Proverbs 4:20-23 says this:
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. KJV
These are instructions from God for every believer! "Attend" is the Hebrew word "qashab". Strong's Concordance says: a primitive root; to prick up the ears, i.e. hearken. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon says: to hear, to be attentive, to heed, to incline (used of ears), to attend (used of ears), to hearken, to pay attention, to listen. The Theological Dictionary of the Old testament adds obeying to the hearing! Here are these verses in the Amplified Bible, the New Living Translation and the Message Bible:
20 My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. AMP
20 My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words.
21 Don't lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
22 for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.
23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
20 Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice.
21 Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
22 Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health.
23 Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts.
THE MESSAGE BIBLE
The Word of God is the single most important possession you and I have in this life! The Word of God does not just contain Truth, it IS Truth (John 17:17)! Make sure that YOU are giving priority attention to the Word of God in every area of your life and you should be seeing successes multiplying in all of those areas! Mark 4:24 says this:
24 And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you — and more [besides] will be given to you who hear. AMP
Put the Word FIRST! You can't possibly go wrong doing that! Amen! Here is a picture that reinforces this for you!
Shalom in Him!
