Perimeters

     Above all else, guard your heart,
       for it is the wellspring of life.
     Put away perversity from your mouth;
       keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
     Let your eyes look straight ahead,
       fix your gaze directly before you.
     Make level paths for your feet
       and take only ways that are firm.
     Do not swerve to the right or the left;
       keep your foot from evil.
        ~ Proverbs 4:23-27


Walking with God is a narrow road. If you step off, you’ll fall into the pit. But when you follow exactly where God leads, you’ll stay on the path. Where else would you go? This passage talks about several perimeters that help keep you away from sin and on God’s path.
At the center is your heart. It’s the “wellspring of life” (v23). Protect it at all costs. It’s vulnerable on its own. That’s why you need the defensive perimeters.
The first perimeter is the mouth. “Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Mt 12:34). Your heart affects what comes out of your mouth, but what you communicate can also have an effect on your heart. Make the conscious decision to “not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth” (Eph 4:29). Control what you communicate by both your words and your actions.
The next perimeter is the eyes. Look straight ahead. This reminds me of a stretch of highway in Dallas with a lot of billboards for strip clubs. Whenever I drive through there, I look straight ahead so there’s not even a chance of me looking at something I know I shouldn’t. Similarly, Satan throws up distractions in your life trying to lead you astray, even if only in your heart. Don’t be distracted. I’ve heard guys say “it’s okay if I look, I just won’t touch.” I say don’t even look. That goes for any sin. Don’t look longingly at the sewage and filth that is sin.
The final perimeter is the feet. Don’t go near sin. When you’re trying to save money, you don’t go to your favorite store to “just look”; you’ll probably end up buying something. “Be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left” (Deut 5:32). An alcoholic shouldn’t go to a bar and expect not to be tempted to drink. Don’t go near sin – physically or mentally – especially whatever particularly tempts you.
I don’t like writing a list of things not to do and certainly not without telling what to do. So here are your actions, your takeaway:

• Stay away from sin with your body and your mind.


• Keep your eyes from looking at sinful things so you won’t desire them.


• Keep your lips pure from anything unwholesome.

“Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” so that you will “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:9,3).

Read further:
Proverbs 4:23-27; Matthew 12:34-35; Ephesians 4:29; Deuteronomy 5:32; Romans 12:3, 9

Be generous

     Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,
       when it is in your power to act.
     Do not say to your neighbor,
       “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”—
       when you now have it with you.
        ~ Proverbs 3:27-28


Love your neighbor as yourself (Lev 19:18). Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Mt 7:12). The Golden Rule. I’ve been taught this since I was young. So many people have. But do we really live it out in our lives?
I feel like a lot of people these days are just out for themselves. They don’t want to do something if they can’t see any extrinsic value. They’re loathe to make a sacrifice for someone else, especially if doing so means the other person gets the upper hand.
Do we need to go around giving away everything? Not necessarily, but have a little love, have some compassion. Not everything has to make your life better. Helping someone has intrinsic value. If you have a heart of love, taking the intrinsic over the extrinsic really isn’t a sacrifice.
This isn’t just about giving stuff to people. It’s about love (1 Cor 13:3-7). It’s the lady who pays for the person in line behind her at Starbucks. It’s the man who holds the door open for a woman. It’s the person who stops to help someone change a flat tire. Sometimes it’s called chivalry or common courtesy or being a lady or gentleman. God calls it love.
Be generous (more than simply “don’t be stingy”). Help out a brother. Spot your friend some cash. Give someone a ride. Don’t miss an opportunity to give something to someone, even if that means you do without it. Who cares if you’ll never be repaid, reimbursed, or recognized (Lk 6:35)? Go out and help somebody.
What can you do today to bless someone and show them love?

Read further:
Proverbs 3:27-28; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 7:12; 1 Corinthians 13:3-7; Luke 6:35

A Daily Walk

       See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful,
     unbelieving heart that turns away from the living
     God. But encourage one another daily, as long as
     it is called Today, so that none of you may be
     hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
       ~ Hebrews 3:12-13


Your daily walk with God is important. If you turn away from Him for even a day, sin gets a foothold – sin’s deceitfulness begins to harden you.
When I don’t read my Bible one day, or I don’t pray, or I remain distant from God, everything I do that day is affected negatively. I may be grumpy, tired, sad, tempted, or feeling God’s conviction. If I don’t make a change, the next day and on, I begin to feel separation from God. God wants me to be close to Him, but when I fill my life with all these distractions, I push Him out. Then I may “fit God in”, but God doesn’t want to be just another distraction. He wants to be part of your life. Trust God with your whole heart (Proverbs 3:5), not just part of it.
Do you “walk humbly with your God” every day (Micah 6:8)? What are you holding back from God? Why? Are you letting sin’s deceitfulness harden you?
Make a daily habit of reading your Bible, praying, and talking to God. Make an investment; plant a seed. God will make it grow (1 Cor 3:7).

Read further:
Hebrews 3:12-13; Proverbs 3:5; Micah 6:8; 1 Corinthians 3:7

Slaves of Depravity

       Now the Bereans were of more noble character
     than the Thessalonians, for they received the
     message with great eagerness and examined the
     Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said
     was true.
       ~ Acts 17:11


Test even what the preacher says. God’s Word is infallible, but not every word about God or claiming to be from God is true. The world is full of false prophets. People will claim to follow God, but really be children of the devil.
Don’t be satisfied with less than the truth. Test what you hear. False prophets are wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15-16). They will say one thing, but their lives and actions will prove their heart. Their goals are destruction (7:15) and deception (24:24). Stay away from teaching that does not agree with the Scripture. Even what the pastor or the Bible study leader or the blog author says could be lies. Look up what they say in the Bible. Talk to God. If the Scripture doesn’t back it up, and certainly if God doesn’t back it up, it is from the Enemy (Matthew 12:30).
Don’t be satisfied with the fluff. If you’re not convicted by what you hear, you’re either perfect or not listening to something that will challenge you. Paul talked about that kind of person (2 Timothy 4:3-5). He said a time would come when people would stop listening to sound doctrine. To appease themselves, they would only listen to whatever made them feel good. Avoiding conviction is the same thing. Paul tells us not to be like them, but to remain grounded in the Scripture. You won’t grow closer to God if you’re never challenged.
2 Peter 2 tells all about false prophets and what will happen to them and their followers. By their actions, they bring destruction on themselves and those they deceive (v1). Don’t be deceived. The false prophets will promise freedom but “themselves are slaves of depravity” (v19). Don’t let yourself be dragged away and destroyed by the deception.
Are you being taught the truth? Look in the Bible and discover for yourself. Are you grounded in the Scripture? Are you convicted by what you hear, or are you satisfied with only hearing what makes you feel good?

Read further:
Acts 17:11; Matthew 7:15-16; 12:30; 24:24; 2 Timothy 4:3-5; 2 Peter 2

Default

       About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and
     singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners
     were listening to them.
       ~ Acts 16:25


What is your default setting? When you’re in trouble, what do you do? When you’re in abundance, do you praise God? Maybe you will eventually. Maybe that’s your first instinct. I want turning to God to be my first instinct. I also want to follow the Holy Spirit to God.
Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison for doing God’s work, and yet they stayed up into the night praying and singing hymns to God. They didn’t sleep or curse God or beg that He would let them out. They focused their strength on God, trusting that He would work this for good (Romans 8:28).
Seek God first just as Paul and Silas did (Matthew 6:33). You don’t need to know exactly what to do in every situation you encounter. You don’t even need to know every situation. All you need to know is that God is in control and He has promised to work in your situation for the good of those who love Him. Seek God. He will tell you what to do. He will provide for you both in your essentials and in your abundance. So turn to God.
The next time you’re faced with a tough circumstance or you’re tempted or you don’t know what is going on, see what you do. Ask God to bring this post back to your mind then. Is your first thought or action to rely on your strength and training? Is it to ask for help? Is it to turn to God? What do you end up doing? Ask God to bring your focus to Him so you will act according to His will, whatever that means in your situation.

Read further:
Acts 16:16-40; Romans 8:28; Matthew 6:33

Armor of God: Sword of the Spirit

       Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of
     the Spirit, which is the word of God.
       ~ Ephesians 6:17

       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.
     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


The Word is alive. It’s useful, active, and powerful (1 Tim 3:16-17). God’s Word has power to change lives and cut deep into the heart. God’s Word is every bit as applicable now as it was when it was written. Don’t be afraid to use the Word as a sword. Paul calls it the Sword of the Spirit for a reason.
The Word comes from God (Heb 4:12, John 1:1). God created everything, controls everything, and holds the universe together. Anything He says must be valuable; listen to and believe His Word. Trust Him to give His Word to you and to make it work. The Holy Spirit will bring the Word to mind at times. Trust the Holy Spirit for it will have people hear and understand what they need to hear regardless of how you say it (Acts 2:4-11, Mt 10:19-20). Don’t give your own failings so much credit; God is the One at work.
Do you believe God’s Word? It has the power to change lives; let it change yours. Do you trust that God will work according to His purpose through you? Are you ready to let Him use you to make a difference in the world? What is holding you back from proclaiming the God-breathed Scripture to the world?

Read further:
Ephesians 6; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 Timothy 3:16—17; John 1:1; Acts 2:4-11; Matthew 10:19-20

Armor of God: Helmet of Salvation

     Take the helmet of salvation
       ~ Ephesians 6:17


  Salvation is not a one-time thing. You can’t pray a prayer and just move on. Paul says we must continue to work out our salvation (Philippians 2:12). Salvation is on-going. Where repentance is like getting off the highway, turning around, and driving the other direction, salvation is the entire process of getting onto the right path and continuing on that path – it means following Christ.
  Jesus told a parable about a king who had a wedding feast for his son. He invited many but they made excuses for not coming, so the king invited everyone from the streets. A man came in without wearing wedding clothes, so the king had him tied hand and foot and thrown outside. The king invited the man, but he did not want to change. God invites everyone to live in His kingdom, but not everyone is chosen.
  In Acts, Luke tells of a time the apostles preached in a city and many believed and were baptized including a sorcerer named Simon. When Peter and John came later, they found that even though Simon believed and was baptized, his heart was still not right before God. Simon was no longer defined by sin but by what Jesus had done in his life. He needed to stop acting and thinking as a sinner and begin thinking and acting as Christ.
  Salvation is not one single prayer or one altar call; it’s a life-long commitment to following God. You can’t earn salvation, but you also can’t be the same person you were before God entered your heart and still follow Christ.
  Are you defined by your sin, or are you defined by the transformation Christ has made in you? Have you been living your life however you want hoping a prayer from years ago was enough? Are you ready for Christ to daily transform you and bring you closer to Him?

Read further:
Ephesians 6; Philippians 2:12; Matthew 22:1-14; Acts 8:9-25