Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Recently – I was scanning the different news stations – trying to find some information about the most recent results from the Iowa caucuses. I came across several stations that were giving completely different reports on the caucuses results – at least it seemed so to me. Some said this first election was very important – some saying it had no bearing on the election this fall or even for this party’s eventual candidate. Some were calling the results a historic win for the candidate that won – by a landslide – greater than ever – and some were not even reporting on it or allowing the winning candidate to be aired as he gave his victory speech. Some were calling it the beginning of this candidate’s rise to the office of President – while the others were saying his election would be the end of democracy and our nation. I got the feeling – that if I didn’t believe their truth – I was wrong and ignorant. There were no reports of the facts and allowing me to interpret them for myself. I thought of this proverb – urging me to guard my heart.

Apparently – these were not news stations – but rather programs with an agenda – a predetermined worldview of what they were going to report. If the news didn’t fit the narrative they desired – they would form it to that narrative. Gone are the days of Walter Cronkite or Paul Harvey – people who would tell us the news or a straight forward account of the events of the day. We need to guard our hearts these days – not only from the devil who tries to tempt us – but from those who would try to give us their insights and expect us to fall in line with them. Some seem to want Lemmings or mindless bots. Lemmings by-the-way – are real animals that seem to follow the crowd. They were also part of an early computer game – following the leader off a cliff – seemingly without any effort to divert from the leader’s plan or direction – think the followers of Jim Jones drinking cool-aid. Sisters and brothers – guard your heart.

I Plan Day by Day

Proverbs 16:9

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

I am a planner. I plan almost everything! My wife would say – at times – that I over plan. I remember learning to plan family vacation routes with my father. We would put the map (yes – a large paper map) on the hood of the car or even on the dining room table – and map out our route. We would plan the turns and the breaks we would take – all through the trip to our destination. The things we wanted to see – and places we planned to visit. Often – the plan went off without a hitch. Most of the time – if you plan well – you will have success. Surprises come – but – a well thought out plan typically enables us to overcome most surprises.

I plan things – even day by day at times. I often wake to ask myself and my wife – what is on our schedule today? I plan almost everything! For instance – I was planning on being retired on July 1^st of 2021. I had plans to play golf – travel with my wife – spend more time with our children and grandchildren. I certainly didn’t plan on having heart surgery on June 1^st before that retirement. Yet – God not only provided the BEST surgeon for my procedure (a long story – but I had my surgery 2 months before he left the practice he was with and all of it was put together inside 2 weeks time) – but – at one of the leading heart hospitals too. It is a complicated ablation surgery – but I was home that same evening. After one week of taking it easy (meaning no driving or going up and down stairs) – I was good for a closing revival at First Church on June 13^th thru 16^th of that year.

Core Biblical Values

1 John 4:1

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

When we are trying to determine Godly values or true core Biblical doctrines – we need to refer to the Scriptures. The Wesleyan quadrilateral reminds us that Scripture is primary – and we are to use tradition – reason – and experience to help us understand the Scriptures. Having said that – I remind us that Scripture is primary and the source of our understanding of truth and of God’s will. Here’s a page you can review for some doctrines of the United Methodist Church such as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/wesleyan-quadrilateral

We hold this belief because we believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Even though Paul may have understood this in his context to mean the Old Testament – Orthodox opinion is that this passage was meant for the entire Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 – ¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Bible is our primary source of knowledge and understanding. The Bible doesn’t contradict itself. The Bible is true – it is inspired by God – it is the very Word of God.

I Plan Most Everything

Proverbs 16:9

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

I plan most everything! My wife would say I over plan. I remember learning to plan family vacation routes with my father. We would put the map (yes – a large paper map) on the hood of the car or even on the dining room table – and map out our route. We would plan the turns and breaks we would take – all through the trip. The things we wanted to see – and places we planned to visit. Often – the plan went off without a hitch. Most of the time – if you plan well – you will have success. Surprises come – but – a well thought out plan typically enables us to overcome surprises.

I plan most everything! I was planning on being retired on July 1^st of 2021. I had plans to play golf – travel with my wife – spend more time with our children and grandchildren. I certainly didn’t plan to have heart surgery on June 1^st before retirement. Yet – God not only provided the BEST surgeon for my procedure (a long story but I’m having surgery 2 months before he leaves the practice and all of it was put together inside 2 weeks time) – but – at one of the leading heart hospitals too. It is a complicated ablation surgery – but I should be home that evening or the next day. After one week of taking it easy (meaning no driving or going up and down stairs) – I was good for a closing revival at 1st Church on June 13^th thru 16^th that year.

I’m a Planner

Proverbs 16:9

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

I’m a planner. My wife would say I over plan. I remember learning to plan family vacation routes with my father. We would put the map (yes – a large paper map) on the hood of the car or even on the dining room table – and map out our route. We would plan the turns and breaks we would take – all through the trip. The things we wanted to see – and places we planned to visit. Often – the plan went off without a hitch. Most of the time – if you plan well – you will have success. Surprises come – but – a well thought out plan typically enables us to overcome surprises.

I’m a planner. I was planning on being retired on July 1^st of this year. I had plans to play gold – travel with my wife – spending time with my children and grandchildren. I certainly didn’t plan to have heart surgery on June 1^st before retirement. Yet – God not only provided the BEST surgeon for my procedure (a long story but I’m having surgery 2 months before he leaves the practice and all of it was put together inside 2 weeks time) – but – at one of the leading heart hospitals too. It is a complicated ablation surgery – but I should be home that evening or the next day. After one week of taking it easy (meaning no driving or going up and down stairs) – I should be a go for the revival June 13^th thru 16^th.