Blockading your heart
Part 2
Text: "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Prov. 4:23)
Opening:
1. We learned last week as The US blockaded Cuba to protect the nation, we must have spiritual blockades around our hearts to keep the evil out.
2. We need to block & keep out what should not come in.
Note the battle towers as well as the lookout towers.
A. WHY do we need to guard our hearts? For out of it are the issues life
1. Your heart is the “Command Center” of your life
2. The inner most part of a man is who he is
a. The outer body, houses, or shells, who we really are
You are, who you are, inside.
b. You can cage a lion and make him ever so tame looking, but open the door and that which is inside the lion, a lions heart, will come roaring forth.
Jesus taught this so clearly
1. Must read and elaborate on Matt. 12:34-35
a. Abundance- literally, overflow, that which is left over #4051
b. Treasure, #2344- a box or container where that which is valuable is stored. Treasure chest.
2. Must read Matthew 6:19-21- Do not lay up treasures (chest #2344) on earth, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
(Matthew 6:21)
Treasure- all words here are the same #2344- treasure chest
Single- #573, of one piece, not double vision, not divided
"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." (James 1:8)
B. How do we guard (blockade) our hearts?
1. Stop drinking from the sewers of the world.
Books-magazines
Television / Radio
Scantily clad women
2. Don’t just stop doing evil, replace it with good things
a. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, honest, just,
pure, lovely, good report; virtue, praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8, KJV)
THINK- ponder, think, reckon, count…
Closing…
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8, KJV)
Do you want to see God?
How pure is your heart?
How is the command center of your life?
Have everyone close eyes and examine the contents of their hearts.
Ask Lord, what is it that is stopping the flow?
"The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the HEART…(belly)." (Proverbs 20:27, KJV)
