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welcome to everyone it's good to be back in the house of our God I just have a couple of announcements first there is no Bible study this Wednesday night June 27th the Lord willing we will pick up the following Wednesday and then there are some salads still remaining in the kitchen or in the refrigerator and some empty dishes please pick those up if you brought that and you did not take your dishes home and with that we'll go ahead and start our evening worship with a call to worship from psalm 119 psalm 119 the second section verses 9 to 16 psalm 119 beginning in verse 9 how can a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to your word with my whole heart I have sought you O let me not wander from your Commandments your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you blessed are you O Lord teach me your statutes with my lips I have declared all the judgments of your mouth I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies as much as in all riches I will meditate on your precepts and contemplate your ways I will delight myself in your statutes I will not forget your word amen well please turn with me in your Trinity hymnal to number 132 hymn number 132 will stand as we sing together [Music] like texted cam this afternoon he said things went well in Vernon there were about 40 to 45 people there in attendance and he preached from first Corinthians chapter 15 he said it did go well they had a morning service and then I think they were gonna have a lunch together and then an afternoon service at 2:30 so we can continue to pray for that work that the Lord's hand a blessing would be upon it and that God would indeed do a great work in that part of the world well let us pray our Father we come before you we acknowledge your goodness to us we acknowledge what scripture says concerning you that you are glorious and wondrous and majestic and awesome the God who loves his creatures a God who loves his his people and we rejoice in that love we rejoice in your protection we rejoice in your kind government over us and we acknowledge your your mercy in our lives we acknowledge it as we see your forgiveness of our sins we see your hand of of mercy evidently in our lives as you preserve us as you watch over us as you keep and protect us and we rejoice in these good gifts Lord God Almighty we ask that tonight as we gather together our worship would be pleasing in your sight and to that end we pray for the ministry and the aid of the Holy Spirit our Lord Jesus taught us that God is spirit and those who worship must worship in spirit and in truth and we acknowledge our need we acknowledge that apart from Christ we can do nothing so we need your help we need your grace we need your aid and assistance so that we may draw nigh unto you through the son and the power of the Holy Spirit that God may be enthroned upon the praises of his people in this place we ask that you would wash us from all sin and transgression she would cleanse us from all iniquity we confess that remaining corruption we live in that that tension that Galatians 5:17 sets forth the flesh lusts against the spirit the spirit against the flesh and these two are contrary to one another so that you don't do the things you want and we thank you for the spirits in our lives we thank you that we are kept by the power of God and we have the great promise that that keeping will last until that day of glorification and that day when we enter into the presence of Almighty God how this should cheer and encourage our hearts and how this should motivate us to pursue holiness and righteousness along the way now and to that end Father we pray that you would cause us to reflect upon these good things caused us to reflect upon our justification through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit in our lives presently and may we look forward to that future state when we will be with you for all eternity and that place where there is no more sorrow no more tears and no more pain where there is neither hunger nor thirst and where ultimately death has been been been removed how we praise you that we have that to look forward to and how we pray now that you would just help us God to persevere in this world we ask that you would look with favor upon that work in Vernon this is an encouraging and a good report to which we give glory to you we ask father that you would just watch over that flock that you would protect them that you would grant them grace that you would provide for them on a on a regular basis good men to preach the word there and we pray ultimately you would provide for them and under Shepherd a man that would be able to take heed to himself and to all the flock they're seeking to glorify you and the preaching of the word seeking to glorify you and looking out for the Saints in that community and we pray that you'd raise up a good sound work in that place and that it would be a means whereby sinners could come to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord a place where sinners could be saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus the Lord we thank you for pastor cams ministry there today we thank you that he knew help in the pulpit we pray for our brother that you'd continue to watch over him and his travels that you would grant him great mercy and strength that you would continue to use him for your glory and for your honor and praise we ask that you would look with favor upon the temporal needs in our congregation we know there are many struggling with physical trials and challenges and we would commit them to you into the word of your grace it cheered our hearts to see our brothers Shane this morning we pray that you would grant him full health and strength that you would grant him the grace to be able to return to normal life and that she would just sustain this young man we also pray for dawn we ask that he would recover from this infection that he has had we pray that you would restore him to good health and just encourage his heart and strengthen him with might and the inner man and Lord God we pray for all those who have ongoing needs we ask that you would just be their portion in their lot we think this week of Steve collie and pray that this memorial service would be under edification no doubt it will be a difficult time for our brother and nevertheless as he reflects upon your goodness to his wife we pray Lord God that his heart would be cheered his heart would be warmed and encouraged and that he has that that Blessed hope that he shall see her again we also pray father for your grace and mercy to be upon other churches in our area we thank you for the local churches in the city of Chilliwack that hold fast to the truth of God's Word we pray that your richest blessings would be upon them we pray that you would prosper them we pray that you would add to their numbers such as should be saved and that father the people of God in this community would be a praying people a people of your word that we like that psalmist in psalm 119 would hide your word in our hearts that we might not sin against you as well give us grace to be faithful witnesses in this community for certainly there are many unsaved we pray that you'd give us boldness and courage and the grace to - indeed present the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to those in need we ask our Father that you would bless churches throughout the earth we thank you for the work of the gospel going forth all over the the globe and we pray that you would be glorified in the salvation of sinners that you would be glorified in the in the strengthening of churches and we pray that Christ would be preached from these places that many would come to know him as Lord and Savior we asked our Father that should be with the Hamiltons we praise you for their work in China and mine Mar we ask that you would bless them and protect them we know that my and Mar is a very difficult place to be presently we do pray for those orphans that you would watch over them we pray for believers in that land that you would watch over them that you would grant them grace to not shrink back from declaring truth or holding fast to the gospel of our Lord Jesus in the midst of great persecution we also pray our God that you would be gracious to the church in Australia we thank you for our brethren there in Perth we thank you for the ministry of the word that goes forth from that place and we do pray that it would be blessed of God that you would be pleased to own that word and use that word for your glory and for the good of souls throughout that that city we also thank you for the various church plants going on in Armco we pray that you would prosper these works and we pray father that you would cause your word to go forth in the various cities that these men find themselves in and do bless the Saints in South Surrey tonight as they gather together it is a joy and a privilege and a blessing to have a sister church in a nearby city it's a joy and a blessing and a privilege to to think of the prospects of having another sister Church in Vernon God we know that you are sovereign and we know that the mind of man plans his way but you ultimately direct our steps and in this we greatly rejoice help us not to deviate to the right or to the left but help us to go forward in the fear of God and with the desire to get the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ out to the people who need it continue with us now we pray and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me in your Trinity hymnals again to number 453 hymn number 453 we'll stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] we can turn to the prophet Micah for our scripture reading this evening Micah chapter 1 Micah was a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah Micah prophesied from probably around 737 BC to 690 BC and both Micah and Isaiah and a couple of of the other prophets lived in very difficult times you need to remember that this particular timeframe included the fall of the northern kingdom to the Assyrians and then they were living in light of the fall of the southern kingdom to the Babylonians and so both Isaiah and Micah are preaching to the southern kingdom and pointing to the north as an example that they ought not to follow in other words if God's wrath has come against the northern kingdoms via Assyria Judah should take note Judas should take a warning and Judas should not continue down that same path history tells us unfortunately that Judah did not comply and they as well were shot down in 586 BC but Micah the prophet prophesies not only concerning God's judgment but he speaks concerning God's mercy God's grace God's kindness in fact if you compare micah chapter 4 to Isaiah chapter 2 you'll see the great deal of similarity and they prophesied concerning life in the latter days specifically in the messianic times when Jesus would come and Jesus would indeed establish his church as people and his kingdom so I'll begin reading in micah chapter 1 at verse 1 the word of the lord that came to micah of morris sheth in the days of jotham ahaz and hezekiah kings of judah which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem hear all you peoples listen o earth and all that is in it let the Lord God be a witness against you the Lord from his holy temple for behold the Lord is coming out of his place he will come down and tread on the high places of the the earth the mountains will melt under him and the valleys will split like wax before the fire like waters pour down a steep place all this for the transgression of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel what is the transgression of Jacob is it not Samaria and what are the high places of Judah are they not Jerusalem therefore I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the field places for planting a vineyard I will pour down her stones into the valley and I will uncover her foundations all her carved images shall be beaten to pieces and all her pay as a harlot shall be burned with the fire all her idols I will lay desolate for she gathered it from the pay of a harlot and she shall return to the pay or and they shall return to the pay of a harlot therefore I will wait wail and howl I will go stripped and naked I will make a wailing like the Jackals in a morning like the ostriches for her wounds are incurable for it has come to Judah it has come to the gate of my people to Jerusalem tell it not in Gath weep not at all in Beth Afra roll yourself in the dust pass by a naked shame you inhabitant of Shaffir the inhabitant of Zion does not go out Beth easel mourns its place to stand is taken away from you for the inhabitant of Mareth fine for good disaster came down from the Lord to the gate of Jerusalem o inhabitant of lakish harness the chariot to the Swift steeds she was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion for the transgressions of Israel were found in you therefore you shall give presents to more earth gasps the houses of active shall be allied to the kings of Israel I will yet bring an air to you o inhabitant of Mary Shaw the glory of Israel shall come to a deulim make yourself bald and cut off your hair because of your precious children enlarge your baldness like an eagle for they shall go from you into captivity Amen well notice that my cannot only prophesies or speaks concerning judgment in this specifically with reference to Jerusalem and he nevertheless is mourning over it this is him in verse eight therefore I will wail and howl I will go stripped and naked I will make a wailing like the Jackals and a mourning like the ostriches for her wounds are incurable for it has come to Judah it has come to the gate of my people to Jerusalem he's not a disinterested party he rather is an inhabitant of this particular nation he shares not only in its blessings but he also shares in its judgments so he comes not as somebody that has no passion no concern no interests no love for his people but rather the sorts of things that he see provokes him not only to pronounce the prophetic word of judgment but provokes him to weep and to wail and to consider the great situation of the tragedy that is facing his people well let us pray our Father we thank you for the prophet Micah we thank you for all of the prophetic books in the Old Testament we know that these were men sent by God these were men also that were real and they wept and they hurt and they were rejected and opposed and despised we pray father that she would be gracious and merciful to the church and our generation we would learn the lessons from these prophetic books that we would see not only what the prophets have to say but the letters to the churches in Asia Minor in Revelation 2 and 3 we see that we as individuals are accountable to God Most High certainly there is a corporate accountability as well Christ threatens to remove the lampstand from those churches that have seized to do those things that he has called them unto grant us grace to continue steadfastly and in the apostolic doctrine and fellowship and the breaking of bread and in prayers help us to be faithful with reference to these things and grant us the power of the Holy Spirit so that we may indeed bring glory and honor and praise to you and good for our fellow man and we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well you can turn for our final him before the preaching to number 582 580 two will stand as we sing together [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to proverbs chapter 4 proverbs chapter 4 I'll begin reading in verse 20 to the end of the chapter proverbs 4 20 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 their life to those who find them in 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 your eyes look straight ahead and your 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 amen well let us pray father we thank you for your written word we thank you for the Proverbs of Solomon and for the wisdom that he conveys to us and we pray that by the spirit would we would receive these things and by the Spirit we would put these things into practice again forgive us for our sins and our transgressions forgive us for not seeking wisdom for not taking seriously James admonishment but if any of us lack wisdom let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach give us grace Lord God to be a wise people those who have the Word of God in their hearts those who walk with God those who seek to be faithful to their God and we pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well our focus tonight is going to be on verses 23 to 27 John Flavel that great Puritan said the greatest difficulty in conversion is to win the heart to God and the greatest difficulty after conversion is to keep the heart with God and that's the emphasis of verse 23 keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life so we'll look first of all at the importance of keeping the heart in verse 23 and then secondly the importance of watchfulness over the various outlets by which we sent in other words we're not only supposed to keep watch over the source but we're also to keep watch over those various outlets described here as mouth eyes and feet there is a close connection involved in verses 23 to 27 but notice first of all with reference to the importance of keeping the heart there is a command it's not a suggestion it's not a recommendation it's not for a few of those in the context of the church rather it is for all of us keep your heart and I want us to notice that the emphasis is on our heart your heart my heart our job is not to keep the hearts of others we are certainly called to be an encouragement we are certainly in called to help called to help others we're certainly called to exhort one another daily while it is called today lest we be to see a hardened through the deceitfulness of sin but the primary responsibility for God's people is not to police the hearts of others we're not supposed to be like the Pharisees who simply wandered around from place to place and looked at other men and looked at their conduct men like that Pharisee in Luke 18 who thanked God that he was not like other men I would imagine he was fun at parties he was the kind of guy that would look at other people's hearts he was the kind of guy that would police others we are called to look after our own hearts I think this is what Jesus emphasizes in that section in Matthew chapter 7 where he prohibits us from being judgmental a passage no doubt misunderstood that a passage nevertheless very relevant to this particular topic in Matthew 7:1 he says judge not that you be not judged again we've studied this in detail on many occasions and we see that it's not a universal prohibition against ever exercising judgment in fact notice in the context at verse 6 do not give what is holy to the dogs nor cast your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet I suggest verse 6 demands judgment were supposed to be able to identify who a swine is or who a dog so that we don't cast our holy pearls before that the prohibition is not Universal later on in Matthew chapter 18 Jesus is going to tell the church to exercise church discipline well we certainly cannot do that without a degree of judgment we have to make those calls as to what is sin and what isn't sin we also know that it's not a universal condemnation in terms of judgment with reference to the civil government romans 13 tells us that the magistrate is armed with the sword as an Avenger of God's wrath what Jesus has in view in Matthew 7 verse 1 is a attitude or rather an attitude of judgmentalism it is a ferrous say is up it is that wandering around walking about and looking at and exposing everybody else's issues and everybody else's struggles and exacerbating them and spotlighting them and highlighting them Jesus continues in verse 2 for with what judgment you judge you will be judged and with what and with the measure you use it will be measured back to you and why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but do not consider the plank in your own eye other words keep your heart with all diligence don't look at your brother's heart again unless you're trying to help him unless you're trying to encourage him unless you're bearing his burdens alongside of him what Jesus condemns here is not that Jesus condemns that condemn natori attitude that petty attitude that Pharisaic attitude Jesus is clear why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but do not consider the plank in your own eye or how can you say to your brother let me remove the speck from your eye and look the plank is in your own eye hypocrite first remove the plank from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye so in other words we are to keep our own heart with all diligence the meaning of the heart in this particular passage it's the source it's what a man is it is all that is true of him and we ought to acknowledge that if the source is defiled then everything else will be defile if the source is rotting then the mouth and then the eyes and then the feet will be rotten as well matthew pool defines it this way he says thy heart thy mind and thoughts and especially the will and affections which are the more immediate and effectual cause of all men's actions Flavel in a sermon on this particular passage describes the meaning of heart here as for the whole soul or inner man do we see the emphasis is upon our own heart we see what the meaning of heart is in this particular passage and we ought to recognize as well in terms of the command the importance of the heart if you don't keep your own heart it will affect everything if you don't watch over your own heart it will affect mouth eyes and feet now these are representative organs it'll certainly affect your hands it'll affect your you know emotions it'll affect everything that you are if you don't guard the source if you don't keep the water pure at the source when it gets piped out into the various places it will be poisoned and we simply cannot have that bridges says if the heart be seized the whole man the affections desires motives pursuits all will be yielded up the heart is the vital part of the body a wound here is instant death so it's a most important command keep your heart with all diligence so notice that he not only gives us the command but he prescribes for us the manner in which we are to do it we're to keep our hearts but it's supposed to be with all diligence I think there's an echo here of Deuteronomy 4 9 only take heed to yourself and diligently keep yourself lest you forget the things your eyes have seen and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life and teach them to your children and your grandchildren you see there's this corporate familial emphasis in the book of Deuteronomy remember in Deuteronomy chapter 6 here o Israel the Lord our God the Lord is one you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength and then he goes on and tells us that the Word of God there in Deuteronomy 6 has application for the individual has application for the family and has application for society as a whole and one of the aspects in terms of family is it were to diligently instruct our children with reference to keeping their own heart with all diligence and we need to understand diligence is necessary because of the importance of the subject words this isn't a task or a job or a duty within Christianity that's far down on the priority scale this is one of the top-tier things keep your heart with all diligence Solomon isn't playing games Solomon isn't suggesting he isn't recommending but he is demanding that his sons his hearers those who enroll in the school of Solomon keep their heart with all diligence because of how important it is as well diligence is necessary because of the sinful tendency of the art turn to proverbs chapter 20 proverbs chapter 20 notice in proverbs 20 at verse 9 who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin who can say that you know the answer right the answer is no one the answer is none of us the answer is there is not a one under God's heaven that can actually say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin so diligence is absolutely crucial in this matter of keeping the heart because of the natural or native tendency of the heart this is very similar to what we read in the Prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 17:9 the heart is deceitful above all things now this isn't the kind of stuff that we hear on the evening news when they try and explain how mad the world has become this isn't the kind of stuff that you'll hear when persons talk about how messed up life is in the 21st century when we see gangs and we see drug abuse and we see all the sorts of things that are paraded around us on a daily basis the answer is simple it's not an thing to consider but in terms of why do people do what they do because they're in Adam because they're sinners because total depravity is true because the doctrine taught here by the Prophet Jeremiah is absolutely positively 100% accurate the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it I the LORD search the heart I test the mind even to give every man according to his ways according to the fruit of his doings so diligence is necessary because of the importance of the heart diligence is necessary because of the sinful tendency of the heart and diligence is necessary because of the effect on the rest of man you have to appreciate the connection between verses 23 and 24 to 27 if the heart is polluted if the heart is not kept it will affect the mouth that will affect the eyes and it will affect the feet bridges again says guard the fountain lest the waters be poisoned now note this the reason for this particular command we see the command stated we see the manner specified and now we see the reason for the command at the end of verse 23 keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life that's the argument that's the reason that's the rationale you would ever ask the question why am I supposed to keep my own art with all diligence because it's everything if you are not keeping your heart you're going to be in big trouble how do we resist sin and temptation how do we deal day to day how do we seek to live to glorify God Most High without following this particular command how in the world do we get out of bed in the morning without thinking about keeping our heart with all diligence have you ever pondered the fruits of the Holy Spirit in Galatians chapter 5 you know what one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is self-control think about that for just a moment a gift of the Holy Spirit is self-control sometimes people get on this higher plane of Christian living they go into this higher life mentality they let go and they let God God never tells you to let go and let God God tells you to control yourself by the Holy Spirit the spirit of dwells in you to be sure and the spirit who gifted this to you in order to be able to execute it we have to exercise self-control that's what Solomon is emphasizing here keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life the reality is is that nothing occurs in the external realm for a man that doesn't originate or find its source in the heart in fact look at proverbs 27 proverbs chapter 27 specifically at verse 19 as in water face reflects face so a man's heart reveals the man and we can't see what's in the heart we can't see the source we can't see that that sort of Fountainhead but we see or judge or know it based on those external actions go back to proverbs 7:4 just an illustration of this proverbs chapter 7 4 out of it spring the issues of life one of the issues of life that Solomon treats at length is sexual fidelity and he does so in proverbs chapter 7 notice specifically he is speaking of a young man devoid of understanding at seven six he says fry at the window of my house I looked through my lattice and saw among the simple I perceived among the youths a young man devoid of understanding you're already alerted to the fact that this probably isn't gonna end well he's already told you the sort of ethical trajectory that this young man is on he's already told you that he is a devoid of understanding he's simple not that he can't add two plus two but ethically he is not seeking to honor God most time now notice when this woman entices him when this woman according to verse 21 does so with her speech it's always intrigued me in verse 21 with her enticing speech she caused him to yield it wasn't necessarily her physical appearance it wasn't necessarily the fact that she had the attire of a harlot as Solomon says previously in chapter 7 but it's her speech it's her flattering it's whatever it is she's saying in order to get this young man to come into her bed with her flattering lips she seduced him now note verse 22 immediately he went after her as an ox goes to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks till an arrow struck his liver as a bird hastens to the snare he did not know it would cost his life you see brethren he was not mindful of the fact to keep his own heart with all diligence for out of it including sexual fidelity spring the issues of life note the lesson Solomon draws in verse 24 now therefore listen to me my children pay attention to the words of my mouth do not let get this your heart turn aside to her ways do not stray into her paths for she has cast down many wounded and all who were slain by her were strong men prior to him actually occupying her bed his heart had already gone astray prior to him actually engaging in this act of immorality his heart had already departed because he didn't keep it with all diligence he didn't recognize that out of it spring the issues of life notice in proverbs 14 by way of a positive illustration or a positive example soundness of one's heart promotes life to the body proverbs 14 30 to the body but Envy is rottenness to the bone do you see that sort of instance of it is the origin of the source if the heart is good the body is good if the heart is clean the body is clean if the heart is healthy then the body is healthy certainly the analogy with reference to the physical realm also I mean you may be healthy externally but if your heart is bad it's going to have an effect on the external man and then as well notice in proverbs 23 another positive illustration four out of it spring the issues of life proverbs 23 beginning in verse 15 my son if your heart is wise my heart will rejoice indeed I myself that's a great motivation for kids to do what they're supposed to do because it makes their parents happy that is a perfectly legit motivation you know sometimes you say well your primary motivate your only motivation is the glory of God no that's a primary motivation we ought not to remove the secondary motivation we ought not to see that or ought not to say that it isn't a good thing for a child to do what his parents want him to do because it makes them happy you you ever think about that is our purpose on life to make each other miserable I really hope not you know if you say to your kid do this and will make me happy I hope the kid doesn't say I'm gonna absolutely positively not do it because I don't want you to be happy that's terrible that's bad that deep ratchet that's not a good way to live it is a perfectly legitimate motivator to make your father or mother happy you see that repetitively throughout the book of Proverbs but here specifically my son if your heart is wise my heart will rejoice indeed I myself yes my inmost being will rejoice when your lips beat right things do not let your heart envy sinners but the zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day for surely there is a Hereafter in your hope will not be cut off here my son and be wise and guard your heart in the way again a positive illustration then out of it spring the issues of life do not mix with wine bitters or with bluntness eaters of meat for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty and drowsiness will clothe the man with rags in other words recognize that the company you keep the sorts of things you ingest whether too much food or too much brain has an effect upon you so you need to keep your heart you need to do so with all diligence understanding that from it flows or rather all the issues of life calm and we need to appreciate the importance of the heart the source or origin must be tapped diligently and now notice secondly the outlets that follow the mouth the eyes and the feet going back to proverbs 4 verse 23 keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life notice put away from you a deceitful mouth and put perverse lips far from you now there's an intimate connection between the heart and the mouth the heart and the eyes the heart and the feet but the mouth leads the pack how do we know what's in the heart of a man we know base on what comes out of his mouth this is precisely what our Lord Jesus Christ taught us in Matthew 12:34 for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks in other words when a man praises God when a man glorifies God when a man recites catechism or when he recites scripture verses or when he sings songs he sings hymns reap raises we can reasonably rationally conclude that things are pretty good in his heart but if a man blasphemes if a man speaks perversity if a man engages in the sorts of things that buy other the Bible everywhere forbids we must conclude that the source is faulty the source is poison there's something wrong with the heart if that's the kind of stuff that's coming out of the mouth there is this close connection an intimate connection between the heart and mouth for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks notice with reference to Solomon's prohibition in verse 24 put away from you a deceitful mouth and put perverse lips far from you now one of the things I did many years ago and I'm not saying this because I'm a champ somebody must have said it or I must have picked it up somewhere along the line I don't typically have innovative thoughts that are that are this brilliant but I picked it up somewhere along the line I take a pencil and when I read through the Proverbs if it's a mouth tongue or or speech taxed I put an M next to it if it's a self-control text I put an SC next to it self-control if it's a diligence text I put a D next to it if it's a fear of the Lord taxed I put an F next to it now I'm not gonna examine your Bibles next week to see that you all took this beautiful advice but it's a helpful way so that when you scan through the Proverbs your eyes are light to the particulars that are grouped to mat group together thematically and mouth / tongue / speech proverbs are abundant in the book of Proverbs Walt key makes this observation he says let me find it he says get back here oh the Proverbs of Solomon are full of straight talk about talking straight the book of the Proverbs of Solomon are full of straight talk about talking straight and I think that is absolutely true with reference to the book of Proverbs I just want to look at it a few sample passages in terms of this deceitful mouth or perverse lips in other words the mouths potential for evil in the book of Proverbs notice in proverbs 11 proverbs 11 at verse 9 says the hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor the hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor when you were kids maybe they don't do it anymore when I was a kid they said sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me that's absolutely positively not true sticks and stones break bones that ultimately heal if you destroy somebody's reputation you destroy somebody's good name it's hard to get that back it's hard to unring that Bell it's hard to ever gain ground that has been destroyed by somebody else when it's come to reputation and if you note the Proverbs of Solomon he doesn't subscribe to that school that names will never hurt me no he sees the power in words he sees the power of the time he sees the power of the mouth similarly to what we find in the book of James remember James says if anyone thinks he is religious but he does not bridle his own tongue this man's religion is useless it is vain it is empty it is void remember what James says in James chapter 3 men contain any type of beasts we've talked about that before you can teach if you're so inclined a bit a bear to dance you can teach a lion to open its mouth and put your head in it you can teach a crocodile or an alligator I don't know which of the two species but but they open their their heads and their mouths and people actually put their heads in there change this point in James three is no man can tame the tongue it is an unruly evil so James toes the same line that Solomon does and as we studied the book of James we saw how much of proverbial wisdom lay behind James's epistle when we speak ill of others we have the power to destroy them notice the hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor look at chapter 12 in the book of Proverbs in verse 17 proverbs 1217 he who speaks truth declares righteousness but a false witness deceit there is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword that's just terrible there is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword that's not the way we're supposed to use our mouths it's not the way we're supposed to use our speech we're supposed to keep our hearts with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life and if we do that then God willing we'll be able to tame to the degree that the spirit aids us that unruly evil that's between our lips verse 19 the truthful it shall be established forever but a lying tongue is but for a moment deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil but counsellors of peace have joy no grave trouble will overtake the righteous but the wicked shall be filled with evil lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but those who deal truthfully are his delight you see we need to keep our hearts with all diligence so that we can guard the outlet called our mouths turn back to proverbs chapter 6 for just a moment I've always thought proverbs 6 is a most important section to memorize the most important section to understand specifically verses 16 to 19 we ought to know what God loves we ought to know what God delights in we ought to know what pleases God but we also ought to know what displeases him what he doesn't love what he abominates what he hates it's a good tactic for marriage as well we not only need to know what our spouses delight in but we also should want to know what they can't stand what they despise so that we don't parade that sort of thing in front of them why would we want to make them miserable that's simply not a good thing for a believer but notice in proverbs 616 these six things Yahweh eighths yay seven are an abomination to him a proud look a lying tongue hands that shed innocent blood a heart that devises wicked plans feet that are Swift and running to evil a false witness who speaks lies and one who sews discord among brethren now within this particular list of the things that Yahweh abominates we certainly would focus on the end of verse 17 hands that shed innocent blood it's a particularly wonderful text in terms of abortion God abominates abortion God abominates the murder of the unborn or the preborn God abominates clinics setup with sterilized instruments subsidized federally to murder preborn babies in the place where they ought to be the most safe but he also abominates these other things a proud look brethren we ought to oppose abortion but we really ought to oppose pride in our own lives as well but it is intriguing there are two sins here or two things Yahweh abominates that has to do with speech verse 17 be a lying tongue verse 19 a a false witness who speaks lies so there's two things that made this list of things that Yahweh abominates that have to do with our mouths that have to do with our speech turn over to proverbs 15 verses 1 & 2 again looking how to shore up that particular outlet which is the mouth fix the source guard the source keep the source and then put men on the perimeter so that the mouth does not engage in wickedness against God proverbs 15:1 and 2 a soft answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger isn't that just so true isn't that something you just resonate with yeah if I would have just answered a little bit more kindly we wouldn't be in this mess why is it that our default mechanism is just to fight back why can't we just defer why can't we at times fall on our swords why can't we at times be wrong why can't we at times just say please forgive me what is it about us what is about us in terms of our Adamic nature or our remaining corruption that we typically default to Part B of verse one a harsh word stirs up anger notice in verse two the tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly but the mouth of fools pours forth foolish Nass proverbs 17 proverbs 17 I'm sorry arms 18 it's the sampling of the text here proverbs 18:21 death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit again brethren we ought to oppose the sixth command sins committed against the sixth commandment visa vie murder of the unborn euthanasia of the elderly and the infirm we ought to oppose violations of the seventh word in terms of adultery or sexual immorality we ought to oppose when the federal government steals money visa vie the eighth commandment we ought to oppose the tenth word and covetousness and certainly the first table of law idolatry and blasphemy and Sabbath breaking we ought to oppose insubordination to two parent parental authority or government authority we ought to oppose with equal vehement this prohibition against a lion the ninth commandment we're not supposed to engage in abusive language with our tongues proverbs 25 proverbs 25 verse 18 a man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club a sword the sharp arrow doesn't sound like sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me it's just the opposite Solomon equates this false witness to clubs swords and sharp arrows this is serious business and we need to keep this particular outlet under control proverbs 26 28 a lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it and a flattering mouth works ruin those are some powerful passages with reference to the power of the tongue this is why Solomon tells us in proverbs chapter 4 keep our own arts with all diligence for let's bring the issues of life one of those issues of life has to do with your mouth with your tongue we ought to learn the lesson a proverbs 17 verses 27 and 28 proverbs 17 verses 27 and 28 he who has knowledge spares his words it's still contrary to today isn't it we think the guy who has knowledge is the one is speaking the most Solomon says no the guy who's speaking the most isn't necessarily the brightest bulb in the room it's the man who spares his words it's the man who says what is needful and necessary it's the man who has the ability to penetrate and get to the point and speak his mind he who has knowledge spares his words and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit now verse 28 ought to be committed to memory by each and every one of God's people even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace when he shuts his lips he is considered perceptive you want to be thought wise in a crowded gathering just be quiet people will say boy that guy he's quiet he must be smart he's he's sharp you may be thinking about you know the dodo bird and whatever happened to it you may be thinking about what you're gonna have for breakfast tomorrow you may be thinking about nothing you know women when you ask your husbands what are you thinking about and they say nothing that's honest there are times when men are actually thinking about nothing now men when you ask women and they say nothing you're in big trouble be careful tread lightly be very cautious when you hear that feminine response nothing there's usually something attached to that but when you see what Solomon says here it is better to close your mouth at many many times during the day Bridges says silence is often the best proof of wisdom bridges elsewhere and his commentary in Proverbs says we ought to think twice before we speak once I think that's good sound advice going back to proverbs chapter 4 looked at keeping the heart where looking at the outlets we've seen the mouth notice the eyes and verse 25 let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look right before you again there is a close connection between the heart and between the eyes notice in proverbs 17 proverbs 17 specifically at verse 24 wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth proverbs 27 and verse 20 proverbs 27 in verse 20 hell and destruction are never full so the eyes of man are never satisfied so back in proverbs chapter 4 at verse 25 he says let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look right before you what's the obvious import of the statement put your eyes where they're supposed to be look in the direction God has authorized now this doesn't mean if you need to take a laugh you can't look laugh the idea has to do with ethics the idea has to do with morality an idea has to do with put your eyes where they're supposed to be the psalm is prayed set no worthless things before my eyes Solomon is reiterating that particular point here in verse 25 let your eyes look straight ahead your eyelids look right before you there are several examples in the biblical record where persons didn't do this and it costs them a great deal remember the woman in the garden she had that sort of rational sort of mind break where you know the the food of the fruit rather that the devil enticed her with was was good for food which she didn't need she had a a lush garden filled with an abundance of trees that yielded fruit that God said you may freely eat but when the devil comes to tempt her all of a sudden this tree that she had walked by on several occasions before now was good for food the third reason why she took that particular fruit was because it was desirable to make one wise the philosophical sites the godlike status the knowledge of good and evil that the devil held out to her was just too much but that second reason what was it was very simple it was pleasant to the eyes she shouldn't have done it she should have taken it there was other fruit there were other trees and they were pleasant to the eyes but they weren't under God's prohibition this particular one was what caused Israel failure in the battle against AI it was akin in fact you can turn to Joshua chapter 7 to see this very specifically how it was the AI gate by which the temptation grabbed him in Joshua chapter 7 verse 20 and Aiken answered Joshua and said indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel and this is what I have done when I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment two hundred shekels of silver in a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels I coveted them and took them and there they are hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent with the silver under it notice the first words in verse 21 when I when I saw when I saw when I looked at it it had an allure it had an appeal it was pleasant to the eyes was something that I desired and then on the heels of that I coveted and then I took that the anatomy of a sin it spelled out by James in James chapter 1 Bruce walki again says as long as people have their gaze fixed on heavenly truth Satan has no advantage over them that's the emphasis with reference to the eyes he says PAH let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look right before you in other words thank God's thoughts after him your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you be fully embracing the word and truth of God all keys right on as long as people have their gaze fixed on heavenly truth Satan has no advantage over them and then he says 'i fell only after she looked at the forbidden fruit and then finally note the feet the feet in verses 26 and 27 the final outlet the heart is connected to the mouth don't want to sing that old song the heart is connected to the eyes and the heart is connect the feet keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life visa vie those things affecting your mouth visa vie those things affecting your eyes and visa vie those things affecting your feet now note Solomon gives two verses to the fee not because there are two feet but because of the importance of it dedicating two verses to the foot highlights the importance of what it highlights the importance of doing in other words the feet take us where we want to go the feet are the vehicle by which we get from place to place to place and so there is this close connection between the heart and the feet because out of it spring the issues of life once we hatched a particular plan it is the feet that brings us into that particular place notice the need to ponder the path and establish one's ways proverbs 22:3 proverbs 22:3 it and 27:12 are the same and ones that bear memorization proverbs 22:3 a prudent man foresees evil and hides himself but the the simple pass on and our punished now the word feet is not present but the idea or concept is the prudent man foresees evil and he does what he doesn't rush headlong into it rather he hides himself but the simple pass on and are punished no words the heart has not been disciplined the heart has not been guarded the heart has not been kept and he gives vent to the feet and they pass right into this evil precarious situation notice back in proverbs chapter 4 verses 26 and 27 ponder the path of your feet let all your ways be established do not turn to the right or the left remove your foot from evil now this statement do not turn to the right or to the left is biblical convention something that's utilized not only in the book of Deuteronomy but it's also used in the book of Joshua and it's used in first Kings chapter 22 it's an idiom it's a phrase it's a it's a sort of a saying and simply what it means is don't deviate from the path I think many of our problems would be avoided if we rendered or we we remember that don't deviate from the path we have clearly defined paths each and every day don't eevn from it I'm not suggesting you have to be OCD and everything has to be right where it's supposed to be all the time though I think that's a great way to live but don't deviate from the path if you're a man you're a man your husband you're a father you're a worker do what you're supposed to do don't deviate from the path if you're a woman same sort of thing you're a woman you're a wife you're a mother you're a worker you're whatever yet don't deviate from the path it's when we deviate from the path that we end up in trouble isn't it it's when we don't do what we're supposed to do that we do the things we're not supposed to do it's a pretty common situation with reference to this idea of not turning to the right or the left again Deuteronomy Joshua sons I second Kings walki says it's a common figure for moral deviation of any sort a common figure for moral deviation of any sort Matthew Poole says it this way I think he's beautiful he says fly all extremes and neither add to God's commands nor take from them other words don't deviate from the plan don't deviate from the path if you're supposed to be at a certain place be at the certain place that's not to say you can't stop and look at the dots at the park the Brethren understand that when you deviate from the things that God calls you to do more often than not good things don't typically happen it's just a practical observation that one we need to be aware of notice the real practical illustration in proverbs 5:8 proverbs 5:8 remove your way far from her and do not go near the door of her house again the prohibition against sexual immorality remove your way far from her do not go near the door of her house let that sink into you do not go near the door of her house he knows that they don't go near her bed don't go near her kitchen don't go near her bathroom don't go near her door because your simple and your devoid of understanding you're a weak willed young man this is what Solomon saying remove your way far from her and don't go near her door because chances are if you go near her door you're gonna go through her door and you're gonna go into a play we ought not to be remove your way far from her do not deviate from the plan and this whole emphasis on feet or walking we see it in the New Testament Ephesians 5 15 and 16 see then that you walk circumspectly not as fool's but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil Colossians 4:5 walking wisdom toward those who are outside redeeming the time well that's our exposition I want to close with just to conclude a few concluding thoughts the emphasis is put keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life seek to guard the source and then deal with or shore up or send guards to those perimeter places to make sure that you're not compromising your witness as a Christian but I do want to show an analogy a rather a comparison or similarity between what we see here in Solomon and what we see in Jesus turn to Matthew 15 remember Jesus described himself as a greater than Solomon Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived but Jesus says he was a greater than Solomon Paul tells us in Colossians two three that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Jesus Christ notice Christ in Matthew 15 at verse 10 when he called the multitude to himself he said to them hear and understand now just to give you quickly the background the Pharisees the religious leaders come to him and say Lord teacher wider disciples eat with unwashed hands why is it that they're going going ahead with their meal without having washed their hands first they're not talking about biology they're not talking about germ theory they're not talking about it's a good customer a good habit and one that we should practice washing our hands before we eat a meal this had to do with ritual cleanliness this had to do with ceremonial law this had to do with what the Pharisees paraded themselves on was their fastidious attention to the details of the ceremonial law and so Jesus says you need to think about what it is you're saying now notice he comes to explain this in verse 10 he says when he called the multitude to himself he said to them hear and understand not what goes into the mouth the files an but what comes out of the man this defiles a man the problem isn't what we put in the problem is what comes out the problem with men isn't unwashed hands the problem with men is unwashed hearts the problem isn't that we may you know contract some some symptoms or some sort of a physical ailment the problem is is that we have ethical ailments that only God can rectify or only God can remedy now notice in verse 12 then his disciples came and said to him do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying this is 21st century isn't it this is what we hear today why don't you know that offends them you can't say that because I won't offend them I don't want to you know indict our dear brother disciples here but this is really a 21st century think Lord they need they need safe space they need their their snowflakes I can't deal with this Lord Lord don't you know that that the Pharisees are offended when they hear this saying this is what Jesus response is I'm sorry I'll publish a retraction I will apologize I will never say anything that may ever again be perceived to a fan one of those dear Pharisees he says every plant which my Heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted let them alone leave them alone what's the reasoning they're blind leaders of the blind and if the blind leads the blind both will fall into a ditch then Peter answered and said to him explain this parable to us so Jesus said are you still are also still without understanding do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated but those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and they defile a man for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies these are the things which defile a man but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life Ryle commenting on this particular tax says let it be a settled resolution with us to keep our hearts with all diligence all the days of our lives even after renewal they are weak listen to this brother he's absolutely spot on even after renewal they're weak remember the quote from Flavel at the very beginning the greatest difficulty in conversion is to win the heart to God the greatest difficulty after conversion is to keep the heart with God Royall affirms this Ryle highlights this Ryle says the same thing even after renewal they are weak even after putting on the new man they are deceitful let us never forget that our chief danger is from within yes we have outward enemies yes there's the world and there's the devil but the flesh is an enemy as well and it's the flesh that we will have with us until the very end the devil may actually leave us alone for a time the devil is not omniscient he's not omnipotent he's not omnipresent he is creature there's only one creator and that is God the devil may actually be occupied with somebody else and leave you alone for a time you may find yourself on an island somewhere where there isn't social media where there isn't entertainment where there isn't an encroaching world that is thrusting their temptations upon you but you're still going to have your heart you're still gonna have that enemy within you're still gonna have that challenge he goes on to say let us never forget that our chief danger is from within the world and the devil combined cannot do us as much harm as our own hearts will if we do not watch and pray happy is he who remembers daily the words of Solomon one who trusts in himself is a fool proverbs 28:26 so I think that the comparison here with reference to Solomon's wisdom and Jesus is absolutely airtight they say the same thing keep your own art with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life this ought to make us conclude that we need to guard our hearts we need to guard our hearts through faith in the Lord remember proverbs 3:5 and 6 trust in the Lord with all your heart we cannot do this in our own strength we cannot do this in our own ability we must trust in God and the resources that he provides visa V the word and the spirit as well Solomon joins upon us to acquire wisdom we need to fill our hearts with wisdom so read the Proverbs study the Word of God get it in your heart get it in your mind do what that psalmist says hide the Word of God in your heart that you might not sin against him we need as well to regulate the conduct yes deal with the heart but also deal with the mouth deal with the eyes deal with the fee those aren't representative there are certainly other members of our bodies that we need to control as well never forget the fruit of the Spirit is the Holy Spirit is the is self-control and we need by the grace of God to strive to put that into practice and then the need for constant dependence upon the Lord when we are told to keep your own heart with all diligence that ought to throw us into the lap of divine power because we can't we are inept we are apart from Jesus according to Jesus in John 15 able to do nothing and so we're given this kind of a command this kind of a magic epic command to keep our own hearts with all diligence if that doesn't send us to the throne of grace seeking aid and assistance I don't know what will this is something that only God can grant us to help in bridges again he says assaulted as we are at every point every inlet of sin must be strongly guarded the heart the mouth the eye the feet can I keep my heart certainly not but though it be God's work it is man's agency our efforts are his instrumentality watch unto prayer cherish and humble dependants spirit live in the atmosphere of the Word of God resist the admittance of an evil world even in its most plausible forms may God help us and may God grant us grace and may God enable us by the power of the Holy Spirit to keep our own hearts with all diligence knowing from it let's bring the issues of life well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word and we thank you for its clarity here in the book of Proverbs we thank you for the sage practical wisdom given to us by you through your man Solomon we thank you that Jesus is the one in whom our head all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge we thank you for the entirety of your word and give us Grace and Anna zeal and a desire to hide it in our hearts that we might not sin against you go with us now Lord John cause your face to shine upon us in this coming week and we know your nearness as our chief good and may you keep us and protect us and preserve us and we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord amen and closed you