A new study reports that most patients with heart disease are ignorant of the symptoms of an approaching heart attack. Researchers from School of Nursing at the University of California, San Francisco, examined 3,522 heart patients who either had a heart attack or had received heart disease treatment of some kind. Of the test group, 44% of the patients were poorly informed about heart attack warnings.
The medical community has known for decades that treatment and survival of a heart attack is most effective within the first hour after symptoms begin. When intervention is postponed even by a few precious hours, the treatment results are far less favorable.
While almost half of those with heart issues ignore, or don’t see, the obvious warnings of impending physical doom, even more fail to see the clear cut warnings of God concerning their other heart. Only in this case, the deadly symptoms include everyone – a tragic truth outlined by the Apostle Paul’s greatest doctrinal thesis. Romans 3:23 reveals, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The disease is universal.
The basic cause is also clearly laid out back in chapter one and seen in verses 21-23. “Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” Most of sin's gruesome symptoms are then described in the balance of the chapter. The disease is reprehensible!
The even more hideous end result of human sin is later spelled out in chapter 2 and verses 5-6. “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds.” The disease is punishable!
God’s word hass a clear and simple warning about death. Few can honesty say they cannot grasp the basic concept of Romans 6:23. “For the wages of sin is death.” But God’s word is also the way of life. Part two of the same verse reads, “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The disease is preventable!
Then Romans 10:9-10 summarizes how the entire issue is about the fixing a broken heart. The passage shares what must be done to prepare the spiritual heart for death before the physical heart fails to beat. “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” The disease is curable!
It’s all about the heart and about responding to God’s warning and cure through Jesus Christ. And for those who effectively deal with both, their glorious future is simply unfathomable!
Bill Breckenridge
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