Guard your heart

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life (KJV Pr. 4:23).

Guard (stand alert at all times ready to defend, protect from intrusion) your heart (the place where feelings and emotions conceive) because the heart will give birth to every one of its feelings creating the issues and circumstances of life which in turn determines the kind of life you will have and experience.

Wow! I like this amplified version from the Lord. The Bible states to guard your heart and for good reason. Your heart is the womb that fertilizes and gives birth to every situation you will ever experience in life which is why it must guarded and protected. Think of the material things you guard and protect: Hair from the rain, new stilettos from mud, purse from thieves. Just like you guard and protect your hair, shoes and hand bag you must take the same care to guard your heart. Guard your heart from what? Satanic inspired and produced sights, smells, sounds tastes and touches.

The 5 senses are outlets that lead right to your heart. Whatever is successful at passing through these sensory mechanisms the heart converts into feeling that ultimately transform into emotional issues of life. And Jesus said from the heart comes every evil thing (Matt 15:19). Therefore, every image, scent, sound, taste and feeling should be frisked, screened and detained if necessary before they are allowed entry into your heart. Now this security measure might seem tedious and a bit drudgery but this is what you need to do if you are going to effectively guard your heart and experience the abundant emotional/physical life Christ has prepared for you.

You protect your heart by filtering what comes through the 5 senses.

Check out the heart sense "checkup" on the following page for preventative measures to protect your heart from fatal heart conditions such as heart breaks, aches, disease and failure.
GUARD YOUR HEART: HEART SENSE CHECK UP
1. WARNING SOUNDS: Deceptive words (spoken or written), music, voices. One of the easiest ways of letting down one's heart guard is through the hearing of words. Jesus said my sheep know my voice and will not follow another (John 10:27). Do not allow your heart to follow a voice or become under the influence of words (even your own) that do not align with the word of God and of a speaker who do not bear fruits of God whether it be a family member, friend, colleague, stranger, church member, minister or prophet.

Do a sound check of your heart. If you hear words that don't beat to the tune of God's voice you are at risk for heart failure. Guard and protect your heart NOW by allowing God to renew and revive your heart with the voice of His faithful and true words.

2. WARNING SIGHTS: Sexual visuals, pictures, magazines, television. If your eye offends you cut it out! Okay, not literally because many would be walking I mean falling around everywhere due to self-inflicted blindness.

It is possible, however, to train the heart to avoid ungodly sights and use the eyes for God's intended purpose: Keeping them on the prize and not on plump thighs and buff guys. Needless to say, pornography is one of many visuals to be avoided and not just by singles but married people alike. Pornography distorts and deceivingly "brightens" images just like cataracts distorts and illuminates sight making images seem brighter than what they really are. Pornographic images seduce and adulterate the heart producing unrealistic images and fabricated feelings/expectations. Once again, single and married people alike should avoid pornography. Just because the marrieds' bed is undefiled (us singles shouldn't even have a bed) that don't mean the married shouldn't censor what they watch and see. If you are married and need sex therapy the book store has a plethora of less offensive yet effective books that can assist.

Do a sight check of your heart and if you see pornographic images "laying or surfing" around you are at risk for heart break. Guard and protect your heart NOW by allowing Jesus to restore blinding cataracts with sight that flees filters and extinguishes the fiery, nasty, lustful rays of the Devil.

3. WARNING SMELLS: Cologne, perfume, candles, incense, food…..shoot even a box…never mind. Don't follow your nose because it doesn't always know. Recognize the thoughts and feelings that certain smells trigger or else you might find your heart in bed or back in bed with "brotha no good" or " sista feel good" all because you passed by a cologne or perfume booth in the mall.

Do a scent test of your heart and if you sense the stinky stench of fornication you are at risk for a heart disease. Guard and protect your heart NOW by allowing God to clean the air of your heart from all flesh borne pollutants, toxins and poisons so you can become a sweet, soothing fragrance acceptable in His presence.

WARNING TASTES: Everything that taste good don't mean it's good for the heart and eating the wrong foods can lead to a premature death. Some things you just have no business tasting like the seemingly innocent kisses and flirtations of a married man or woman. These types of calories turns into fat that clog, saturate and chokes the heart then spreads throughout the body affecting every member of the body and household. Of all the weight you carry and try to lose you do not want to carry the weight of adultery for its weight is very difficult to lose and more than not takes a life time to burn off.

Adultery may taste sweet but this dessert leaves a bitter after taste. Do a taste test of your heart. If you taste desserts from someone else's dinner plate you are at risk for a sudden triple drive by I mean by pass heart ache attack. Guard and protect your heart NOW by changing your diet from the forbidden fruit to manna from heaven and you will taste and see that God's goodness is sweeter and healthier than the any of the devil's food cakes.

5. TOUCH WARNINGS: Provocative, suggestive, flirtatious touches, caresses and strokes. You remember the good touch bad touch lessons from grade school? Well, that lesson was for children but the concept is useful for adults as well. Unless you are touched by an angel, The Holy Ghost, your spouse, a chiropractic or a certified massage therapist (and I mean certified degree and all) you have no business receiving (or giving) questionable touches from anyone. And for you singles, I know R Kelly wrote the song "I don't see nothing wrong with a little bump and grind" but God sees a lot wrong with it. If adultery can be committed with mere thoughts (Matt 5:27) it stands to reason sexual sin is committed with bumping and grinding which is a lot more than your thinking.

Check your heart for illegitimate touches. If you feel unlawful fingers creeping up your heart you are at risk of having your heart violated and stolen. Guard and protect your heart NOW by allowing God to wash your body with the touch of His presence and then He will guard, protect and cover your heart with His breast plate of righteousness.

God has provided a way of escape for every "sinseful" and senseless temptation which means you can effectively guard your heart. But it is only done when you use your senses to hear, see, touch, smell and eat His word on a daily basis.
A publication by the singing crafter

© 02/10