Keep Your Heart With All Vigilance

When our culture talks about the heart, it points to all kinds of things like love, beauty, and even gooey feelings. All of these sound good on the outside. And this is why we often hear people say, “Listen to your heart,” or “Follow your heart.” It’s the same message that you’ll hear in countless movies and soap operas, and unfortunately, many have bought into it, believing that the heart is a trustworthy guide. But as we saw last week, God’s Word tells us that our trust should be in the Lord, giving him our whole heart, since it is sick, marred by sin, and from it come all kinds of evil that defile us. If the heart gets what the heart wants, it’ll bring no glory to God, as it instinctively leans toward immorality and wickedness.

Recognizing all of this, Solomon wisely instructed his son in Proverbs 4 to guard his heart with all vigilance. Solomon had repeatedly failed in this area of his life and hoped to spare his son from having to face the same inevitable consequences. And this is a warning to us also. Our hearts are continually under attack, and unless we fix our eyes on Christ, it is guaranteed that we will give way to the weakness of our flesh. But when we are set on Christ, he will strengthen us to bring all our senses to bear on protecting our hearts so that we can walk in obedience to him and stay the course.

Series: Words of Wisdom
Message: Keep Your Heart With All Vigilance
Text: Proverbs 4:23
Patrice Charade
Harvest Alliston
July 19, 2026

When I am set on Christ…

…I bring all my senses to bear (v. 20–22)

John 10:10b

…on protecting my heart (v. 23)

Psalm 18:2

…that I may stay the course (v. 24–27)

A man who has his eye on his future state of glorification will spend his time in preparing himself for it.
– Martyn Lloyd-Jones