#13 in Proverbs / Guard Your Heart

Introduction: High-Value Targets

“The emphasis of targeting is identifying resources (targets) the enemy can least afford to lose or that provide him with the greatest advantage (high-value target [HVT]), then further identifying the subset of those targets which must be acquired and engaged to achieve friendly success (high-payoff target [HPT])...A target the enemy commander requires for the successful completion of the mission” (JP 3-60, Joint Targeting).

Military: Hitler (WW2), Osama bin Laden (Afghanistan)

Political: Eric Swalwell, Diane Feinstein, and Chinese spies

Corporate: CEO, CFO

What about the church?

Satan’s mission is to destroy the church by destroying families by destroying parents, particularly men.

Each of you is a HVT in one respect. But especially leaders, fathers / men in particular.

Summary: “What does it mean? Just this: that all one thinks, decides, plans, does and says flows like streams from one common source—the heart. That is why one must keep his heart true to God’s Word, pure and unpolluted by the world’s poisonous springs.”1

Your Heart is a HVT.

Heart is that which reflects the inner man.

Heart is the seat of your will and emotions.

Jesus’ statements

John 7:38 “38 The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.””

Matt 6:21 “21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matt 13:15 “15 For this people’s heart has grown callous; their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn back— and I would heal them.”

Matt 15:18-19 “18 But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander.”

Love for God and others flows from the heart. Luke 10:27 “27 He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,” and “your neighbor as yourself.””

You believe the gospel with your heart. Rom 10:9-10 “9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.”

Your heart can be hardened (Mark 3:5; Eph 4:18; Heb 3:8), deceived (James 1:26), closed (1 Jn 3:17), and/or condemned (1 Jn 3:20).

Don’t relax (20-22). “With all guarding, guard your heart.” The watchman on the wall doesn’t take a nap.

Who has declared your heart a HPT?

1 John 2:16 “16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.”

How do you guard your heart? (vss. 24-27?)

Watch your mouth (24).

Crooked speech, Devious talk; basically, speech meant to lead someone astray

Matt 15:18-19 “18 But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander.”

Your mouth is a two-way gate: it not only reveals the contents of your heart, but what you say can poison the well of your heart.

James 1:19 “19 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,”

Live intentionally (25-26).

Don’t get distracted.

David’s distraction with Bathsheba; Samson with various women

Lot’s distraction with Sodom

Esau distracted by a meal / his hunger

Martha distracted with busyness

Take time to prepare.

Living by the seat of your pants may be fun, but it’s disaster waiting to happen.

Bible reading, time for prayer, church, serving...these things won’t happen automatically.

Stay on target (27).

Jesus is the target. This is where Martha went wrong.

Other targets: work, money, sensual pleasure, retirement, goals & dreamsTM, pleasing others, etc.

Most of our problems arise when we lose track of the target.

Love God, then love others.

Conclusion: What do you do with the most valuable possession you own?

Guns? Jewels? Money?

Your heart is the most valuable possession you own. Does the way you speak and live show that you understand that? Are you staying on target towards Christ?

1 Jay E. Adams, Proverbs, The Christian Counselor’s Commentary (Cordova, TN: Institute for Nouthetic Studies, 2020), 42–43.