Scripture Reading: Proverbs 23:19

“Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.” (Proverbs 23:19)

Each one of us is responsible to guide his own heart in this journey of life. It is a one-way journey; there is no turning around to start over again. We have to face the choice of whether or not we will do God’s will and be honest with ourselves. When evening falls, we cannot live that day over again; it is forever sealed into our past.

But how can we guide our hearts so that we will not regret our yesterdays? We are all so weak and full of mistakes and foolishness. Even great men of God, like Charles G. Finney, have felt their inadequacy and have cried out as he did, “I was also led into a state of great dissatisfaction with my own want of stability in faith and love… I often felt myself weak in the presence of temptation.”

And then he gave us the answer how he overcame, “…I needed frequently to hold days of fasting and prayer,  and to spend much time in overhauling my own religious life in order to retain that communion with God and that hold upon the Divine truth that would enable me efficiently to labour for the promotion of revival of religion” (Charles Finney by Basil Miller).

Finney guided his heart to do what was right by fasting and prayer.

This is still the right way. Go to God. He is the source of your strength. He will enable you to overcome the temptations of the flesh and the enticing bids which the world makes for your soul.

Flee to Him for refuge; ask Him for the strength you need even to fast, and the dedication it takes to pray and He will not fail you, nor will He disappoint you. He is ever ready to receive and help the one who will acknowledge his need of help in guiding his or her heart in the right way.

The Holy Spirit alone will help you to kindle anew the holy fires that once burned in your soul; and this new flame of revival fire in you will become contagious and light many other fires wherever you go.

Gems of Wisdom by Gwen Shaw
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