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SST3-01 Keeping your Heart

Keeping your Heart

Keeping your Heart
By David Cox
© 2012

Sunday School Class Volume 3, Number 1
https://www.coxtracts.com/free-teen-sunday-school-classes/

Sunday School Class on keeping your heart. Your heart is like the tiller of a boat. It decides where you will go.

Prov 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

The Hebrew here doubles the verb, “keep keep,” which means that we must keep it this very intensely. The heart is something extremely important for our soul and our future in eternity. The text gives us the motivations coming out of our heart. Our being (what we are) is defined by what is our heart. We go to heaven or hell because of what we are spiritually, in our heart, we are sinners. If one is a Christian, then he or she “is” (or seeks to be) the moral essence of Christ. He seeks the moral character of God, and is interested in the things of God, the work of God, and wants to know more and more of the Word of God to be more like his Savior whom he loves intensely. What the person “is” is defined by the moment of saving faith in his Savior, Jesus Christ. If “he is” a child of the Devil, equally, he hates or is not tolerant of the things of God, he seeks to limit his encounter with these things of God to the least possible or avoid them entirely. He is very interested in the things of the world, the pleasures, the sins, and the rest that is not of God. Where his life is going, he discerns what essence he is, a son of God or son of the devil, and follows his spiritual “father.”




1John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

God commands us to keep our heart, because the heart is the source of life, that is, where “what we are” comes from. The heart is a representation of everything else in our life. Everything in our life “flows” from our heart. It refers to the center of our personality and soul. From this center, “life springs” or life develops around what is in our heart, and what our heart is like spiritually. “We do” things according to what we are. What you are is defined by what your heart is.




Matt 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Jesus explained that what really “contaminates man” (sin), which is our actions and attitudes, and we are not contaminated for eating one food or another, or eating with unclean hands. The heart is the problem, and because of this, we act as we act, because what we are.




Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

The heart is what corrupts us (makes us black with sin*), and this was because they knew about God, but they did not honor him as God. There is a lot of difference between knowing about the Bible, and knowing God personally, and having a relationship with Him, where Jesus saves you, and you honor Him as your God. They did not value God above their own will. They did not hold him, and they were condemned by God.

* Being black with sin has nothing to do with one’s skin color, but refers to purity as white, and dirty as black. Black people can be good Christians, and pure in God’s eyes. Caucasians are not really white, but flesh-tone by the way.

Ps 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

The heart is also the place where we “put the Word of God“, and this is to prevent sin in our lives (if we heed God’s Word). We put the Word of God in our hearts by memorizing it, but much more than to be able to repeat it, we study the Word of God to understand what God wants, and we give God what He wants from us.




Prov 22:5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

God warns us that there are dangers and punishments in the way of perversity. Keeping your soul from walking in these ways will protect you from this punishment from God on sin.

Ps 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

The psalmist’s attitude is to lay out his life before God so that God examines and rebukes (to change his life). When there is any element of sin in our life, we should seek to remove it from our life.




Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Prov 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

The arrogant will not have his life blessed by God. He who follows the desires and pleasures of his heart against God’s counsel is following things that have no root or part in eternity or with God.

We have to trust in God. God knows better than us. It is ridiculous to think that God (who knows everything) does not understand your life, your problems, and already knows how to remedy them. We have to look for God’s direction, or we will suffer serious problems in life.




Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

When one accepts Jesus as their Savior, Satan gets upset with this. Then Satan works with the attitude of the person so that he “makes bitter“, that is, he has a bad attitude about how things are turning out in his life. The author of Hebrews warns us not to fall into a bitter attitude trap towards what God does in your life.




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SSTeen3-03 Keeping your Soul: The Ear Gate to the Mind

Keeping your Soul: The Ear Gate to the Mind
By David Cox
© 2012

Sunday School Series 3, Number 3
https://www.coxtracts.com/free-teen-sunday-school-classes/

In this Sunday School class, we examine the effect of constantly seeing and hearing sin over and over again, and how it wears down our resistance to sin as happened in the life of Lot.




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evc03 The Six Days of Creation

ec03 The Six Days of Creation examines the creation days, 24 hour periods, and other related points.

ec03 The Six Days of Creation examines the creation days, 24 hour periods, and other related points.

The Six Days of Creation

By David Cox

[ec03] v1.2 ©2008 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Many Christians fight over the six days of creation, trying to defend the concept that the six-day account was billions of years. The only reason for this is that they want to give room to the evolution that requires millions of years to “work”.

As people who believe in what God’s Word says, we must reject the need for millions of years in each day, and we reject anything contrary to what the Scriptures say.

We see in Genesis 1 and 2 where God clearly says that creation happened in 7 literal days. (On the seventh day, God rested from his work, but in doing so, he created the concept of a day of rest.) So, the days of creation, as the Bible presents it to us, are literal 24-hour days.

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evc02 Created or Evolved? A Refutation of Evolution

ev02 Created or Evolved? A Refutation of Evolution. We look at why evolution is not science, but a misplaced faith.

evc02 Created or Evolved? A Refutation of Evolution. We look at why evolution is not science, but a misplaced faith.

By David Cox

[evc02] v1 ©2005 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely photocopy and print this for free distribution

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

The Bible presents God as having created the universe and everything that is in it. In contrast to the theory of evolution which teaches that man is the product of formation and evolution from simple forms of life into more complex forms of life, purely by chance, such as an automobile that constructs itself without outside help. The theory of evolution rejects the need of a master Creator and Genius Designer.

(This tract is an adaptation of an article from the site, www.earthharvest.org titled “God as Artist”, by Sherif Michael.)

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pent08 Benny Hinn: false prophet

pent08 Benny Hinn: false prophet of the Word of Faith Movement, examines the doctrine and practices against the Bible.

Benny Hinn: The False Prophet of the Word of Faith Movement

By David Cox
[Pent08] v1 ©2006 www.coxtracts.com
See the above site for more information and traces
this tract can be reproduced freely by cannot be sold.




Not given to filthy lucre… teaching things which they ought not, for filthy’s lucre’s sake. Even a prophet of their own said the Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies” Titus 1:7-12

Is Benny Hinn a great man of God filled with faith, gifted with the powers of healing and doing miracles or is he a false prophet? Well the truth is that he is no man of God, because every true man of God obeys the will of God, and follows the Word of God. Hinn was pastor of the church, “Orlando Christian Center” in Orlando, Florida, and later pastored “World Outreach Church” and after that “Faith World Church” when he launched himself into evangelism. Actually, he is the source and spokesman for the Word of Faith movement. Hinn takes in 100 million dollars a year, and lives in a $3.5 million dollar mansion, and stays in $2000/night hotels. He wrote “Good morning Holy Spirit,” which was very popular and sold 250,000 copies in the first two months.




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eva11 What happens after I die?

eva11 What happens after I die? Explains what the Bible declares to us about the afterlife or what happens after we die, heaven or hell.

eva11 What happens after I die? Explains what the Bible declares to us about the afterlife or what happens after we die, heaven or hell.

By Pastor David Cox
[eva11] v1 ©2023 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes.

Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

There are only two eternal possibilities for any person.

Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it (heaven) anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

In other words, God is who makes the eternal options. The Bible is very clear that we continue living eternally after our physical death. But the options that God has made are 1) to go to heaven with God for all eternity if our name is written in the book of life or 2) to go to hell if our name is not found in this book.

Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Everything about our eternal destiny after death lies in the point if our name is written in the book of life that God keeps for all the saved. So, how do I get my name in that book? Jesus writes your name there when you are saved, because you have received Him as your Savior.

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doct55 Increase our Faith

doct55 Increase our Faith we define faith from the Bible, and explain how faith has to have corresponding evidence in our lives.

doct55 Increase our Faith we define faith from the Bible, and explain how faith has to have corresponding evidence in our lives.

By David Cox

[doct55] v1 ©2023 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes.

Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

The apostles made a simple request. Jesus had taught them about faith. But the main point for them was that Jesus himself is the Messiah, the Christ, God incarnate so that He can give us salvation. It was almost impossible to believe this, but if you can find ever so small a piece of faith to believe it, like a small seed, it will grow to great proportions. With time, it will grow like a great, strong, and large tree. But as with the cultivation of trees, there are matters that are very important to observe.

John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

The problem then is this of doubting, of wanting evidence, and this is the opposite of faith. The lack of faith is to doubt God, His power and ability to work.

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent:   hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Titus 1:2… God which cannot lie promised…

Heb 6:18 it was impossible for God to lie… Psalms 101:7.

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ch94 How to Destroy a Church

ch94 How to Destroy a Church explains how the church functions, and gives us the criteria for judging if a person is a blessing or not, if they are like Christ.

ch94 How to Destroy a Church explains how the church functions, and gives us the criteria for judging if a person is a blessing or not, if they are like Christ.

How to Destroy a Church

By Pastor David Cox

[ch94] v1 ©2024 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this for non-profit purposes

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock (that rock is that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Jesus created the church for His purposes. This church represents the kingdom of God on earth. Through the church, God does His divine work, which is the salvation of the souls of men (those who respond to His gospel invitation). But the church is based on the gospel, and if you change salvation, the gospel, you have already destroyed the church. The essence of the church is saved people, who are saved and are growing in their faith and their sanctification, and who are committed to obeying God and fulfilling the task that God gives to the church. But it is certain that Satan tries to destroy God’s work as much as he can.

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pc61 Resisting Peer Pressure, Christian Cowards

pc61 Resisting Peer Pressure, Christian Cowards. We analyze the pressure of unsaved friends on the Christian.

By David Cox

[pc61] v1 ©2019 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes.

Exodus 23:2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment.

Many Christians seem defenseless when there is a lot of pressure from their friends or acquaintances to get them to “go along” with incorrect things, or in what doesn’t please God.

To be a Christian, the person absolutely has to have moral strength and courage to stand against the world and even against his friends at times, to declare what God says in the Bible as this is what we have to do, and definitely declare that the Bible way is what the Christian will do, even if there is a lot of pressure from others to do incorrect things. Pleasing God overrules pleasing friends.

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ch29 The Marks of a Christian (Study of 1 John)

ch29 The Marks of a Christian (Study of 1 John) is a study of what are the marks of a Christian throughout the book of 1st John.

ch29 The Marks of a Christian (Study of 1 John) is a study of what are the marks of a Christian throughout the book of 1st John.

The Marks of a Christian according to 1 John

By David Cox

v1 ©2008 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes.

The Apostle John in his first epistle presents us with the marks of a true Christian. It is important that every Christian meditates on whether he himself is a true Christian, and if he is truly saved, and a part of the body of Christ. No member of a body can exists alone, apart from the rest of the body, without having exchange with the rest of the members of the body. The Christian must base his spiritual life in identification with this body of Christ, and with the work of God that makes up the body of Christ, and to function within that body.

To understand this, we need to study Matthew 25:31-46.  God is going to judge each person as being saved or not by how they have a relationship with Jesus Christ. The point of this teaching is to make us understand that our love of Christ (which is absolutely necessary to be saved) manifests itself in our relationship with the rest of our Christian brethren.

John declares in his first epistle who are our brethren with whom we must do to show our true love of God. By establishing these marks God helps us not to fail in tricks and traps with deceivers or people seeking to take advantage of our love of Christ without them loving Christ.

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