Introduction

What you allow yourself to focus your thoughts on, is of utmost importance for godly living and victory over sin.

Solomon says what a person "thinks is what he really is" (Prov. 23:7 – GNB).

From this same wise man, the words of Prov. 4:23, "Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it" (GW).

Let us Zoom in on three aspects of this verse:

Heart: In Hebrew thought, the heart is primarily the seat of the will and refers mainly to the mind. It is the causative source of a person's psychological life in its various aspects, with special emphasis upon thoughts. It is the centre of thinking and reason. 

Guard your heart more than anything else: Literally – Above all keeping, keep your heart. More than everything (anything) else what must (need to) be guarded, guard your thoughts and will. It holds eternal consequences.

Because the source of your life flows from it: An enlightened, watchful heart gives birth to holy dispositions, words  and actions, manifesting spiritual life, leading to eternal life.    

On the other hand; a heart that doesn’t know God, produces tempers, words and works leading to eternal death.

Now that the vital role that thoughts play in our conduct is clarified, we will discuss the subject of temptation in part 1.

SOURCES

God's Word (GW); Good News Bible (GNB).

Louw, JP, Nida EA, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based On Semantic Domains, Volume 1 and 2, (Bible Society of South Africa;South Africa, 1989).

Nnewman, BM, Stine, PC, A Translators Handbook on the Gospel of Mathew, (United Bible Societies, London, New York, Stuttgart, 1988).

Peacock, HF, A Translator's Guide to Selections from the First Five Books of the Old Testament, (United Bible Societies, London, New York, Stuttgart, 1982).

Bracher, RG, A Translator's Guide to the Gospel of Mathew, (United Bible Societies, London, New York, Stuttgart, 1981).