INTRODUCTION
• Have you ever wanted to do something new, or have you tried to make some changes in your life that you know would improve your life?
• Were you successful in implementing the changes you sought? IF so, why were you successful?
• If you failed, do you know why?
• Today we will conclude our Wise Living series from the book of Proverbs.
• We could spend the rest of our lives on this book alone and still need more time to absorb it all!
• When you look at all of the instructions found in the book of Proverbs, they all sound great, don't they?
• Many things we hear sound great, like losing weight, getting into shape, and improving various areas in my life.
• However, any great aspirations one has in life will never come to fruition until one can learn the art of self-control.
• Today, we will dive into three areas in which we need to cultivate the art of self-control if we are going to navigate a life of faith successfully.
• If we are going to implement change into our lives successfully, we must have the self-discipline or self-control to make the changes.
• If we are going to grow in our faith, it takes self-control and self-discipline to do so.
• In our text today from Proverbs 4:20-27We will look at three areas in which we need to learn to exercise the art of self-control.
• If we can master self-control in these areas, our faith will blossom, and we will help others do the same!
• Let's turn to Proverbs 4:20-23 as we look at our first area.
Proverbs 4:20–23 (CSB)
20 My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings.
21 Don’t lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to one’s whole body.
23 Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.
SERMON
We need to exercise self-control in the area of…
I. Guarding our heart.
• Once again, Solomon encourages his son to pay close attention to his sayings.
• We will see the text speak of paying attention which ties into listening, not losing sight, and keeping the words in one'sLet's heart.
• What is in your heart? It is what you put into it.
• Paying close attention means more than I HEARD YOU; it denotes being focused on what is said.
• Paying close attention also denotes responding in conformity.
• Paying attention is more than just hearing something; it also involves responding to what has been heard.
• In our passage, Solomon invokes the various parts of the body to help the learner see how things need to work together.
• The various body parts include; the ear (20), eyes (21), whole-body (flesh) (22), heart (23), lips (24), eyes (25), feet (26), hands, and feet (27).
› Each is a figure of speech in which a part represents the whole; the total accumulation signifies the complete person in the process. Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible, Second Edition. (Denmark: Thomas Nelson, 2019).
• In addition to the description of a healthy person, this text demonstrates a fundamental belief about the nature of humans.
• The writer believes in the tremendous freedom individuals have to act.
• The organs represent the ability of the individual to act responsibly.
• Individuals have the power to see, speak, think, listen, and walk.
• As such, they can set the course for their own lives.
• That is why the writer has such contempt for the sluggard who chooses to live an inactive lifestyle (6:6–11).
• Guarding our heart includes being careful what we put into the heart.
• We need to fill our hearts with God's Word and the love of God!
• Guarding our hearts also includes not losing sight of what we put into our hearts!
• We cannot allow ourselves to let the instruction depart from our eyes!
• Next, we see we are to keep the commands in our hearts!
• Keep them within your heart: Keep translates the same word and concept as in 4:4.
• This is the positive side of the negative command in the first line.
• Keeping them within your heart means thinking, remembering, and reflecting on them.
• Many languages express the idea of retaining something in the mind as guarding or keeping it in the heart, liver, or stomach.
• In some languages, this thought is expressed as "keep it warm in your innermost." (USB Handbook: Proverbs.
• Verse 22 gives the reason for the commands in verses 20-21!
• We need to realize that these teaching are life for those who find them!
• That word FIND denotes a careful and diligent search, not something you find by accident!
• When we find God's instruction or His word, we will begin to live life and be healthy in the sense that we will know we are living life the way we were intended to live!
• Verse 22 tells us we will have a good life when we do what God'sGod's word instructs us to do.
Proverbs 4:23 (CSB)
Guard your heart above all else,
for it is the source of life.
• Guarding your heart means guarding your thoughts.
• This command is vital to our growth.
• Notice we are told ABOVE ALL ELSE!
• More than anything else, you can guard, guard your heart!.
• For it is the source of life: The thought expressed here is that what people think, what is in their minds, determines how they will act.
• See Matt 15:19.
Matthew 15:19 (CSB)
For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander.
• The word rendered source of life usually refers to the extremity or border of a geographical territory, but in association with life, it seems to have the sense of a source or place of origin. (USB Handbook: Proverbs)
• We must exercise the self-control needed to guard our hearts.
• If we do not guard our hearts, our hearts will cling to the garbage we used to cherish, and it will revert to the stuff in Matthew 5:19.
• If you want to grow, you need to guard your heart.
• Let's turn to verse 24!
Proverbs 4:24 (CSB)
24 Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly and don’t let your lips talk deviously.
We need to exercise self-control in the area of…
II. Monitoring our speech.
• While imparting his wisdom to his son, the author of Proverbs in chapter 4 addresses the words we use.
• Words that are untrue or deceptive or that lead people astray need to be so far removed from us that we have nothing to do with them.
• He doesn't just say, "Don't do this," but rather, "Be so far removed from this speech that people can't even associate you with it."
• The phrase DO NOT LET is literally "CAUSE TO GO AWAY."
• Speaking dishonestly refers to any kind of speech that is misleading, untrue, or deviating from what is acceptable.
• We need to monitor our speech because what we say reflects what is in our hearts.
• This is why the first warning is so vital.
• Guarding our hearts or failure to do so spills over into so many other areas of our life.
• Jesus and James had a lot to say about what we say and controlling our tongues.
• The apostle James picks up on this teaching.
• In James 3:1–10 he speaks of taming the tongue because of the power it holds.
• He uses many illustrations, from the bridle of a horse to the rudder of a ship, to show how something small has the power to direct something big and powerful.
• The words we speak can shape our lives and the lives of those around us, and we need to be careful with the pain and healing they can bring.
• Jesus had taken it even further, telling us that one day we will be judged for every careless word we speak (Matthew 12:36).
Matthew 12:33–37 (CSB)
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit will be good, or make the tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
34 Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
35 A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.
36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.
37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Verse 34 is essential.
Matthew 12:34 (CSB)
Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
• You may be able to deny that you said something now, you may be able to delete the account or the tweet, but God saw it and will one day bring us to account for it.
• Social media is one area in which too many Christians forget about the biblical prerogative to be careful with our speech.
• It's easy for us to dash off a hasty, ill-advised diatribe, demonize other human beings, or share something as fact without checking that it is true.
• Once a rumor, bullying, or misinformation gets rolling on social media, it's just about impossible to stop it.
• Too often, we think only about our freedom from censorship and declare our right to "free speech," but we forget our responsibility as disciples of Jesus.
• We can carefully consider that our words spoken online are truthful, fair, and respectful.
• When we mess up, we can apologize.
• And when someone calls us on our speech, instead of being defensive, we can take the time to consider what they've said and see what God may be trying to teach us through the correction.
• Maybe we need to look through your latest social media posts.
• Do they reflect truth, respect, and fairness?
• How have you responded when someone corrected you for your speech—with listening and prayer or defensiveness?
• Is there anyone you need to apologize to for your behavior online?
• Let's move to verses 25-27
Proverbs 4:25–27 (CSB)
25 Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
26 Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established.
27 Don’t turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil.
We need to exercise self-control in the area of…
III. Keeping our focus on the right path.
• These verses are an encouragement to have the self-control to stay on the correct path.
• The section we are examining, in contrast to the previous instruction in 4:10–19, which spoke of two paths to choose from, this instruction admonishes one to walk a single path.
• Keep focused straight ahead. Do not turn to the right or the left where temptation always lurks.
• Keep your eyes on the prize!
• Followers of Jesus must fix their eyes on Him.
• Fixing your gaze straight ahead is an idiom for staying on course.
• Followers of Jesus must have a focus, purpose, and direction.
• Carefully considering the path our feet walk encourages us to exercise discipline in our lives and our direction in life.
• The phrase also means to make sure we are carrying out what we are doing correctly or in a manner that aligns with what we value and what we are focused upon.
• It takes discipline not to be distracted from the way.
• Many distractions can take us off the path; we have to have the discipline to focus on Jesus and His plan for life.
• We can talk about how much we love Jesus, but it takes focus, discipline, and commitment for that love to play out in our lives.
CONCLUSION
• What are you doing to guard your heart?
• What are you putting into your heart?
• If we do not diligently guard our hearts, we will not monitor our words, and we will not stay focused on the race set before us.
• Our challenge from the message is this: This week, let us evaluate what we are putting into our hearts.
• Is what we are putting to our hearts in line with the faith we proclaim in Jesus?
