Above All Else …Above All Else …

Proverbs 4:23-27 Proverbs 4:23-27

Above all else, guard your heart, for it Above all else, guard your heart, for it isis the wellspring of life. Put away the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from right or the left; keep your foot from evil.evil.

Solomon, King of Solomon, King of IsraelIsrael

• The Book of The Book of ProverbsProverbs

Above All Else …Above All Else …

Proverbs 4:20-22Proverbs 4:20-22

My son, My son, pay attention to what I pay attention to what I saysay; ; listen closelylisten closely to my words. to my words. Do not let them out of your Do not let them out of your sight, sight, keep them within your keep them within your heartheart; for ; for they are lifethey are life to those to those who find them and health to a who find them and health to a man's whole body.” man's whole body.”

Above All Else …Above All Else …

Proverbs 4:23-27 Proverbs 4:23-27

Above all else, Above all else, guard your heartguard your heart, for it , for it is the wellspring of life. . . . . is the wellspring of life. . . . . Put away Put away perversity from your mouth;perversity from your mouth; keep keep corrupt talk far from your lips. . . . . . corrupt talk far from your lips. . . . . . Let your eyes look straight aheadLet your eyes look straight ahead, fix , fix your gaze directly before you. . . . . your gaze directly before you. . . . . Make level paths for your feetMake level paths for your feet and and take only ways that are firmtake only ways that are firm. Do not . Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.your foot from evil.

Above all else … Above all else … Guard:Guard:

• What we say

• What we see

• What we do

Guard Your Guard Your WordsWords

• What you What you saysay

•““Put away perversityPut away perversity from your mouth; from your mouth; keep keep corrupt talkcorrupt talk far far from your lips.”from your lips.” Proverbs 4:24Proverbs 4:24

•""Reckless words Reckless words piercepierce like a sword, like a sword, but the but the tongue of the tongue of the wise brings healing"wise brings healing" Proverbs 12:18Proverbs 12:18

Guard Your WordsGuard Your Words

•““Watch Watch the way you the way you talktalk. Let nothing foul or . Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what mouth. Say only what helps, helps, each word a gifteach word a gift.”.” Ephesians 4:29Ephesians 4:29

•““Let your conversation Let your conversation be always be always full of gracefull of grace, , seasoned with saltseasoned with salt, so , so that you may know how that you may know how to answer everyoneto answer everyone.” .”

Colossians 4:6Colossians 4:6

Guard Your Words With Guard Your Words With IntegrityIntegrity

• ““Simply let your Yes be Simply let your Yes be Yes, and your No, No.”Yes, and your No, No.”

Matthew 5:37Matthew 5:37

• ““The integrity of the The integrity of the upright will guide them.”upright will guide them.” Proverbs 11:3Proverbs 11:3

• ““A A good namegood name is more is more desirable than desirable than great great richesriches; to be esteemed is ; to be esteemed is better than better than silver or goldsilver or gold.”.” Proverbs 22:1Proverbs 22:1

Guard Your Words With an Guard Your Words With an Enthusiastic HeartEnthusiastic Heart

• When we are When we are genuinely genuinely enthusedenthused about our lives and our about our lives and our faith, we will faith, we will guard our heartsguard our hearts and improve our lives.and improve our lives.

• ““Whatever you do, do it Whatever you do, do it heartily,heartily, ((with all your heart)with all your heart), as , as something done for the Lord and something done for the Lord and not for man.”not for man.” Colossians Colossians 3:233:23

• ““Never be lacking in zeal, butNever be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lordserving the Lord.”.” Romans 12:11Romans 12:11

Guard Your Words By Guard Your Words By Encouraging OthersEncouraging Others

• ““Do not let any unwholesome talk Do not let any unwholesome talk come from your mouths, but come from your mouths, but only only what is helpful for building others what is helpful for building others upup according to their needs, that it according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”may benefit those who listen”

Ephesians 4:29Ephesians 4:29

• Our greatest encouragement Our greatest encouragement comes from the comes from the assurance of assurance of God’s power and promisesGod’s power and promises

• We also find encouragement when We also find encouragement when we are we are reminded of our own God reminded of our own God given abilities and strengthsgiven abilities and strengths. .

Guard Your WordsGuard Your Words

• With IntegrityWith Integrity

• With an Enthusiastic With an Enthusiastic HeartHeart

• By Encouraging OthersBy Encouraging Others

Guard Your Guard Your EyesEyes

• What you What you seesee

•””Submit yourselves, Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to from you. Draw near to God and he will draw God and he will draw near to you.” near to you.”

James 4:7-8James 4:7-8

• ””Put on the full armor Put on the full armor of God so that you can of God so that you can take your stand against take your stand against the devil's schemes.”the devil's schemes.”

Ephesians 6:11-12Ephesians 6:11-12

Guard Your Eyes by Guard Your Eyes by Looking Looking Straight AheadStraight Ahead

• “ “ Let your eyes look Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. gaze directly before you. Proverbs 4:25Proverbs 4:25

• ““Since we are surrounded Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of by such a great cloud of witnesses, witnesses, let us throw off let us throw off everything that hinders everything that hinders and the sin that so easily and the sin that so easily entanglesentangles, and let us run , and let us run with perseverance the with perseverance the race marked out for us. race marked out for us.

Hebrews Hebrews 12:1-212:1-2

Guard Your Eyes Against Guard Your Eyes Against A A World of TemptationsWorld of Temptations

• "No temptation has "No temptation has seized you except what seized you except what is common to man. And is common to man. And God is faithful; he will God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted not let you be tempted beyond what you can beyond what you can bearbear. But when you are . But when you are tempted, he will also tempted, he will also provide a way out so that provide a way out so that you can stand up under you can stand up under it.” it.”

1 Corinthians 10:131 Corinthians 10:13

Guard Your Eyes Against Guard Your Eyes Against the the Media MadnessMedia Madness

• The Media is working around The Media is working around the clock to the clock to rearrange our rearrange our family’s values and priorities.family’s values and priorities.

• Each day we find countless Each day we find countless opportunities to decide opportunities to decide whether we will whether we will obey Godobey God and demonstrate our love for and demonstrate our love for Him or try to Him or try to please please ourselvesourselves or or the world the world systemsystem. .

• Make God the cornerstone of Make God the cornerstone of your home, and watch your home, and watch programming that programming that reinforces reinforces the principles set forth in the principles set forth in God’s WordGod’s Word..

Guard Your EyesGuard Your Eyes

• By Looking Straight Ahead By Looking Straight Ahead

• Against TemptationsAgainst Temptations

• Against the Media Against the Media

Guard Your Guard Your StepsSteps

• What you What you dodo

•““Make level paths for Make level paths for your feetyour feet and and take only take only ways that are firmways that are firm. Do . Do not swerve to the right not swerve to the right or the left; keep your or the left; keep your foot from evil.” foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:26Proverbs 4:26

•““Even a child is Even a child is known by his actionsknown by his actions, , by whether his by whether his conduct conduct is pure and rightis pure and right." ."

Proverbs 20:11 Proverbs 20:11

Guard Your Steps Guard Your Steps Worshiping Worshiping GodGod

• God is spirit, and God is spirit, and his his worshipers must worship in worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."spirit and in truth."

John 4:24John 4:24

• Blessed are those who Blessed are those who hear hear the joyful call to worshipthe joyful call to worship, , for they will walk in the for they will walk in the light of your presence, O light of your presence, O LORD. LORD. Psalm Psalm 89:1589:15

Guard Your Steps Guard Your Steps Serving Serving Your FamilyYour Family

• ““Choose for yourselves this day whom you Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, . . . will serve, . . . as for me and my as for me and my household, we will serve the LORDhousehold, we will serve the LORD." ."

Joshua 24:15Joshua 24:15

Guard Your Steps by Guard Your Steps by Working Working DiligentlyDiligently

• Be diligentBe diligent to present to present yourself approved to yourself approved to God, God, a worker who does a worker who does not need to be ashamednot need to be ashamed, , rightly dividing the word rightly dividing the word of truth. of truth. 2 2 Timothy 2:15Timothy 2:15

• ““Whatever you doWhatever you do, work , work at it with all your heart, at it with all your heart, as working for the Lordas working for the Lord, , not for men” not for men” Colossians 3:23Colossians 3:23

Guard Your Steps by Guard Your Steps by Living Living PurposefullyPurposefully

• ““To everything there is a To everything there is a season, season, a time for every a time for every purposepurpose under heaven.” under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1Ecclesiastes 3:1

• You have made known to You have made known to me the path of life;me the path of life; you will you will fill me with joy in your fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal presence, with eternal pleasures at your right pleasures at your right hand.hand. Psalm 16:11Psalm 16:11

• ““Whatever you do, Whatever you do, do all to do all to the glory of Godthe glory of God.”.”

1 Corinthians 1 Corinthians 10:3110:31

Guard Your Steps by Guard Your Steps by Giving Giving GenerouslyGenerously

• ““A A generous man will prospergenerous man will prosper; ; he he who refreshes others will himself be who refreshes others will himself be refreshedrefreshed.” .” Proverbs 11:25Proverbs 11:25

• ””Give, and it will be given to youGive, and it will be given to you. A . A good measure, pressed down, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." measured to you." Luke 6:38Luke 6:38

• "He who sows sparingly will also "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and reap sparingly, and he who sows he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifullybountifully will also reap bountifully. . So let each one give as he purposes So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." giver."

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Guard Your StepsGuard Your Steps

• By Worshipping God By Worshipping God

• By Serving Your FamilyBy Serving Your Family

• By Working Diligently By Working Diligently

• By Living Purposefully By Living Purposefully

• By Giving GenerouslyBy Giving Generously

Above All Else Above All Else Guard Guard Your HeartYour Heart

•““Above all else, Above all else, guard guard your heartyour heart, for it is the , for it is the wellspring of life wellspring of life (it (it effects everything you effects everything you do).”do).” Proverbs 4:23Proverbs 4:23

• The The “Heart”“Heart” is your is your seat of seat of emotionemotion. It often . It often includes your includes your intellect intellect as as well as your well as your affectionsaffections and and willwill. .

Guard Your Heart by Guard Your Heart by Putting Putting God FirstGod First

• ““Seek first the Seek first the kingdom of God kingdom of God and His and His righteousnessrighteousness, and , and all these things will all these things will be given to you as be given to you as well.”well.”

Matthew 6:33Matthew 6:33

Guard Your Heart With Guard Your Heart With Mountain-Moving FaithMountain-Moving Faith

• ””Jesus replied, “I tell you Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, the truth, if you have if you have faith as small as a faith as small as a mustardmustard seed, you can seed, you can say to this mountain, say to this mountain, 'Move'Move from here to there' from here to there' and it will moveand it will move. Nothing . Nothing will be impossible for will be impossible for you."you."

Matthew 17:20Matthew 17:20

Guard Your Heart With Guard Your Heart With PrayerPrayer

• ““Be joyful always, Be joyful always, pray pray continuallycontinually, give thanks in , give thanks in all circumstances ; for all circumstances ; for this is this is God’s willGod’s will for you in Christ for you in Christ Jesus.”Jesus.” 1Thessalonians 5:15-181Thessalonians 5:15-18

• ““Whatever you ask forWhatever you ask for in in prayer, prayer, believe that you have believe that you have received itreceived it, and , and it will be it will be yoursyours.”.” Mark 11:24Mark 11:24

• God works when we pray!God works when we pray!

Guard Your Heart With a Guard Your Heart With a Positive AttitudePositive Attitude

• ““You were taught, with regard to You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, your former way of life, to put off to put off your old selfyour old self, which is being , which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of to be made new in the attitude of your mindsyour minds; and to ; and to put on the put on the new selfnew self, created to be , created to be like Godlike God in true righteousness and in true righteousness and holiness.” holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24Ephesians 4:22-24

• ““Finally, brothers, whatever is Finally, brothers, whatever is truetrue, whatever is , whatever is noblenoble, whatever , whatever is is rightright, whatever is , whatever is purepure, , whatever is whatever is lovelylovely, whatever is , whatever is admirableadmirable-if anything is -if anything is excellentexcellent or or praiseworthypraiseworthy - - think about think about such thingssuch things.” .” Philippians 4:8Philippians 4:8

Guard Your HeartGuard Your Heart

• By Putting God First By Putting God First

• With Faith With Faith

• With Prayer With Prayer

• With a Positive AttitudeWith a Positive Attitude

Above all else …Above all else …

Guard Your Heart

•What we say

•What we see

•What we do

Above All ElseAbove All Else: Guard : Guard your your Relationship with Relationship with ChristChrist

• What Must I What Must I Do?Do?

•WHAT WHAT •MUSTMUST• II•DODO

•to be saved?to be saved?

Above All Else: Guard Above All Else: Guard your Relationship with your Relationship with ChristChrist

• ““The jailer called for The jailer called for lights, rushed in and lights, rushed in and fell trembling before fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and brought them out and asked, "Sirs, asked, "Sirs, what what must I do to be must I do to be saved?“saved?“

Acts 16:29-30Acts 16:29-30

Above All Else: Guard Above All Else: Guard your Relationship with your Relationship with ChristChrist

• Acts 16:31Acts 16:31 They replied, "They replied, "Believe Believe in the Lord Jesus,in the Lord Jesus, and you will be and you will be saved-you and your household." saved-you and your household."

• 3232 Then Then they spoke the word of they spoke the word of the Lord to himthe Lord to him and to all the and to all the others in his house. others in his house.

Above All Else: Guard Above All Else: Guard your Relationship with your Relationship with ChristChrist• Acts 16:33Acts 16:33 At that hour of the At that hour of the

night the jailer took them and night the jailer took them and washed their wounds;washed their wounds; then then immediately he and all his family immediately he and all his family were baptized. were baptized.

• 3434 The jailer brought them into his The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them;house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in Godhad come to believe in God-he and -he and his whole family.his whole family.

Above All Else . . .Above All Else . . .

• What must I Do ?What must I Do ?