What Takes Away Your Heart?

Hosea 4:11- "Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart"

Proverbs 4:23- "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life"

There are three things in life that can take over a man's heart and 'compromise' his natural senses/will, viz:

1. Whoredom: This is characterized in fornication, adultery, prostitution, bestiality, homosexuality and other forms sexual perversion. If you don't believe, go and read the story of Samson and Delilah again in Judges 16. Note how many times you come across the phrase "The philistines are come upon you, Samson!" Carefully, read verses 15 to 17. Whoredom took away Samson's heart! How about you? 2. Wine: This talks about alcohol. Taking a broad view, we can include any hard substance ranging from alcohol to cocaine, to marijuana and the likes. You don't believe me? Ask Lot, how he impregnated his two daughters (Genesis 19: 31-35). He simply was drunk and out of his wits! Now don't tell me he slept with each daughter just once and they both became pregnant... even if it was once, what a shame! Wine took away Lot's heart, and he ended up fathering an accursed generation! How about you? 3. New wine: The scriptures typified the Holy Spirit as the new wine (Mark 2:22). God can take over the heart of a man! You don't believe? Ask Balaam how he found himself blessing Israel when he was hired to curse them (Numbers 23 & 24). Ask Jeremiah what happened to him in Jeremiah 20 :9. You may care to ask Amos what he meant in Amos 3: 8. Have you noticed that before gospel came to Africa, two things that you will always find with men are: Infidelity (Many of them were polygamists) and alcoholism (Is palm wine not part of the culture?). Even in the world today, men that are not saved definitely have issues with women and/or alcohol/drugs. Never give chance to whoredome and wine, else, they will take away your heart! The only way to guard your heart against whoredome and wine is to give out your hear to God. Let God take over your heart, else, you will someday, find yourself captured by whoredoe and/or wine! Jim Elliot once said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose"... Give your heart to God and be totally sold out to Him. That is the only way to be set free and to stay free from the grip of sin (whoredome and wine). If you want the Holy Spirit of God to come dwell in your heart today, to fortify you against whoredome and wine; if you are inviting Jesus to take over your heart, and deliver you from the grip of sin and from the power of darkness and hell, say this short prayer.

#Exhortation #RevTemiloluwaAliu