Have you thought much about your heart lately?
The heart is a little thing compared to the rest of our body, but it is a very important organ. It's
been a mystifying organ to all scientists. It's mystifying because it's a self powering machine that
doesn't require batteries to operate. Scientists continue to search for the source of this power and
refuse to recognize that the power comes from God.
The heart is a life giving organ... for without it there is no life. It is a machine that no man on
earth can equal. The heart was created a perfect functional machine for us to use. The only
requirement is we must take care of it.
Sadly, many people take this God given machine for granted and abuse it. They will abuse it by
improper diet, as in gorging themselves with food as if it was their last meal and then lay around
complaining as to how stuffed they are. Exercise is the last thing on the mind, if it ever was on their
mind. And then some will pollute their hearts with injections of improper chemicals such as smoke,
alcohol, and drugs. Then the heart becomes weak and functions improperly and we wonder why?
After a period of neglect our heart eventually sends out a message that we can't overlook. It's called
a HEART ATTACK!
Then we have no choice but to take this seriously. Whenever a heart attack occurs or certain
symptoms confront us that we recognize as associated with our heart, we act quickly to resolve the
problem. We'll quickly call on a physician relying on his knowledge and expertise and we will take
all medicines that he prescribes because we don't like the pain that goes with this condition and we
want to be well again so as to continue living. Have you seen this happen or even fell victim to these
conditions? How's your heart, now?
Remember when you became a child of God? You were given a new heart then, too. This new
heart was pure and strong. Do you remember how zealous you were then? How nothing could stop
you from serving the Lord? It was as if you were driving a brand new car and you had to show off
that powerful engine to everyone. That powerful engine was that strong heart working within you.
Paul said in (2 Cor. 5:17) "he is a new creature in Christ...all things are become new".
You see, once we gained that NEW heart, it became the time in our lives we truly searched for
Christ as instructed in (Matt. 6:33) "seek ye first the kingdom". Nothing got in the way. It was a time
when encouragement of loved ones built up one another as a special ingredient to the new life which
in turn created this zealous work. We didn't let the world and its powers in worldly activities
overcome the desire for Christ to be first in our life. This new heart has the blood of humbleness
pumping through it as Paul and James instructs us to "put on" (Col. 3:12-13, James 4:10) and by
pumping that humbleness through the heart, kindness for all shows throughout, not allowing any evil
to intervene. When another would hurt our feelings or wrong us, we had a forgiving heart, just as
Paul recommended in (Eph. 4:32) "be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Do you remember those days? Do you remember
the pure and strong heart that God gave us and once was in us? How's your heart, NOW?
Matthew reminds us (Matt. 5:8) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" If your
heart is not that pure and strong heart that you once had, what is it that has polluted it?
A distinct polluting problem of the heart is that of clotting and/or blockage of the passageways
of the heart. This blockage occurs many times from outside influences. Some of these might be our
so called friends (I Cor. 15:33-"Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good manners")
Our Friends might be:
The Denominations who try to convince us on issues of celebrating Christmas and Easter; telling
us that giving to the Salvation Army is a good cause; telling us that all we need to do is believe to
receive salvation; telling us that Sunday morning worship is all that we need and Wednesday night
Bible Study is not necessary, as well as telling us that communion on every Sunday is not necessary.
These are questions and issues that sometimes confuse us and our heart becomes weakened because
these are our so-called friends. The Moralists come into our homes by way of the TV which is
polluted with nudity and vulgarity, thus taking us away from God because we don't dare give up our
favorite shows and to justify watching these we say "We won't let this affect us!" The Modernists
have crept into our schools and our children and make conclusions like, "there is no God; have faith
in yourselves; you came from an Ape." You have to attend or you're off the team; you'll have to miss
church because this concert is required and/or your graduation is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
Very few Christians challenge these responses so our heart becomes weakened and we’d rather
"obey men rather than God" (Acts 5:29). Remember, Peter said just the opposite when told NOT to
preach. The world is surrounding us and is slowly creeping into our bloodstream by our
associations, our readings, our TV watching, our radio listening, and it is slowly clotting our flow
of our life blood. Matthew 6:19-21 teaches that, "for where your treasure is there will your heart be
also." Discipline of our children is being dictated by the world's standards. The world will tell you
that "If you love your child, let them do as they please so they can experience life (worldliness) and
grow. Spank them? absolutely not!! not by the world's standards. That's cruelty! (Prov. 23:13-14)
"Withhold not correction from the child: for it thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou
shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell"
Brethren, please take notice Now...the heart is dying slowly. We are allowing these influences to
clot the bloodstream of that once pure and strong heart.
If these outside influences aren't enough to weaken the heart, then there's the diseased blood being
pumped throughout the body by a heart that is weak already. This diseased blood is the "inside
influence" which is deteriorating the interior lining of that pure and strong heart.
How did this blood become diseased? Remember that the heart is already weakened by the
outside influences blocking the way for the Truth to enter freely then the devil infiltrates diseases
such as: Lukewarmness- This is when brethren try to walk both sides of the fence of Christianity
and worldliness and are trying to enjoy both. Look what the writer said in (Matthew 6:24)-"Ye
cannot serve God and mammon" and then look at the end result in (Rev. 3:15-16)-"neither cold nor
hot...I will spue thee out of my mouth". Slothfulness- Have you ever been involved with a
congregation who wouldn't do anything towards the work of the church? Or maybe you've taken the
"little involvement attitude." Look what's happening to your heart and the churches. Ecc. 10:18
states, "by much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house
droppeth through." Heb. 6:12 teaches, "Be not slothful." This decay begins when brethren do so
little for the Lord that they have so much time on their hands, so they spend it watching others and
finding fault, then murmuring sets in along with variance, wrath, and hatred towards the brethren.
Unforgiving hearts seem to prevail because this disease is fueled by haughtiness and self-
righteousness. (Romans 1:29-30). Peter reminds us that "God resisteth the proud" (1 Peter 5:5).
With all these Inside and Outside Influences, the heart becomes so diseased and weakened that
there's no other recourse but to have a..............HEART ATTACK!
Brethren, How is your Heart? Is it time for Emergency Treatment?
In a physical sense, when people realize that they have a heart problem, they will rush for
emergency treatment accepting anything that the doctor prescribes. Usually they are given
emergency treatment with transfusions of special medicine and good blood. Sometimes implant
surgery is considered.
Brethren, when our heart is so weak that it is not functioning, it's time for a transfusion of God's
Good Blood and Powerful Medication. (John 6:54)-"Whoso..drinketh my blood hath everlasting life;
and I will raise him up at the last day." It is extremely necessary to infiltrate the weak heart with
Jesus Christ and cleanse the diseased blood by dissolving the blockage that is present.
How can we get this Good Blood back into our bloodstream? There's no other way but by:
Constant Study of God's Word - (2 Tim. 2:15), Unceasing Prayer to our Father in Heaven - (2
Thess. 5:17), Faithful Attendance of His worship services (Heb. 10:25), Exceeding Love for God
and the Brethren - (Matt. 22:37) - "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind" (I Peter 2:17) - "Love the
brotherhood".
The GREAT Physician now is near, ready and waiting to administer these injections, but WE
have to realize our weakened condition and accept his help.
Will you reject that which has been prescribed by the Great Physician? If you wait too long,
shock treatment and a complete transplant may be necessary.
How's your Heart? Do you need doses of medication or a New Heart? Don't wait until it's too
late. God can grant you a New Life today. There's no waiting list. The Great Physician is waiting
for you.......
Decide NOW before it's too late.....and life passes from you.