Guard Your Heart!

The number one killer in America is not COVID, but rather heart disease. While medical science has made great advancements in the treatment of heart disease, the best cure is still prevention. We need to be heart conscious! The same is true in the spiritual realm. The Bible calls the center of the entire man, the 'heart'. It is the center of our thinking, emotions, feelings, and decisions. It's where morals are decided and courses of action are determined. As such it needs to be protected. That's why we need to put on the 'breastplate of righteousness.' But what kind of righteousness protects our hearts? It's not self-righteousness nor imputed righteousness, but rather personal righteousness. God desires for us to be holy, not necessarily happy! But a by-product of pursuing holiness is internal joy which is not dependent upon circumstances but produced in us by the Spirit of God. Failing to put on this important piece of armor, the breastplate of righteousness can destroy our lives and those closest to us, can decimate our emotional well-being, bring disgrace to God's name, and disqualify us from further service and reward. Therefore it is important that we guard our hearts with all diligence, for indeed it is the well-spring of life.