What do we need to do to guard our hearts so that the Word will abide?
Proverbs 4: 24 – 27 Put away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put far from you. (25) Let your eyes look right on [with fixed purpose], and let your gaze be straight before you.(26) Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright. (27) Turn not aside to the right hand or to the left; remove your foot from evil. (Amplified Classic)
Proverbs 4: 20 – 27 is in the context of a commandment
Attend or give attention to – This means that there is an action required on our part. Not just listen to them but to do what they say, apply them.
In order for the Word to bring forth the life and health we must do the following:
1- Attend to His Word (Amplified = consent and submit)
2- Let them not depart from our sight
3- Keep them in the center of our heart
4- Keep and guard our heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard for out of it flow the springs of life
5- Put away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put far from you
6- Let your eyes look right on with fixed purpose, and let your gaze be straight before you
7- Consider well the path of your feet
8- Let all your ways be established and ordered aright.
Proverbs 4: 20 – 23(Amplified Classic) My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. (21) Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. (22) For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. (23) Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.
The promise is that the Word is able to bring Life and Health to all our flesh. We need to do the rest of what is contained in these verses to get the promise to work
The power to walk in Life and Health is contained in God’s Word. The Word that we attend to or the Word that abides will bring forth life and health to all our flesh.
“The Abiding Seed of the Word”. If the Living Seed of The Living Word does not abide it cannot bring forth Life.
Once the Believer has the seed of the Living Word planted in His Heart and activated by the Faith of that Believer that seed will bring forth life unless it is prevented from abiding.
Our enemy satan does everything that he can to prevent the Living Word of God from abiding in the heart of the Believer. The only chance that he has is to deceive the Believer into making a choice to not allow the Living Word to abide in His heart.
If satan is unable to deceive the Believer, the Living Abiding Word in the heart of the Believer will come to manifestation. Satan cannot stop the Living Word from coming to pass any other way.
John 15: 7(Amplified Classic) If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
Abide – The Greek word used here is “meno” It means to stay in a given place, state, or expectancy – To abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry for.
IF – If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you. We are to abide in Him and His Word is to abide in us. Both are by our choice.
John 1: 1 IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. (Amplified Classic)
Not only is God Himself the source of The Living Word but The Living Word IS God Himself. God and His Word are One.
God IS Love! The Being Love. Absolute Love.
1st John 4: 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (NKJV)
1st John 4: 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. (NKJV)
Because God IS Love, The Being, and God and His Word are One then God’s Word IS Love.
Because God Is absolute Life and God and His Word are One then God’s Word Is Alive, absolute Life.
Because God and His Living Word are One and God cannot lie God’s Living Word Is Absolute Truth.
God’s Living Word Is Absolute Truth. His Word is His bond.
Just as God never changes God’s Nature or Ways do not change; neither does His Word.
Hebrews 13: 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (NKJV)
God’s Living Word has Absolute Integrity. God’s Living Word is Absolute Truth.
Psalm 111: 7 – 8 The works of His hands are [absolute] truth and justice [faithful and right]; and all His decrees and precepts are sure (fixed, established, and trustworthy). (8) They stand fast and are established forever and ever and are done in [absolute] truth and uprightness. (Amplified Classic)
God’s Living Word Is Absolute Life and therefore His Living Word Is Absolute Truth.
Just as God never changes God’s Nature or Ways do not change; neither does His Word. God’s Word has absolute integrity. His Word is His bond. His Word Is Absolute Truth
As long as you live by the Word of God, you never have to be in the dark again. You never have to remain in confusion about which path to take. You never have to grope blindly along, struggling to find your own way.
The Word of God will give you all the light you need every day of your life if you’ll allow it to?
Build your faith in that Word and renew your commitment to it
If we are to live a consistent Christian Life, we must put on the new nature or new man.
In order to put on the new, we must take off the old.
Ephesians 4: 22 – 24 Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; (23) And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], (24) And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness. (Amplified Classic)
In order to put on the new nature or the new man we must renew our minds by the Living Word.
Colossians 3: 9b – 17 (NKJV) (9b) since you have put off the old man with his deeds, (10) and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, (11) where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. (12) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; (13) bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.(14) But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.(15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. (16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (17) And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him
God Himself Is Life. Since God and His Word are One then God’s Word Is Life. Absolute Life.
The Living Word is like a Seed. Just as a seed contains life in itself, so does the Living Word. The Living Word contains the Life that it needs to bring itself to pass. But that life must be activated. We are the ones who activate that life by applying our Faith to the Word.
John 6: 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (NKJV)
This Living Word of God is constantly at work in us who believe It.
1st Thessalonians 2: 13 And we also [especially] thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God [which you heard] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it]. (Amplified Classic)
***If you have made Jesus Your Lord and Savior you are never alone and without hope.
Hope or Hopelessness? Our focus in life determines which we will walk in.
Hopelessness can slip up on us if we are focusing on the wrong thing.
If we are continuously focusing on the problem, we will be building the problem and be on our way to hopelessness.
What we focus on the most becomes who we are.
No matter what the problems in life are, they are temporary. Your eternity is not temporary. It is eternal without end. You decide where your focus should be.
We need to change our focus in life to see our lives and the lives of others through the eyes of Love and God’s Living Word.
The Lord’s focus is upon us.
Place your focus in life on God and His Word and watch the circumstances in your life change.
No matter what the problem is the Lord already knows the answer. He will guide us if we set our love and hope on Him.
God Himself has set His Faith and Hope (Absolute Ernest Expectation) on His Word and called all mankind especially us the Church, His Children, to that Hope.
Ephesians 1: 18 By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones), (Amplified Classic)
We are not in this alone. Our hope (Ernest Expectation) is connected to God’s Own Hope (Absolute Ernest Expectation).
When I apply my Faith and Hope to the Living Word His Faith and Hope are already applied to the Living Word.
Our Loving Heavenly Father wants us to know Him and the Hope (Ernest Expectation) that He Himself has set before us.
There is a deep heart cry from God to all mankind saved and unsaved to come and experience real Living Hope.
The precious loving Holy Spirit is constantly calling us to come. We have an open invitation to come.
God has a deep desire to reveal His Ways to us. He reveals His Ways through His Word. As born-again believers the Holy Spirit Himself dwells in us. He reveals the Living Word of God to us. The Living Word of God reveals God’s Ways.
John 14: 26 But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. (Amplified Classic)
John 16: 13 – 15 But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. (14) He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.(15) Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He [the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.(Amplified Classic)
The ways of the Lord are:
Love – Mercy – Grace – Loving kindness – Goodness – Faithfulness – Integrity – Long suffering – Full of Joy – Eternal without ceasing – Holy – Truth – Steadfast – Bring life – Righteous – Always right
As a born-again child of God His Ways are supposed to be our ways.
Hebrews 1: 3 He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God’s] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high, (Amplified Classic)
Colossians 1: 15 – 20 [Now] He is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]; He is the Firstborn of all creation. (Amplified Classic)
It is God’s Will to reveal His Ways to us through Jesus (The Living Word) by the Holy Spirit.
The Bible is a copy of the Living Word of God. It reveals the very nature and character of God Himself, Who He Is and His Ways.
The Bible reveals who we are and what our ways should be. The Bible also reveals who satan is and his ways.
It is absolutely vital that we know the Ways of the Lord. All of God’s Ways are revealed in Jesus Christ. As we study God’s Living Word, and walk in Love, God’s Ways are revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.
It is God’s Will to reveal His Ways to us through Jesus (The Living Word) by the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 2: 2 – 3 [For my concern is] that their hearts may be braced (comforted, cheered, and encouraged) as they are knit together in love, that they may come to have all the abounding wealth and blessings of assured conviction of understanding, and that they may become progressively more intimately acquainted with and may know more definitely and accurately and thoroughly that mystic secret of God, [which is] Christ (the Anointed One). (3)In Him all the treasures of [divine] wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) and [all the riches of spiritual] knowledge and enlightenment are stored up and lie hidden. (Amplified Classic)
We must learn how to love God so that we can love others and be more effective in the kingdom of God.
If God’s agape love is not working in our life, then the Kingdom of God will be limited in its ability to produce or manifest in our life.
Two of the greatest forces in life that effect everyone one of us are Love and selfishness. These two forces are involved in everything we do. They are involved in every decision that we make.
Everything we do and every decision that we make are related to one or the other of these two forces, Love or selfishness. One or the other is always present, but they cannot work together.
Mankind is born with a selfish nature. Selfishness is the reciprocal of love.
Agape love is not a human form of love. It is unconditional, limitless, selfless, and is not based on emotions. It tolerates anything. It is always others centered.
Hebrews 2: 14 – 15 (Amplified Classic) Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death–that is, the devil– (15) And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives.
Hebrews 4: 15 – 16 (NKJV) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus was also tempted with selfishness. Jesus used the Word to defeat selfishness. He anchored His choice in the Word. We should do the same.
There are two laws govern life, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which is Love, and the law of sin and death, which is selfishness – the foundation of all sin.
Romans 8: 1 – 2 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (NKJV)
Romans 8: 5 – 6 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. (6) For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (NKJV)
In the way that God is Love, Satan is Fear and selfishness.
When selfishness is the foundation of your life, what you were once protected from when you walked in love, can then happen to you.
1st John 5: 18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. (NKJV)
We must choose to live in the Law of Life in Christ Jesus. If we do not choose The Law of Life in Christ Jesus, then the Law of Sin and Death is in operation. One or the other.
Deuteronomy 30: 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, thatI have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; (NKJV)
1 To adjust your eye, a lens, a TV, or similar item to produce a clearer image.
2 To fix or settle on one thing; to concentrate
3 To focus one’s attention on a specific subject or question.
One of the main tactics that the enemy uses is to try and keep our focus on the wrong thing. He works hard at drawing our focus away from God and His Living Word.
Throughout Scripture we see people who had their Faith and Life focus on God and His Living Word.
In order for their Faith to work they had to be Focused on Love, the Word, and Faith. Faith works by Love. Faith is applied to the Word.
They corrected themselves, their emotions, and the way they responded to the circumstances of life based on God and His Word.
Their life focus was their relationship with God.The same should be true of every Christian.
Psalm 25: 1 – 2 UNTO YOU, O Lord, do I bring my life. (2a) O my God, I trust, lean on, rely on, and am confident in You. (Amplified Classic)
Psalm 27: 1 THE LORD is my Light and my Salvation–whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life–of whom shall I be afraid? (Amplified Classic)
What in your life do you focus on the most? What is Your Life Focus? What we focus on the most becomes who we are.
To be successful in any area of life we must be focused in that area. If we are not focused, we will not be successful.
We must decide where our focus should be. What we focus on goes farther than just being successful in this life. Our life focus will determine our destiny in this life and our eternity that follows.
God gave man the right to choose. He will back our choice. The choices we make determines our focus.
Romans 8: 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (NKJV)
Matthew 6: 33 – 34 But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. (34) So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble. (Amplified Classic)
Our Life Focus must be on God’s Living Word first of all.
Colossians 3: 1 – 3 IF THEN you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (2) And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. (3) For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. (Amplified Classic)
Colossians 3: 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (NKJV)
Consistent = Constant, Always the same, not wavering, never changing.
Hebrews 13: 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (NKJV)
As Born-Again Children of God we should be striving to develop and live a consistent Christian Life.
Colossians 3: 1 – 5 IF THEN you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (2) And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. (Amplified Classic)
Once we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior we have New Life. We have been translated from death to life, from darkness to light. Our sins have been paid for and nailed to the Cross. We are a New Creation in Christ Jesus.
2nd Corinthians 5: 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (NKJV)
Now that we are a new creation in Christ Jesus, it is up to us to develop this new man. We must find out who this new man is.
It is our choice what we do with this new man. It is our choice how far we go with God. We are the ones who choose whether or not we develop this new man and how far we go.
The only limit that Our Loving Father has where we are concerned is the limit that we place on Him.
Love must be exercised to be developed. Fear also develops as it is exercised. Worry or fretting develops fear.
You cannot fret and worry and walk in Love at the same time. They are exact opposites.
Fretting or worry, envy or jealousy work with and by fear. Faith and Hope work by Love.
For many, even born-again bible believing people fretting, worry, envy, and jealousy are a habitual lifestyle. Our habitual lifestyle is supposed to be Love Faith and Peace.
Philippians 4: 6 – 7 (Amplified Classic)Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. (7) And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
The Bible even tells us what we are to be thinking on instead of fretting, worry, envy, and jealousy.
Philippians 4: 8 – 9 (NKJV) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (9) The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Fear, worry, deception, and strife are the Satan’s big guns, his big weapons. They are involved in just about everything he does.
As long as we are part of this world, at one time or another, no matter who we are, no matter how young or old we are, we are all going to have to deal with fear in our lives.
How we respond to that fear makes all the difference. How do we deal with fear? When the opportunity comes along to fear we must resist it.
Fear does not come from God. God is not the author of fear. God Is Love.1st John 4: 7 – 8, 16
2nd Timothy 1: 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (NKJV)
When the Bible talks about fearing God it is Talking about reverential fear which is one of the definitions found in the dictionary.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
Fear:
1a: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger
b(1): an instance of this emotion (2): a state marked by this emotion
Psalm 56: 10 – 11 (Amplified Classic) In God, Whose word I praise, in the Lord, Whose word I praise, (11) In God have I put my trust and confident reliance; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
All fear is self-centered. It always focuses on self. Love is others centered. It always focuses on others.
Whenever our focus is on ourselves rather than others, we have the foundation necessary to produce iniquity and sin. That foundation of iniquity and sin opens the door for fear to function and rule.
In order to properly understand what it means to trust in the Lord we must understand that Trust cannot be earned it must be granted. A person can position themselves to be trustworthy but cannot earn trust. No matter what a person does to become trustworthy that trust must be granted it cannot be earned.
Our trust in God and His Living Word must be on a higher level than our trust in anyone or anything else. God and His Living Word are ABSOLUTE TRUTH.
The Amplified Bible says to believe in God is to adhere to, trust in, and rely on God.
When I truly set my love upon God and habitually walk the Love Walk as a lifestyle, I will trust God no matter what takes place in my life.
When we trust God, we position ourselves for Him to accomplish His Will in our lives.
Psalm 31: 19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men! (Amplified Classic)
I cannot truly Trust the Lord without setting my Love upon Him. Setting my Love upon Him opens the door for God to pour out His Blessings upon us.
Psalm 91: 14 – 16 Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness–trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never]. (15) He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. (16) With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation. (Amplified Classic)
God has already determined the path that He desires for our life. Our job is to discover and align ourselves with that plan, not create our own. When we truly trust God, we align ourselves with His Way not ours. He is our life, our shield, and our refuge.
Psalm 18: 30 As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him. (Amplified Classic)
We must trust God no matter what takes place or what we may think or feel.
No matter who we are our life is founded on either Love or Selfishness, one or the other.
A foundation of selfishness leads to adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, ravelings, and such.
The foundation of love leads to joy, peace, longsuffering, faith, gentleness, goodness, meekness, and temperance. If our life is founded on Love these Fruits will be manifesting in our lives.
Galatians 5: 22 – 23 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, (23) Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]. (Amplified Classic)
All of the Fruit of the Spirit are already present in every truly Born-Again person but they must be exercised or built up by the Believer.
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