Whether you realize it or not, you are always being shaped by something!

Even now, as you read this, your brain is making a decision on whether it will be influenced by what you are reading.

Wherever our heart goes, so goes our lives! We choose to grow or to not grow, in nanoseconds!

Ever since the day you were born your heart has been in the process of being shaped.

Family, friends, teachers, music, technology, and so many other things have all influenced who you have become.

How you respond to circumstances and how you view life, has been greatly impacted by these influences!

You’ve also positively impacted others or have negatively impacted them, depending on what has come out of your mouth….. (Yikes! a big old reality check right there! ✔️)

Look at the life of Abraham and David, they both payed a high price for their obsessions and an unguarded heart.

God’s word tells us to guard our heart, because it is the ultimate out flowing source of our life. It’s the best of who you are. It’s your genuine self — the very core of your being.

It’s where all your dreams, your desires, and your passions live. It’s that part of you that connects with God and other people.

Out of the heart flows all of our motives, desires and motivations. We are to absolutely “barricade” our heart against anything or anyone else that seeks to claim it because our heart belongs to God!

Only God can have the ultimate permission to lead, guide and instruct our heart. That is why we ABSOLUTELY must safeguard it!

We must diligently and consciously protect it from invasions other than God.

I ask the question, “What are you allowing to shape your heart?”

There’s no shortage of people or things that want to lay claim to our hearts. But they can only possess it with our permission.

If something or someone has taken hold of it, it’s because we have let down our guard and let him/ her or… it….. IN.

As Christ’s followers we must become intentional and purposeful in guarding our heart from anything in our self willed mind that wants to fight against the wisdom and warnings of scripture.

As a believer, we must choose to focus on what teaches us to be more like Jesus. More in thought, in speech and in action. Even when we must confront or deal with conflicting views.

Many of the verses in Proverbs offer us hope as they look at the desired end of our lives.

How do you want your life to end?

In what areas do you really want to succeed at all costs?

The greatest success anyone can truly have is to tame their tongue, also the “tone” of what comes rolling off of that tongue!

Sarcasm and bullying innuendos expose a deep need to keep people dancing to your agenda.

What’s in that heart of yours that thinks it’s OK to wound with those behaviors?

The path we take today will absolutely lead us to compromise or to Christ.

The way to Guard your heart is by honoring and practicing things like prayer, solitude, fasting, scripture memorization, and learning to sharpen your ability to draw closer to God.

These will help you guard your heart, because you will be spending your energy on Him.

Remember dear friends,

“Above everything else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows out from it…..”

EVERYTHING. (Proverbs 4:23).

 

In His Shadow,
~ Mary Lindow ^©

Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed as long as complete message and website information for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You!

” THE MESSENGER ” ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
Global Prayer Rooms

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Mary Lindow has a passion for encouraging others – all generations, careers or vocations to live expressing excellence through personal integrity, healthy accountability, and wise management of talents and skills. She’s a sought after keynote, inspirational, humorous speaker and teacher across the USA and internationally in Ministers & Spiritual leaders Conferences, and training seminars for various organizations.

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