Keep Your Heart Diligently - Proverbs 4:23

Solomon teaches us to keep our heart with all vigilance. Why? We should keep our heart with all vigilance, because from the heart flows the issues of life. What is Solomon telling us? He is telling us that a person's character springs from the heart. A pastor once gave the following example to drive home the point. Have you ever bumped a teacup? What comes out? Whatever is in the teacup. The same is true with respect to the heart. When we are bumped, then whatever is within our heart comes forth.

If your heart is storing up the filth of bitterness, anger, envy, deceit, etc...in your heart, then that filth will eventually reveal itself. Also, the longer you suppress bad attitudes, the more volatile and destructive they are when they come out.

Additionally, false ideas and beliefs have consequences as well. For example, you cannot have the wrong beliefs concerning Christ and pray properly. Or you cannot have wrong beliefs and expect to live a life that is pleasing to God.