Page 1 - Good News August 2010 paper

hat if I told you that I just found out I have a Please understand that you are in look better… then, surely you can spend some time
heart condition… What would your reaction charge of guarding your own heart - checking your heart?
Wbe? Most likely, you would respond with and it's pretty much a full-time job - Taking time to check your heart is similar to taking the
gasps of "Oh no!" You would probably feel sorry for because we don't know on any time to clean your basement or attic. Once you turn on
me. But the truth is, I do have a heart condition… and given day what's going to take the lights there and start looking around, don't be
so do you. Everyone reading this article has a heart place in our lives. surprised to find some things you didn't expect!
condition of some sort. And the quicker you can You don't know what somebody
detect a wrong heart condition and get it straightened may say to you that may hurt you. WHAT DID JESUS TEACH ABOUT THE HEART?
out, the better off you are. The longer we leave wrong Suddenly, there's a wound in there Jesus said some pretty strong things about the heart.
things in our heart unattended, the deeper they are that needs to be dealt with. You He said if you see a woman and lust after her, then you
rooted and the harder they are to deal with. don't know when somebody's have already committed adultery as far as your heart
going to disappoint you, or betray is concerned. Lust has a tremendous effect on the
GIVE YOUR HEART A CHECK-UP you, or let you down. You just don't heart, which is why we all must guard our hearts and
I get a medical examination once a year and they know, so you have to constantly be keep lust out. Look what lust is doing to all the people
always check my heart. As Christians, we need to working with the Holy Spirit to keep today who sit and look at the pornography that's so
check our hearts a lot more often. Because many the attitude of your heart right. easily available all over the Internet - it's alarming how
times, Christians can go through the motions and destructive it is to people's lives!
keep doing the "Christian thing," yet, something has THE MOST IMPORTANT THING Another fiery dart the devil tries to shoot into our
crept into their hearts and it's hurting them and There's nothing more important hearts is hate. The Bible says if you hate your brother,
hurting other people. than your inner life (what's in your it's no different than if you murdered him. We must
The things you allow into your heart form your heart). One of the biggest revela- "raise our shield" to keep our hearts pure (see
thoughts and attitudes and shape the deepest part of tions I've received from God is that Genesis 15:1).
in
your being. No matter what your circumstances are my real life is the life that's me. I have found that if I can capture my thoughts for God
(the outside), if your heart (the inside) is right, you're Life is not your circumstances. Life early in the morning, through prayer and meditating
going to be okay. You can have great circumstances is not the kind of house you live in, on Scripture, then it's easier to protect my heart than if
and a stinky heart and you're still going to be or the kind of job you have, or how I wait until the afternoon, when I've already let the
miserable. We need to pay more attention to what's much money you have in the bank. enemy use it as a garbage dump for a while and then
going on in our hearts. So how do we do that? The You can have all these things and try to get a handle on it.
answer is in God's Word. still be miserable! You must be proactive to keep your heart pure.
There's nothing wrong with enjoy-
HOW TO GUARD YOUR HEART ing the better things of life. God HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE
Proverbs 4:23 says, "Guard your heart above all else, wants to bless us. But that's not If you want to be a victorious Christian, guard your
for it determines the course of your life" (NLT). Notice your real life. Your real life is the life heart - even when you don't feel like it. In fact, you
that it doesn't say somebody else will guard your that is in you! It's amazing how don't get to do what you feel like anymore. Actually,
heart. It doesn't say God will guard your heart, your happy you can be in the midst of the your feelings don't even get to vote.
neighbour will guard your heart, or your pastor will lousiest circumstances, and how I'm not saying that you should totally ignore your
guard your heart. It says you need to guard your heart. peaceful you can be despite all the feelings. We need to take care of our emotions too. I
This is a responsibility that each one of us must take. turmoil that's going on in the world believe that people make a mistake in denying their
today if you know how to keep your emotions. I tell God how I feel. But then I also tell God
heart in the right condition. what I will do through His strength and power. So, in
Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the this way, you develop self-control. You keep your
pure in heart, for they shall see commitments, you keep your word, and you do what
God" (NIV). I love that! Do you want you know God wants you to do. And every time you
to hear from God? Keep your heart feel like doing the wrong thing - choose to do the right
pure. Do you want to know God's thing. I want you to understand this: Every time you
secrets? Keep your heart pure. feel like doing the wrong thing and you choose to do
1 Peter 3:3,4 tells us how important the right thing, you are growing - and God is smiling.
the inner man is to God: "Your That is victory. And that's what you get when you
beauty should not come from guard your heart!
outward adornment, such as [Joyce Meyer, Enjoying Everyday Life, August 2010].
braided hair and the wearing of
gold jewelry and fine clothes.
Instead, it should be that of your
inner self, the unfading beauty of a
gentle and quiet spirit, which is of
great worth in God's sight" (NIV).
Think about how much time you
spend on your appearance - getting
your hair ready and picking out
your clothes, putting on make-up
and various other things women
and men do to make themselves