Tag Archives: guard your heart and mind

Guard your mind and heart

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P1020616 Korea is a mountainous country with a long history of territorial wars. And so it is no surprise to find many fortresses wherever you go. This is a part of the Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, Korea and demonstrates a cunning strategy to defend one of the fortress entrances. Potential intruders would have to navigate an ever narrowing and winding uphill path to reach the gate while becoming targets of archers from many parts of the wall. The expansive wall itself is several feet wide and circumvents a large portion of the city. Rising up hundreds of feet above the city, the fortress provides a good defense against attack. Just climbing the steps of the wall was an arduous task.

 

Walking around modern Suwon, it seemed that people in general were very calm and did not act as if their lives were threatened. Even the persistent threats from a noisy neighbor north of the border doesn’t seem to shake the citizenry. Chances are you and I enter each day with a similar attitude of calm. Yet God reminds us that we are at war with evil and calls on His people to guard their hearts and mind as well as their bodies from attack of the enemy, lest we too be toppled and fall victim to their prey.

 

To be successful in war we must first be aware that we are engaged every day in the battle for our mind. We all know how easily we can be tricked by smooth talking and cunning lines of persuasion if we are not alert. Knowing what you believe – and why – is as important as knowing what you are against. Understanding and focusing on basic truths that are always true and unshakable helps us to stand firm. There can be no moral truth if all morals are accepted as equally true. Some truths are absolute.

 

Studying and meditating on God’s Word will establish these in your heart and mind. Memorizing and applying them to your daily life is like putting on an armor that protects you from enemy attacks. Put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the boots of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. (Ephesians 6)

 

Above all else, guard the fortress of your heart and your mind so you can stand firm whatever battle arises against you.

 

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

 

And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pay attention

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Does the 1932 iconic photo of the RCA Building (Rockefeller Center) construction workers casually sitting atop a beam some 69 stories above the city cause you any anxiety? Whether or not it was taken as a publicity stunt, it makes me nervous just to look at them on their dangerous perch. I want to shout, “Pay attention! Be careful so you don’t fall.”

 

Actually, that is a message for you and me today. Though few of us are likely to pose for a photo atop a dangling construction beam, we remain each day a step away from believing lies that cause us to fall from our most cherished beliefs and positions.

 

What kinds of lies have you believed that have robbed you of joy, peace, and confidence?  We tend to view ourselves and others through the hazy filter of present circumstances, impressions, hearsay, and partial information. Our noisy soul tells us how miserable we are, how many times we have failed, and how hopeless things are. In reality, there is more than our present circumstances: there is the spiritual reality of who we really are, redeemed already by the Son of God, if indeed our full trust is in Him.  God sees us as righteous, forgiven, holy, His children. Yet, we continue to believe lies about our identity. We might think we are controlled by sin but Paul says we ought to reckon ourselves dead to it. That is, believe that it doesn’t control us. If God says we are not under condemnation, we ought to believe it.

 

The cleverest of lies,  we are tempted to believe we live two lives, a sacred one where we worship on Sunday, pray occasionally during the week, and a secular one where we earn a living, whisk away time with our hobbies, and live mostly for ourselves. It’s time we pay attention lest we drift from the truth that we have just one life to live while on this earth; and we are called to live (all of) it set aside for God.  We are spiritual beings with a temporary earthly body, not physical beings with some spiritual aspect.

 

What lies are you believing these days that have caused you to drift from what you know to be truth? Today’s the day to renounce those lies and the control they attempt to have on you. Keep your eyes and mind guarded by God’s Word and promises, lest you find yourself drifting away.

 

“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Hebrews 2:1

 

 

Battle for the mind -2-

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A huge part of overcoming the battle for the mind is being aware and focused on the reality we face each day. We have to stay vigilant without becoming paralyzed by the struggles that confront us. We have to stay alert without losing sight of the joys and the call of God on our life. Reminding ourselves of who God has equipped us to be, victors not victims, we become skilled warriors into whose hands the victory has already been given. The fight is not ours, we simply need to stand firm, equipped in God’s armor. He fights for us and has in fact already won the battle!

Even knowing this, it’s easy to stray from God’s perfect plan, not far, but enough to remind it is a battle to stay focused and remain positive, content and satisfied in God alone. We need to remember to not let circumstances consume us, to keep focus on living fully and well today, without worry for tomorrow. I need to continually ask God to remind me to be intentional and compassionate in what I do, think and say and to not get upset with myself and others over small things, reminding myself of who I am in his sight, his precious and beloved child.

Every day God is faithful to draw me back, to remind me that he is my refuge, my strong tower, my faithful and merciful and powerful God who loves me, pursues me, and desires his best for me. This ‘best’ is my heart’s desire and it is found only in him, through the cleansing and the guarding of my heart and the daily renewal of my mind.

How do you and I become victors in life’s daily battle for the mind? Draw close to God and maintain a thankful heart throughout the day. He inhabits our praise. Trust him and obey his voice. “He will also keep you firm to the end.” 1 Corinthians 8a

Finding peace where you are

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We live in a world that provides no end of advice on self-help and self-improvement, on increasing productivity, and doing more -better-with less. We are taught to multitask, though I think research is starting to demonstrate that too much multitasking actually decreases productivity and quality of life. Overall, it seems we are wired to do more whether at work or in our hobbies, in keeping up with an endless supply of emails and Facebook updates, or making sure our children don’t miss out on an opportunity to participate in yet one more activity.

Such a world of go-go-go reminds me that I need to guard my heart and mind by purposefully inserting moments of quiet meditation into each day; times to reflect on where I am going so and how I am getting there.

These moments of reflection bring us to a point of inner peace. They restore our trust in who we are becoming.
They remind us of our faith and the gifts and love we’ve been given to share with others.
They teach us the power of contentment and the wisdom of finding perspective in stepping back from constant activity.
They free us from the tyranny of the urgent and allow us to refocus on the truly important.
They allow us to live each day with purpose and passion.

The busier you are, the more hectic your day, the more you need to stop the go-go-go and simply rest, breathe, and thank God for who he is and what he’s done. At what cost do we deny ourselves this instantly available and gracious gift from God?

Find peace wherever you are today.