The Heart

Andy Stanley has a great podcast series called, "It Came From Within."  The following are questions he states he asks his kids before they go to bed to check on the condition of their hearts:

1. Is everything ok in your heart?
2. Has anyone hurt you today?
3. Has anyone broken a promise to you today?
4. Has anyone upset you today?

Andy asks, "What does it mean to guard your heart?"  He states, "We were never taught to guard our hearts, we were just taught to edit our behavior.  We need to be taught to guard our hearts."

Guard your heart.  Your heart is your wellspring of life.  You lead from your heart.  You speak from your heart.  You act from your heart.    From your heart come your thoughts.  We have to be aware of what goes into our hearts and out of our hearts.

Matthew 12:34  New Living Translation (NLT)

³⁴ You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.

Mark 7:20  (NLT)

 ²⁰ And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. ²¹ For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. ²³ All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

Proverbs 14:30 New International Version (NIV)

³⁰ A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Proverbs 4:23 New International Version (NIV)

²³ Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.