Guard Your Heart, Guard Your Faith Tuesday, September 29, 2026 — 11:34 Zulu This morning I have a sobering word about loved ones who reject Jesus or have fallen away from the faith. What Are You Allowing Into Your Heart? The Bible says: “The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways.” — Proverbs 14:14, NKJV What fills your heart eventually shows up in your life. That is why Scripture tells us: “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” — Proverbs 4:23, NKJV We need to guard what we see, what we hear, and what we allow to continually occupy our thoughts. Recently, my wife and I were watching a series. We reached a point where we both realized, This has crossed a line. We don’t need this in our home. We didn’t even finish the conversation. Later, while preparing lunch, she looked at me and said, “Let’s not watch it.” I said, “Yep. That’s confirmation.” We had both reached the same conclusion independently. There was no need to expose ourselves to something that was hurting our faith. Whatever Hurts Your Faith Needs to Go This is simple: whatever consistently damages your faith needs to be cut off. That includes entertainment, conversations, relationships, or anything else that continually feeds fear, bitterness, lust, unbelief, or rebellion. We all have different assignments in life. Some people, such as police officers, regularly encounter the darkest side of fallen humanity. That kind of work requires strength and grace from God. Constant exposure to darkness can affect the heart. So we need to pay attention to what is shaping us. When Someone Goes Beyond Backsliding There is also a difference between someone struggling and someone who has hardened themselves against God. A person can stumble, repent, and get back up. That’s different from someone who continually rejects God’s Word, resists the Holy Spirit, embraces rebellion, and then begins attacking everyone who believes differently. Hebrews warns about a “root of bitterness” that can spring up and defile many (Hebrews 12:15). When bitterness takes root, it rarely stays private. It eventually affects relationships, conversations, and even how a person sees God. Don’t Manipulate People This is also why we don’t need to manipulate people into giving, serving, or following us. When the Holy Spirit is genuinely working through someone’s life, there is no need for tricks. Paul learned this lesson through tremendous opposition. Whatever his particular “thorn in the flesh” was, God’s answer to him was: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9, NKJV Whatever opposition we face, God’s grace is sufficient. Grace doesn’t mean God approves of everything around us. Grace gives us the ability to continue obeying God in the middle of difficult circumstances. Don’t Let Someone Else’s Rebellion Become Yours If you have a loved one who has rejected Jesus, don’t allow their rebellion to pull you away from Christ. Pray for them. Love them. Speak the truth when appropriate. But don’t let their bitterness become your bitterness. And don’t let their rejection of God’s Word cause you to reject God’s Word. Especially for those of us who evangelize, we won’t always minister in controlled environments. We’re going to encounter people who are angry, wounded, bitter, rebellious, and sometimes openly hostile toward the things of God. That’s part of the assignment. But God’s grace is sufficient. Finish Your Assignment Paul eventually ministered from a rented house in Rome, receiving people and teaching them about Christ: “Preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.” — Acts 28:31, NKJV Don’t let somebody else’s rebellion become your distraction. Guard your heart. Guard your faith. Walk in love. Speak the truth. And keep doing what God called you to do.
