The Source of Life's Issues

There are many issues in this life that we experience. Some people experience financial problems, some people experience broken relationships, some people experience the loss of prized personal possessions, and more often than before it seems people lose someone they love dearly, to death. Whatever the issues we experience, there is a source of those issues and most people woudn't even think of the source the Bible talks about being the utlimate source of trouble in this world. There is one verse though that makes it very clear to anyone where the issues of life come from.

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." When teaching at church, I (Michael) seem to quote this scripture a lot. It is a scripture that speaks very clearly to me and I see the truth of it more and more. When thinking on the heartache, trouble, and issues that we experience in life, it all goes back to the heart. For example, in the Garden of Eden, Eve was "beguiled" by the serpent to take of the forbidden tree. The serpent lied to her and tempted her with issues of the heart. Do you realize what that issue was? It was power and greed. Eve was tempted with the thought that she could be like "the gods" (Genesis 3:5). How many people still struggle with power and greed today. There seem to be more and more people desiring to have "power" and they will do just about anything to get it. This however is an issue of the heart.

Jesus made it clear that it is not what is on the outside that defiles a man, but rather what is on the inside. In Mark 7:18-23, Jesus said:

"...Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man." (KJV)

In those verses alone once can see most issues of life presented. All evil things come from evil thoughts that penetrate a person's heart. For this reason, it is so important that we have our heart's cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We must ask Him through repentance (changing of one's mind) and asking forgiveness of our sin in order to create in us a clean heart and within us renew a right spirit.

Notice again though what Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep thy heart with all diligence...". This means we are going to have to be dedicated, devoted, and perservering in order to keep our hearts from evil. It won't be easy since we still have Satan in this world who is trying to "beguile" us just like he did Eve. This will require the help of the Holy Spirit who Jesus said He would send as the Comforter and the Teacher!

Let us finally remember that once our heart is restored, we need to focus on training our children's heart in the way it should go. There isn't much time, so be DILIGENT in serving the LORD!