Guard Your Heart Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

Guard Your Heart

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23

Introduction to Proverbs1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

2 To know wisdom and instruction,

To perceive the words of understanding,

3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,

Justice, judgment, and equity;

4 To give prudence to the simple,

To the young man knowledge and discretion—

5 A wise man will hear and increase learning,

And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

6 To understand a proverb and an enigma,

The words of the wise and their riddles.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,

But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Main Thought of the BookProverbs 3:5-7

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

Set Your Heart on Gaining Wisdom

1 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give

attention to know understanding; 2 For I give you good

doctrine: Do not forsake my law. 3 When I was my father’s

son, Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, 4 He

also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my

words; Keep my commands, and live. 5 Get wisdom! Get

understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of

my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;

Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the principal

thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get

understanding. (Prov. 4)

Set Your Heart on Gaining Wisdom

8 Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you

honor, when you embrace her. 9 She will place on your head

an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to

you.”

10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of

your life will be many. 11 I have taught you in the way of

wisdom; I have led you in right paths. 12 When you walk, your

steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not

stumble. 13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep

her, for she is your life. (Prov. 4)

Wisdom Says, “Avoid the Wicked”

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the

way of evil. 15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it

and pass on. 16 For they do not sleep unless they have done

evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone

fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the

wine of violence. 18 But the path of the just is like the shining

sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. 19 The way

of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes

them stumble. (Prov. 4)

Way of Wisdom Requires Attention

20 My son, give attention to my words;

Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let

them depart from your eyes; Keep them in

the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life

to those who find them, And health to all

their flesh. (Prov. 4) Wordsof

Wisdom

Guard Our Heart

Keep your heartwith all diligence,For out of it springthe issues of life.

(Prov. 4:23)

Moral Understanding

Moral Consciousness

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Col. 3:1)

All Actions (Good or Bad)Spring from the Heart

For from within, out of the heart of men,

proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications,

murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness,

deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy,

pride, foolishness. All these evil things come

from within and defile a man. (Mk. 7:21-23)

All Actions (Good or Bad)Spring from the Heart

For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a

bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by

its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns,

nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A

good man out of the good treasure of his heart

brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil

treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the

abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

(Lk. 6:43-45)

Guarding the Heart Requires Putting Away Some Things:

24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth

And put devious speech far from you.

25 Let your eyes look directly ahead

And let your 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.

Guarding the Heart - Matt. 6

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is

good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is

bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the

light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the

one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and

despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Guarding the HeartBut what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. (Phil. 3:7-8)

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead (Phil. 3:13)

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Phil. 4:8)

Rejoice from the Heart

To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. (1 Pet. 1:4)

Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. (1 Pet. 1:8-9)

Things That Help Guard the Heart

1. Need A Wise Teacher GODThe fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Prov. 1:7)

For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak. (Jn. 12:49-50)

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. (Jn. 16:13)


God becomes our teacher Teacher when we accept His Word as Truth (Jn. 17:17)

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and

knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments

and His ways past finding out! 34 “For who has known the

mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?”

35 “Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to

him?” 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all

things, to whom be glory forever. (Rom. 11)

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before

Abraham was, I AM.” (Jn. 8:58)


God becomes our teacher Teacher when we accept His Word as Truth (Jn. 17:17)

And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that

the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught

them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

(Matt. 7:28-29)

The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with

this generation and condemn it, for she came from the

ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and

indeed a greater than Solomon is here. (Matt. 12:42)


2. Must Have Wise Teaching

For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men

of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

(1 Pet. 1:21)

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable

for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in

righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,

thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)


9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.10 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.

97 Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.

103 How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. (Psa. 119)


4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge

in the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other ages was not made

known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the

Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets (Eph. 3).

8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace

was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the

unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the

fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages

has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus

Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God

might be made known by the church to the principalities and

powers in the heavenly places (Eph. 3).


3. Must Have Wise Learning

21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;

Keep them in the midst of your heart;

22 For they are life to those who find them,

And health to all their flesh.

23 Keep your heart with all diligence,

For out of it spring the issues of life.

24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth,

And put perverse lips far from you. (Prov. 4)



If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the

teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak

from Myself. (John 7:17)

Key to understanding God’s Word

A Heart that wants obey the Father’s will.


Problem With Christ’s Opponents

43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God. (John 8:43-47)



37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and

said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren,

what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and

let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ

for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the

Holy Spirit… 40 And with many other words he testified and

exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse

generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word

were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were

added to them. (Acts 2)


4. Must Have Wise Friends

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your

eyelids look right before you. 26 Ponder the path of

your feet, And let all your ways be established. 27

Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot

from evil. (Prov. 4)

He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the

companion of fools will be destroyed. (Prov. 13:20)


4. Must Have Wise Friends

Blessed is the man:

Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners,

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful (Psa. 1:1)

Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good

habits.” (1 Cor. 15:33)

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

(1 Pet. 4:9)


What kind of friends are you choosing for your association?

Friends like Jonadab (2 Sam. 13:1-14)

Friends like Timothy

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the

believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in

purity. (1 Tim. 4:12)

For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care

for your state. (Phil. 2:20)


5. Must Have Wise Practice

Put Word in Your Heart - Prov. 4:40-23Watch out about eyes, feet… - Prov. 4:24-27

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness,

and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able

to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers

only, deceiving yourselves. (Jas. 1:21-22)


5. Must Have Wise Practice23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is

like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he

observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what

kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law

of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a

doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not

bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s

religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God

and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their

trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (Jas. 1)


5. Must Have Wise Practice

24 Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does

them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the

rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the

winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it

was founded on the rock.

26 But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does

not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on

the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and

the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great

was its fall. (Matt. 7)

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth… (1 Pet. 1:22)

Keep your heartwith all diligence,For out of it springThe issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23

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Guard Your Heart Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23