Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Keeping Our Hearts On the Right Path

By Pastor Jack Hulsey


“Listen, my son,” is a familiar phase found in several of the Proverbs. It has always fascinated me and compelled me to study at a deeper level because of the familial connotation. In Proverbs 23:19 you will find this phrase attached to some very good advice.  “Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path”.
Satan attacks us every day, and he does it so quickly and without warning. 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NASB)
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”
He attacks our hearts and our souls – the places where hopes are born, decisions are made, and truth is stored. His attacks strike deep in the places where wisdom is formed. It's little wonder that the writer in Proverbs cautions us to keep our heart on the right path. How do we do this? The best way is to exercise the utmost caution about the things we keep in our hearts, as well as what we keep from our heart.
As Christians we know what we should try to keep out of our hearts: doubt, fear, anger, hate, lust, depression, guilt, and worry. this is just a short list.  Satan throws adversity at us in every imaginable form.  He wants us to believe that every person on earth has a unique problem to cope with. King Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9-10.  Our faith is tested continually and as hard as it sometimes is, we must choose to keep negative feelings from dominating our lives. 
We must think about the things we need to keep securely locked in our hearts. Things like a love for God, a love for people, a humble spirit, a willing heart, a determined devotion and a loyalty to truth. We can't hold these feelings and attitudes in our hearts without help. Each day we must depend upon the spirit of God and choose wisely our path.
Imagine what our world would be like if all of us could keep our hearts on this path.  You can be sure that Satan imagines what it could be like – and because he does, he is waiting for us at every turn. So, take the wise approach offered by God's word:  listen, be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.

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