As always it's a real pleasure to visit with you in this way. I know that if your life is as busy as mine, the word hectic definitely comes into play. I really haven't done anything worth blogging about this week, so there's no sense in telling anything.
Yesterday was another good day at Friendship Harmony, but we missed one of our deacons, Bro. Ken Long. Last week Ken was at a gas station in Cape Coral, and was walking back to his car after paying for his gas. A lady came into the pumps from the wrong direction, and upon realizing her mistake, put her car in reverse and backed into Ken, knocking him to the pavement. Ken, who is over eighty years old, was injured and required surgery to fix a broken pelvis. Please remember him in your prayers this week. His pain is minimal, but he will not be able to put any weight on it for six to eight weeks.
I began a series of sermons today on spiritual cardiology. Lately, for some strange reason, I have been thinking much about the heart. As I was sitting in my cardiologist's procedure room, awaiting a stress test to determine my degree of stamina, I looked around the room at all the machines used for diagnosing heart trouble. There were three other patients there having various and different tests. We had one thing in common: we had told our doctor what was going on with us, and from those conversations, he was able to pick up on symptoms. Those symptoms told him that there was something that needed further evaluation. It dawned on me that I am a spiritual cardiologist, dealing with man's spiritual heart. As the medical doctor has symptoms he watches for, there are also symptoms of spiritual heart trouble. This week we looked at three symptoms the lost exhibit with their heart. Next week, we will learn of heart trouble of God's people. In the weeks to come, we will look at treatment options. Below are the sermon notes. Feel free to use them for your personal Bible study. Other ministers and teachers are free to use them as well, as long as proper credit is given. (Sorry, but my highly educated, over paid, and under-worked Baptist attorneys make me say that.)
Spiritual Cardiology
Proverbs 10:20
Series: Cardiology By Pastor Vic Cooper
#1 Heart trouble of the lost 9/16,17/11
Intro: My cardiologist, Kenneth Town and I have something in common. I too am a cardiologist. While he deals with man's physical heart, I deal with the spiritual heart. As he looks for symptoms in diagnosing a problem, so do I. Today we look at some of the symptoms of the spiritual heart troubleof the lost.
I. Prone to error --- Psalm 95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
A. err> Heb. Taw-aw'> to vacillate; to stray
II. Covetous --- Jeremiah 22:17 But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.
A. covetousness> Heb.> beh'-tsah > plunder, unjust gain
B. This is one of the seven deadly sins. It is also known as avarice/greed.
1. "Avarice" is more of a blanket term that can describe many other examples of greedy behavior. These include disloyalty,deliberate betrayal, or treason,especially for personal gain, for example through bribery, scavenging and, hoarding of materials or objects, theft and robbery, especially by means of violence, trickery, or manipulation of authority are all actions that may be inspired by greed.
B. Peter, another spiritual cardiologist wrote of it as well.
2 Peter 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices...
1. covetous > Gk. > pleh-on-ex-ee'-ah > fraud; extortion; greedy practices
III. Far from God --- Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
A. Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 29:13
B. He is speaking of “lip service;” those who “talk a good game.”
1 I know folk who speak of their loyalty to Christ who wouldn't darken the door of a church.
Poem: The heart of man is stony and cold,
whether young and tan, or grey and old.
Only Christ can fix that mess,
When we our sins to Him confess!
Maybe next week something exciting will happen, and I will have something to tell you. For those who may not know, Friendship Harmony has a Facebook page where you can be updated on prayer requests, and see announcements of upcoming happenings at the church. You can even join our group if you'd like; we'd be glad to include you. Have a good week, and I'll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.
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