I recently have been thinking about what Solomon wrote in Proverbs 4:23; “Above all, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

This seems like a clear call to take care of your inner world.  This is most important because it is the inner world that determines the quality and fruitfulness of one’s life.  The heart = who I really am.  What do I say, do or think when no one can see or hear me?...when I could “get away with it’?  What are my automatic responses to temptation and difficulty?  My heart is revealed in such ways.

And so it is imperative to take care of one’s heart.  This would certainly include getting it into a healthy state if it has been neglected or abused by sin.  By God’s grace I need to clean it up and keep it up!  Maintaining a healthy heart would include; staying current with God and man; washing it with the Word; allowing the Holy Spirit to refresh and renew it in the presence of God; and most of all, by abiding with God as Jesus indicates in John 15:5.  

May God grace you to make it a serious and joyful thing to “guard your heart”!

All the best!

Bill Randall

A new sermon series at Risen King launches this weekend called, "Sit...Walk...Stand" a study of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. This Sunday's message is entitled, "Truth & Power Church" from Ephesians 1. I'm really excited about this series and have had a lot of fun preparing for it. If you're in Redding this weekend you are warmly welcome to join us for either our 9:00am, 11:00am or 6:00pm services.