Your email preview

“Above all else guard your heart…” Proverbs 4:23

Some of the best words of advice I once heard were, “Guard your heart, don’t follow your heart.” Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things.” In other words, my heart, or by Biblical implication and definition, my emotions and feelings, can play tricks on me, and they often do. Solomon knew this after a life of chasing after his pleasures.

Jeremiah continues that “The Lord searches the heart, AND examines the mind,” the first being the seat of emotions; the second being the seat of reason. I’m not against emotions, in fact I love them! I just have to be careful that my head drives my heart and not the other way around!

Isaiah says, “Come now let us REASON together…” and then he talks about forgiveness. Sometimes, as a consequence of a bad choice, I may not feel forgiven and that’s exactly where the devil wants me. And sometimes when I feel that I have been wronged I don’t feel like being forgiving. But even when I don’t feel it, I KNOW that “He is faithful and just and will forgive my sins and cleans me from all unrighteousness,” just as I should be forgiving when I am the injured one. Hanging on to the wrong only creates bitterness and bitterness is a killer of the soul. Ellen White says, “Do not wait to FEEL that you are made whole, but say, ‘I believe it , not because I FEEL it but because God says so.” I may FEEL unforgiven, but I can KNOW that my Redeemer lives.

Have a great day “guarding your heart” and knowing, no matter how you feel, that you are a child of God,

Pastor Rich

Quote for the day: "Our calling ... isn't to follow our hearts. Our calling is to have our hearts informed by, directed by, the clear and plain teaching of the Word of God." R. C. Sproul Jr.

PS Exciting news!! Pastor Guadelupe, young adult pastor at CVC is joining our Campus Ministries team as a female pastoral counselor. She will be in our office area every Tuesday from 12-2. If you would like to get a female perspective on the spiritual journey make an appointment with Pastor Gua (gmontour@collegeviewchurch.org) or just stop by CM any time between 12-2 on Tuesdays.

PPS Welcome back to our IRR students who spent last week serving the people of eastern Iowa after the destructive derecho storm they went through. You guys rock!

PPPS Congratulations to our 2020 Nursing students who ALL passed their national board on their first try!! Way to go to our Nursing division.