Stand & Read - Proverbs 4:20-27
?My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. [21] Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. [22] For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their whole body. [23] Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life. [24] Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put devious lips far from you. [25] Let your eyes look directly ahead, and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. [26] Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established. [27] Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil.?
?On Guard!?
Prayer?
ILLUSTRATION:
A man was wandering about in a field one day?and as he went about?he was also looking around at the things near him?
He discovered many beautiful things?butterflies??pretty flowers?rolling hills?a breath-taking sky?and a shimmering, shinny thing off in the distance??
Well, he scurried ahead faster and faster hoping and praying that it was something good?something great that he could have?
As he got closer and closer the anticipation grew and grew within him, until he was finally there!
There it was?it was wonderful!!!
He found, somewhat buried but yet visible, jewels and pieces of gold and silver!!! It was amazing!
This is what we have all hoped and prayed for, isn?t it? FREE Money?treasure?to be found for our benefit and all our problems would disappear! And it happened for this guy! You could see the gleam in his eyes!
Well, what could he do?just take the goods and run! Or do the right thing? Surely he wrestled within himself, while rejoicing over his new find, what should I do??
I have got to be honest?but who would know?then, it hit him! He hurriedly buried the treasure completely so that others could not find it and he devised a plan?
I can sell everything that I have and buy this field from Mr. Spudnuckey?then I would own this treasure too! Plus, all that I have is not nearly worth what is here in the ground?that is what I?ll do!
And this is what the man does?he sells ALL that he has?buys that field from Mr. Spudnuckey?and becomes the rightful owner of this great treasure?a treasure worth more than all he had! Now, he is a truly ?Rich Man?! And he lives happily ever after!
The End! J
Well, I don?t know if the story went exactly like that, but it could have happened like that???
-However, this is what the Bible tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like?
Matthew 13:44
"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.?
Of all the things in the world that you may acquire?SALVATION is the most valuable thing you can ever have!!!
Salvation is the greatest gift you will ever receive!!!
-In fact?it is so great! And so valuable?that it is worth giving up all that you have for it! Much like this man did in Matt. 13:44 for it.
-You may think that that is crazy?giving up all that you have to receive salvation?who would think that is a good idea???
-But we must remember one other verse?Matthew 16:24-26
?Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. [25] "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. [26] "For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul??
You see my friends?we can have it all!
-We can have the two cars?the perfect wife (but I have her, sorry!)?2.5 kids?the dog?the cat?a summer home?and a huge retirement fund?and yet be poor!
ILLUSTRATION:
They say??If you have a million dollars, you just have a million head-aches!?
And it is true?because you will have to find ways to keep that money!
You will find that you have more friends than you have ever had when you are rich, because they want a piece of the pie!
-You can possess all the items that today?s society tells us is important, and still be without the most important thing?
Still at a loss?still with a void?and still going nowhere!
You see?the Bible tells us that the greatest thing you can ever possess is something that you cannot buy?
ILLUSTRATION:
They say that, ?The best things in life are free.?
And that is very, VERY true?because the gift that we all need?and all can receive IS free to you and I today?paid by the precious blood of Jesus?and that is SALVATION in Him!!!
Truly, the gift of Salvation is a treasure that must be hid deeply within our heart, and then be well guarded, so that it may remain, grow, flourish and thrive!!!
-And this is what I want to encourage you in this morning!
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2 Cor. 4:7
?But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves??
Again, we read of this picture of TREASURE, which is within us?a treasure that is worth holding to and guarding?
What is this treasure??SALVATION!
Who are the clay pots??WE ARE!
And this ?treasure? is buried deep within us?and it is the best thing that we have ever experienced before?
-Prior to salvation?we were subject to troubles, trials, sadness, weakness, perplexities and fear?
-AND YET?with this treasure hidden within us, we are NOT DEFEATED!!! Praise GOD!?
Why are we not defeated???
Is it because when we received this treasure (Salvation), we had the weaknesses removed?? No?they are definitely still there!!! (Could you testify of that today?)
Nor is it because?when we got saved, the manifestation of divine power was completed?
-But what has happened in us is that when we received this treasure?we simply became a part of seeing the divine power of God manifested THROUGH our human weaknesses!
This is why we can say that we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Christ Jesus our Lord! (Rom. 8:37)
And also why, Paul heard from Jesus that His grace was sufficient for him, because God?s strength is perfected in human weaknesses! (II Cor. 12:9)
And THAT, my friends, is the value of this treasure?
And THAT is why it is worth selling all that we have, or own,
for the benefit of receiving this treasure?
And THAT is why it is worth guarding your hearts,
to protect and keep this great treasure within you?
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We need to be ?On Guard? when it comes to our salvation, and our hearts as it is said in Prov. 4, for one reason?
John 10:10
"The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.?
You see?there is a ?thief? who is going about seeking out what he may be able to steal, kill and destroy! He is searching for someone to attack and steal from today?
-He is also described as one who searches to and fro?who is prowling about?
1 Peter 5:8
?Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.?
-You see?he is looking for you, even when you are NOT watching our for him?
The enemy, for certain, has you in his sights and is trying to find a way to ultimately steal away the treasure that has been hidden in the field of your heart.
Therefore, we must heed what both I Peter 5:8 tells us?to ?be of sober spirit, and be on the alert??as well as Prov. 4:23, which says to, ?Watch over your heart with all diligence??
ILLUSTRATION:
(Pulling out my wallet?)
None of us, if we had a large amount of money, would simply leave it laying around someplace with little care as to what happened to it?
We would never think of leaving it half out of our pocket?and just hope that it doesn?t fall out?
It would be inconceivable to think that you would treat it with as little care as you would treat a few pennies?
-We would rather?cherish and take great care in making sure that it isn?t lost or stolen?
Why??? Because it is of greater value?but why do we treat our salvation with such carelessness???
Why is it that we do not go through the same pain-staking tasks to make sure that our salvation is secure, and thriving; as we would to be confident in our retirement plan and financial goals????
Philip. 2:12
??work out your salvation with fear and trembling.?
-This verse demands more of me?as it pertains to my salvation?.and the guarding of this treasure that I have?
And yet?we forget to even give it a fleeting thought most days?
My friends?when we have a cleaver and conniving adversary, as we do?how can we afford to NOT be ?On Guard????
ILLUSTRATION:
In the sport of fencing?the ON GUARD is everything?it is a beginning that can determine the end?
Just in the act of the ON GUARD position?it gives the opponent a look at the vulnerabilities of the target areas?
By the ON GUARD?the opponent is able to see if there would be any weaknesses in his challenger?and if he does identify a weakness?then he will immediately attack at that weakness to bring about a victory for himself?
And this is where we may be loosing our treasure that we are guarding as well?
?in our ON GUARD position.
So we must sure-up any weaknesses,
and hone any skills that we may have need of growth in?
Because, we are able to have a ?perfect? On Guard position?just as in the sport of Fencing?
TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE:
Because as we present our ON GUARD position?there are a few things that we need to give attention to as we guard our own hearts?and the treasure that is invested deep within it!
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We have already established that this ?treasure? is the greatest thing that we may ever obtain?and it is of the greatest value!
We also know that we must protect and preserve this ?treasure?, which abides within us, knowing that this ?treasure? is Salvation.
We also know that this ?treasure? is maintained within our hearts?and thus we must follow the command of God to guard our hearts, as we are told to do within Prov. 4?
So?how do we guard our hearts???
-It begins with our ON GUARD, which is described for you right in Prov. 4?these are things that the Lord encourages us to be watchful for?and to guard against?
And we will follow these things for our outline today?
Let?s read Prov. 4:23-27 again to refresh our minds?
?Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life. [24] Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put devious lips far from you. [25] Let your eyes look directly ahead, and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. [26] Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established. [27] Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil.?
And the ON GUARD presentation of our hearts are found within three words today?
-COMMUNICATION
-CONCENTRATION
-CONDUCT
If we would give careful attention to watch over these areas of our life?we would be well on our way in ?Guarding our hearts?, being in the ON GUARD position, and also keeping watch over the ?treasure? that we have invested within us.
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POINT ONE: COMMUNICATION
The first area of our hearts that we are encouraged to be ?ON GUARD? in is found in verse 24?? Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put devious lips far from you.?
So the area we must be ON GUARD in is our COMMUNICATION?
We are encouraged from the Word of God to keep watch over our tongues?
James describes the tongue in chapter 3?
-He calls the tongue ?a great fire, set on fire from HELL!?, it is ?a restless evil? and ?full of deadly poison??
-James has no good thing to say about the tongue?and I think we know why!
The tongue is something that is often the last thing to be brought under control, and subjected under the authority of Christ in a sanctified life.
And what is more striking is the fact that this tongue, which is reflective of our speech, is used for both ?blessing and cursing??James says?
-How can that be???
-James is perplexed by this ironic combination?
After all, when I go to the faucet to get a drink of water?I expect ?fresh? water, and not ?salt? water?
But, what can we expect of your tongue???
Good and bad!???
And here is the clincher with our tongues in reference to our communication?
It reflects what is on the inside of us?
-There is a direct correlation between what is in your heart?and what comes from your lips!
Matthew 12:34
"You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.?
What is it that comes from your lips?
What is your speech reflective of?
When things are rough and tough?what do you say?or yell!?
-All this is a reflection of the heart?
-And it reveals to us our heart?s condition, which we need to be ON GUARD of?
Maybe revealing that we have not guarded it enough?
My dear friends?I beseech you to be on guard in this one area?
I hear?ALL TO OFTEN?of the loose language that is used by many of our friends here?and this is unacceptable language to be used with others and among us.
-In both, course language (swearing), and by tearing down others, and by speaking ill of people?
This type of language will bring about discord among the brethren faster than you can imagine?
Doing years of damage to an assembly that will take multiple years to repair and rebuild upon?
-PLEASE my friends?watch your tongue?or we will be also called, as Jesus said, ?a brood of vipers?!!!
-And I encourage others of you to keep each other accountable in this area!
But the language is only half the problem?because as we have read in the previous passages?it reflects a heart condition that must be dealt with.
-It reveals a heart that the ?thief? has made some headway in?by bringing bitterness, hurt, malice, anger, and rage to?
-My friends?before it eats you up?bring that to the altar and allow the Lord to remove that far from you!!!!
Proverbs tells us to put out perverse lips?far from us?
Let?s clean up our ON GUARD position, and secure this area of our heart?s condition even better?
POINT TWO: CONCENTRATION
Secondly, another area of our hearts that we are encouraged to be ?ON GUARD? in is found in verse 25?? Let your eyes look directly ahead, and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.?
So the area we must be ON GUARD in is our CONCENTRATION?
When the writer of Proverbs wrote of our eyes?it speaks of what captures our attention?what gains our attention, time, and thought life?
What is it that we allow to capture our mind?s attention?
-Sports Events?
-Financial Planning?
-Gardening?
-Various Hobbies and activities?
Many of which are NOT bad things in and of themselves?
But if they are left to be practiced without regard to our relationship with the Lord?then it can pose a danger to our ON GUARD position?
-Why? Because we are told to have NO OTHER gods before HIM!
When we begin to place these activities at a place that we are willing to sacrifice our time with the Lord, so that we can enjoy them?we are in trouble?
-Spending our day at the ball field instead of church?
-Using our tithe money to put away for a ?rainy day?, instead of honoring the Lord with it?
-Serving our own selves with our energy, but never giving any of our time to the Lord and the Church?
Then our attention has been captured?captured for our own purposes?
Maybe those are the mild things?
How about?
-Pornography & Lustful thoughts?
-Anger, hatred, and seething bitterness against another person?
-Devising evil to harm someone?maybe not physically, but socially and in other ways?
Have these captured our thoughts?Have they gained our attention and concentration???
If so, we are compromising the integrity of our heart?and we must assume a better and improved ON GUARD position!
How do we regain that position?and redeem our heart?s concentration???
Follow the words of?Philip. 4:8
?Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.?
Dear friends?if anything should capture our concentration it should be the higher things and not the lower ones?the things that bring glory and honor to God!
Our character and conduct begin in the mind?s concentration?this is where it will begin within you and I?
And what do you want to become?
Where do you want to go with God?
Then, follow through with pure, and holy attention upon that which would lead towards such a goal?
-Because our minds are affected?all to easily?by the things that we allow for our mind to concentrate on.
2 Cor. 6:12
?You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.?
You see?you are constrained, or controlled, by your affections. Those things, which do gain your concentrations, do dictate your behavior?
-James 1:14 said that, ?we are tempted by our own evil desires??
-How do we curb our evil desires?set your affections, attention, and concentration on the things above!!!
Focus on the Lord and His goodness?
Let God capture your concentration today?
ILLUSTRATION:
A recently new song, Be Glorified, says it so well?
?Your love has captured me, your love has set me free, you are the air I breathe; be glorified in me!?
Be ON GUARD in your concentrations!!! Focus on that which is right!
POINT THREE: CONDUCT
Lastly, we are exhorted to guard our hearts in another facet of our lives, described in verses 26 & 27. These verses speak to where your feet are and where they are going. Which speaks of our CONDUCT.
Here is another area of our lives that needs to be secured so that our hearts are protected well?
This is an area that we are often tempted to allow to become lax at times?and then we tighten the reigns at other times when we are feeling convicted by the Lord?
-Often living an inconsistent and up-and-down life with the Lord?
Why does this go on? Why do we permit this???
Well, in my opinion, when we are lax in our conduct?we have not been allowing for the Lord to shape and mold our conduct and behavior.
Rather, we have allowed for our OWN feelings to dictate our conduct?or we have permitted others to weaken our stand for the Lord?
1 Cor. 15:33
?Do not be deceived: ?Bad company corrupts good morals.??
ILLUSTRATION:
You have been there before?
You have been solid and secure for the Lord?and then you began to hang around with someone who was either a lax Christian themselves, or a non-Christian.
You begin to see how they conduct their own lives and you begin to reason within yourself, saying that if they are doing okay, then I could probably do okay doing the same things?
And with that conclusion, you begin to lower your standards so that you can be living with a few more ?liberties??and having a better ?quality? of life?or so you think.
-And before you know it, your conduct has slipped?and the ?thief? is trying to steal the ?treasure? within your heart again!
-How many know what I am talking about???
The Lord does not change?and neither should we! Unless we are changing for the better and to grow closer to Him!
1 Peter 1:17 gives us an important tid-bit of information for us to consider when thinking of our conduct?
??conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth.?
Philip. 1:27
?Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ??
Could it be said of your conduct?that it is lived in a manner worthy of Jesus Christ?
Is the product of your life worthy of the label?Christian?Christ like???
IN CLOSING:
My friends?the way in which we can GUARD our hearts?and the treasure that is within them?from the thief who is trying to steal it away?is to maintain a proper ON GUARD position?
One that secures and solidifies their COMMUNICATION?CONCENTRATION?and CONDUCT.
Psalm 26:2
?Examine me, O Lord, and try me; test my mind and my heart.?
I hope that beyond just hearing this message this morning, and going home?
You do as this verse says and ask the Lord to examine your heart!
-Ask him to reveal to you and unholy and unclean thing within your heart?
-Take time to allow the Lord to speak, and then work within you?
Repent of any sin that has been revealed to you today?
Correct any wrong behavior that has not been an evidence of one who is in Christ and has the treasure of Salvation?
Secure the ON GUARD position that you have in guarding your heart?and the keeping of it as Prov. 4:23.
If this treasure was worth selling all that you had to acquire it?isn?t it worth your all in guarding it???
ALTAR CALL:
Salvation?(the acquisition of this great treasure)
Forgiveness for failing in these areas of their life?
Help to secure the ON GUARD positions?
-Communication
-Concentration
-Conduct
SONG:
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