GUARD YOUR HEART
BREAD
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 (NIV)
3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. 5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. Psalm 24:3-5 (NIV)
30 The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip. Psalm 37:30-31 (NIV)
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17 (NIV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8 (NIV)
45 “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45 (NIV)
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:12-13 (NIV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)
9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV)
BREAD
“A man’s outward conduct is generally a little better than his heart. Very few men sell better goods than they put in the window. Therefore, do not misunderstand me. When I say we must attend more to the inward than the outward, I would not have you leave the outward to itself. ‘Make clean the outside of the cup and platter’—make it as clean as you can, but take care also that the inward is made clean. Look to that first. Ask yourself such questions as these—‘Have I been born again? Am I passed from darkness to light? Have I been brought out of the realms of Satan into the kingdom of God’s dear Son? Do I live by private communion near to the side of Jesus? Can I say that my heart panteth after the Lord, even as the hart does after the water-brooks?’ Charles H. Spurgeon
“Our motivation behind our works is to please the Lord – to do His will from our hearts –‘doing the will of God from your heart.’ Ephesians 6:6 (NIV) as one expositor states: ‘Mark how this motive sweetens, sanctifies, ennobles our earthly work. It then becomes a part of our worship. Animated by such a thought, the school boy diligently, joyfully applies himself to his task. The clerk needs no other master’s eye over him to keep him to his work. The tradesman carefully executes his orders to the last stitch, when he feels that he works not merely for men, but for Christ. The merchant no longer sells spurious or adulterated goods, when he feels that he sells, not to men, but to the Lord Himself. The minister, the physician, the lawyer, are no longer content with a formal or perfunctory discharge of duty. The creditor, presenting his account, asks no more than is really due, and the debtor faithfully pays it.’” W. Grant
“Tears are never a sign of weakness. Tears are always the sign of an open heart.” Ann Voskamp
“The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. External measures are incapable of altering internal hearts.” Henry Brandt
“When the heart is at rest in Jesus — unseen, unheard by the world — the Spirit comes, and softly fills the believing soul, quickening all, renewing all within.” Robert Murray McCheyne
“Contentment is a learned secret that sadly many fail in their endeavors to obtain. It is never found in more, better, bigger, new, marriages, children or whatever that whatever may be. Oh, it may appear briefly with these faux gods we seek to enthrone but vanishes quickly after obtaining. A contentment and peace which prevails is found only in Christ. He wants to fill our wants – just ask Him. He wants to be the desire of our hearts – seek Him. Because He knows it will make us whole so that we are no longer needy or just plain annoying to be around. God fills completely when we allow Him. He wants to fill us in order to spill us (which, btw, brings much joy to the soul) so that we leave the aroma of Christ in our spheres rather than the smell of death. This is the abundance He came to give us – life to the fullest measure. This is contentment.” BHY
“You’ll know your heart’s been set aflame by the fire of revival when nothing else matters to you as much as He does – and your love for Him.” Anne Graham Lotz
“He who with his whole heart draws near to God must of necessity be proved by temptation and trial.” Albert the Great
“The spirit of devotion removes religion from being a thin veneer and puts it into our souls. With devotion in our soul, religion stops merely doing a work and becomes a heart, beating with the pulsations of vigorous and radiant life. Dear Lord God, through a spirit of devotion I can bring glory to Your name. Please grant me a heart beating with vigor for You. Amen.” E.M. Bounds
“How can we but love Him when we know that He numbers the very hairs of our head, marks our path, and orders our ways? Specially is the great truth brought near to our heart, when we recollect how attentive He is, not merely to the temporal interests of His creatures, but to their spiritual concerns. Though leagues of distance lie between the finite creature and the infinite Creator, yet there are links uniting both. When a tear is wept by thee, think not that God doth not behold; for, ‘Like a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.’ Thy sigh is able to move the heart of Jehovah; thy whisper can incline His ear unto thee; thy prayer can stay His hand; thy faith can move His arm. Think not that God sits on high taking no account of thee. Remember that however poor and needy thou art, yet the Lord thinketh upon thee. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards Him.” Charles H. Spurgeon
“Let us watch jealously over our hearts, and beware of giving way in the beginnings of sin. Happy is he who feareth always, and walks humbly with his God. The strongest Christian is the one who feels his weakness most, and cries most frequently, ‘Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe.’” John Ryle
“Pride is as safely the sign of destruction as the change of mercury in the weather-glass is the sign of rain; and far more infallibly so than that. When men have ridden the high horse, destruction has always overtaken them…God hates high looks, and never fails to bring them down. All the arrows of God are aimed at proud hearts.” Charles H. Spurgeon
“Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid? Your heart does the Spirit control? You can only be blest, and have peace and sweet rest, as you yield Him your body and soul.” Elisha Hoffman
HEART SAVOR
• God desires to create in me a clean and pure heart and to renew a steadfast spirit within me.
• I am to guard my heart for it is the wellspring of my life. Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
• God desires to strengthen the hearts of those who are fully committed to Him.
Beth Yoe's Sharing Bread 