According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 702,880 people died from heart disease in 2022.[1] I do not know about you, but that number seems awfully high. While some of these individuals may have known they had problems with their heart, others may have been living unaware of such serious problems.

As unnerving as that might seem, more people may be living with a heart defect then we realize. While there may be nothing wrong with their physical heart, their spiritual heart is in a sad and very tragic condition. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). If the pure in heart shall see God, then what does that mean for those who are not pure in heart? I think you already know the answer. Those who are not pure in heart will not see God. In other words, those who have a spiritual heart problem, will not have the opportunity to be with God for all of eternity.

This begs the question, “How is your heart?” Each one of us needs to spend some time examining ourselves (2 Cor. 13:5). We need to make sure our hearts are right in the sight of God. One way to know what kind of heart we have is to look at our actions and the way we live before others. Do our lives produce the fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:22-24)? If not, perhaps we have a problem with our heart. The wise man said, “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man” (Prov. 27:19).

According to a Harris Poll survey, more than half of the people in the US do not know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in America.[2] Can you imagine the difference it could make if more people were aware of this serious issue? Likewise, what kind of difference might it make if more people realized they had a spiritual heart issue that had eternal consequences? Perhaps more people would be able to experience eternal life instead of eternal condemnation.

No one around you can see the condition of your physical heart. The only way for that to happen is by means of special imaging done in medical facilities. But God knows your heart’s condition, physical and spiritual (I Sam. 16:7). And just like if you had a physical heart condition you would need to take action quickly, likewise, if you have a spiritual heart issue, action needs to be taken immediately. It is not just a matter of life and death, but it is a matter of eternity.  

When David discovered the condition of his heart before God, he prayed: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psa. 51:10). Maybe this is the prayer you need to be praying as well. Consider this: “Is your heart right with God?”

[1] https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html

[2] https://newsroom.heart.org/news/more-than-half-of-u-s-adults-dont-know-heart-disease-is-leading-cause-of-death-despite-100-year-reign

There was no greater prophet in the eyes of the Hebrew people than Moses. He was responsible for going before the Egyptian Pharaoh, helping free the Israelite people from Egyptian slavery and leading them through the wilderness for 40 years. At his death, the Bible records, there was not another prophet like Moses in all of Israel (Deut. 34:10).

And yet, with all the good that came from the life of Moses as a leader of God’s people, his life was greatly impacted by one poor decision. Near the end of the Israelite’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the people found themselves once again in need of water but with no water anywhere in sight. After listening to the complaints of the people, Moses and Aaron went before God. God instructed Moses to take the staff in his hand, gather the assembly and speak to the rock and water would spring forth for all the people and their cattle (Num. 20:1-8).

What Moses did next really stands out. He took the staff in his hand and assembled the congregation, just as God had commanded. Then Moses deviated from God’s plan. Instead of speaking to the rock like God had instructed, Moses struck the rock with his staff twice (Num. 20:9-11). Although water did come forth from the rock, Moses and Aaron had to pay a high price for their disobedience. The Lord told Moses and Aaron neither one of them would bring the people into the land He had given them (Num. 20:12).

Moses, one of the greatest prophets in all of Hebrew history, had a moment of weakness which cost him dearly. He had spent many years of his life serving the Lord and His people and helping lead them to the great land of promise, only to miss out on the prize himself. In spite of all the good Moses had done, his disobedience to God cost him the one thing he so desperately wanted, the Promised Land (Deut. 3:23-29).

I know many of us have spent years of our lives in service to the Lord and His people. And while what we have done in the past is important, what we are doing and will continue to do in the future is of even greater importance. Never take your eyes off the prize of heaven. Faithfully obey God and His Word in all that you do each day, so that you do not miss out on our great Land of Promise.

Like many of you, this past Sunday evening our family tuned in to watch Super Bowl LVIII. Now I know for some people the Super Bowl is just a time to get together with family and friends, eat some delicious food and share some laughs. But for those who truly love the game, the Super Bowl is the most important game of the entire year. Certainly it is the most important game for the players who participate.

This year’s game came to an exciting conclusion in overtime. But it’s what happened at the end of the game that I want to draw your attention to. At the end of the game, while some people were celebrating a victory, other people were crying in defeat. As I watched the Chiefs celebrate their victory, I could not help but think about the agony of defeat for the 49ers players. They were so close to being crowned Super Bowl champions. The San Francisco 49ers lost the most important game of the season, the game they had been training and preparing for all year. Their team fell just short of their desired goal. Now they have an entire offseason to think about how close they were and what they missed out on.

The day is coming when the clock will strike zero, and our lives will come to an end. Each one of us will stand before the Lord and give an account of how we lived (2 Cor. 5:10). Many people have the goal of living eternally in heaven forevermore when that day comes. But much like the aftermath of the Super Bowl, on that day some will get to celebrate the greatest victory known to man, while others will be left with a pain and regret unlike any other ever experienced. Those individuals will be cast away from the presence of the Lord for all of eternity (Matt. 25:41-46).  And much like the players of the San Francisco 49ers, they will have lots of time to reflect on what might have been and all the opportunities they had to obey the Lord (Lk.16:25).

May we live our lives in obedience to the will of God so that when our game is over, we will experience the joy of victory instead of the agony of defeat.

This last week my family and I were on vacation with some friends. While we had a great time and enjoyed spending time with our friends, we were very thankful to finally get back home. The fellowship was great, the food was good, and the memories will last a lifetime, but as the old saying goes, “There’s no place like home.”

Many of you have probably had the same thought as you came home after being away for several days. While you enjoyed your trip, you were thankful to get back home to the place you belong. The apostle Paul felt the same, but his feelings were not about a physical location here on earth. His feelings were about being at home with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). When writing to the Christians at Philippi, he said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better” (Phil. 2:21-23).  The way many of us feel about returning home after a long trip is the way Paul felt about being away from the Lord. He wanted to be with Jesus more than anything.

Friends, it’s nice that we have a strong desire to return home after being away. Just don’t forget, “This world is not our home, we are just a passing through. Our treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.” My prayer is that we are a people who long to be back home with the Lord where we truly belong.

Sometimes we can walk into people’s lives at just the right moment. Do you recall the story of Naaman (2 Kings 5)? Naaman was a mighty warrior who was highly regarded by his master because he was a successful military leader. However, despite his great military success, Naaman had one big problem; he was a leper. As the leprosy progressed, it had the potential to completely change Naaman’s life.

But, at just the right moment in time, a young servant girl who served Naaman’s wife, shared some news that led to his healing. She told her master about the prophet Elisha and his ability to perform miracles (2 Kings 5:2-3). Now consider that this young girl could have kept quiet and let Naaman continue to suffer. She could have decided Naaman was a lost cause who wouldn’t believe her since she was just a servant. Although she had several options, she chose to do the right thing. The young girl made a decision to share news with Naaman that eventually led to his healing.

Like Naaman, many people find themselves in the midst of a major problem. They are infected with a life altering disease known as sin (Rom. 3:23). If not treated properly, this disease will ultimately kill them for all of eternity (Rom. 6:23).

Friends, we have a choice. Will we share the lifesaving news we have been entrusted with or will we choose to keep quiet? I am certain there is a Naaman in your life who needs you to step out of your comfort zone and share the good news of Jesus with him or her. Why wait? Work up the courage to share the amazing, lifesaving news of the gospel sometime this week.