Introduction

Welcome, beloved family in Christ. It's a joy to gather with you in this sacred space, united in our shared faith, bound by our shared love for our Savior, Jesus Christ. Today, we are here to immerse ourselves in a subject that is as old as humanity itself and yet, feels so fresh and relevant to our lives today. We're here to talk about the heart, the center of our emotions, the wellspring of our desires, the seat of our will.

Our focus today is not on the physical heart, that faithful organ beating rhythmically in our chests, but rather, on the spiritual heart—the innermost part of our being, the essence of who we are. The heart, in a biblical sense, is the core of our moral and spiritual life. It's the place where our deepest thoughts, desires, and attitudes reside. It's the place from which our words and actions flow.

In his wisdom, King Solomon, the author of the book of Proverbs, knew the importance of the heart. He wrote,

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (Proverbs 4:23)

Notice the urgency in his words, "Above all else..." This is not a casual suggestion, but a vital command. It's a call to vigilance, to active protection of our heart, for it is the source of everything we do.

This verse is our anchor today as we discuss the significance of guarding our hearts, gaining an understanding of our emotions, and grasping the emotional freedom we have in Christ.

In the words of John Calvin, "Many falsely suppose that the feelings, which God has implanted in us as natural, proceed only from a defect. Accordingly the perfecting of believers does not depend on their casting off all feelings, but on their yielding to them and controlling them, only for proper reason." Our hearts, when guarded and directed towards knowing God, can lead us to a life of peace and purpose.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time of fellowship and learning. We ask that you open our hearts to receive your Word today. May the seeds of your wisdom take root in our hearts and bear fruit in our lives. Help us to guard our hearts, to understand our emotions, and to embrace the freedom we have in Christ. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Let’s get started!

Guarding the Gates of Your Heart

We find ourselves in a world that is constantly vying for our attention. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, we are bombarded with information, images, sounds, and messages. These stimuli, whether we realize it or not, have a profound impact on our hearts. They shape our thoughts, our desires, our attitudes, and ultimately, our actions.

The heart: As we've established, it’s not just a physical organ. It's the spiritual center of our being. It's the place where our deepest thoughts, desires, and attitudes reside. It's the place from which our words and actions flow. The heart is like a city. It has gates through which information and experiences enter. These gates can be our eyes, our ears, our minds. What we see, what we hear, what we think about, all these enter the city of our heart and shape its landscape. This is why it's so crucial to guard these gates. Because what enters the heart doesn't just stay there. It flows out into our words and actions. It shapes our character, our relationships, our life.

Understanding the power of what we allow in: We live in a world that is saturated with messages and images that are contrary to the values and principles of our faith. These messages and images can subtly influence our thoughts and desires, leading us away from God and towards things that are not of Him. We need to be discerning about what we allow into our hearts. This means being selective about what we watch, what we listen to, what we read, what we think about. It means choosing to fill our minds with things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy, as Paul instructs us in Philippians 4:8.

Recognizing the influence of our relationships: The people we surround ourselves with have a significant impact on our hearts. Their words, their actions, their attitudes, their values, all these can seep into our hearts and shape our thoughts, desires, and attitudes. We need to be intentional about who we allow into our lives. This doesn't mean we isolate ourselves from the world. It means we choose to surround ourselves with people who encourage us in our faith, who challenge us to grow, who inspire us to live in a way that honors God.

Managing our emotions: Our emotions are powerful. They can sway our thoughts, stir our desires, drive our actions. But emotions, in and of themselves, are not bad. They are a gift from God, a part of our humanity. We need to learn how to manage our emotions in a way that honors God. This means acknowledging our emotions, understanding them, and expressing them in a healthy way. It means not allowing our emotions to control us, but rather, bringing them under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Cultivating a life of prayer and worship: Prayer and worship are not just activities we engage in. They are postures of the heart. They are ways in which we align our hearts with God's heart. We need to make prayer and worship a priority in our lives. This means setting aside time each day to commune with God, to express our love for Him, to seek His guidance, to surrender our will to His. It means living a life of worship, where every thought, every word, every action is an expression of our love for God and our desire to honor Him.

Guarding our hearts is not a passive activity: It's an active, intentional, ongoing process. It requires vigilance, discernment, intentionality, and discipline. But the reward is a heart that is aligned with God's heart, a life that is pleasing to Him, a character that reflects His character. As we guard our hearts, we are not just protecting ourselves. We are honoring God. We are living out our faith. We are becoming the people God created us to be.

Gaining Understanding of Your Emotions

As we continue to navigate the landscape of our hearts, we find ourselves standing at the threshold of our emotions ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO