February 5 – Diligent Heart Care

“Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” – Proverbs 4:23 (NASB)

We have in this passage a warning, advice, and blessing all part of the promise that is in our selected verse. The author King Solomon is teaching his son the importance of heart care. These verses and promises are good for all and a father or mother would do well to teach them to their daughters as well. Many verses from the book of Proverbs stand alone. That is not the case with today’s verse. Verse 23 is best understood in the context of verses 20-27. The words of wisdom are important enough to not let them out of our sight. In fact they should be hidden in our heart. They bring us life and health. Our heart needs guarding for out of it’s a wellspring of how we live. The word “heart” means more than mental or emotional capacity; it also incorporates one’s values. The “heart” may commonly refer to our mind as the center of thinking and reason, but also includes our emotions, our will, and our whole inner being. The heart is the depository of all wisdom and the source of whatever affects speech (v. 24), sight (v. 25), and conduct (vv. 26, 27).

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December 31 – Watchnight

“Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord!”  Lamentations 2:19 (ESV)

For the final visit on this blog for this year, we are sharing some words and thoughts from “365 Days with C.H. Spurgeon.” Slightly modified for our time this is from Spurgeon’s watchnight sermon on New Year’s Eve 1855. 

“Dear friends, may grace be given unto you, that ye may be able to pour out your hearts this night! Remember, my hearers, it may seem a light thing for us to assemble tonight at such an hour, but listen for one moment to the ticking of that clock!  It is the beating of the pulse of eternity. We hear the ticking of that clock! Each time the clock ticks, death’s footsteps are falling on the ground close behind us. We will soon enter another year. This year will be gone in a few moments. 1855 (2020) is almost gone; where will the next year be spent, my friends? One has been spent on earth; where will we spend the next? But do we know how to estimate our time, my hearers? Do we know how to measure our days? Do we know that every hour we are nearing the tomb? That every hour we are nearing judgment? We do not live stationary lives, but we are always going on, on, on, towards the grave. Do you know where the stream of life is hastening some of you? We who have harkened to the call of God know where we are to be. What shall the end of those be who obey not the gospel of God? We will not have so many years to live as we had last year!”

Spurgeon must have the last word: “Now, my friends, in the highest and best sense, I wish you all a happy New Year.”

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June 7 – Necessary Activities

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;” Colossians 4:2 (NASB)

In his letter to the Christ believers and followers in Colossae, the Apostle Paul gives these instructions.  These words remind us that praying to God is an important part of our daily activities as Christians.  We do not live our lives by ourselves and it is necessary to maintain our communication with God our Father.  It is from Him that we receive the help we need as we live day by day.  It is through prayer that we make our requests and God hears us.  That is a promise we find many places and it is understood in these instructions.  We are also instructed to maintain vigilance as we should be watchful and alert to God's provision of help and guidance for us.  The third instruction is for us to maintain thankfulness.  Our attitude, our state of mind, ought not be one of complaining but one of thanksgiving in all circumstances.  Why and how can we do this?  Because we know the promise of God is that He is listening, He cares for us and we can trust Him to do what is best for each of us.    

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September 16 – Always Watching Over

“When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me.” Psalm 142:3 (NIV)

A good number of the Psalms that were written by King David were written while he was on the run, being hunted or hiding from those pursuing him. Our promise today come from a psalm written while David was hiding in the cave of Adullam. It was his stronghold hideout when King Saul was out to kill him.  God knew where David was and He knew how David felt. He is also watching over us, His followers today. He knows more about us than the people we are living with because He knows even the feelings which we don't always express openly to others.  Now it may be that your spirit is not faint within you today. But there are times and there will be days when we need to remember this promise. Our God is always watching over us and ready to help us when we turn to Him. 

July 31 – He Watches and Helps

“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2 (NIV)

Isn't it wonderful to know that our great God who made the whole universe gets involved in our lives even though we are so small in comparison? The psalm we are looking at today reminds us how God helps us – this is a promise. There are eight verses in Psalm 121 and in five of them we read that the Lord watches over us. Let's read one other of these verses – the last one, verse 8. “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”  The promise is that as we come and go each day my friend, let's not forget that our Lord is actively watching over us. And, let's remember that it is He, the Maker of heaven and earth. He actually pays attention to us. 

March 11 – Protect Us from Harm

“The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:7-8 (NIV)

It is a blessing and a gift from God that he has given to us the book of Psalms. In them we find many promises to help us in our lives each day. Today’s selection tells us that the Lord will watch over us and keep an eye on our movements and activities. It means of course that He sees what we are doing. God knows all that is going on in this world but our promise means more than that. When God watches over us He is also protecting us. He is keeping us from harm. Yes, my friend, if you are a child of God, He will protect you from harm – this is especially critical in a time when many more are and becoming hostile toward those who believe in Jesus Christ. As we look to Him for guidance He will lead us in the right way as we moved around in life. This is a promised from the One who is faithful. 

August 24

“When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way.”  Psalm 142:3a (NIV)

David prayed this prayer while hiding in a cave. He was hiding because King Saul had ordered that he be killed. But in that lonely situation we knew that he could talk to God. He did not give up because he knew that God was with him and the He had a purpose for him. We have the same God. He is with us too no matter what the situation. He knows our problems. He also knows what He has planned for each of us. So let us not be discouraged, let us not give up. Let us recognize that He knows the path we are walking and where He is leading us.

April 14

“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” Malachi 3:6 (NIV)

You may say that this promise is given to the Jews, the descendants of Jacob, and you are right. But don’t think there is nothing in it for those of other races – for ourselves. What God is saying is that the promises He made to Abraham and to Jacob were still valid. He had chosen the people of Israel and He would always care for them. He would not forget them. He would not change. We who believe in Jesus as our Savior are God’s people. He has promised to watch over us. We can depend on Him to be faithful to His promises because He does not change.