How Shall The Young Secure Their Hearts?: Guarding Your Life Against Sin
Psalm 119:11-"Thy word have I hid in mind heart, that I might not sin against thee."
Sin is the #1 problem in the world today. It is our #1 enemy. I John 3:4-"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law." Because of sin man suffers certain physical infirmities. Example:
Alcoholic-Liver Disease, Drugs-Brain problems. Other people can suffer from somebody else's sins--Drunkard runs over somebody causes physical infirmities etc....
Because of sin, man dies. (Romans 5:12-"Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned." Because of sin man will be eternally separated from God unless I
cleanse myself from sin by being obedient to God's command. (Is. 59:2-"...your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." James 1:15-"then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth
forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." Romans 6:23-"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Devil is the troublemaker! It is he who is the culprit behind sin. The Devil is not dead! He is alive!! (I Peter 5:8-"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may
devour.") How does he walk? Through representatives, ministers, false teachers, evil influences, etc., i.e. people!! The devil will try every way he can to keep you from serving the Lord and doing what is right!! Can he overcome us? Control us? Force
us? NO!! We've got to yield, submit, surrender to him!!! (James 4:7-"Resist the devil, (resist, oppose; fight against rc) and he will flee (go quickly rc) from you.") He is powerful but he can be resisted if we've got faith, strong faith, "Don't yield to
the devil." I John 5:4,5-"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God."
Sin is a serious matter. If committed can mess up your life now, in the future, and you can lose your soul eternally in hell. We need to work to guard our lives from sin and the devil.
How Does A Young Person Guard His Life From Sin?
David said in Ps. 119:11 that he hid the word in his heart that he might not sin against the Lord. Prov. 4:23-"keep (guard rc) thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues (outgoings rc) of life" The way ones heart is,
that's what your life is going to reflect. Thus, the way one guards his life from sin, is by putting his word in your heart to guard it from sin but...........What is the Bible Heart?: We're not talking about the blood pumping heart, the heart of the
flesh, for it is destined to stop at some time in the future. The heart we are concerned with in this lesson will never cease to function. The heart of the Bible involves a persons character. It involves your intellect, emotions and will.
Intellect, (MIND AND THOUGHTS)
This is what you know (understand) you ought to do and not to do. You know things right and wrong. The devil seeks to get into your mind and get you to think about evil things. Prov. 23:7-"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." If
the devil can get you to think evil things then what's going to happen is you're going to end up doing evil things!!! Our thoughts and our intents originate in the heart. Hebrews 4:12-"For the word
of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joint and marrow, and is a discerner (Gr: standard) of the thoughts and intents of the heart" The word of God
is the standard by which all our thoughts and intents are to be regulated. It does make a difference what we think!!! What a person gives their thoughts to is going to determine to a great extent what he does and how he lives. We have got to control our
thinking!! (Phil. 4:8,9)
Romans 12:2-"And be not conformed t this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Don't be conformed to this world!! It's easy to conform
isn't it. There must be discipline and correction in our life to determine to run with God in spite of what the world has to offer. One way to help you do that is by having good friends!!!
The term "transformed" is an interesting word. It comes from the word where we get our word, Metamorphosis, the process a caterpillar goes thru to become a butterfly. So we have to change in our character! Our mind has to change! A
complete change for the better in the desires and motives of the mind. In Ephesians 4:21-24 Paul writes of things we must not only put off concerning our character but also things we must put on. Then and only then are we a different people. You can't
overcome evil simply by renouncing evil, we have to substitute evil with that which is good!! Romans 12:21-"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (Read and apply to Eph. 4:22-32!!)
Open Gods word every day! Read and meditate on that! "Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee" (Ps. 119:11).
Emotions (Feelings)
This is what you want to do. In our day and age people really put a premium on feeling good. Ex: "Can't be wrong if it feels so right!" etc. Emotions aren't evil. (God's given us the capacity to feel pain, joy, love, cry. etc..... Hebrews
4:15-"Jesus our high priest can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities..." In Ephesains 4:19 Paul condemned those who were past feeling!!! Feelings must be in subjection. We've got to control our feelings. God's given us his word to guide us, not
our feelings!! For example, God has given us an appetite but we've got to control it. He's given us the sexual desire but we've got to control it (Heb. 13:4-"Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled....")
One of the consequences by our living by our feelings is disobedience to God. (Our intellect tells us what we should do, our feelings are what we want to do! Look at the following passages:)
(1) Matthew 5:44-(How many of us feel like loving our enemies. Are you going to following by your feelings or your intellect???)
(2) Matthew 6:12-(What if I don't feel like forgiving??? Are you going to following by your feelings or your intellect???)
(3) You know that the very first sin was committed because Eve followed by her feelings and didn't listen to her intellect!! (Genesis 3:1-6)
Will Of Man
The decision maker! Decides what you do.
Ever heard of a thing called will power? It's determined by our goals and how important they are to us. If you want good grades you'll study even if you don't feeeeelllll like it!. If going to heaven is important to you young people,
you'll obey your parents recognizing the authority of God's word. (Eph. 6:4). Why did Moses leave the comforts of the Egyptian palace to suffer affliction with his people??? Hebrews 11:24-26-"Moses had respect unto the recompense of the reward!!! You
see, he had a goal!
He said no to the world, no to pleasures and no to the treasures in Egypt etc. What WILLPOWER!! Eternity vindicated Moses's choice and it should ours!!
Determine to guard your live from sin. Be renewed in your mind and thoughts. Put emotions and feelings in their proper place. Discipline yourself. Have self control. God is sufficient to give you will power to do what you ought to do and
leaven those things you ought not!!
Eccl. 12:1-"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth..."
Then you will have no regrets!!!
Rick Christian
April, 1998 Volume 4 Issue 2 Index
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