Keep your Hearts and Minds

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace that passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 

Five words spoke to my heart when I read these verses the other day:  "Keep your hearts and minds."

When asked the question, 'What is the heart?' in his book The Enemy Within , Kris Lundgaard answers it this way:

"The bible describes the behavior of the heart in different ways.  Sometimes it believes, (Romans 10:10) sometimes it has eye enlightened, (Ephesians 1:18) sometimes it decides, (2 Corinthians 9:7) sometimes it acts, (Ephesians 6:6) sometimes it feels. (2 Corinthians 2:4) In Hebrews 4:12, the heart thinks and intends.  The best way to describe the heart is to say it comprises-

    Our thoughts, plans, judgments, and discernments, (the mind)

    Our choices and actions, (the will)

    Our longings, desires, revulsions, imagination, inclinations and feelings, (the affections)

    Our sense of right and wrong, which approves or condemns our mind, will and affections.  (the conscience) pg. 35"

In short, our hearts are the very essence of who we are.

Who have we given it to?  Have we kept it to ourselves?

Or have we turned our back on our sin, and turned to Christ for a New Heart?  (Ez. 36:26)

You know, the world likes to distract our thinking.  It wants us to be focused on the things that cause us fear and anxiety.  The world, the flesh and the devil want us to worry.

But God tells us something different.

He doesn't want us to worry, He wants us to pray.

When we pray with thanksgiving about all things, a peace that we cannot understand will KEEP our hearts and minds.

Webster defines Keep, as-to retain in one's possession or power, to have in control.

I find that fitting.

God is in control, He has the power and Authority to handle all of my worries.

When I pray, I am placing myself, my worries and my cares all into the Hands of the One Who will KEEP me.

I love that thought!

I think when I'm in heaven, as God wipes away all the tears from my eyes, and He allows me to say goodbye to all that was, I will look back for one last time and see all the things that I worried and fretted over and finally realize how petty it all was.  What a waste of time it all was.

Child of God-

    The peace that passeth all understanding shall KEEP our hearts and minds...

        through Christ Jesus...

            so, relax...

                    But that's just me!