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I Will Keep the Door of My Heart, March 22
Guarding the Avenues to the Soul
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23
“Keep thy heart with all diligence,” is the counsel of the wise man;
“for out of it are the issues of life.” As a man “thinketh in his heart, so
is he.” The heart must be renewed by divine grace, or it will be in vain
to seek for purity of life. He who attempts to build up a noble, virtuous
character independent of the grace of Christ is building his house upon
the shifting sand. In the fierce storms of temptation it will surely be
overthrown. David’s prayer should be the petition of every soul: “Create
in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” And
having become partakers of the heavenly gift, we are to go on unto
perfection, being “kept by the power of God, through faith.”
Yet we have a work to do to resist temptation. Those who would
not fall a prey to Satan’s devices must guard well the avenues of the
soul; they must avoid reading, seeing, or hearing that which will suggest
impure thoughts. The mind should not be left to wander at random upon
every subject that the adversary of souls may suggest.... This will require
earnest prayer and unceasing watchfulness. We must be aided by the
abiding influence of the Holy Spirit, which will attract the mind upward
and habituate it to dwell on pure and holy things. And we must give
diligent study to the Word of God. “Wherewithal shall a young man
cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word.” “Thy
word,” says the psalmist, “have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin
against Thee.”
You will have to become a faithful sentinel over your eyes, ears, and
all your senses, if you would control your mind and prevent vain and
corrupt thoughts from staining your soul. The power of grace alone can
accomplish this most desirable work.
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