Guard Your Heart-Part 2
If you haven't read Guard Your Heart Part 1, you may want to go back and read that first because this post is a continuation of the first post.
Philippians 4: 8 says..." Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (NIV)"
If the Lord expects us to think on things that are TRUE, NOBLE, RIGHT, PURE, LOVELY, ADMIRAL, EXCELLENT, and PRAISEWORTHY, we must be careful what we put in our head/heart.
1. Be careful what you hear: This one is a hard one for someone who likes ALL kinds of music. I have to be honest and say that when I was a teenager, I didn't listen to the BEST music out there. I can't say that if Jesus would have looked through my CD collection, I would have been proud. It would have been quite the contrary. I learned at some point in my life that music touches people. It moves people, it influences people more than they know. I love ALL types of music from Christian, to Alternative, to Classical, to Oldies, to R & B, to Pop...just all types. But I have to be careful what I listen to because it starts to influence my thoughts, which in turn influence my actions. Remember in the last post...All actions start with a thought. Don't get me wrong, I still like to listen to different types of music now and then, and when I hear an old song from when I was a teenager...I can sing along with the best of them...but I try to keep my mind focused on the Lord, so I try to listen to Christian music the majority of the time.
Another way that we need to be careful what we hear is when we are talking to others. It is so easy to get involved in gossip when everyone in the break room is talking about a coworker. Or when people at church are talking about the fellow member who "just needs our prayers," but they tell all the gory details. Or when your friends or co-workers are telling dirty jokes. I know it's hard to not join in or to walk away...but if we are going to align our thoughts with the verse above, we MUST be stronger than peer pressure...and yes, we still have it as adults. So just be mindful and careful about what you allow your ears to hear.
2. Be careful what you see: This issue is a touchy one. Mark 9:47 says..."And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. (NIV)" Now, I'm pretty sure God doesn't want us to pluck our eyes out, but I'm also sure that He is serious about this. He knows what watching and looking at the wrong things can do to your heart/mind. Movies, pornography, magazines, books, other women/men...all of these things can cause us to sin and allow heart worms to sneak into our heart. The devil works hard to desensitize us to this world and what it offers. I have even noticed myself...when I watch rated R movies with a lot of bad language or sexual scenes, it bothers me unless I have watched several in a short period of time. It seems to get easier to watch it every time. Be careful what you allow yourself to see. When we see things that aren't pleasing to the Lord, we are in danger of getting heart worms. And like I said in the first post, heart worms choke out the Lord and his plan for your marriage. The more you watch inappropriate things, the farther away from God and your spouse you become.
3. Be careful what you say: James 1:19 says..."My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. (NIV)" Someone told me once that we have TWO ears and ONE mouth for a reason. Be careful what you say. Your words can cut deeper than any knife...and you can never undo them. Some of my teacher friends use this illustration: They squeeze out a tube of toothpaste and talk to the kids about how that symbolizes our words. Once it's out of the tube, you can never get it back in...and it's the same for your words. So we have to be careful what we say. This means to anyone...but especially our spouses. It's so easy to get aggravated and angry at our spouse. It seems that they can push our buttons faster than anyone else in this world! So we have to be extra careful how we speak to them. When we use hurtful words, they stick, and we can never get them back. We can apologize, but that person will remember what we said to them. Sometimes we don't actually SAY something ugly, we just have a tone that belittles them or makes them feel inferior...(we teachers/administrators in the education field are especially good at this...hehe). We have to remember that they are our partner in this crazy life, we need to treat them with respect. I understand all couples experience disagreements and arguments, but even during those times, we don't have to attack the other person. Just Be Nice!
So how do we master these 3 steps? Well I'll tell you what I do...when satan puts thoughts and feelings in my head and heart that makes me anxious, angry, or upset, I compare them to this verse. For example: When I get angry because someone told me that so and so said something ugly about me...it upsets me. You see, I'm a peace maker and a people pleaser...so when someone says ugly things about me...I want immediately to fix it. The devil always fills my head with thoughts of inferiority and you aren't good enough thoughts. And he starts taking my mind down roads of what ifs. Things that haven't even happened...I'm worrying about them.--So I have learned to compare it to the verse above...Is this true?...if yes, move on the the next one. Is this noble?...if yes move to the next one. Is this right?...you get the picture. Honestly...I very seldom make it past True or Noble. It can be applied to hearing, seeing, and speaking as well. Do the same steps for things that you hear, see, and say. If they don't fit the mold...then walk away or use your brain to mouth filter and keep your mouth shut!
Philippians 4: 8 says..." Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (NIV)"
If the Lord expects us to think on things that are TRUE, NOBLE, RIGHT, PURE, LOVELY, ADMIRAL, EXCELLENT, and PRAISEWORTHY, we must be careful what we put in our head/heart.
1. Be careful what you hear: This one is a hard one for someone who likes ALL kinds of music. I have to be honest and say that when I was a teenager, I didn't listen to the BEST music out there. I can't say that if Jesus would have looked through my CD collection, I would have been proud. It would have been quite the contrary. I learned at some point in my life that music touches people. It moves people, it influences people more than they know. I love ALL types of music from Christian, to Alternative, to Classical, to Oldies, to R & B, to Pop...just all types. But I have to be careful what I listen to because it starts to influence my thoughts, which in turn influence my actions. Remember in the last post...All actions start with a thought. Don't get me wrong, I still like to listen to different types of music now and then, and when I hear an old song from when I was a teenager...I can sing along with the best of them...but I try to keep my mind focused on the Lord, so I try to listen to Christian music the majority of the time.
Another way that we need to be careful what we hear is when we are talking to others. It is so easy to get involved in gossip when everyone in the break room is talking about a coworker. Or when people at church are talking about the fellow member who "just needs our prayers," but they tell all the gory details. Or when your friends or co-workers are telling dirty jokes. I know it's hard to not join in or to walk away...but if we are going to align our thoughts with the verse above, we MUST be stronger than peer pressure...and yes, we still have it as adults. So just be mindful and careful about what you allow your ears to hear.
2. Be careful what you see: This issue is a touchy one. Mark 9:47 says..."And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. (NIV)" Now, I'm pretty sure God doesn't want us to pluck our eyes out, but I'm also sure that He is serious about this. He knows what watching and looking at the wrong things can do to your heart/mind. Movies, pornography, magazines, books, other women/men...all of these things can cause us to sin and allow heart worms to sneak into our heart. The devil works hard to desensitize us to this world and what it offers. I have even noticed myself...when I watch rated R movies with a lot of bad language or sexual scenes, it bothers me unless I have watched several in a short period of time. It seems to get easier to watch it every time. Be careful what you allow yourself to see. When we see things that aren't pleasing to the Lord, we are in danger of getting heart worms. And like I said in the first post, heart worms choke out the Lord and his plan for your marriage. The more you watch inappropriate things, the farther away from God and your spouse you become.
3. Be careful what you say: James 1:19 says..."My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. (NIV)" Someone told me once that we have TWO ears and ONE mouth for a reason. Be careful what you say. Your words can cut deeper than any knife...and you can never undo them. Some of my teacher friends use this illustration: They squeeze out a tube of toothpaste and talk to the kids about how that symbolizes our words. Once it's out of the tube, you can never get it back in...and it's the same for your words. So we have to be careful what we say. This means to anyone...but especially our spouses. It's so easy to get aggravated and angry at our spouse. It seems that they can push our buttons faster than anyone else in this world! So we have to be extra careful how we speak to them. When we use hurtful words, they stick, and we can never get them back. We can apologize, but that person will remember what we said to them. Sometimes we don't actually SAY something ugly, we just have a tone that belittles them or makes them feel inferior...(we teachers/administrators in the education field are especially good at this...hehe). We have to remember that they are our partner in this crazy life, we need to treat them with respect. I understand all couples experience disagreements and arguments, but even during those times, we don't have to attack the other person. Just Be Nice!
So how do we master these 3 steps? Well I'll tell you what I do...when satan puts thoughts and feelings in my head and heart that makes me anxious, angry, or upset, I compare them to this verse. For example: When I get angry because someone told me that so and so said something ugly about me...it upsets me. You see, I'm a peace maker and a people pleaser...so when someone says ugly things about me...I want immediately to fix it. The devil always fills my head with thoughts of inferiority and you aren't good enough thoughts. And he starts taking my mind down roads of what ifs. Things that haven't even happened...I'm worrying about them.--So I have learned to compare it to the verse above...Is this true?...if yes, move on the the next one. Is this noble?...if yes move to the next one. Is this right?...you get the picture. Honestly...I very seldom make it past True or Noble. It can be applied to hearing, seeing, and speaking as well. Do the same steps for things that you hear, see, and say. If they don't fit the mold...then walk away or use your brain to mouth filter and keep your mouth shut!
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