IN THE TIME OF THE PANDEMIC – Guarding your Heart (Part 2)

Beloved, you may be going through a tough time now because of the global pandemic. We are counting our losses and all may look hopeless. Today ‘lift up your eyes to the hills!” Help comes! God is able. He’s got you. Just believe. Be encouraged, my brother and my sister, all will be well.

Remember we have been looking at a key survival tip for these times; Guarding your heart. Being careful of what you are taking now is imperative for making it through these tough times.

23 So above all, guard the affections of your heart,[a] for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Proverbs 4:23 The Hebrew word levav is the most common word for “heart.” It includes our thoughts, our will, our discernment, and our affections.

Last week we looked at the eyes, this week let’s talk about what we hear, listen to and adapt our eyes to.

Our ears are a gateway to our souls. Remember this familiar scripture text “faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God?’’ What we listen to has the very power to bring us to a place of FAITH or FEAR. It’s all down to the choices you make in opening your ear gates to let in content.

A few questions:

What are you currently listening to?

What have you been led to believe because of what you have listened to or are listening to?

What opinion of a person, thing or event is formed because of what you heard?

Remember that we must apply Godly principles to all our gates to be able to guard our heart. What does God expect of us in using our ear gates?

His word says in Proverbs 2:2 – Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. (NLT)

The Pandemic is creating a season of fear like never seen before, you must guard your heart by being picky about what you hear. Open your ear gates to things that build your Faith and make you secure in God’s love no matter what’s out there. God expects us to hear wisdom in what we let in.

My key listening criterion especially now;

Must speak life to me
Must build my knowledge base
Must align with the word of God
Must fit into purpose

Some listening habits to grow in these times;

Get an audio bible; listen to a chapter of proverbs every day and the psalms at night (set times and try and adhere to it, get the kids in on it so you don’t get distracted)
Create playlists
- Instrumental gospel music (this plays all through the night while I am asleep)
- Classical music
- Jazz
- Igbo gospel music (solid vibes) – pick the language you love
Subscribe to podcasts that are deliberate about personal growth God’s way.

Guard your ear gates and protect your well-being. You need to survive this pandemic. There is so much joy on the other side of this. Stay alive. Stay hopeful. We conclude on Guarding the Heart next week.

Prayer

Prayer for this week

Holy Spirit teach me the discipline of hearing in Jesus name Amen

Charge

Charge for this week

Tune in to the God FM station. Get on His frequency 3 “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. Isaiah 55:3 New Living Translation (NLT)