From: Beverly French [frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2003 6:35 AM
To: Heritage
Subject: Special Greeting to All

"Keep your heart with all diligence
 For out of it spring the issues of life."  Proverbs 4:23

"But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.  For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders."  So explains Jesus to the disciples in Matthew 15:18-19  (Read the whole passage.)

Last week we saw that the heart is the center of life and therefore it should be carefully guarded.  Let us look to see what Scripture tells us of watchfulness against sin and temptation.

Moses admonishes the Israelites in Deuteronomy 4:9, "Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life..."

David knew the tongue could be sinful, we find in Psalm 39:1 he tells of guarding his mouth, "I said, 'I will guard my ways,  That I may not sin with my tongue;  I will guard my mouth as a with a muzzle...'"

In Psalm 141:3 David prays (I very often pray this too!),
"Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
 Keep watch over the door of my lips."

Jesus warned Peter, James and John concerning temptation when He found that they had fallen asleep, remember He had asked them to keep watch with Him as He prayed? "Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the 
spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."  Matthew 26:41

Paul warns the Corinthians (since he starts with 'therefore' look back to see what he is warning them to guard against): "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it."  1 Corinthians 10:12-13

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13 The strength to stand firm is Christ's strength as we see in  Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving."  Colossians 4:2

Peter tells us we are not to be anxious, our watchfulness included, 
but cast our cares on the One who loves us as we see in 1 Peter 5:7-9, "Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you, be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by our brethren who are in the world."

Then here is God's grace once more as Peter tells us,
"...the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 1 Peter 5:10

Watchful, yes!  Fearful, no!  Why?  "You are from God...because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."  1 John 4:4 And, 'Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith' we know
that: "...God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed."  2 Corinthians 9:8

Hallelujah!