Daily Devotional For Tuesday, March 14, 2026
Good morning Southside! Today, our devotional comes from Proverbs 4:23:
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life” (NASB).
Here are several other translations of this verse:
- Proverbs 4:23, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (NLT).
- Proverbs 4:23, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (GNT).
- Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your affections. For they influence everything else in your life” (TLB).
- Proverbs 4:23, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (ESV).
- Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (NIV).
The Hebrew word translated as “guard” is [נָצַר, mismar”] is the word used of a guard at a prison. A prison guard is to make sure that nothing or no one gets into the prison that is not supposed to be there as well as to make sure not one prisoner escapes. This word is used in the book of Nehemiah to refer to the guards that Nehemiah placed on the wall (Neh. 4:23) to make sure the construction on the wall went unhindered. It conveys the idea of “to protect and restrain from wrong” as found in Proverbs 13:6.
This proverb reminds us not to plot evil in our hearts (Pr. 6:14; Pr. 6:18). As long as we keep God’s commands and word in our heart, our heart remains guarded against evil intentions. We are prone to sin even from childhood as Adam was. We see this in Proverbs 22:15. The Bible tells us to cleanse our hearts (Pr. 20:9). We are foolish to trust in our own hearts (Pr. 28:26).
The main reason we have sinful actions is because our heart is sinful, wicked and evil. This is the point of Jeremiah 4:18 and Jeremiah 17:9. Jesus affirmed this in Matthew 22:33-37. Sin always starts in our heart before it shows itself in our actions and attitudes. In Matthew 22:33-37 Jesus is concerned with our thoughts, attitudes, and our motives – not just our outward actions. Old Testament scholar Danny Akin writes this:
“Your behavior reveals the state of your heart. Outward gossip can reveal jealousy, bitterness, or pride in the heart. Adultery or pornography reveals lust in the heart. For real and lasting change to happen in your life, you need to assess what’s happening in your heart. Maybe your money problems can be traced back to a lack of contentment in God in your heart. Maybe the lies you tell reveal insecurity in your heart where you worship the approval of others. Examine your heart to figure out the motivations for your behavior” (Danny Akin, Exalting Jesus In The Proverbs, pp. 69-70).
This is why we need new hearts because the natural or carnal heart is opposed to God. Jesus used the phrase “born again.” We need a new source of power other than ourselves because we are slaves to sin. Our hearts are in shackles of sin and evil and only Jesus Christ can set us free from this. Whatever we allow into our hearts will impact our lives.
When we watch R-rated movies or TV shows or TV-MA programming, these will impact our lives. When we listen to music that does not honor the Lord, it impacts our heart and lives. It was William Shakespeare who said, “The eyes are the window to the soul.” He was quoting a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, scholar, orator and writer by the name of Cicero (Ja, 3, 106 AD – Dec. 7, 43 AD).
Reflecting Assignment: How well is your heart guarded? Is there media and/or music that you should not be putting in your heart? If you are guarding your heart, what or who are your guards? If you do not think you need guards on your heart, why?
Scripture To Meditate On: Luke 6:45, “Jesus said, ‘A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart’” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, help me to guard my heart by being my guard. Help me to realize that if garbage goes into my heart, garbage will come out of it. I desire to be holy, godly and righteous for You. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly