Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  There are many things in life that must be maintained if they are to operate properly.  Not long ago the hours on my tractor dictated that it was due for a scheduled maintenance.  The engine oil and filter, the hydraulic oil and filters, the antifreeze, and the differential fluids needed to be changed.  All of this maintenance has to do with the internal workings of the tractor.  If neglected, then eventually it would demand very costly repairs.  The pretty orange paint on the outside of the tractor is not the most important thing!  God is telling us in our text that the heart must be kept with all diligence.
The Pharisees in Jesus’s day were good at appearing holy, when in fact they were very unholy.  Jesus called them hypocrites!  It is possible to think we’re just fine when in fact we are far from it. Jeremiah 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?  The Lord surely knows our hearts.  When I was young, I purchased a new Chevy pick up.  When I washed the truck, I raised the hood and washed the engine compartment as well.  Crazy, I know!   No one else knew what it looked like under the hood, but I did!  If others could see under the hood in your heart, what would they see?  Just remember this, God knows whats under the hood, so keep your heart with all diligence.  Let’s not overlook the upkeep that is necessary to please our Lord.  May we be available for His service today. Amen.  Pastor