The Ground of the Heart and Mind

đź“–THE GROUND OF THE HEART AND MIND
Pastor Jeff Smith
8/13/25

đź“– Text: Genesis 2:15; Proverbs 4:23; Philippians 4:7
🗝️ Theme: Preparing and Preserving the Ground of Your Heart and Mind

🌱 Opening Thought

God told Adam to “dress and keep” the garden (Gen. 2:15)—to prepare it for growth and to preserve it from corruption. Proverbs 4:23 commands us to keep our hearts with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. Philippians 4:7 promises peace that keeps our hearts and minds—if they’re rightly prepared.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee...” – Isaiah 26:3

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace...” – John 16:33

I. 🧠 The Ground

đź“ś Biblical Parallel

  • God created a perfect environment for Adam—yet still gave him the duty to dress and keep it.

  • Similarly, God has saved us, and sealed us in his garden to dress and keep the ground of our hearts and minds.

“The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:7

🔥 Spiritual Warfare

  • Your heart and mind are the battlegrounds where Satan launches attacks (Gal. 5:17).

  • Now, we labor under spiritual thorns and weeds unless we guard the ground God gave us.

“Your immediate issues are not with the world... your immediate issues are with you.”

“Struggles often begin and end with the Truth.”

“It isn’t that Christians don’t want to do right; it’s that they struggle trying to do right.”

đź’ˇ Application

  • Examine your heart—what is growing there?

  • Is the ground hard, shallow, or thorny? Or is it good, tilled, fruitful?

  • The Word can only take root where the soil is ready.

III.   đź›ˇď¸ŹThe “Guardening”

·       Guard, Keep, Protect, Preserve the entrance to the ground of the heart and mind

o   Eyes - See

o   Ears - Hear

o   Mouth – Taste

 

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” – Proverbs 4:23

  • Judas failed to guard his heart (John 13:2); Eve was deceived, Adam disobeyed.

·       Hebrews 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

II. đź“– The Gardening

  • 🌿 Dressing = Preparing the ground
    → Through Bible reading, meditation, confession, submission

  • 🛡️ Keeping = Preserving from corruption
    → By diligence, watchfulness, accountability, and prayer.

🧺 Daily Practice

  • Confession tills the ground

  • Repentance uproots the weeds

  • Daily Bible reading waters the heart.

  • Meditation and prayer bring the wind.

🧩 Final Thought

In light of the fact that “the Lord is at hand” (Phil. 4:5), there is an urgent need to prepare your heart and preserve your mind.

“Sin will keep you from the Bible, or the Bible will keep you from sin.” – D.L. Moody

“Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ.”

đź“Ś Challenge

âś… Spend 15 minutes each day dressing and keeping your heart with the word and prayer.
✅ Identify weeds—bitterness, fear, lust, pride—and root them out.
âś… Sow the seed of the word with someone this week.

Jeffrey smith