Proverbs 4:23 “ Keep or guard your heart with all diligence; for out of it flows the issues of life”.  As I woke up this morning I heard this in my Spirit, Keep your heart with all diligence. I knew the Lord was speaking so I looked up this scripture. This is an area we all need to pay attention to in our Christian walk.

 

It is so easy to get offended these days, as offence and strife is rampant even in the church. After all, the enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy according to John 10:10, so division in the body is a great tactic.

 

I don’t want to fall into this trap and be a tool in the enemy’s hand.  I recommend every Christian should read the book “The Bait Of Satan” by: John Bevere

 

We have to stop and ask the Lord before we say, react, or do anything, “What is my heart motive behind this”? I know in my own life, that I have learned that if I examine my heart, a lot of times the motive is not from a pure heart.

 

I realize the pride in my own heart that has to be uprooted by God and ask the Lord to be the gardener of my heart. Matthew 15:13 says “Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up.”

 

In Luke 6:45 the word tells us out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So if we don’t like what is coming out of our mouth, it is time for a heart check! This is a reflection of what is on the inside. What we are speaking is a true reflection of our hearts! So examining our words are a great way to do a heart check. I also ask the Lord to shine His light and expose anything I need to repent of. Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

 

The Lord brought this to my attention the other day how often we check our natural appearance in the mirror each day, which is of little importance compared to the inner man. It was as the Lord said, if my people would use the mirror of my word to examine their hearts throughout the day, every day, it would keep out a lot of the junk!

 

Matthew 5:18 tells us the pure in heart will see God! I am asking for a pure heart! I would highly recommend studying the book of James. In James 3:14-16 “But if you have bitter envying and strife in your HEARTS, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish. For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work.”

 

Friends, we will have numerous opportunities throughout our day to fall prey to this and have our hearts offended. Our pride wants to have the last word and explain how WE are right and someone else is wrong.

 

No one but Jesus is always right. When we are humble in our hearts, we realize that even when we are right we don’t have to say anything. We are also willing to examine ourselves in all situations and ask the Lord if we were wrong.. I have come to love correction from the word of God, because then I grow up in grace!

 

Gods love is the anecdote to protect our hearts from offence. If we are always loving God first and others as ourselves we will be able to allow Holy Spirit to empower us to die to self in these situations.

 

This is a part of suffering in this world, is the crucifying of our own flesh. Think about Jesus example. He knew who He was and therefore never had to defend himself. No matter who was against Him, He knew God was for Him! Knowing His identity protected His heart from the accusations of man.

 

In Isaiah 53:7 the word says that oppressed and afflicted yet He opened not His mouth! I have to learn from Jesus our example in all things. The more we spend time with our Father and receiving His love for us, the more we are confident in Him and not moved by peoples opinions of us.

 

Stop and pray for every person that you feel a temptation to become offended with. I believe when you do this the Lord will give you grace to be quick to forgive or to keep offense out altogether in some circumstances. Lord help us to guard our heart, with all diligence. We desire to obey in all things. Thank you for your perfect love and help us to get that revelation in our hearts and receive grace to obey in Jesus mighty name, Amen.