Set watch over and guard your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the wellsprings (outgoings) of life. Proverbs 4:23.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלוהים) says:
I am the LORD who looks ahead and provides. Know this for sure, that, at every moment of your life, for you who love Me, I am working all things together for good in accordance with the life I have set apart and consecrated for you in advance that you should walk in it. Romans 8:28; Ephesians 2:10. I made all things for you to richly enjoy for I desire above all and in all that you be in good health and prosper even as your soul prospers. And your soul prospers when you are walking in the truth. The righteous shall live by faith in My Word, for My Word sanctifies and consecrates you in truth.
How do you live this consecrated life of confident trust that all will turn out for your good no matter what the world, the flesh, or the devil (or even your own errors and shortcomings) bring against you? This is a life of no anxiety, no fear, no worry, and no bitterness or offense at others for you know that all is going to come out in your favor no matter what evil intent is planned against you. How do you arrive at this peace that surpasses understanding?
YOU MUST WATCH OVER AND GUARD YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE, for out of it is the output of your life. Proverbs 4:23.
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27.
How do you keep fear, anxiety, worry, bitterness, offense, unforgiveness, depression, hopelessness, lust, and anger out of your heart? The answer, while simple, is very profound, but above all, it works.
GUARD YOUR HEART WITH GRATITUDE.
If on purpose, you continually fill your heart with thoughts of thanksgiving for Me and all I have done and do for you in Christ (do not forget any of your Covenant benefits, such as forgiveness and healing, provision, protection, and deliverance), for the gift of your life (which I planned from everlasting to everlasting), for others around you, for family, for friends, for your spouse, for your work, for My provision, and for My solutions on your behalf. And if even in the midst of every storm raised up in your life you rest in the knowledge that I have already looked ahead and taken care of things (for I have since the foundation of the world) you will live a blessed life. Be quick to notice good things in your day and in others. Discern the signs of how I am working at all times for your good, and most especially, in the flood of trouble, to deliver you.
Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. Psalm 32:6-7.
You do not harbor unforgiveness for one you are grateful for. If you are thankful for a person, you overlook many things for you see all things in the light of My love.
Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her. Genesis 29:20.
I tell you to pray always, and I tell you to keep alert in prayer with thanksgiving.
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2.
That keeps your heart wide open to Me and closed to the enemy. Thanksgiving is the atomic bomb of praise that routs the enemy.
Remember Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah and the three enemy armies that joined together to take them captive and destroy their city? Those enemies went down and disappeared at the voice of thanksgiving ascending to Me in songs of praise for the deliverance I promised the people of Judah who put their eyes on Me rather than just the problem and cast their care on Me with confidence. I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is good to give thanks, it is a shield in the time of trouble and brings blessing and increase at all times.
Why? It keeps you in perfect love and peace. And no enemy can penetrate that barrier.
“Violence will not be heard again in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders; but you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise. Isaiah 60:18.
“Praised be the LORD,” I exclaim, and I am saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:3.
You enter My gates with thanksgiving and My courts with hymns of praise. You enter with a joyful shout! There is no other way in but thanksgiving and joy for that is the lifestyle of faith. Faith knows and believes in the love I have for you and in the love that I am. You know that everything will work out well for you. That your life will be a story of goodness and success no matter where you are on that journey.
And the ransomed of the LORD will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:10.
And I repeat this same thought of joy in coming to Zion, My holy mountain of grace in a later chapter of Isaiah, and I would like you to read it in context:
So the ransomed of the LORD will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies and of the sons of men who are made like grass, that you have forgotten the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, as he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor? The captive will soon be set free, and will not die in the dungeon, nor will his bread be lacking. For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar (the LORD of hosts is His name). I have put My words in your mouth and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to plant the heavens, to establish the earth.” Isaiah 51:11-16.
Thanksgiving rejoices in what it has, in what it has been given. Thanksgiving guards you from sin. What you are grateful for you will not sin against. What you are ungrateful for you will sin against in looking for what you think is better for meeting your needs. This is one of the reasons the people of Israel, though in Covenant with Me, would turn to idol worship. That is why Adam and Eve sinned as well. They did not realize what they had was the best and nothing could be better. Same with Esau, he despised his birthright and lost the blessing of both the first born and the blessing of Abraham. His life, and the history of Israel, would have been far different if he had guarded his heart with gratitude.
The Pharisees were not grateful for Jesus. They were jealous and resentful of Him. Thus, they lost the time of their visitation and did not live the beautiful plan I had for their lives.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Matthew 23:27-39.
This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’ I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John. Luke 7:28-30.
Be thankful, believing that I will always supply just what you need just when you need it whenever you call upon Me and peace will guard your heart.
Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me. I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me! Psalm 66:16-20.
Know that you can bring Me your troubles with confident joy that I have already provided the solution you need.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7.
Guard your heart and mind with thanksgiving that all will work out for your good. So what do you think about when the thoughts of another’s conduct that offended you arise in your mind to trouble you? You fire that thought as if it were a unruly employee in your smoothly running inner business and employ other thoughts that help your inner business function at its maximum fruitfulness, i.e., whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8. And I, the God of peace (Yahavah Shalom) will be with you.
You cannot hate what you are thankful for. You will not betray what you are thankful for. You will forgive the one you are thankful for.
My Word takes you out of darkness into light. My Word heals you, My Word is life to you, My Word delivers you from all destruction, My Word prospers you. My Word saves your spirit, soul, and body. You are born again from above by My Word. My Word is a light to your path and a lamp to your feet. My Word is sweeter than honey dripping from the comb. Do you ever pause to be grateful for My Word? I have offered it to you to put it in your mouth to make you get My kind of results.
Do you remember what I told My apostle Paul when I gave him the mission for his life?
“I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” Acts 26:17-18.
You are all to be My witnesses in the world now as the beautiful, blessed, and beloved body of Christ. You have received forgiveness as a gift from Me. Give it out generously. The more you give the more you receive. There is nothing to fear. I am here. I will never leave you or forsake you.
Be grateful for that and you will never leave Me for an idol.
I love you. Guard your heart with gratitude. Have you ever pondered on the treasures you have in Jesus? In Him, you have the Kingdom. You are with Me always, and everything I have is yours. It is time you enjoyed it. But remember, grace gave it, but faith takes it. And faith rejoices. Faith is thankful. And faith knows that what I give you is the best and there is no need to seek another source.