Tuesday, April 23, 2002
Apparently, they were talking about America's reservoirs in terrorist centers in Afghanistan. As al-Qaeda documents were uncovered by American troops there, it became clear that folks who want to attack American interests have been at least considering some of our major water systems. So, security has really been beefed up at those kinds of facilities. And that's a good thing.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Reservoir Security."
Now, the thought of something toxic getting into our water supply is a scary prospect - we should do everything in our power to defend against that. If the source gets contaminated, the results can be deadly.
It's that principle that God is appealing to in Proverbs 4:23, our word for today from the Word of God. God's command goes like this: "Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life." So, your heart is the reservoir, the spring which feeds everything else in your life - what you value, what you spend your time on, what you spend your money on, what you love, what you hate. If it gets poisoned, it's going to affect - and infect - everything.
Oh, and the terrorist of the universe knows that. A terrorist knows that the way to bring down a city is to poison its water source. Satan knows the way to bring down someone who belongs to Jesus is to put poison in your heart. But he can only do that if you drop your guard. That's why God says, "Guard your heart!" Increase the security around the reservoir. Be very, very careful what - and who - you let into your heart.
There are things you just cannot let get into your spiritual reservoir. You need to guard your affections - don't let yourself get close to someone who can steal some of your love for Jesus and diminish your love for Him. And guard your motives - don't let pride or jealousy or self-interest poison what you're doing for your Lord.
You've got to watch what you watch and what you listen to - even if it's just entertainment, those images, those messages get dropped into the reservoir in your heart. You just can't afford to let in things that can make you casual about what's wrong, about the very things that Jesus died for, that break His heart. So, guard your heart. And don't let yourself spend too much time on things that crowd Jesus right out of the center of your life - no matter how innocent those things seem to be.
Anything or anyone that is stealing some of your love for Jesus ... that is slowly diverting your focus on Him ... that is pulling you, however gradually, toward the darkness - those are things you just cannot let into the reservoir in your heart. Satan will use any weakness, any need, any attraction, any distraction to plant something toxic in the wellspring of your life. And I tell you, he can bring down the best of us with a little poison in the heart because that's what everything else is affected by.
God has told us how to stop the terrorism of poison that can do more damage than we ever dreamed. Three little words that can save you so much heartache - "Guard your heart!"