Some time ago when it seemed like so many of my friends were being attacked by disease of some sort or another, I began to think about the word DISEASE.
I thought about other "dis-" words.
Dislocated - Not located correctly
Disadvantage - Not an advantage
Disabled - Not able
Disappear - Not in appearance
Disbelieve - Not to believe
Disharmony - Not in harmony
The prefix "dis" negates the word which follows. What if we carry over that application of dis- to the word disease?
Dis-ease - To be not at ease
Let's think about Heart Dis-ease by looking at some verses in Proverbs.
What are some of those things that cause our hearts to not to be at ease?
- Anxiety - An anxious heart weighs a man down (Prov. 12:25)
- Pride - The Lord detests all the proud of heart (16:5). We read (21:4) that haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin!
- Deceit - A man of deceitful heart does not prosper (17:20).
God wants us to have hearts that are wise, obedient, trusting, understanding, sound, studious, rejoicing, pure and surrendered. Proverbs speaks often of a merry heart. God wants us to have cheerful hearts.
  
A happy heart makes the face cheerful (15:13). When you look at someone, you usually look at their face. Why is that? The countenance reflects the soul of man, the heart of man.
A cheerful heart is good medicine (17:22). A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones [whole body] (15:30). A heart at peace gives life to the body (14:30). It is a contented heart.
Do you have a cheerful heart? Does it show on your face, in your life? Do you lift others up and give them happiness by your presence?
Jim Neigh
Vice President
May-June 2004 of The Link
Communiqué from CEF International Ministries Department
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