Sunday Recap (27th August 2006)

Tending Our Garden
By Ps Samuel Hari

Text:

^NLT Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.

1. HEART

Definition:

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding (Note: SOUL-emotions, mind, will)

• most times we guard our spirit man by prayer, word, etc. but not much time is spent in guarding our hearts (heart and soul are interchangeable as seen in definition above).
• we need to realize that when we are saved, our spirit man is born again and then The Holy Spirit begins the process of renewing our souls. God breathed his Spirit and then told us to look after the garden.(Gen 2.15)
• What is the condition of this garden? (Pro 24:30-34).
• it requires our attention, no one can do it for us.

Mat 9:16 -17

• The wineskin is speaking about our hearts-soul. The soul (wineskin) is the container for the spirit (wine).
• most times we are patched up souls in the church. A little bit of the old and a little bit of the new i.e. a new creation but can get angry, lie every once in a while…forgive most people, tending our garden is a practical exercise and requires….

2. GUARD/DILIGENCE

Definition:

1) place of confinement, prison, guard, jail, guard post, watch, observance

1a) jail, prison, guard-house

1b) guard, guard post, act of guarding

• the act of guarding is not just casual guarding. That’s sometimes the reason it gets broken into many times! IT IS AN ACT OF MILITARY PROPORTIONS!
• It is the wellspring of life; affects everything you do! Business, family, finances, HEALTH etc.
• In the natural we guard our physical hearts. If the heart breaks down ALL our wealth, fame, fortune means nothing. People who are depending on us are left abandoned; Is GOD using this to speak to us about our spiritual heart which is our soul? If our spiritual heart breaks down……
• attending a good seminar, listening to a good teaching tape or letting the words of a Christian song minister to us?
• what about our friends? We need friends to help us guard our hearts. Wrong friends means garden is neglected or in a total mess!

3. ABOVE ALL ELSE!

God says ABOVE ALL ELSE! Put it at the top of the list of things in the morning. I AM GOING TO GUARD MY HEART TODAY, every moment, every day, every word, every thought.

Mat 5:29-30

• Is it eyes and hands that the LORD is talking about? He’s talking about costing us something to keep our gardens in order. If we need to stop associating with someone ungodly, even if its painful do it! If you’re going to be ridiculed for following HIM, do it! If you have to give up your girlfriend, boyfriend, even if means having no life partner, so be it!
• It’s a matter of life and death.
• No wonder the Bible says it is the wellspring of life and it affects everything we do!