Protectim Heart Bilong Iu
“Winim eni samting wea iu mas protectim, protectim gud heart bilong iu, from olketa samting bilong laef kamaot from hem.”—PROVERBS 4:23.
1, 2. Why nao iumi need for protectim heart bilong iumi?
WANFALA olo man long wanfala Caribbean island kamaot from ples wea hem haed bihaen wanfala cyclone. Taem hem lukluk long samting wea distroe raonem hem, hem lukim wanfala big tree wea stap for planti year front long gate bilong hem, hem foldaon tu. Hem ting: ‘Hao nao olsem, from olketa smol tree long datfala area no foldaon?’ Taem hem lukluk long botom bilong datfala tree wea foldaon, hem kasem ansa nao. Insaed bilong datfala tree wea luk olsem hem strong fogud hem rotten finis, and datfala cyclone hem showimaot datfala samting wea haed.
2 Hem barava sorre samting taem wanfala trufala worshiper wea luk olsem hem strong long Christian living hem foldaon long test bilong faith. Bible tok stret taem hem sei hao “wei bilong heart bilong man hem saedem nogud samting start kam from taem hem young.” (Genesis 8:21) Diswan minim sapos iumi no keakea evritaem, nomata gudfala heart tu savve duim samting wea nogud. From no eni heart bilong man hem perfect, iumi need for tingting gud long disfala advaes: “Winim eni samting wea iu mas protectim, protectim gud heart bilong iu, from olketa samting bilong laef kamaot from hem.” (Proverbs 4:23) So hao nao iumi savve protectim tokpiksa heart bilong iumi?
Chekap Evritaem—Samting Iumi Mas Duim
3, 4. (a) Wanem nao olketa kwestin wea iumi savve askem saed long really heart? (b) Wanem nao bae helpem iumi for lukluk long tokpiksa heart bilong iumi?
3 Sapos iu go long wanfala doctor for chekap, maet hem lukluk long heart bilong iu. Waswe, health bilong iu, and heart bilong iu tu showaot iu kasem inaf kaikai? Hao nao blood pressure bilong iu? Waswe, heart bilong iu stedy and strong? Waswe, iu kasem inaf exercise? Waswe, heart bilong iu savve kasem hevi wea no fitim?
4 Sapos iu need for chekim really heart evritaem, waswe long tokpiksa heart bilong iu? Jehovah lukluk long hem. (1 Chronicles 29:17) Iumi tu mas olsem. Hao? Taem iumi askem olketa kwestin olsem: Waswe, heart bilong mi kasem inaf spiritual kaikai thru long wei for study seleva evritaem and attendim olketa meeting? (Psalm 1:1, 2; Hebrews 10:24, 25) Waswe, message bilong Jehovah hem barava important samting insaed heart bilong mi olsem “wanfala fire wea bone insaed olketa bon bilong mi,” wea muvim mi for share long waka for preach abaotem Kingdom and mek-disaepol? (Jeremiah 20:9; Matthew 28:19, 20; Romans 1:15, 16) Waswe, heart muvim mi for trae for share long eni part bilong full-taem ministry taem mi fit for duim? (Luke 13:24) Wanem kaen living nao tokpiksa heart bilong mi stap insaed? Waswe, mi aftarem wei for kaban witim pipol wea heart bilong olketa wan mind long tru worship? (Proverbs 13:20; 1 Corinthians 15:33) Iumi shud kwiktaem luksavve long eni samting iumi short long hem and duim samting for stretem.
5. Wanem gud samting nao savve kamaot from olketa test bilong faith wea iumi kasem?
5 Planti taem iumi kasem olketa test bilong faith. Olketa hia givim iumi chance for luksavve long heart bilong iumi. Moses sei olsem long olketa Israelite wea redy for go insaed long Promis Land: “Jehovah God bilong iufala mekem iufala wakabaot foti year insaed long wilderness, for mekem iufala hambol, for testim iufala for savve wanem nao insaed heart bilong iufala, for lukim sapos iufala bae keepim olketa komandment bilong hem or nomoa.” (Deuteronomy 8:2) Planti taem iumi sapraes long olketa feeling, samting iumi laekem, or wanem iumi duim taem iumi feisim test wea iumi no expectim. Olketa test wea Jehovah letem for happen savve mekem iumi luksavve long olketa wik point bilong iumi, givim iumi chance for kamap moabeta. (James 1:2-4) Letem iumi nating fail for tingting raonem witim prea samting iumi duim taem iumi kasem test!
Wanem Nao Toktok Bilong Iumi Showimaot?
6. Wanem nao olketa subject wea iumi storyim showimaot abaotem heart bilong iumi?
6 Hao nao iumi fit for luksavve long wanem iumi putim insaed heart bilong iumi? Jesus sei: “Gudfala man givim kam gudfala samting from gudfala rich samting long heart bilong hem, bat nogud man givim kam samting wea nogud from nogud richfala samting bilong hem; from samting wea fulap long heart nao mouth bilong hem talem.” (Luke 6:45) Samting wea iumi storyim hem planti taem showimaot samting wea stap insaed heart bilong iumi. Waswe, iumi planti taem story abaotem olketa material samting and samting iumi duim long world? Or waswe, story bilong iumi hem planti taem long olketa spiritual samting and theocratic goal? Winim wei for story abaotem mistek bilong nara pipol, waswe, sapos long loving wei iumi kavarem samting for olketa? (Proverbs 10:11, 12) Waswe, iumi story planti taem abaotem pipol and samting wea happen long living bilong olketa bat no abaotem olketa spiritual samting and fasin? Waswe, diswan hem wanfala saen wea showaot iumi poke-nose tumas long laef bilong nara pipol?—1 Peter 4:15.
7. Wanem leson abaotem wei for protectim heart nao iumi savve lanem from story bilong tenfala brata bilong Joseph?
7 Tingim samting wea happen insaed wanfala big famili. Tenfala first son bilong Jacob ‘no tok kaen long’ young brata bilong olketa Joseph. Why? Olketa jealous bikos dadi bilong olketa laekem Joseph tumas. Bihaen taem Joseph kasem blessing bilong olketa dream from God, wea pruvim Jehovah hapi long hem, olketa “faendem moa reason for heitim hem.” (Genesis 37:4, 5, 11) Long raf wei, olketa sellim hem olsem wanfala slave. Then, taem olketa trae for kavarem rong wea olketa duim, olketa laea long dadi bilong olketa for tingse wanfala wild animal nao killim dae Joseph. Tenfala brata bilong Joseph fail for protectim heart bilong olketa long datfala taem. Sapos iumi kwiktaem for tok againstim pipol, waswe maet datwan showimaot iumi garem jealous fasin insaed heart bilong iumi? Iumi need for lukluk gud long samting wea kamaot long mouth bilong iumi and kwiktaem for finisim wei for saedem nogud samting.
8. Wanem nao bae helpem iumi for lukluk long heart bilong iumi sapos iumi talem laea samting?
8 Nomata “God kanduit for laea,” olketa man wea no perfect isi for laea. (Hebrews 6:18) Man wea raetem psalm hem sei: “Evri man hem laea.” (Psalm 116:11) Nomata aposol Peter tu laea taem hem denyim Jesus thrifala taem. (Matthew 26:69-75) Tru nao, iumi mas careful for stap klia long laea, bikos Jehovah heitim “tongue wea tok laea.” (Proverbs 6:16-19) Sapos enitaem iumi talem laea samting, hem gud for faendaot why nao iumi duim olsem. Waswe, hem from iumi fraetem man? Waswe, hem from iumi fraet for kasem panis? Maet iumi no laek for spoelem nem bilong iumi or barava selfish fasin nao rut bilong problem? Nomata wanem, iumi mas tingting gud raonem diswan, hambol for luksavve long wik point bilong iumi, and askem Jehovah for forgivim iumi taem iumi lukaotem help bilong hem for winim disfala wik point! “Olketa older man bilong kongregeson” maet best wan for givim help.—James 5:14.
9. Wanem nao prea bilong iumi savve showaot abaotem heart bilong iumi?
9 Taem hem ansarem prea bilong King Solomon for wisdom and savve, Jehovah sei: “From diswan hem samting wea heart bilong iu laekem and iu no ask for riches and honor . . . , iu bae kasem datfala wisdom and savve; and tu riches and honor wea mi bae givim long iu.” (2 Chronicles 1:11, 12) Jehovah savve samting wea Solomon tinghae long hem from samting wea hem askem and no askem. Wanem nao prea bilong iumi long God showaot abaotem heart bilong iumi? Waswe, prea showimaot iumi thirsty for savve, wisdom, and fasin for luksavve? (Proverbs 2:1-6; Matthew 5:3) Waswe, heart bilong iumi tinghae long olketa samting bilong Kingdom? (Matthew 6:9, 10) Sapos prea bilong iumi kamap samting nating nomoa, diswan maet showimaot need for markem taem for ting raonem olketa samting wea Jehovah duim. (Psalm 103:2) Evri Christian need for lukluk gud long wanem nao prea bilong olketa hem showaot.
Wanem Nao Samting Iumi Duim Showimaot?
10, 11. (a) Adultery and fornication hem start long wea? (b) Wanem nao bae helpem iumi for no ‘duim adultery insaed heart’?
10 Pipol savve sei wanem iumi duim hem showimaot moa samting winim wanem iumi talem. Samting wea iumi duim savve showimaot planti samting abaotem wanem kaen man nao iumi long insaed. Olsem example, long saed bilong fasin, wei for protectim heart minim moa samting winim wei for stap klia long fornication and adultery nomoa. Insaed Sermon bilong hem long Maunten, Jesus sei: “Evriwan wea go ahed for lukluk long wanfala woman for barava laekem hem, hem duim adultery finis witim hem insaed long heart bilong hem.” (Matthew 5:28) Hao nao iumi savve stap klia long wei for duim adultery insaed heart bilong iumi tu?
11 Faithful man Job wea stap bifor showimaot gudfala example for olketa Christian man and woman wea marit. Job hem deal witim olketa young woman and maet helpem olketa tu sapos need hem stap. Bat tingting for laekem olketa hem samting disfala faithful man hem nating duim. Why? Bikos hem disaed strong for nating lukluk long olketa woman for laekem olketa. Hem sei: “Wanfala covenant nao mi mekem witim eye bilong mi. So hao nao mi savve interest long eni young girl?” (Job 31:1) Iumi tu mas garem semkaen covenant witim eye bilong iumi and protectim heart bilong iumi.
12. Hao nao bae iu followim samting wea Luke 16:10 hem talem for protectim heart bilong iu?
12 Son bilong God sei: “Man wea faithful long smol samting hem faithful long big samting tu, and man wea no raeteous long smol samting hem no raeteous long big samting tu.” (Luke 16:10) Tru nao, iumi need for lukluk long fasin bilong iumi long olketa smol samting bilong evriday living, nomata fasin wea iumi showimaot long private ples olsem haos bilong iumiseleva tu. (Psalm 101:2) Taem iumi sidaon long haos bilong iumi, lukluk television, or iusim Internet, waswe, iumi careful for followim kaonsel bilong Scripture: “Iufala mas no story abaot fornication and evri difren kaen fasin wea no klin or greedy fasin, olsem hem fitim holy pipol; and tu fasin wea bringim shame or krangge toktok or fasin for mekfani long dirty samting, evri samting wea no fit”? (Ephesians 5:3, 4) And waswe long raf fasin wea stap long television or long olketa video game? “Jehovah seleva hem lukluk gud long raeteous man and nogud man tu, and soul bilong Hem barava heitim eniwan wea lovem raf fasin.”—Psalm 11:5.
13. Wanem wei for careful nao iumi mas garem taem iumi lukluk long samting wea kamaot from heart bilong iumi?
13 Jeremiah hem givim disfala warning: “Heart hem savve giamanim man winim eni nara samting and hem nating hol bak.” (Jeremiah 17:9) Disfala wei wea heart savve giaman maet showaot taem iumi givim excuse for rong bilong iumi, sei gud reason for duim rong hem stap, ting smol long olketa wik point, or apim tumas samting wea iumi duim. Heart wea giaman savve garem dabol fasin tu—mouth wea talem wanfala samting, akson wea showimaot difren samting. (Psalm 12:2; Proverbs 23:7) Hem important tumas for iumi honest taem iumi lukluk long samting wea kamaot from heart!
Waswe, Eye Bilong Iumi Simpol?
14, 15. (a) Wanem nao eye wea “simpol”? (b) Hao nao wei for keepim eye simpol hem help for protectim heart?
14 Jesus hem sei: “Lamp bilong body hem eye.” Then hem sei moa: “So sapos eye bilong iufala hem simpol, full body bilong iufala bae braet.” (Matthew 6:22) Eye wea simpol hem garem wanfala goal, or purpose nomoa, hem no luk difren from datwan. Tru nao, eye bilong iumi shud lukluk strong long wei for “lukaotem firstaem kingdom and raeteous fasin bilong [God].” (Matthew 6:33) Wanem nao savve happen long tokpiksa heart bilong iumi sapos eye bilong iumi no simpol?
15 Tingim wei for waka for selen. For provaedem samting wea famili bilong iumi needim hem wanfala Christian mark. (1 Timothy 5:8) Bat waswe sapos iumi laek for garem niu samting, best samting, and samting wea planti pipol aftarem saed long kaikai, kaleko, and kaen olsem? Bat waswe, maet datwan savve mekem heart and mind kamap slave, wea mekem iumi hafhaf long worship bilong iumi? (Psalm 119:113; Romans 16:18) Iumi shud no busy tumas for lukaftarem olketa physical need gogo laef bilong iumi warim nomoa famili, bisnis, and olketa material samting. Rememberim disfala toktok wea kam from God: “Lukluk gud long iufala seleva, nogud heart bilong iufala kamap hevi from iufala ova tumas for kaikai and drink tumas and long wari bilong living, and seke nomoa datfala day kasem iufala kwiktaem olsem wanfala trap. From hem bae kam long olketa wea stap evriwea long earth.”—Luke 21:34, 35.
16. Wanem advaes nao Jesus talem abaotem eye, and why nao olsem?
16 Really eye hem important part long body wea affectim mind and heart. Samting wea hem lukluk planti taem long hem savve barava affectim tingting, feeling, and akson bilong iumi. Jesus iusim tokpiksa toktok taem hem storyim paoa bilong samting wea man lukim: “So, sapos raet saed eye bilong iu mekem iu stambol, pullim aot and torowem. Bikos hem moabeta for iu for lusim wanfala part long body bilong iu winim wei for olketa torowem full body bilong iu insaed long Gehenna.” (Matthew 5:29) Mas bossim eye for no lukluk planti taem long olketa samting wea no stret. Olsem example, mas no lukluk long information wea savve mekem feeling for laekem sex kamap.
17. Hao nao wei for followim Colossians 3:5 hem help for protectim heart?
17 Tru, eye hem no only wei for luksavve long samting bilong world. Wei for tasim samting and herehere tu insaed diswan, and iumi need for careful long olketa part bilong body wea join witim tufala hia tu. Aposol Paul givim disfala kaonsel: “Killim dae olketa part bilong body bilong iufala long earth long saed bilong fornication, fasin wea no klin, wei for wantem sex, wei for wantem nogud samting, and fasin for kavet, wea hem fasin for worshipim idol.”—Colossians 3:5.
18. Wanem nao iumi shud duim saed long rong tingting?
18 Feeling for laekem nogud samting savve stap long botom bilong mind bilong iumi. Wei for tingting abaotem evritaem savve mekem strong datfala rong feeling, wea savve affectim heart. “Then disfala wei for kavet, taem hem grow, hem bornem sin; and sin, taem hem kamap, hem bringim kam dae.” (James 1:14, 15) Planti taem diswan nao savve mekem man duim nanali fasin. Dastawe hem important tumas for iumi evritaem fulimap mind bilong iumi witim olketa spiritual samting! (Philippians 4:8) And sapos rong feeling hem kam long mind, iumi shud trae hard for aotem.
‘Servem Jehovah Witim Full Heart’
19, 20. Hao nao iumi savve win for servem Jehovah witim full heart?
19 Taem hem olo, King David talem son bilong hem: “Solomon son bilong mi, savve long God bilong dadi bilong iu and servem hem witim full heart and witim hapi soul; Jehovah hem lukluk gud long evri heart, and hem minim evri wei bilong tingting.” (1 Chronicles 28:9) Solomon seleva prea for garem “heart wea obey.” (1 Kings 3:9) Nomata olsem, hem feisim challenge for keepim heart olsem long full laef bilong hem.
20 Sapos iumi want for win long diswan, iumi need for kasem heart wea Jehovah acceptim and tu for protectim. For duim datwan, iumi mas evritaem keepim olketa reminder long Word bilong God klos long heart bilong iumi—‘midolwan long hem.’ (Proverbs 4:20-22) Iumi mas mekem grow tu fasin for lukluk gud long heart bilong iumi, witim prea tingting raonem samting wea toktok and akson bilong iumi showimaot. Sapos iumi no barava ask strong for help bilong Jehovah for stretem eni wik point wea iumi garem, wei for tingting raonem samting olsem hem iusles nomoa. And hem important tumas for lukluk gud long wanem iumi feedim long iumiseleva saed long samting iumi lukim, herem, and tasim! Taem iumi duim diswan, iumi kasem promis for “peace bilong God wea winim evri tingting bae protectim heart and tingting bilong [iumi] thru long Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6, 7) Tru nao, letem iumi disaed strong for protectim heart bilong iumi winim eni samting and for servem Jehovah witim full heart.
Waswe, Iu Remember?
• Why nao hem important for protectim heart?
• Hao nao wei for tingting gud abaotem toktok bilong iumi helpem iumi for protectim heart bilong iumi?
• Why nao iumi shud keepim eye bilong iumi “simpol”?
[Olketa Piksa long page 23]
Wanem nao iumi planti taem storyim long field service, long olketa meeting, and long haos?
[Olketa Piksa long page 25]
Eye wea simpol no lukluk olabaot