Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts.

Proverbs 4:20-27


Pro 4:23  Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts.  (Msg Bible) 


Pro 4:23  Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.    (NKJV Bible)

Solomon, having warned us not to do evil, here teaches us how to do well. It is not enough for us to shun the occasions of sin, but we must study the methods of duty.
I. We must have a continual regard to the word of God and endeavour that it may be always ready to us.
1. The sayings of wisdom must be our principles by which we must govern ourselves, our monitors to warn us of duty and danger; and therefore, 
      (1.) We must receive them readily: “Incline thy ear to them (Pro_4:20); humbly bow to them; diligently listen to them.” 
The attentive hearing of the word of God is a good sign of a work of grace begun in the heart and a good means of carrying it on. It is to be hoped that those are resolved to do their duty who are inclined to know it. 
      (2.) We must retain them carefully (Pro_4:21); we must lay them before us as our rule: “Let them not depart from thy eyes; view them, review them, and in every thing aim to conform to them.” 
We must lodge them within us, as a commanding principle, the influences of which are diffused throughout the whole man: “Keep them in the midst of thy heart, as things dear to thee, and which thou art afraid of losing.” Let the word of God be written in the heart, and that which is written there will remain.
   2. The reason why we must thus make much of the words of wisdom is because they will be both food and physic to us, like the tree of life, Rev_22:2; Eze_47:12. Those that seek and find them, find and keep them, shall find in them, 
      (1.) Food: For they are life unto those that find them, Pro_4:22. As the spiritual life was begun by the word as the instrument of it, so by the same word it is still nourished and maintained. We could not live without it; we may by faith live upon it. 
      (2.) Physic. They are health to all their flesh, to the whole man, both body and soul; they help to keep both in good plight. They are health to all flesh, so the Septuagint. There is enough to cure all the diseases of this distempered world. They are a medicine to all their flesh (so the word is), to all their corruptions, for they are called flesh, to all their grievances, which are as thorns in the flesh. There is in the word of God a proper remedy for all our spiritual maladies.

II. We must keep a watchful eye and a strict hand upon all the motions of our inward man, Pro_4:23. 
Here is, 
   1. A great duty required by the laws of wisdom, and in order to our getting and preserving wisdom: Keep thy heart with all diligence. God, who gave us these souls, gave us a strict charge with them: Man, woman, keep thy heart; take heed to thy spirit, Deu_4:9. We must maintain a holy jealousy of ourselves, and set a strict guard, accordingly, upon all the avenues of the soul; keep our hearts from doing hurt and getting hurt, from being defiled by sin and disturbed by trouble; keep them as our jewel, as our vineyard; keep a conscience void of offence; keep out bad thoughts; keep up good thoughts; keep the affections upon right objects and in due bounds. Keep them with all keepings (so the word is); there are many ways of keeping things - by care, by strength, by calling in help, and we must use them all in keeping our hearts; and all little enough, so deceitful are they, 
Jer_17:9. 
Or above all keepings; we must keep our hearts with more care and diligence than we keep any thing else. We must keep our eyes (Job_31:1), keep our tongues (Psa_34:13), keep our feet (Ecc_5:1), but, above all, keep our hearts. 
   
2. A good reason given for this care, because out of it are the issues of life. Out of a heart well kept will flow living issues, good products, to the glory of God and the edification of others. Or, in general, all the actions of the life flow from the heart, and therefore keeping that is making the tree good and healing the springs. Our lives will be regular or irregular, comfortable or uncomfortable, according as our hearts are kept or neglected.

III. We must set a watch before the door of our lips, that we offend not with out tongue (Pro_4:24): 
Put away from thee a froward mouth and perverse lips. Our hearts being naturally corrupt, out of them a great deal of corrupt communication is apt to come, and therefore we must conceive a great dread and detestation of all manner of evil words, cursing, swearing, lying, slandering, brawling, filthiness, and foolish talking, all which come from a froward mouth and perverse lips, that will not be governed either by reason or religion, but contradict both, and which are as unsightly and ill-favoured before God as a crooked distorted mouth drawn awry is before men. All manner of tongue sins, we must, by constant watchfulness and steadfast resolution, put from us, put far from us, abstaining from all words that have an appearance of evil and fearing to learn any such words.

IV. We must make a covenant with our eyes: “Let them look right on and straight before thee, Pro_4:25. 
Let the eye be fixed and not wandering; let it not rove after every thing that presents itself, for then it will be diverted form good and ensnared in evil. Turn it from beholding vanity; let thy eye be single and not divided; let thy intentions be sincere and uniform, and look not asquint at any by-end.” We must keep our eye upon our Master, and be careful to approve ourselves to him; keep our eye upon our rule, and conform to that; keep our eye upon our mark, the prize of the high calling, and direct all towards that. Oculum in metam - The eye upon the goal.

V. We must act considerately in all we do (Pro_4:26): 
Ponder the path of thy feet, weigh it (so the word is); “put the word of God in one scale, and what thou hast done, or art about to do, in the other, and see how they agree; be nice and critical in examining whether thy way be good before the Lord and whether it will end well.” We must consider our past ways and examine what we have done, and our present ways, what we are doing, whither we are going, and see that we walk circumspectly. It concerns us to consider what are the duties and what the difficulties, what are the advantages and what the dangers, of our way, that we may act accordingly. “Do nothing rashly.”

VI. We must act with steadiness, caution, and consistency: “Let all thy ways be established (Pro_4:26) and be not unstable in them, as the double-minded man is; halt not between two, but go on in an even uniform course of obedience; turn not to the right hand not to the left, for there are errors on both hands, and Satan gains his point if he prevails to draw us aside either way. Be very careful to remove thy foot from evil; take heed of extremes, for in them there is evil, and let thy eyes look right on, that you may keep the golden mean.” Those that would approve themselves wise must always be watchful.

Pro 4:20  My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 
Pro 4:21  Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 
Pro 4:22  For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. 
Pro 4:23  Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. 
Pro 4:24  Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. 
Pro 4:25  Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. 
Pro 4:26  Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. 

Pro 4:27  Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil. (nkjv Bible)

Pro 4:20  Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. 
Pro 4:21  Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! 
Pro 4:22  Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health. 
Pro 4:23  Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. 
Pro 4:24  Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. 
Pro 4:25  Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. 
Pro 4:26  Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. 

Pro 4:27  Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust. (Msg Bible)

God Working in Us What Pleases Him

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God Working in Us What Pleases Him
Now may the God of peace . . . make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.  (Heb_13:20-21)
Once again, our attention is focused upon Hebrews 13:20-21. In the two previous devotionals, we saw that the God of peace makes obedience available to us through the blood of Christ and then equips us to do His will. Now we will see that this involves God working in us what pleases Him.  
Obedience is about pleasing God, doing "what is well pleasing in His sight."  This is why Christ died for us. "He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again" (2Co_5:15).

 Living to please self is the ultimate disobedience to God. 
As God's children, we want to live for His approval.
 "Walk as children of light . . . proving what is acceptable to the Lord" (Eph_5:8-10).  

The means ordained for us to actually live pleasing in His sight is God at work in us: "the God of peace . . . working in you what is well pleasing in His sight." 
We cannot properly live obedient, pleasing lives for God, unless we look to the Lord to be working within us. 
If we are to be faithful representatives of the Lord here on earth, we need Him working through us. 
"Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God" (2Co_5:20). 
This is how the early church effectively pleased the Lord in their service. "For He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles" (Gal_2:8).  
Ultimately, pleasing God by doing His will is an internal matter of the heart. "That He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints" (1Th_3:13). 

When our Lord returns, He wants to find obedient children. He wants His followers to be "blameless in holiness before our God and Father." This is only possible as we allow our God to do a spiritually stabilizing work deep within us: "That He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness."  
Not surprisingly, all of this working of God within us is done "through Jesus Christ." It is all based upon who Jesus is, all that He has done for us, and all that He alone can accomplish as He lives in us! 

Lord God of peace, I long to live pleasing in Your sight, holy and true. Please do Your effective work deep within my heart, through Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.

He sat down and taught His climbing companions.

Matt 5:1-48  When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. 

This is what He said: 
"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule. 
"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. 
"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are--no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought. 
"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat. 
"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'careful,' you find yourselves cared for. 
"You're blessed when you get your inside world--your mind and heart--put right. Then you can see   God in the outside world. 
"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family. 
"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom. 
"Not only that--count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. 
You can be glad when that happens--give a cheer, even!--for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble. 
"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. 
"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. 
If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. 
Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand--shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. 
"Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures--either God's Law or the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. 
God's Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God's Law will be alive and working. 
 "Trivialize even the smallest item in God's Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom. 
Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won't know the first thing about entering the kingdom. 
 "You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' 
 I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hell-fire. The simple moral fact is that words kill. 
"This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, 
abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God. 
"Or say you're out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don't lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him. After all, if you leave the first move to him, knowing his track record, you're likely to end up in court, maybe even jail. 
If that happens, you won't get out without a stiff fine. 
"You know the next commandment pretty well, too: 'Don't go to bed with another's spouse.' 
But don't think you've preserved your virtue simply by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think nobody notices--they also corrupt. 
"Let's not pretend this is easier than it really is. If you want to live a morally pure life, here's what you have to do: You have to blind your right eye the moment you catch it in a lustful leer. You have to choose to live one-eyed or else be dumped on a moral trash pile. 
And you have to chop off your right hand the moment you notice it raised threateningly. Better a bloody stump than your entire being discarded for good in the dump. 
"Remember the Scripture that says, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him do it legally, giving her divorce papers and her legal rights'? 
 Too many of you are using that as a cover for selfishness and whim, pretending to be righteous just because you are 'legal.' Please, no more pretending. If you divorce your wife, you're responsible for making her an adulteress (unless she has already made herself that by sexual promiscuity). And if you marry such a divorced adulteress, you're automatically an adulterer yourself. You can't use legal cover to mask a moral failure. 
"And don't say anything you don't mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. 
You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, 'I'll pray for you,' and never doing it, or saying, 'God be with you,' and not meaning it. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. 
Just say 'yes' and 'no.' When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong. 
"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' 
Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. 
If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, gift wrap your best coat and make a present of it. 
And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. 
 No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' 
I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, 
for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best--the sun to warm and the rain to nourish--to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. 
If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. 
If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. 
"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you. 

Matthew 5:1-48

He then gathers around Him those who were definitively to follow Him in His ministry and His temptations; and, at His call, to link their portion and their lot with His, forsaking all beside.
The strong man was bound, so that Jesus could spoil his goods, and proclaim the kingdom with proofs of that power which were able to establish it.
Two things are then brought forward in the Gospel narrative. First, the power which accompanies the proclamation of the kingdom. In two or three verses, [16] without other detail, this fact is announced. The proclamation of the kingdom is attended with acts of power that excite the attention of the whole country, the whole extent of the ancient territory of Israel. Jesus appears before them invested with this power. 
Secondly (chapters 5-7), the character of the kingdom is announced in the sermon on the Mount, as well as that of the persons who should have part in it (the Father's name withal being revealed). That is, the Lord had announced the coming kingdom, and with the present power of goodness, having overcome the adversary; and then shews what were the true characters according to which it would be set up, and who could enter, and how. Redemption is not spoken of in it; but the character and nature of the kingdom, and who could enter. This clearly shews the moral position which this sermon holds in the Lord's teaching.
It is evident that, in all this part of the Gospel, it is the Lord's position which is the subject of the teaching of the Spirit, and not the details of His life. Details come after, in order fully to exhibit what He was in the midst of Israel, His relations with that people, and His path in the power of the Spirit which led to the rupture between the Son of David and the people who ought to have received Him. The attention of the whole country being thus engaged by His mighty acts, the Lord sets before His disciples — but in the hearing of the people — the principles of His kingdom.
This discourse may be divided into the following parts: — [17] The character and the portion of those who should be in the kingdom (Mat_5:1-12). Their position in the world
 (Mat_5:13-16). The connection between the principles of the kingdom and the law (Mat_5:17-48). [18] The spirit in which His disciples should perform good works (Mat_6:1-18). Separation from the spirit of the world and from its anxieties (Mat_6:19-34). The spirit of their relation with others (Mat_7:1-6). The confidence in God which became them (Mat_7:7-12). The energy that should characterize them, in order that they might enter into the kingdom; not however merely enter, many would seek to do that, but according to those principles which made it difficult for man, according to God — the strait gate; and then, the means of discerning those who would seek to deceive them, as well as the watchfulness needed that they might not be deceived (Mat_7:13-23).
Real and practical obedience to His sayings, the true wisdom of those that hear His words (Mat_7:24-29).
There is another principle that characterizes this discourse, and that is the introduction of the Father's name. Jesus puts His disciples in connection with His Father, as their Father. He reveals to them the Father's name, in order that they may be in relation with Him, and that they may act in accordance with that which He is.
Note #16
It is striking that the whole ministry of the Lord is recounted in one Verse (Mat_5:23). All the subsequent statements are facts, having a special moral import, shewing what was passing among the people in grace onward to His rejection, not a proper consecutive history. It stamps the character of Matthew very clearly.
Note #17
In the text I have given a division which may assist in a practical application of the sermon on the Mount. With respect to the subjects contained in it, it might perhaps, though the difference is not very great, be still better divided thus: — Mat_5:1-16 contains the complete picture of the character and position of the remnant who received His instructions — their position, as it should be, according to the mind of God. This is complete in itself.
Mat_5:17-48 establish the authority of the law, which should have regulated the conduct of the faithful until the introduction of the kingdom; the law which they ought to have fulfilled, as well as the words of the prophets, in order that they (the remnant) should be placed on this new ground; and the despizal of which would exclude whoever was guilty of it from the kingdom; for Christ is speaking, not as in the kingdom, but as announcing it as near to come. But, while thus establishing the authority of the law, He takes up the two great elements of evil, treated of only in outward acts in the law, violence and corruption, and judges the evil in the heart (Mat_5:22-28), and at all cost to get rid of it and every occasion of it, thus shewing what was to be the conduct of His disciples, and their state of soul — that which was to characterize them as such. The Lord then takes up certain things borne with by God in Israel, and ordered according to what they could bear. Thus was now brought into the light of a true moral estimate, divorce — marriage being the divinely given basis of all human relationships — and swearing or vowing, the action of man's will in relationship to God; then patience of evil, and fullness of grace, His own blessed character, and carrying with it the moral title to what was His living place — sons of their Father who was in heaven. Instead of weakening that which God required under the law, He would not only have it observed until its fulfillment, but that His disciples should be perfect even as their Father in heaven was perfect. This adds the revelation of the Father, to the moral walk and state which suited the character of sons as it was revealed in Christ.
Chapter 6. We have the motives, the object, which should govern the heart in doing good deeds, in living a religious life. Their eye should be on their Father. This is individual.
Chapter 7. This chapter is essentially occupied with the intercourse that would be suitable between His own people and others — not to judge their brethren and to beware of the profane. He then exhorts them to confidence in asking their Father for what they needed, and instructs them to act towards others with the same grace that they would wish shewn to themselves. This is founded on the knowledge of the goodness of the Father. Finally, He exhorts them to the energy that will enter in at the strait gate, and choose the way of God, cost what it may (for many would like to enter into the kingdom, but not by that gate); and He warns them with respect to those who would seek to deceive them by pretending to have the word of God. It is not only our own hearts that we have to fear, and positive evil, when we would follow the Lord, but also the devices of the enemy and his agents. But their fruits will betray them.
Note #18

It is important however to remark that there is no general spiritualization of the law, as is often stated. The two great principles of immorality among men are treated of 
(violence and corrupt lust), to which are added voluntary oaths. In these the exigencies of the law and what Christ required are contrasted.

HOW TO MEET DISCOURAGEMENTS

HOW TO MEET DISCOURAGEMENTS
"Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.'-- 2Co:4v17-18.

NOTICE THE marvelous antithesis of this chapter: 
light and darkness; life and death; pressure, perplexity, pursuit, and persecution; but side by side, victory, elastic hope, and the brightness of Christian faith. The decay of the outward man and the renewal of the inward; the light affliction and the weight of glory; the brief moment of earth's pilgrimage contrasted with the eternity of reality and bliss.

It is very important that we should not miss the mighty blessing which is within the reach of every troubled soul. Of course it is quite possible to sit down before troubles and afflictions, hopeless and despairing, confessing that we are over-powered and defeated; it is also possible to be hard and stoical, bearing adversity because we cannot help or avoid it, but the highest Christian way is to be thankful that the earthen vessel is breaking if only the torch will shine out; to be content that the dying of Jesus should be borne about in our mortal body, if only His life will thereby become manifest.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go; The rivers of grief shall not thee overflow; For I will be with thee in trouble to bless; And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

PRAYER
Fix my heart, O Lord, on Thyself, that amid the changes and chances of this mortal life I may be kept steadfast and unmoveable and ever abounding in Thy work. AMEN.

What makes Mordecai and Esther great leaders is that they accept their positions of authority that God, in his favor and grace, gave them. What authority do you have? Here's what God wants you to do: humbly accept it, because it's not about you or your fear of failure, but about people and an opportunity to help them. Sometimes the people who feel the least qualified for leadership are the most qualified because they have the first prerequisite, which is humility. This clip is excerpted from the sermon "Jesus Is a Better Missionary," part 9 of the sermon series Esther: God's Perfect Work through Imperfect People. It was preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll out of Esther 8:1--17 at Mars Hill Downtown Bellevue and released online on November 11. Watch the full sermon here: http://jesus.to/TFvGpv Category Education Licence Creative Commons Attribution licence (reuse allowed)

So am I also an Israelite

“Are they Israelites? so am I.”
- 2Co_11:22
We have here A PERSONAL CLAIM, and one that needs proof. The apostle knew that his claim was indisputable, but there are many persons who have no right to the title who yet claim to belong to the Israel of God. 
If we are with confidence declaring, “So am I also an Israelite,” let us only say it after having searched our heart as in the presence of God. But if we can give proof that we are following Jesus, if we can from the heart say, “I trust him wholly, trust him only, trust him simply, trust him now, and trust him ever,” then the position which the saints of God hold belongs to us-all their enjoyments are our possessions; we may be the very least in Israel, “less than the least of all saints,” yet since the mercies of God belong to the saints AS SAINTS, and not as advanced saints, or well-taught saints, we may put in our plea, and say, “Are they Israelites? so am I; therefore the promises are mine, grace is mine, glory will be mine.” The claim, rightfully made, is one which will yield untold comfort. When God’s people are rejoicing that they are his, what a happiness if they can say, “SO AM I!” When they speak of being pardoned, and justified, and accepted in the Beloved, how joyful to respond, “Through the grace of God, SO AM I.” But this claim not only has its enjoyments and privileges, but also its conditions and duties. We must share with God’s people in cloud as well as in sunshine. When we hear them spoken of with contempt and ridicule for being Christians, we must come boldly forward and say, “So am I.” When we see them working for Christ, giving their time, their talent, their whole heart to Jesus, we must be able to say, “So do I.” O let us prove our gratitude by our devotion, and live as those who, having claimed a privilege, are willing to take the responsibility connected with it.

Augustine said that pride is the mother of all sin. Here are some questions about pride for you to think, talk, and pray about:
Do you crave attention, honor, recognition, or reward?
Do you become jealous or critical of people who succeed?
Do you always have to win? Do you lack ambition for fear of failing?
Do you have a pattern of lying about or hiding your failures?
Do you have a hard time fully acknowledging you were wrong?
Sin is birthed out of pride, and glory to God is birthed out of humility. It all comes back to the question of who gets the glory.

This clip is excerpted from the sermon "Jesus Is a Better Servant," part 7 of our current series, Esther: God's Perfect Work through Imperfect People. It was preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll out of Esther 6:1--13 at Mars Hill Downtown Bellevue and released online on October 28.

Watch the full sermon here: http://jesus.to/PhvIFE

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The Emphasize Exercise

The Emphasize Exercise

“Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.” (1Pe_5:7).

Earlier we saw that sometimes you just need to hurl — to unload upon the Lord the full weight of all that burdens you, and then find rest from your troubles in His strong and loving embrace. You can do this because, as Peter tells us, “He cares for you.”

Let’s look at the word he uses for “care.” It literally means “the distractions created by fear, worry, anxiety and dread; distractions that pull us in several directions at the same time.”

Take all these things — fear, worry, anxiety, and dread — bundle them together and throw them upon God; 
and keep throwing them over and over 
until they finally leave your hands and rest solidly upon His shoulders. 
Otherwise they will pull you apart; tear you to pieces!

And here is the singular truth that makes it all happen — 
“He cares for you!”

Several years ago I discovered a wonderful technique I call 
“the emphasize exercise.” 
It works like this: I take a verse of scripture and read it over several times, emphasing only one word in the verse each time I read it; repeating the process until I have emphasized every word in the verse. The insights that open up are truly delightful. Let me take this phrase — “He cares for you”
 — and show you what I mean.

1. “HE cares for you.” — This is Almighty God we are talking about here; not some junior angel whose been handed your case. No, God Himself, the King of Glory, the Lord of Host, the Alpha and Omega; He who sustains all things by the word of His power; the Omnipotent God — your Heavenly Father. HE cares for you.”

2. He CARES for you.” — He is affectionate in His regard for your estate. 
He holds you in His heart, and looks with kind intentions upon your life, and good will toward your soul and well-being. 
He CARES!”

3. He cares FOR you.” — He is not passive, but active. 
He’s not thinking about doing it when He gets around to it — He’s on top of it right now! 
He has already stepped in on your behalf and undertaken the cause of blessing you in boundless ways. And He is doing it 
FOR you; so you don’t have to try and do it for yourself!”

4. He cares for YOU!” — Yeah, that’s right — YOU! Sure, 
He cares for all the saints and great champions of yore; 
and for all those who are serving Him mightily in today’s world — the spiritual news-makers and world-shakers, devil-busters, kingdom-builders, and soul-savers. 
But you’re not overlooked in all this. NO! A thousand times NO! “He cares for YOU!”

5. Now, to put the cheery on the top, go ahead and say it all together — emphasizing all the words: 
“HE CARES FOR YOU!!”

You can really drive it home by making it personal, and repeating this process until the burden has lifted: 
“YOU CARE FOR ME!!!”

We're all proud in different ways. Even if we are able to hide it from other people, God looks at the heart, says Proverbs. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, we're told in both 1 Peter 5 and James 4. Haman's pride was tragic because he wanted to be like his king—but he had the wrong king. If we look up to anyone other than Jesus, it's the wrong king. This clip is excerpted from the sermon "Jesus Is a Better Servant," part 7 of our current series, Esther: God's Perfect Work through Imperfect People. It was preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll out of Esther 6:1--13 at Mars Hill Downtown Bellevue and released online on October 28. Watch the full sermon here: http://jesus.to/PhvIFE Category Education Licence Creative Commons Attribution licence (reuse allowed)

Sometimes You Just Need to Hurl!

Sometimes You Just Need to Hurl!

“Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you.” (1Pe_5:7).

Earlier we learned that we are to “humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.” Today, I want to show you the secret of exactly how to do it. Today’s verse is filled with decisive action. We are specifically told to do something…something very important. Peter tells us, ”Cast all your cares upon Him,” the Apostle writes.

The word he uses literally means 
“to be continually casting.”
 In other words, this is not a one time thing; no, we are to make it the habit of our daily lives. And the root meaning of the word “casting” is beautifully excessive; it goes well beyond the thought of simply becoming an imposition upon another — it actually has the idea of being a “super-imposition” — a total freeloader!

Have you ever said to someone, “I don’t mean to impose upon you, but could you give me some help?” It’s a polite way of humbling yourself in a time of need. And that’s all well and good, for sometimes we do need to ask others for assistance without becoming an imposition upon them.

But the Apostle goes well beyond this social protocol. 
He instructs us to not merely make ourselves an imposition upon God — but to go so far as to become a super-imposition upon Him!

The phrase “casting your cares” literally means “to throw upon another.” In this case, the other is God Himself. 
Peter is saying that we must throw our cares upon God. 
Indeed, HURL them, so as to get them as far away from ourselves as possible! We are not talking slow-pitch softball here. 
HURL it with everything you got in you!! Think of a catapult and you get the picture.

This is the secret of humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God.

The proud hold tightly to the cares of this world, deeming themselves sufficient to handle things on their own. But, we humble ourselves by “casting our cares upon the Lord” — by hurling the weight of the world onto His strong shoulders, and finding our place of rest in His loving care.

Tomorrow, I will show you a practical way to do this; its what I call the Emphasize Exercise…