Three reasons why you must Guard your heart

Guard your heart (Part 1): Three reasons why you must guard your heart

There’s a well-known verse in Proverbs that gets quoted often, especially to younger girls who are entering the age of dating and relationships.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

This is a piece of advice from King Solomon dating centuries ago, yet it still speaks a powerful truth to us today-- that it is imperative to guard our hearts. Here’s why:

1. Because the heart is extremely precious

Hindi mo kailangang ingatan at bantayan ang mga bagay na wala namang value. Tuwing Biyernes ng gabi, inilalabas ng kasambahay namin ang mga basura sa bahay, at iniiwan lang niya na totally unguarded sa tabing-daan ang mga ito. Bakit? Dahil wala naman itong halaga; it’s junk!

Not so with your heart. Ito ang kaibuturan ng kung sino ka. It is your authentic self ---the core of your beng. It is where all your dreams, your desires, and your passions live. Ito ang bahagi ng iyong pagkatao na umuugnay sayo sa Diyos at sa ibang tao.

Kaya nga ang sabi ni King Solomon (na mas matalino at marunong pa kay Tata Lino), bantayan mo ang puso mo “above all else”. Hindi suggestion ito eh, kundi sinasabi niya na gawin mo itong priority.  Bantayan mo. Ingatan mo. Huwag mo basta-basta ipamimigay. Huwag mong basta-basta ipapakuha. Guwardyahan mo rin na tama ang kalagayan nito.

2. Because your heart is the root of everything you do

King Solomon says, “it is the wellspring of life”. In other words, it is the root and source of everything you do. Mula sa iyong puso dumadaloy ang lahat ng iniisip, sinasabi, at ginagawa mo.Kung nakatira ka sa isang are na may mga springs o “batis / bukal”, ma-ge-gets mo agad na naka-depende ang lahat sa agos ng sibol. Kung haharangan mo ang bukal, haharangan mo rin ang pag-daloy ng tubig na kinakailangan ng mga tao sa paligid; kung i-po-pollute mo naman ang tubig mula sa sibol, ang aagos ay nakalalasong tubig.

Likewise, if your heart is unhealthy and not right, it affects everything else--- your relationships, your career, your emotional stability, your discrimination and judgement, your ministry, your entire state. It is therefore crucial to guard it. 

3. Because the heart is deceitful

“The heart is deceitful above all things...” we read in Jeremiah 17:9. Ang puso, mapandaya? Oo, Bible na mismo nagsabi niyan.
While everyone advices people to “follow your heart”, the Bible actually tells us to GUARD IT. Why? Because the human heart can lead you in wrong, even deadly directions. Our heart and feelings can lie and can mislead us, if left unguarded. Pwedeng ang isang bagay o decisyon would “feel right”, and yet be completely wrong. Pwedeng tumibok sa ‘di pa tamang panahon.

Kung maayos ang pag-aaral, trabaho, ministry, finances, friendships, at family life mo, pero mali ang kalagayan ng puso mo, sabi nga ng Tatay ko, yung hindi maayos ang sisira doon sa maayos. Kaya it’s wise na bantayan at ingatan mo ang puso mo.


Do you agree that at times the heart can be deceitful / misleading? 
Can you share additional reasons why we must guard our hearts?


Direct link:
http://jezreelfaith.blogspot.com/2014/09/three-reasons-why-you-must-guard-your.html
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Season of Waiting

Patiently waiting does not come naturally for most of us, pero isa itong mahalagang disiplina lalo na pagdating sa relationships. For a young man/woman, when the heartstrings are tugged, pakiramdam talaga niya “this is it” na, kahit hindi pa naman talaga.. Well, psychologically speaking, understandable naman dahil young people (especially those aged 11-21, a.k.a. adolescents) tend to be strongly emotionally-charged and are led by what they feel.

Pero naaalala mo pa ba nung Grade 5 ka?

‘Di ba feeling mo noon eh matured ka na, at nauunawaan mo na ang mga bagay-bagay sa buhay? Pero nung naging 1st year high school ka--- ano na ang tingin mo sa mga grade 5? Sobrang bata pa, noh? Pero ang ironic kasi at the same time, dahil high school ka na, nung mga 3rd or 4th year na, at sobrang uso na ang crushes, M.U., opposite-sex best friend relationships, at pagkakaroon ng bf/gf, feeling mo talaga noon eh big deal na at totoo na ang feelings mo. At feeling mo talaga this is really, really it! Feeling mo you’ve found the one you want to be with forever! So ayun... eventually naka-graduate ka na rin at pumasok sa kolehiyo. At nung gumagawa ka na ng thesis mo, at may mga nakaka-sabay ka sa fast-food at sa jeep na mga high school sweethearts... at ano’ng tingin mo sa kanila? Que ba-bata pa. Pambihira! Isang high five naman dyan kung may na-realize ka! :-D

The bottom-line: tatanda ka pa.. magma-mature ka pa.. marami pang pagbabago ang magaganap. And as you grow older, there will be a lot of people who will bring forth intense emotions and passion in you (at hindi ito masama, dahil bahagi talaga ito ng pag-grow natin; kasama talaga sa buhay ang mga ganoong I-think-I’m-in-love moments).. Marami ‘yan na dadaan.. But the thing is, not because the feelings are strong and warm eh ibig sabihin kailangan mo nang i-certify ito agad as love at pumasok na kaagad sa isang romantic relationship. Pagdating sa love life, may tinatawag tayong waiting :)

What do we have to wait for? (and this is not just for 11-21 year olds, but even for those beyond these years!)

• for God’s right time 
• for our maturity to take place; our un-rushed readiness 
• for the maturity of other people; their un-rushed readiness 
• for the right season for these things 
• the things God wants to do in our lives first before we dive into romance

Why should we wait?

1. Because God knows what He’s doing.

Psalm 139:16 says, “You (God) saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” 

     If all the details of our lives are not unknown to God -- from conception to birth to death, do you think He would miss out the important detail about our love life? 

     I encourage you then to surrender to His ways and His timeline, and to trust His heart. ‘Wag na ‘wag mong iisipin na KJ ang Diyos, at wala siyang pakialam sa love life mo. Meron. May plano siya dito at inaayos ka niya, kasama ng mga bagay sa buhay mo, para sa engrandeng disenyo Niya na ito. Kaya magtiwala ka lang.
     Maaaring hindi pa natin maunawaan ang lahat ng paraan at plano ng Diyos, but we are definitely capable of understanding and trusting that His will for our lives is nothing short of good, pleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2b).

2. Because God might still be preparing you (and the other person) and your wonderful love story.

Let me ask you a question: If you have a 5-year old brother who wants to borrow your motorcycle (or if you prefer a more feminine example, your 5-year old sister wants to borrow your hot iron curlers), would you give him the keys (or the hot iron curler?). Probably not. Bakit? Hindi dahil hindi mo siya mahal, at sadyang may karamutan ka lang talaga, kundi dahil hindi pa siya ready. Mahal mo siya kaya hindi mo ito ipapagamit o ibibigay, dahil maaari niya itong ikasama o ikapahamak.

In the same way, before we enter an exclusive romantic relationship, it will really please God (and will be the best for us) if we’d be ready for it. Kaya naman habang hindi pa, patuloy ang pag-hahanda at pag-aayos niya sa atin (at sa taong iyon; ‘wag ka na munang masyadong focused sa pag-s-spy okay?) at sa mga circumstances na nakapaligid sa atin, para kapag dumating na ang tamang panahon, we would be fully prepared and at our best.

P.S., Gentlemen, sa isang banda, kung feeling mo naman eh ready ka na pero si girl ay hindi pa, aba eh kung may ginagawa pa ang Diyos sa kanya at binubuo pa siya, ‘wag ka munang makialam at manghimasok ---- :) Hintay-hintay at pray-pray din muna :) Don’t make the waiting and preparing time be a greater burden for hear by dropping early clues!

3. Because there is a time for everything. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”.

Mas malinaw pa sa isang HD Youtube video! Hindi natin dapat madaliin ang mga bagay dahil may panahon na nakatakda para sa lahat ng ‘yan --- naku eh lalo pa kung napakahalaga nito, katulad ng relationships. Again, we don’t need to rush through life because God wants us to appreciate and savor every season of our lives. In addition and in connection to #2, when we move out of time or out of season, we actually forfeit God’s protection over our lives as well as our hearts. Therefore, respect the seasons of life and go through its motions and pace.

If this is a season where God is guiding you in finding your identity and discovering your purpose, let it be. If this is the season of God building you up as a responsible and mature man / woman (from being a young, immature boy/girl), let it be. Or perhaps this is a season where God is allowing you to really grow your spiritual roots and depth? Let it be. For some this is a season where God seeks their undivided attention in the ministry; let it be. For others, this is a season of having their hearts and character changed and purified; let it be.

Three important questions you have to ask God:
- “What season am I currently at?”
- “What do you want me to do at this season?”
- “What do you want to accomplish in my life at this season?”

Seasons change; seasons are not forever. And in the same way that singleness is a season, don’t panic: it is not gonna last forever. Kaya don’t rush getting out of this season, and make the most out of it! Grow as much as you can; learn as much as you can.

Sabi nga ng DaddyPastor ko, may nakalaan ang Diyos para sa iyo para sa araw na ito. Iba naman yung bukas :) Kaya kung anumang panahon ka naroroon, dumoon ka.

When you are ready... when the season is right... and if it’s according to the will of God, the things you long for will come. They will fall into place and fit into your life just right :)

Meanwhile, wait.

Lots of love, Ate Jez