Guard your Heart | Pat Hood | LifePoint Church

Main message: The sermon uses Absalom’s coup against David to warn believers to guard their hearts from rebellion, gullibility, and misplaced loyalties. It contrasts false, self-serving ambition with faithful, repentant, and God-rested hearts.

Key points:

• Absalom’s rise shows a rebellious heart: he used charm, appearances, and religion to steal Israel’s loyalty and pursue his own kingdom.
• The people and allies who followed him show a reckless heart: they were gullible, easily swayed, and not anchored in God’s word.
• Ahithophel and Ziba illustrate how some choose opportunity over loyalty and exploit crisis for personal gain.
• Ittai and Hushai model a resolute heart: faithfulness, loyalty, and commitment even when it is costly.
• David shows a remorseful heart when he faces the consequences of his sin and refuses to silence Shimei, and a rested heart when he trusts God rather than trying to control outcomes.
• The application is to be anchored in Scripture, confess sin, surrender control to God, and let God’s word be the primary influence on the heart.

Scriptures mentioned: 2 Samuel 15:6, 2 Samuel 15:1-13, 2 Samuel 15:15-27, Psalm 23, Proverbs