Blockading your heart
Part 1
Opening:
1. What awesome thing took place in 1962?????
How many of you have heard of the US naval blockade of Cuba?
Why did the United States blockade Cuba? To guard ourselves from danger and destruction.
2. The word of God also speaks to us of a blockading that needs to take place
Text: "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
(Proverbs 4:23)
A. Our heart-
1. Used figuratively, to speak of the inner part of a man, whether soul or spirit.
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.
And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." (Genesis 6:5-6)
"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Is. 57:15)
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26, KJV)
"But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." (1 Cor. 6:17)
B. Keep (guard) your hearts
1. This is a military term.
It literally means to fence, block, protect, to keep out what should not come in. Hebrew #5341
2. You guard what is precious. What you count dear, you protect
3. Tomb of the Unknown- Housed inside is America’s finest
"Here Rests In Honored Glory
An American Soldier Known But To God"
The Tomb contains the remains of unknown American soldiers from World Wars I and II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War.
Each was presented with the Medal of Honor at the time of interment.
The Tomb is guarded 24-hours-per-day and 365-days-per year by specially trained members of the 3rd United States Infantry (The Old Guard).
The guard walks 21 steps back and forth before the tomb. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.
Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty -four hours a day, 365 days a year.
The guards must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb.
They cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way.
After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.
The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.
Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.
In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment.
They respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a serviceperson.
Closing….
1. Deep within our spiritual hearts, lies and honored guest.
It is the very presence of God himself.
2. Have we treated him with the courtesy and honor that he is worthy of?
Have we grieved him by our life and conduct.?
"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30, KJV)
