Keep Your Heart!

Keep Your Heart!

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Prov. 4:23.

It is therefore not possible to hide anything in the heart indefinitely. It is made manifest by life, for the issues of life proceed from it.

What enters into man from the outside does not enter into his heart, and so it cannot defile him. Out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, pride, and all kinds of sin, and all of these defile man. Mark 7:18-23. Therefore a person’s heart has to be cleansed if his life is to be undefiled.

When a person goes astray, it has nothing to do with whether he is talented or intelligent or not; he goes astray in his heart. Heb. 3:8-12. When a person falls away from God, it is not because of his surroundings or his circumstances, but because he has an evil and unbelieving heart.

We read about the error of Balaam. He loved the seer’s reward in his heart, but with his mouth he said, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.” Num. 22:18. He also blessed as God had commanded him, but he could not hide what was in his heart. He taught Balak how to get Israel to trespass, and he was killed together with Balak.

When a person ends up doing something wrong he says, “How could I have been so stupid,” or he blames other people or circumstances; but it is rare for someone to acknowledge that there was something wrong in his own heart. Yet the cause of all his misfortune is that his heart was not right before God, and he cannot come onto the right way again until he acknowledges that.

Don’t you think that God will lead you in the right way if your heart is right? Listen now: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” 2 Chron. 16:9.

Peter did not deal kindly with Simon the sorcerer, thinking that he was only a beginner and did not know any better when he wanted to purchase God’s gifts with money. Not at all! This foolishness was the result of his heart not being right before God. Acts 8:18-23. Peter called it “wickedness,” “poisoned by bitterness,” and “bound by iniquity.” Those who are doubting and fearful can often sound upright, but God places them together with adulterers, the abominable, and murderers. Rev. 21:8. Doubt proceeds from a divided heart.

God says, “Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them . . . who set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity.” Ezek. 14:3-4. It is dangerous to go to a prayer meeting with idols in one’s heart. Then God will answer you in His own way as He did with Balaam. You believe you can hide it in your heart but God knows how to put a stumbling block in your way. Your guile will be revealed. Ezek. 3:20.

You can hear certain people testify and speak God’s Word, but it is so weak and powerless. This is often regarded as humility, but there is guile in such hearts. There was a shout of a king in Israel because God did not observe iniquity there. They had the strength of a wild ox because there was no sorcery in Jacob nor divination in Israel, and when it was time, it was said to Jacob and to Israel what God would do. Num. 23:21-24. From this we understand that a person is not all that humble and innocent when he is powerless and downhearted; he has a heart that harbors idols and guile.

You may ask, “Don’t people whose hearts are loyal to God have accidents and difficulties?” Yes, but it is not fitting to call them accidents. Listen to this: “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on going on the even paths. As they pass through the Valley of Tears, they make it into a spring, and the latter rain will cover it with blessings. They go from strength to strength; they appear before God in Zion.” Ps. 84:5-7.

As we can see, they have their valley of tears, but they make it into a spring. All things work for their best. It is not fitting to say that such people have accidents, and even less that they are downhearted. Not at all! They go from strength to strength. They appear before God in Zion. But then they don’t go on any crooked ways either; their strength is in the Lord.

Keep your heart; keep it pure and your life will be pure. Then you will not go astray, but He who sees the heart will lead you aright.