Proverbs 4:20–27

20 My son, pay attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 They are not to escape from your sight;
Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
And healing to all their body.
23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26 Watch the path of your feet,
And all your ways will be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or to the left;
Turn your foot from evil.

Bible says turn not to the right or to the left, and turn your foot from evil. Why is it so important? Why so fussy? Because in v 20 says incline your ears to God’s word. Keep them in your heart, for they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their bodies! Do you know that spiritual obedience brings even physical healing? Of course, the anxiety, stress coming from sin and guilt carries over much more than the spiritual state, even you your physical health as well. Life is a mess when we screw up by not inclining to God’s words.

It says “watch over your heart with all diligence.” That means you watch over your own heart with all diligence, not just some casual effort, but with all diligence. First, you are to watch your own heart. Why? Because you can’t trust the deceitfulness of your own heart, our hearts are fertile soil for seed thoughts from evil and sinful world and culture. Our decision makings come from our hearts, and if our hearts are not inclined along with God’s word, we will surely fall, and it will affect our health, our loved ones, and a sad dark future hanging over us. SO watch over your hearts with diligence. How do we watch over our hearts, by checking our hearts motives, our hearts inclination? Once you feel your thoughts begin to sway towards sideway, that’s the time, you will have to PRAY and ask for the Lord’s help and then pull the brake and meditate in God’s word and promises and let yourself be refreshed in the Spirit of God who is praying with anguish over us all the time. The Spirit groans over us.

Romans 8:  ²⁶ Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; ²⁷ and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

You see how intense is Spirit of God praying for us, interceding for us, not with just “praying” but with “groans” for us, which is too deep for words. The Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of God. Listen, bottom line, we want to live in the will of God. Nothing else. All those temporal temptations, distractions, discouragements, or even our own pride, are all temporal, our eyes must be fixed in Christ, and his promises.

But why even the slightest to the left and right is detrimental and bad for us? And even dangerous?

25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26 Watch the path of your feet,
And all your ways will be established.

It says look directly ahead. Let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. I know for sure, temptations come from our visual sight, and not to be distracted either, look straight ahead. Gaze be FIXED straight in front of you. We are called to FIX our gaze ahead, so our eyes don’t wonder to the left and to the right. Because once we start to wonder, our heart starts to shift. A dangerous slippery slope in front of us, if that happens. It only takes a small slip in the beginning, before a big slip comes into formation. We must hearken to the voice of the Holy Spirit, warning us, nudging us, and prodding us to stay the course.

How can we do that?

The Lord is sympathetic to your struggles in this ungodly world. And we will win if we keep our eyes fixed in Christ!

Hebrews 12:1–2 ¹ Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Looking ONLY to Jesus, the originator and perfector of our faith. Steady friends, fix your eyes on Jesus. The personified Word of God. Logos.

The Lord must give you more satisfaction, and joy, that you would want to turn from sin to him.

It will not be something you should do, but rather something you want to do voluntarily from your heart, because its more beautiful and satisfying. That will be the truth that sets you free. Why is He more satisfying and joyful?

Psalm 90: 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Pray this prayer daily! God that truly fills you with joy and peace and satisfaction, and nothing will draw your heart to sin anymore.

Romans 15:13 ¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Is God more satisfying than sins?

Funny question right? But Westminster says by Ligon Duncan:

You can’t glorifying the true God without enjoying him and you can’t enjoy the fire God without glorifying him. —Ligon Duncan

That settles it. It will be more enjoyable in God than the sins in the world. We will have to find that in our lives! Amen