Solomon instructed us to: “Keep them (God’s Word) in the midst of your heart” (Proverbs 4:21). The “heart” refers to the spirit, which is recreated at
the new birth.
We must maintain a regular diet from God’s Word to keep a strong spiritual
life. It is not a matter of eating just once. We must continue feeding on the Word to maintain a healthy, well-balanced spiritual diet. We must keep
it rolling over and over within our hearts.
It has been said, “Many people feed their bodies three hot meals a day, and their spirits one cold snack a week.” It is not enough to only feed our bodies
once a week. Neither is it sufficient to only feed our spirits once in a while. Our entire being — spirit, soul and body needs nourishment every
day.
All successful athletes, both professional and competitive amateurs, must keep themselves in outstanding physical condition. They control the quality and
quantity of food that they eat. They maintain a daily exercise program to keep their bodies finely tuned. They continually practice, going over and
over again, the moves that will be demanded of them to be the best. This is accepted and expected as part of success in an athlete’s life.
Success in the kingdom of God comes in the same manner. We must control what we feed our spirits. Feed on the Good News that will cause strength in the
area we desire. And we keep ourselves proficient in God’s Word by putting it into practice in our daily lives.
Notice what Caleb describes as the key to his success in entering the land God had promised Israel:
“I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my
heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God” (Joshua 14: 7-8).
Because God had said the land belonged to Israel, Caleb could imagine living there. Notice that the report he gave to Moses was what was alive in his heart.
Forty years after hearing it, God’s promise was still alive in Caleb’s heart. However, there were men who gave Moses an evil report also. These men
had seen the same land, but they did not consider what God had spoken. The evil report the people heard made their hearts melt.
Our ears and eyes are gateways to our hearts. That is why Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
God’s life power flows out of our hearts. We must protect our hearts from anything that is contrary to the Word of God. Caleb protected his heart when
the evil report came. He kept the Word alive within him and later enjoyed the fruit of his faith.
These three areas — the ears, the eyes, and the heart — work together toward the goal of expanding your hope. When your hope (or imagination)
is expanded, it will give you a greater capacity for faith.
