"ON GUARD"!

Proverbs 4:23-26   (ESV)

"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.  Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.  Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.  Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure."

As I sat recently reading the newspaper soon after rising from sleeping, I realized I was in a "foul" mood.  I tried to figure out why I was "grumbly" when the day was just starting.   No one had been given the opportunity to "make me mad" or upset me.  What was the problem?

Then I realized that I was "infecting" my mind with the newspapers view of things that happened.  The gloom and doom, deaths, lawsuits, riots, and overall mischief dominates what is "newsworthy" these days!  

But GOD's Word is "a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psm 119:105) and I should not allow the perils and pitfalls of society drag me down.  

Dr. Charles Stanley recently said: "What we have to ask is, if I keep heading in this direction, where is it going to carry me? Is it going to carry me closer to God?

One of Satan's most deceptive and powerful ways of defeating us is to get us to believe a lie. And the biggest lie is that there are no consequences to our own doing. Satan will give you whatever you ask for if it will lead you where he ultimately wants you."

There are times when the enemy clouds your mind with all kinds of distractions and events.  The most difficult thing to watch for is the enemy will use EVEN good things to prevent us from fellowship with The FATHER!  GOD knew the problem would exist and HE led the Apostle Paul and Timothy to pen Philippians 4:8 which instructs us "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."  

GOD, YOUR Word fulfills our needs and NEVER fails!  Cause me to realize the enemy will try to make me see things through the worlds view and NOT through YOUR eyes.  Give me "eyes to see", LORD!