OCD HEART CARE. By Pastor Fernando.

SCRIPTURE
Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.
Hebrews 3:12-14

OBSERVATION
Our passion and excitement about following God's ways can be minimized, even extinguished. By the work of Christ, we are free from the power of sin, not from the presence of sin (yet). And because sin is still present, we can be deceived by it, and slowly compromise our desire to follow Christ. When we don't trust firmly in God's ways, we will end up missing all that belongs to Christ. It's an eroding process that starts with small compromises, turns into sinful habits, evolves into a deceived mindset that excuses our godless behavior, hardens our hearts against God, and ends up ruining and destroying our rewards and blessings in Christ. It's not worth it to compromise and be involved in this process of decay. For that reason, we must be vigilant, attentive, OCD about protecting our heart from compromises.

APPLICATION
The Scripture instructs to guard our hearts, above all things, because from it the spring of life flows (Proverbs 4:23). The picture here is of a highly valued treasure, the fountain of life and blessing, that is heavealy guarded from the enemy. Having this fountain polluted will bring devastating consequences. We cannot have corrupted centries or a vulnerable security system guarding it. We need to be obsessive about it because our lives depend on it.

Very often we neglect the proper care and protection of our heart. We allow anything to come closer to it. We think that small things cannot affect the heart. So we poorly expose our hearts to words, images, and thoughts that will evantually start the eroding process. This doesn't happen overnight! And if we are not careful, our heart will be exposed to a series of destroying agents that will slowly pollute it and eventually harden it. Our heart is to precious! It's the souce of blessing and life for our lives. From it the good intentions and actions come from. From our heart, God works through us to bring His glory in this world. We cannot put it at risk! We need to be obsessed compulsevely about guarding our heart. The stakes are too high. We cannot afford caring poorly for our heart.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, please forgive me for the many times I neglect guarding my heart from small compromises. Every single space I give to sin, it will be used against me mercilessly. Please give me an obsessive compulsion to guard my heart from the presence and influence of sin. Let me guard my eyes, my ears, and my mind from anything that tries to pollute my heart. Make me smarter than the enemy in order to discern and reject every time there is a bridge of security in my heart. Help me to keep my heart pure, passionate, and on fire for you. Amen!