Do you have heart disease? Now, I'm no doctor, but I
suggest we do a stress test on this week's episode of Liberty
at Home. Hey there neighbor, It's me,
Adam Rivera, the pastor of Liberty Baptist Church and also
the host of Liberty at Home, your weekly 5 minute or so dose
of biblical encouragement here on ECAT.
And Speaking of V cat, we're broadcasting as always from
Easton, MA, home of Simpson Spring, the oldest continually
used bottling plant in the country.
Take that, Poland Springs. On today's episode of Liberty at
Home, we're going to read several different verses in
Proverbs chapter 28. I think you'll see a theme as we
read. So let's start with verse #14
Happy is the man that feareth alway, but he that hardeneth his
heart shall fall into mischief. Then drop down to verse #25
where it says this. He that is of a proud heart
stirreth up strife, but he that putteth his trust in the Lord
shall be made fat. He that trusteth in his own
heart is a fool. But whoso walketh wisely, he
shall be delivered. I remember the day vividly.
It was a busy Sunday morning in 2015.
It was on this day. While I was preaching, I was
sure I was about to have a heart attack.
You see, heart disease runs rampant in our family and my dad
had a heart attack when he was in his late 30s.
So what did I do? Well, I did what any self
respecting pastor would do. I finished the sermon.
After I was done, I quietly told my wife I need to go to the ER.
So listen, I'm not a doctor nor am I qualified to offer medical
advice. In fact, Adam Guerrero, could
you run that disclaimer at the bottom for me?
Perfect, thank you. I would, however, say this.
One of the only ways I was able to find out that my heart was
actually OK was by doing a stress test.
And you know what I mean by stress test, right?
It's a jog on a treadmill with a dozen wires attached to the
body. This test reveals the nature of
the heart and its functions. By the way, quick side note
here. I didn't actually end up having
a heart attack anyway and I was fine, but really the only way I
was sure of that was because of the stress test.
Now, in today's text, King Solomon reveals a three-part
stress test when it comes to the heart.
Not the physical heart, but a different kind of heart.
This kind of heart is the spiritual and emotional core of
a person, encompassing their thoughts, feelings, will, and
moral character. I mean, you know what I mean
when I say the heart, right? What are these three tests?
Well, first, verse 14 says this, don't harden your heart.
Don't allow yourself to be hardened to either the things of
God or the needs of your fellow man.
Verse 25 says don't have a proud heart.
This type of heart believes it's better than everyone else and
can only cause strife and difficulties.
Third, it says don't trust your heart.
Jeremiah chapter 17 verse 9 says the heart is deceitful above all
things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?
Listen, the heart is a wonderful thing in many ways, but when it
is blindly trusted, a person can get themselves into all kinds of
trouble. So this three-part stress test
tells us not to have a hard heart, a proud heart, or a heart
that trusts in itself. Why is it so important to have a
heart that's right with God? Well, let me remind you of
another verse about the heart that we found all the way back
in Proverbs chapter 4, verse 23. Keep thy heart with all
diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
The issues of the heart deal with every area of our life, our
family, our friends, our work, our play, our faith, and our
personal growth, just to name a few.
If you have a heart that's clogged by hardness, pride, or
any other sin, you're setting yourself up for difficulty later
on, like a heart attack that could strike at an any
unexpected moment, like when you're preaching.
But it didn't. As I was saying, your most
prized possession is your heart. So keep it with everything
within your being. Well, time's up for today's
episode. But before I go, I want to
remind you, as always, that you're invited to join us at
Liberty Baptist Church anytime. We meet every Sunday and
Wednesday at 800 Washington St. Route 138 here in Easton.
You can call or text us at 508-565-8281 or you can visit us
online at my libertybaptist.org. Well, I'm Pastor Adam Rivero,
reminding you that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
liberty. See you next week here on ECAT
for another episode of Liberty at Home.