𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠-𝗨𝗣
• Would you consider yourself cautious or adventurous? Recall an instance explaining this.
• What do you do when you wake up every morning? Take us through your routine.
• Recall a time when a family member or friend mourned a loss. How did he or she grieve or process it?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗
𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝟰:𝟮𝟯

𝘋𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵. 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟭𝟮:𝟮

In the Bible and particularly in the Old Testament, the heart does not just include our desires and emotions. It also refers to our mind and will. We are to 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 or guard our hearts 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 because all other areas of life spring from it. The truth is, the unredeemed heart is deceitful and sick (Jeremiah 17:9). This causes an internal struggle, and in addition, the fallen world pressures us to conform to its pattern. However, we are called to be 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘭 of our minds. Governing the human heart (mind, will, desires, and emotions) is the key to governing oneself. This is the primary battleground. The good news is, God promised to give His people 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 (Ezekiel 36:26). Today, we will examine Scripture to see how we can yield to God’s work so we can govern our hearts.

𝟭. 𝗩𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱.

𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝟰:𝟮𝟯

𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘺 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 . . . 𝟮 𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟭𝟬:𝟱

Every day, we are bombarded with a multitude of thoughts—from ourselves and others. These thoughts often enter and dwell in our minds unfiltered. Scripture tells us to be vigilant with our hearts and thoughts. Though 2 Corinthians 10:5 is addressed to the church community, this principle could also apply to us as members of that community. We can’t and shouldn’t entertain every thought. Instead, we are to take them captive. We should guard our thoughts the way a security officer checks and restricts entry into a building. The security officer’s job is to make sure that only those who should enter do and that rules are followed (e.g., proper identification or attire). If not, entry is restricted. Likewise, we should examine our thoughts and determine if they are aligned with God’s truth. Only then do we entertain them. When and how are you most unguarded with your thoughts? How have you learned to 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘺 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵?

𝟮. 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱.

𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦—𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟰:𝟴–𝟵

Just as prevention is better than cure, governing our heart and filling it with God’s truth is better than merely detecting ungodly thoughts and emotions. It’s like receiving a vaccine rather than having to treat the disease. Sometimes we try to deal with our runaway thoughts and emotions without getting to the root of the problem. The truth is, our thoughts and emotions respond to what our minds are filled with. If we keep on allowing negative ideas to enter our hearts unfiltered, we will naturally respond with negative thoughts and emotions. On the other hand, deliberately and frequently filling our minds with the truth of God’s word will bear good fruit. As a result of thinking of everything good, our hearts can rest in God’s promise: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶. What kind of thoughts do you normally gravitate to? How do you deliberately fill your heart with God’s truth?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
• If your heart were visible to others, what do you think they would see? How can you guard your thoughts better and align them with God’s word this week?
• In what area of your life do you have a hard time governing your heart? How is this only possible through Christ, and what is your prayer for this area of your life? How can you deliberately think about what is good every day?
• Beyond your church community, who can you encourage and inspire to govern their hearts this week? What do you think you will say? How can you lead them to trust God and His word?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥
• Thank God for His instructions through His word. Acknowledge your need for Him in your heart and life. Commit to filling your heart with the truth of His word every day.
• Pray that your life and thoughts would be aligned with God’s word. Ask Him for His grace and power for you to deliberately think about what is good.
• Pray for wisdom and courage to declare God’s truth to others and help them follow Jesus.