Do You Have a Heart Condition?

For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
(Proverbs 4:2)

Many times our sins are sins of attitude rather than sins of action. Even when they are sins of action, it is because of a wrong attitude. We can appear to others as a pillar of virtue, when our heart is steeped in sin.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7a)

One of the hardest questions to answer honestly is, “Is thy heart right with God?”

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.  (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

There are many kinds of heart conditions one might have. There also are many ways an heart condition can affect us. Let’s compare physical conditions with spiritual conditions that affect the heart.

  1. SPEECH PROBLEMS CAN BE CAUSED BY THE HEART.

    O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
    (Matthew 12:34-37)ILL. My aunt had an heart condition that evidently caused a stroke. Her speech was affected.

    1. Profanity and lewd speech is a common practice of so many.
    2. Some use words that have a double meaning that can be taken in different ways and if they are called on it, they plead innocence.
    3. And then there is the matter of not telling the truth.

      These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

    4. The way we talk reveals our heart’s condition.
  2. ACTIVITIES ARE CONTROLLED BY THE HEART.

    For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (Matthew 15:19)

    1. The heart can dictate our physical activities.
    2. We do for God what we have the heart to do.
    3. Wicked actions are produced by an heart condition.

      An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations,(Proverbs 6:18a)

  3. RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS ARE AFFECTED BY THE HEART.

    But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. (James 3:14)

    1. Bitter feelings turn us into everything, except what we ought to be.
    2. Bitterness disrupts our relationship with others.

      Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; (Hebrews 12:15)

    3. It causes strife and bad behavior.
    4. God would have us to be controlled by love.

      Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
      (I Corinthians 13:4-8)

  4. A HEART CONDITION CAN CAUSE SELFISHNESS.

    And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. (Luke 21:34)

    1. A person with a bad heart needs someone to do things for them they can no longer do.
    2. Christians whose hearts are not right with God become selfish.
    3. They become overly concerned with this life and fell sorry for themselves. (O, poor me, I am so mistreated.)
    4. Sometimes they even want God, or the church, to wait on them hand and foot.
  5. STRESS PRODUCES HEART FAILURE.

    After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:9-15)

    1. Stress builds up because we do not properly deal with the issues of our lives.
    2. Spiritual stress is caused by wrong behavior toward God or our fellow man.
    3. Think about this, the first four commandments of the Law have to do with our attitude and behavior toward God and the last six have to do with our attitude and behavior toward our fellow man.
    4. God says to forgive, but we do our best to get even.
    5. In so doing we suffer that much more.

      Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
      (Matthew 18:32-35)And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  (Hebrews 12:5-7)

    6. All of the Law can be fulfilled by one thing and that is love.

      Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40)Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:10)

    7. When we have heart trouble, we need a specialist, there is none greater than the Lord Jesus Christ.

      Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)


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