner life before you build your external life. After all, your heart, your inner life, ‘is the wellspring of life.’ Your heart shapes who you are.”
Jesus taught this truth also.
He said that a person produces good things when that person has a good heart— that is, a heart focused on living for God.
But if a person has an evil heart, that will show up in the evil things that person does. (See Luke 6:45.)
Luke 6:39-45 New American Standard Bible 1995
39 And He also spoke a parable to them: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A [a]pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will [b]be like his teacher. 41 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. 43 For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, [c]on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. 45 The good man out of the good [d] treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from [e]that which fills his heart.
Throughout the Psalms, the writers encourage and even admonish: be focusing on our “inner life”—the focus and direction of our heart. (Psalms 4:4, 7:10, 9:1, 10:17, 13. 14:1, 17:3, 19:14, 22:14, 25:17, 26:2, 27:1-8, 28:7, 33:11, 37:4, 38:10, 39:3, 40:10, 44:21, 51:10, 53:1, 55:4, 57:7, 61:2, 62:8, 66:18, 69:20, 73:12-14, 73:26, 77:5-7, 78:37, 81:12, 84, 86:11-12, 90:12, 95:8-10, 101, 107:12, 109:22, 111, 119:2,7, 10,11,32, 34,36, 58, 69, 70, 80, 111, 112, 145, 161, 139:23-24, 141:4, 143:4)
Put your heart on the highest possible levels of alert, know that God is coming soon!
Mark 1:1-3 Amplified Bible
The Preaching of John the Baptist
1 The beginning of the [facts regarding the] good news of [a]Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written and forever remains in the [writings of the] prophet Isaiah:
“Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You,
Who will prepare Your way—
3
A voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
[b]Make His paths straight!’”
And before we start discussing about how we ought to behave and what we all ought to do, let’s simply talk about what’s inside – take a prayerful day or more to take your heart on that rigorous journey through those verses of the Psalms.
After all, it would be a wasted effort to try building a way of life (on the outside) if the heart wasn’t healthy (on the inside) courtesy of the power of God’s Word.
So let’s reach way inside the remainder of this month and continue on for as long as it takes for you and God, Jesus and Holy Spirit to check out our inner life.
In that vigorous effort, let’s remember to also ask for God’s help in guarding it.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 19 Amplified Bible
The Works and the Word of God.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
19 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands.
2
Day after day pours forth speech,
And night after night reveals knowledge.
3
There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars];
Their voice is not heard.
4
Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth,
Their words to the end of the world.
In them and in the heavens He has made a tent for the sun,
5
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6
The sun’s rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7
The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul;
The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8
The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether.
10
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned [reminded, illuminated, and instructed];
In keeping them there is great reward.
12
Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults.
13
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins;
Let them not rule and have control over me.
Then I will be blameless (complete),
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight,
O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 139:23-24 Amplified Bible
23
Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts;
24
And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 