Way of The Warrior- A Daily Devotional

The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! – Matthew 6:22-23

Warrior;
Our focus determines our direction. We move in the direction of our focus, and we focus in the direction of our movement. The Bible says to guard your heart, for all the issues of life stem from there. When the Bible mentions the heart, it is usually not referencing the heart. as a vital organ. It is NOT talking about the organ that pumps blood throughout the body. It is also, not usually, talking about the “Valentine’s Day” heart of romance. When the Bible talks of the heart, like in Proverbs 4:23, it is most often referencing the core of our being, our central focus, our greatest desire, our most ardent gaze that happens most often. Proverbs 4:23 in the many translations builds this understanding. It is written: Keep your heart will all vigilance, guard your heart -ABOVE ALL ELSE! Why such a command to KEEP THY HEART with all vigilance and diligence? Because the HEART, your central focus, determines the course of your life- for from it flows springs of life, for everything you do flows from it, for out of it are the issues of life.

Leader, I have read that the Bible mentions the heart almost 1,000 times. In essence, the Bible says that the heart is that spiritual part of us where our EMOTIONS and DESIRES dwell. That was what made God’s statement about King David, He was a man after GOD’S OWN HEART! (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) Many misinterpret this phrase as a reference to the moral character of David, which is clearly NOT the case, based on Scripture. David was a man after God’s own heart in that he was committed to God’s ways and demonstrated fidelity to His will. In other words, David’s Passions, David’s desires were God’s Focus and God’s will. This is why when David sinned with Bathsheba and Uriah, David’s cry was, “against you alone have I sinned!” See Psalm 51:4. When we read about the HEART in the Bible, it is about the place where you have YOUR WILL, your DESIRE, your attitude, and intentions. In the study of Epigenetics we are told we have 30-60,000 thoughts per day. We are a community of 300 trillion cells all driven by our environment. Why does this matter? Because, one of the greatest, of our environments is our thoughts- our self-talk, our thinking and focus. Because, ABBA Daddy, our CREATOR, put our EYES IN THE FRONT OF OUR FACE! We move in the direction of our FOCUS, and we focus in the direction of our MOVEMENT! In other words, what we focus on becomes the source of our constant thoughts, our words, and eventually, our actions. So when the Bible talks about the heart, it is talking about the core of who you are as a person. Your heart is, essentially, you. With your heart you choose between good and evil.

Conduit, in the continuation of today’s verse God tells us the importance of keeping our focus on things of God, instead of things of this world. No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Ibid 6:24) Notice the verse before today’s verse, which sums up what he is about to say in today’s verse. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Our FOCUS is about our TREASURE! What do you treasure? Things of God, or things of the world? We must remember the Battle is IN THE MIND, but it is for THE HEART! This is why Joe Biden’s slogan was so alarming; We are battling for the SOUL of America. He was talking about the HEARTS, our FOCUS! This is why we must remember the BATTLE IS IN THE MIND, and FOR, the mind! Scripture is replete with this warning! “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things”. (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Philippians 4:8) God says what we do in our HEAD, affects our HEART- the desire of our focus, creates the dictates of our heart! Hear Jesus’ own words in the Sermon on the Mount,” But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28) What separates a child of God from an earth dweller is OUR FOCUS! Is your OPERATING SYSTEM a GOS (God Operating System) or a FOS (Flesh Operating System)? The easy answer is to FOLLOW YOUR FOCUS!