June 23, 2019

Guard your Heart #

Intro.

Every passage we have looked at in Proverbs should impact our life, and change our life, however tonight, my prayer is that your life will be changed on a very deep level. The passage we are going to look at will give you the very key to changing the whole direction in your life. It should change the way you look at everything.

(chee-MAH-nay) Tsimane People of Bolivia

A new study on the heart health and lifestyle of the Tsimane (chee-MAH-nay) people in the Bolivian Amazon revealed that this indigenous South American group has some of the healthiest hearts in the world. 85% of Tsimane people have no risk of heart disease and only 3 % have moderate or high risk. Here in the U.S., the risk is nearly five times higher with just 14 % of Americans showing no risk and half showing moderate or high risk. And consider this: An 80 year old from the Tsimane group had the same vascular age as an American in their mid-50s.

Activity

Researchers found that because of the Tsimane’s lifestyle of hunting, gathering, fishing and farming, Tsimane men spend six to seven hours of their day being physically active, while women spend four to six hours. This translates to just 10 percent of inactivity each day compared to industrialized populations, where the daily sedentary rate is 54 percent.

Diet

Diet is another key factor. The Tsimane diet is largely carbohydrate-based — comprising 72 percent of their diet — but the majority of their carbohydrates are non-processed, like rice, plantains, corn, nuts and fruits. Protein from animal meat makes up another 14 percent and fat is just 14 percent of their diet each day.

(Renown institute for Heart & Vascular health “BestMedicine” April 5, 2017 - [https://bestmedicinenews.org/heart-health/new-study-reveals-some-of-the-healthiest-people-in-the-world/)

I don’t think we should go Amish, but many of our modern problems, are a result of modernization.

Pro 4:20-27

I. Rule (23) #

A. Importance! #

Keep thy heart!

No other book of the Bible talks about the heart as much as Proverbs does!

All diligence!

Above everything else, guard your heart!

Tomb of the unknown soldier

B. Heart conditions #

Corruption

a) “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5)

It is like a weed! - I pulled some weeds from my flower garden, I
didn't get them all, and it is now overrun with weeds!

1. Froward heart - not willing to yield or comply

   a) “A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.” (Psalms 101:4)

   b) “Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.” (Proverbs 6:14)

   c) “They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.” (Proverbs 11:20)

   d) “He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.” (Proverbs 17:20)

2. Hardness

   a) Disregard and rebellion

   (1) 2 Chr 36:11-13 - Rebelled against the Word of God!
   

   b) Plea - “harden not!”

   (1) "Harden not your heart, as in the provocation,
       and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:" (Psalms
       95:8)
   
   (2) "Harden not your hearts, as in the
       provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:"
       (Hebrews 3:8)
   
   (3) "While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden
       not your hearts, as in the provocation."
       (Hebrews 3:15)
   
   (4) "Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day,
       after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear
       his voice, harden not your hearts." (Hebrews
       4:7)
   

   c) Hard hearts grieve God!

   (1) "And when he had looked round about on them with anger,
       being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith
       unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it
       out: and his hand was restored whole as the other." (Mark
       3:5)
   

3. Wisdom

   a) “And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.” (Exodus 28:3)

   b) “And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;” (Exodus 31:6)

   c) “And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:” (Exodus 36:2)

II. Reason (20-22), (24-26) #

A. Influences from Within #

1. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” (Mark 7:21–23)

1. A heart that is not restrained, corrected, and taught, is a wicked heart, and completely corrupt.

2. “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” (Proverbs 28:26)

2. Your heart will lead you astray and away from God!

B. Influences from Without #

Good (20-22)

Ears - Attend! - Hear & Heed

Attendance is not merely being present in body, but being present in spirit!

If a student shows up to class, and sits through the entire class, doesn’t mean he will pass the test!

Too many students have proven this, they sleep through class, they don’t pay attention, they don’t apply what they learn!

Sitting in church, reading the Word of God to simply check off your Bible reading list isn’t going to help you, or change your life!

Eyes (21)

Keep them in front of your eyes - in the midst of your heart!

Effect (22)

Life and health!

Bad (24-25)

Ears (24)

Froward mouth (rebellious)

Perverse lips

Eyes (25)

Don’t get distracted looking at other things!

Wrong things (pornography) will ruin your heart

III. Results (26-27) #

A. Ponder (26) #

Stop and think!

a) Think about where you will end up.

b) Think about what is down that road!

c) Think before you act!

Go go go!

B. Path of thy feet (27) #

1. Profitable path

1. “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:35)

2. Pleasing path

2. “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29)