The Issues of Life

By Graham Bauer

Proverbs 4 : 20-27 Sermon Series

[1] My Words V20-22
[2] The Issues of Life V23
[3] The Froward Mouth V24
[4] The Eyes V25
[5] The Feet V26-27

Scripture

Proverbs 4:23

Introduction

Why would God tell us to "Work at keeping our heart"?
Out of our heart comes the issues of life.
Key word is "Issues" = Hebrew TO-TSAW-AW = "Breaking forth or going out"
It is how our life will break forth.
Some people break forth with much fruit and abundance.
Some people break forth with weeds and thorns and lack.
It all comes down to self-image. Some sow good healthy ones and some sow poor, low self esteem.
Let's look at a few steps toward a better self image!

Step [1] What you see is what you get!

How do we see ourselves? - victorious, overcomers, full of faith and power or full of paste and flour, a victim, not as good as everyone else.
What is our self image?
We become that which we behold - good or bad, positive or negative.
We must set ourselves goals i.e. put positive images before our eyes.

Proverbs 23:17 says "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he"
We must change our poor self images for good ones.

1 Samuel 17:32-36 David's self image - a winner of battles!
V36 "this philistine shall be..." His self image of victory.
Don't be like Israel seeing themselves defeated - be like David.

Step [2] What you say is what you get!

"How are you today?" Someone asks.
"Sniff, I'm not very well I'm half dead!"
That sniffle becomes a major dose of the "dreaded flu". It gets worse, develops into full blown flu, you are bed ridden for weeks!
Why? because that sniffle was only a sniffle but you gave it power through a negative confession in your words.
We are what we say. I am what I say I am!

Romans 4:17
God said "Let there be..." and there was.
Our words have power to create or destroy.
Guard your words or you will reap what you say!

Train story (The little engine that could)
The little engine said "I think I can,I think I can,I know I can, of course I can!"
The little engine said he thought he could haul all the toys for Christmas to the next town and he did!
Watch our "self talk"!

Step [3] What you feel is what you get!

Job 3:24-26
Most people fear losing and that is what they get. Just like Job!
Our feelings are in line with what we think whether we realise it or not!
We must think the right thing - sound mind 2 Timothy 1:7

Step [4] What goals you set you truly expect to get!

We need some God given goals eg.pastor a church, be a deacon, a sunday school teacher, evangelist or whatever.
Goals are previews of future events - like winning gold at the olypics.

Proverbs 29:18 "Vision" = Hebrew KHAW-ZAW = "to gaze at, to mentally perceive"
The only goal some Christians have is to get to heaven and that's all they will ever do!
We need goals here - for God - Parable of Talents MAtthew 25:14-30
Ministries to fullfill - what's your goal in God?

We must set dates to our goals - not one day as one day never comes!
Set goals of who, what, when, where and why.

Our subconscious works in the eternal NOW so put into yourself what you want not what you don't want. Joel 3:10

Step [5] What you believe is what you will receive!

Mark 11:24 When we pray we see what we want, we believe that we have it and then we receive it.
Faith is released when we believe.

Step [6] What people influence me? and how?

Pastor, mother, father, Jesus, millionaires, rock stars, boyfriend, girlfriend, famous authors, a mentor...
or me...my motives, my habits, my desires, my preconcieved ideas?

Emulation of someone affects my attitude and actions.
The events in my life + my response to them = the outcome in my life.
The only way to change the outcome is to change the response we give to the events.
Changing our response is taking a risk.

Step [7] What you want, wants you more, than you want it!

Success is servanthood - ministering to the needs of others.
Failure is selfishness - holding back.

Proverbs 11:24-25 Give and you will receive.
Seek first the kigdom of God and all these things will be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Close

"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life"

You only take out what you put in.
You only reap what you have sown.

Prayer line : Pray that God will show what is in your heart and what should be in your heart.

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