April 27, 2025 -- Jeremiah 17:9 -- Guide and Guard your heart

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The heart is deceitful above all things,
    and desperately sick;
    who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9 ESV
 
People in our world consider their heart to be pure. Our world urges people, if you have a difficult decision, do a heart check. That is never the advice of the Bible. A popular preacher used to quip, “If I go to a church and a minister says, ‘I just want to share what is on my heart.’ I want to get up and leave. Because I know what’s in a man’s heart. It is deceitful.” How do we escape the constant stream of bad insight and terrible impulses of the deceitful heart? Brad Bigney offers two Biblical imperatives: guide your heart; guard your heart.
 
Proverbs 23:19 teaches “guide your heart in the way”. The word of God often speaks to believers, telling them to walk in the way of the LORD. Jesus tells His disciples, “Follow Me.” If it seems hard, contrary to what is comfortable, then it is likely the right way to go.
 
Proverbs 4:23 teaches “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (NIV). To guard your heart is to be suspicious of all worldly influences. Guarding your heart means preaching to it from the Word so that it is instructed in righteousness, holiness and the knowledge of God (all things that the untutored, deceitful heart, hates).
 
The point is, you are not helpless, powerless, cowing under the mastery of your heart. You are Spirit-powered, Word-driven, children of the Living God. Jesus Christ has taken hold of you and shepherds you. Do not shrug your shoulders as if you’re helpless and defenseless and must buckle under every influence of your wayward heart. Be confident that Jesus, Who commands you, “Follow Me” will also give you the desire and the ability to do so.
 

  • Get to church, attend where you know the Word is preached.

  • Pray—asking the Spirit to help you guide your heart and guard it.

  • Meet with fellow Christians for encouragement and accountability.

  • Confess your sins. What is kept secret will fester and grow.

  • Seek on-going spiritual direction, Seek a mentor so that you do not lose your zeal or wander too far off course without clear direction back to the way of Christ.

 
Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have promised to answer the requests that we bring you in the name of your beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and we are also instructed by his teaching and that of his Apostles to gather in his name with the promise that he will be in our midst and be our Intercessor before you, that we might receive all things for which we agree on earth.
Finally, be pleased from now on to sustain us by your power, that we might not stumble in the weakness of our flesh. And as we are so feeble in ourselves that we cannot stand firm for a minute, and as we are also continually surrounded and assailed by so many enemies, and as the devil, the World, sin, and our own flesh do not cease to make war against us, be pleased to strengthen us by your Holy Spirit and to equip us with your graces that we may continually resist all temptations, and persevere in this spiritual battle until we attain full victory, that at last we may triumph finally in your kingdom with our Captain and Protector, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."
from website: Historic Prayer—John Calvin
https://youtu.be/FAK2SaKQ1NQ?si=scf19QvfYTV1DAKV A Christian’s Daily Prayer
 

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