Posted on 08/04/2019 6:08:20 AM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
There are some things about the heart that we need to learn.
1. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV). Our heart is as black as a coalpit in its natural condition.
2. “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man” (Matthew 15:18-20 KJV). We would never think that. Right next to the sin of evil thoughts, He puts murder. Now we would not think that evil thoughts is as bad as murder, but God puts evil thoughts first—as if it is just as bad—if not worse. Well, if a man thinks about a thing long enough, he’ll do it. Out of the heart comes evil thoughts, and then evil actions.
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
The issues! Life and death, heaven and hell, those are the issues. Right and wrong, sin and righteousness—those are the issues of life. The issue is where are you going to spend eternity? The issue is what are you going to do with your life? Are you going to waste it, or are you going to use it for Christ? That is the issue. Some people don’t want to talk about issues.
Our leaders will never talk about the real issues. What the problem of sin is. Where does war come from as seen in James 4? Where does sin come from? Why are men sinners? Why do people suffer from disease and death? They want to talk about women’s rights and gay rights and open borders and globalism—but that is only because they appeal to their sinful natures. They are not interested in encouraging people to repent and to get right with God.
“The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” (Psalms 24:1 KJV). The whole thing belongs to God, He is the only one that has any rights. The only thing we have is the opportunity to get on His good side. And we had better get there and stay there.
Let’s read a chapter of Proverbs a day and see what God might have for us. As the Lord leads, share with us what God has shown you in a special way and by His grace let us build up a devotional repository. Let’s keep our knives and forks handy for some daily bread!
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