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Gaurd Your Heart

Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 4:23 NIV
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Luke 6:45 NIV
“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart…”

Three points about guarding our heart…

1. The PRIORITY

Proverbs 4:23 NIVabove all else…

2. The RESPONSIBILITY

Proverbs 4:23 NIV “Above all else, guard YOUR heart…

Proverbs 4:23 MSG “Keep vigilant watch over your heart…"

  • Some people allow their hearts to become HARD.

  • Some people’s hearts are SHALLOW.

  • Some people allow their hearts to become DISTRACTED.

3. The CAPACITY

Proverbs 4:23 NIV “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

“THE CAPACITY OF YOUR HARVEST IS DEPENDENT ON THE CONDITION OF YOUR HEART”

What does it look like to guard my heart?

Proverbs 4:23-27 NLT
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. 24 Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. 25 Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. 26 Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. 27 Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.

1. Watch your INPUT

Proverbs 4:24 NLT
“Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech.”

2. Watch your FOCUS

Proverbs 4:25 NLT
“Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.”

Matthew 6:22-23 ESV
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.”

3. Watch your STEP

Proverbs 4:26-27 NLT
“Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.”

Be A Good Friend

Dad Talks
Part 3
Be a Good Friend

Proverbs 1:8 NIV “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction…”

Four wisdom principles about friendships:

1. Choose you friends CAREFULLY

Proverbs 12:26 NIV “A righteous man is cautious in friendships”
NKJV “the righteous should choose his friends carefully”

Psalm 1:1-3 NIV
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”

  1. The wrong friends will bring you down.

Proverbs 13:20 NIV “He who walks with the wise becomes wise but a companion of fools suffers harm”

Proverbs 22:24 NIV “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered"

I Corinthians 15:33 NIV ”Do not be mislead, bad company corrupts good character”

  1. The right friends will build you up.

Proverbs 27:17 NIV “As iron sharpens iron so a man sharpens another”

Proverbs 27:9 MSG “…A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.”


2. Love your friends
FAITHFULLY

Proverbs 17:17 NIV “a friends loves at ALL TIMES…”
NLT “A friend is always loyal”

Proverbs 18:24 MSG “…A true friend sticks with you LIKE FAMILY”

1 Samual 18:1 NIV “Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he LOVED HIM AS HIMSELF.”

Romans 12:10 NIV “Be DEVOTED to one another…”

Proverbs 3:3-4 NLT “Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. 4 Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.”

3. Speak to your friends HONESTLY

Proverbs 27:5-6 NLT
"An open rebuke is better than hidden love! 6 Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.”

Proverbs 24:26 GNT “An honest answer is the sign of true friendship”

Proverbs 28:23 NLT “In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.”

  1. First of all you need to think about your TONE

  1. Secondly you need to think about your MOTIVE

  1. Thirdly think about your RELATIONSHIP

Ephesians 4:15 NLT “Instead, we will SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE, growing in every way more and more like Christ…”

4. Forgive your friends QUICKLY

Proverbs 17:9 NCV “Whoever forgives someone’s sin makes a friend, but gossiping about the sin breaks up friendships.”

Proverbs 10:12 NIV “Hatred stirs up dissension but love covers over all wrongs”

I Peter 4:8 NIV “Above all love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins”

Colossians 3:13 NLT “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Watch Your Mouth

Proverbs 1:8 NIV
“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction…”

Proverbs 18:21 BSB
"Life and death are in the power of the tongue."

Three ways that words can create life or death...

1. Spiritually

Matthew 12:37 NIV
“For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned”

2. Physically

3. Emotionally

James 3:3-12 NIV
“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”

1. The tongue has the power to DIRECT where I go.
James 3:3 NIV
“When we put bits into the mouths of horses…we can turn the whole animal.”

James 3:4 NIV
“Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.”

2. The tongue has the power to DESTROY what I have.

James 3:5-6 NIV
“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”

3. The tongue has the power to DISPLAY who I am.

When we open our mouths we show the world what is in our hearts.

James 3:9-10 NIV
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”

James 3:11-12 NIV
“Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”

Matthew 12:34 BSB
“For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”

How do I gain control over my tongue?

James 1:19 NIV
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry”

1. OPEN your ears

James 1:19 NIV
“Everyone should be quick to listen…”

2. USE your brain

James 1:19 NIV
“…be slow to speak”

3. CLOSE your mouth

Proverbs 10:19 NIV
“When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”

Psalm 39:1 NIV
“I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth…”

4. CHANGE your heart

Proverbs 4:23-27 NIV
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”

The Wise Way

Dad Talks
Part 1
The WISE WAY

Proverbs 1:8 NIV
“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction..”

THE WISE WAY IS THE BEST WAY.

Proverbs 2:1-10 NIV
1 My son, if you accept my words
    and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to
wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
    and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives
wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you will understand what is right and just
    and fair—every good path.
10 For
wisdom will enter your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.


Think about these three things…

1. Wisdom is not the easiest.

2. Wisdom is not the quickest.

3. Wisdom is not the most popular.


Three benefits to wisdom:

1. Wisdom gives you constant protection.

Proverbs 2:10-11 MSG
“Lady Wisdom will be your close friend, and Brother Knowledge your pleasant companion. 11 Good Sense will scout ahead for danger, Insight will keep an eye out for you. 12 They'll keep you from making wrong turns, or following the bad directions from those who are lost themselves”

2. Wisdom gives you clear direction.

Proverbs 2:6 and 9 NLT
“For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding…Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go.”

Proverbs 4:10-11 MSG
“Dear friend, take my advice; it will add years to your life. I’m writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way, I’m drawing a map to Righteous Road. I don’t want you ending up in blind alleys, or wasting time making wrong turns.”

3. Wisdom gives you continued success.

Proverbs 3:-1-2 MSG
“Good friend, don’t forget all I’ve taught you; take to heart my commands. They’ll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well.”

Proverbs 3:15-16 NLT
“Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 She offers you
long life in her right hand,
and riches and honor in her left
.”


How do I get on the wise path?

1. Admit that you don’t know it all. 

The greatest enemy of learning is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”

Proverbs 3:7 NIV
“do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil.”

Proverbs 12:15 NIV

“The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice”

Proverbs 11:2 NLT
“pride leads to disgrace but with humility comes wisdom.”
2. Ask God for wisdom. 

Proverbs 2:3-5 NIV

"call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”

James 1:5 NIV
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

Proverbs 2:6-8 NIV
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”

3. Align your life with God’s word 

Proverbs 2:1 NIV

“My son… accept my words and store up my commands within you”

Psalm 19:17 NCV
“The teachings of the Lord are perfect; they give new strength. The rules of the Lord can be trusted; they make plain people wise.”