Hello friends...
"My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings, do not let them depart from your eyes, keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh. keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth and put perverse lips far from you. Let you eyes look straight ahead, and you eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil." (Pro-verbs 4:20-27)
Well...we continue to see the Father give the son some sound...positive advice. Pro-Verbs is full of contrasts and cause and effect. There always seems to be...something for the son to do...or not do.
1. Give attention to my words
Words are expressed thoughts. Our heavenly Father has expressed his thoughts in the written Word...and The Word...aka Jesus. There are a lot of distractions in this world...that tries to get our eyes off of what God thinks about a matter...so we must GIVE the attention that the Word deserves.
2. Incline your ears to my sayings
Since "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17)...the noisy distractions of the devil...again...tries to distract our attention. Inclining the ear reminds me of how you cup your hand around your ear to hear better when there is a lot of noise. Lean in and listen.
3. Do not let them (words and sayings) depart from your eyes
The old saying is "out of sight...out of mind." Reading the Word daily...writing them down on cards...posting the word in prominent place where you will see them really do help keep your focus.
4. Keep them in the midst of your heart
This speaks to me of memorizing scripture...storing God's word in the treasure chest of your heart. Psalm 119:9-11 states..."How can a young man keep his way pure (cleanse his way)...by keeping it according to Your Word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh let me not wander from Your commandments! Thy Word have I HID IN MY HEART...that I might not sin against You." Of course memorization includes, reading, looking, ruminating (muttering and contemplating), writing, etc. The heart...the core...the center...the spirit (little s) plus the renewed mind is invaluable in our Holy Prescription
5. For they (words, sayings) are (1) life to those who find them AND (2) health to all their flesh
Wow...what a connection to the spiritual and the physical. But really it should be no surprise... since Isaiah 53 speaks of what He bore on the cross...for our sin and sickness...and by His stripes we were healed.
6. Keep (value/protect) your heart with all diligence
Once you find this life and health...is not the time to let your Heart Guard dow. Keep your heart...and all the things in their...with all diligence. If you get lazy...the attack will take you by surprise.
7. For out of it (your kept heart) spring the issues of life.
The heart...the core...the center...the spirit (little s/human spirit) is where the rivers of living waters flow from...springs out of...and when you don't keep it...it blocks the flow. Out of the heart...the mouth speaks. What you have stored in their through a Word renewed mind...is what will be revealed when you are shaken.
8. Put away from you a deceitful/devious mouth and put perverse lips far from you.
The responsibility of the putting...is put...on you. We are to put away...and put from. The mouth and the lips...the revealers of the heart...have to be controlled...and as James says...no man can tame them...but...we can do...as we do the Word...with the help of the Holy Spirit.
9. Let/Allow your eyes look straight ahead...and your eyelids look right before you.
In Pro-Verbs 29:18 we see that "without a vision the people perish". "Where there is no vision...revelation...prophetic vision..the people perish...cast off restrained...are unrestrained...but happy is he who keeps the law." (Pro-Verbs 29:18) If we don't let/allow our eyes and eyelids (the Vision Gate) to keep focused and not distracted looking to the left, right, or even behind us (the good old days)...we will be without restraint...just running nilly willy here there and everywhere.
10. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.
You ways...the path that you walk...should not just be walked on automatic pilot. There must be an established thought process...based on the road map of the Word..
11.Do not turn to the right or the left...remove your foot from evil.
The cause and effect of Path Pondering...and Way Establishment...is you can see where evil is and avoid it...and once again...the choice to remove you foot...you way...your walk from evil is in your court.
FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY
Wow...that was a long one...but I sure need it. Hopefully you were blessed. If you are reading these...make a comment...let me know if you are out there. You can also go to the Ruminator Website...and check out other stuff at http://www.ruminators.net/
Love and Pondering Kisses
Rodney "Take Two of The Word and Call Me In The Morning" Boyd
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