{"id":4757,"date":"2010-06-15T11:58:41","date_gmt":"2010-06-15T16:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buddymartin.net\/blog\/?p=4757"},"modified":"2020-01-10T17:18:52","modified_gmt":"2020-01-10T17:18:52","slug":"the-garden-of-the-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buddymartin.org\/blog\/2010\/06\/15\/the-garden-of-the-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"The Garden of the Heart…"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\u201cWatch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.\u201d<\/em> <\/span><\/span>(Pro 4:23 NASB)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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R<\/span>eaders,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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This journal entry will include three songs. I selected these songs because they speak to the very heart of what I want to share with you. As you read please take a moment to listen to each song. The Lord wants to speak to your heart. He often speaks His heart to us by way of a song. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I had shared the story of the four poplar trees that Betty and I planted a few years ago. Three of the trees grew tall and strong. But one of the four trees couldn’t make it. It remained small and weak. Even after I transplanted it, I still could not get it to grow. It was too late. The little tree was simply too stunted and weak to make it.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The reason I transplanted the little tree hoping that it would help it grow was because of some research. What I found is that a poplar should never be planted in clay. It needs good soil and plenty of sunshine to grow. Clay keeps water from reaching the roots. That was why our little poplar tree could not survive. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Through this venture with the poplar trees I gained a bit of instruction. In the Bible, the term clay is often symbolic of a troubled life or of a hardened heart. David speaks to this:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay<\/strong><\/span><\/em>, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD. How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.\u201d<\/em> (Psa 40:1-4 NASB)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Did you catch it? The Lord brought David out of the miry clay of destructive surroundings. He then settled David\u2019s feet firmly on the Rock of His salvation. Notice what David said:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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