Guard Your Heart
Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
Have you ever wondered how you got to where you are today? You are where you are today based on the decisions you made a long time ago and the decisions you made along the way. As you live your life, you gain knowledge, go through circumstances, learn through experiences, and plan. Many forget we are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in our bodies. Your spirit is the core of what you are, and it can act as a rudder on the ship of your life.
The Bible has scriptures that tell us to transform our minds (Romans 12:2), but this scripture focuses on guarding our spirits. Why? It tells you why. Your spirit determines the path of life. Your spirit is also the source of determination, also called drive. Have you ever seen athletes at the Olympics? Have you noticed that a world record is broken every time the Olympics occur? Why? How is it possible that a human can run faster, jump higher, swim faster, or lift something heavier? The answer is from a driven, determined spirit.
God warns us to guard what goes into our spirits. This means our spirits can be fed something pure and holy, or something evil and corrupted. Have you ever bought cheap gasoline for your car, only to discover later that you have your car in the shop because of a dirty, clogged fuel filter or a messed-up carburetor? Maybe you need to check the quality of the gasoline you put in your car. The extra 5 to 10 cents per gallon of gasoline you put in your car is worth paying thousands of dollars every 6 months.
Ask God to help guide you in the direction you should go. Jesus even told His disciples in the Lord’s Prayer, “…Lead us not into temptation.” (Matthew 6:13) Here is something very important to know. God doesn’t prevent temptation from coming. (He is not the source of temptation, and God will never tempt you to sin.) But when temptation arrives, He always gives you a path to escape. YOU have to choose the escape plan. It can be as simple as saying, “Lord, help me escape…” Do everything you can to protect and preserve what goes into your spirit.
Be Blessed!
Ron
Ron Cobbs Ministries © Copyright September 4th, 2026, All Rights Reserved