Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. [Proverbs 4:23 NIV]
The Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ [John 7:38 NLT]
What you say flows from what is in your heart. [Luke 6:45 NLT
These verses speak to me about the importance of keeping my heart strong. They encourage me to feed and nourish that deep part of me that I call my heart. They remind me of how often my head overrules my heart. They motivate me to keep my heart strong through spiritual exercises and disciplines.
In reality, for a believer, the battle for our lives is a battle of strength. The nature of the heart is no longer the issue. The heart is good. Yet the new heart must be given an atmosphere and environment where it can become stronger. The new heart must regularly be fed spiritual food and exercised.
Such a heart will find a way to flow. To speak. To exercise dominion over our minds and bodies. As the heart grows into maturity it will influence every part of us. Love will flow from it. Kindness, faith, hope, compassion, goodness and patience will bubble out of us. Good things happen when the heart flows.
Teach us how to strengthen our hearts Lord. We long to be like Jesus.
... this devotion is part of a series about King David.
Yes, I need to strengthen my heart, oh Lord.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it really is a battle.
So true Sue. Sometimes I think that it is the essence of spiritual warfare.
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