Keeping Watch Over Your Heart

Anita Delene Manthe
Feb 17, 2017
2 min read

How much watching do you do? Do you notice any and every little thing done wrong by others, and then wink at your own weakness in the very same area? Do you criticize the weaknesses of others with cutting words and lingering comments – you know the ones, the words you want to travel as far and as wide as they can! You want others to hear it so that you can plant the seed of doubt in their thoughts – you want them to think as you do about a situation or a person. You want control!

Or, are you so caught up in living out your own definition of who and what a Christian is that you’ve wandered far from what Scripture says? You turn a blind eye and in so doing salve your conscience and deny the omnipresence of the Lord?

Do you silence your conscience when others defame God? After all, it no longer bothers you when derogatory comments are made. You think it progressive and relative. You justify it because others use the same language, and you do too! Be careful! If you look like the world, smell like the world, and speak like the world – are you not of the world?

When you stop keeping watch over your thoughts, over your mind and soul you have released your guard! The safety of your primary protection is gone and you have no way to avoid imminent danger. It is close at hand – very close, and you’ve given access, cleared obstacles for visual, audio, sensual and thought assault!

This is a frightening reality. And one we are all prone to when we stop keeping watch, when we are no longer vigilant.

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life (Proverbs 4:23).
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3).
Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers (1 Timothy 4:16).
The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the traitor (Proverbs 22:12).
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers (Psalm 1:1-3).
Who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations— let not the rebellious exalt themselves (Psalm 66:7).
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted (Galatians 6:1).