The Mind Without The Heart

Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.

Matthew 5:8 KJV 1900

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

what then is the heart of the matter....the heart of the matter is that the heart matters.

On the journey to a pure heart is the realization of guilt and the humbleness of guilt.

We have to recognize that we are guilty and justifiably ....that change is necessary.

We have to first come to this realization otherwise, no change is even possible.

I want to read proclamation 6, November 17, 1778 from the congress of the United States

Whereas, in just punishment of our manifold Transgressions, it hath pleased the Supreme Disposer of all Events to visit these United States with a calamitous War, through which his Divine Providence hath hitherto in a wonderful manner conducted us, so that we might acknowledge that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong: And Whereas, notwithstanding the chastisement received and benefits bestowed, too few have been sufficiently awakened to a sense of their guilt, or warmed with gratitude, or taught to amend their lives and turn from their sins, that he might turn from his wrath: and whereas, from a consciousness of what we have merited at his hands, and an apprehension that the malevolence of our disappointed enemies,

Resolve: ...That it be recommended to the several states to appoint the fifth Thursday in may next to be a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer to almighty God. that he will be pleased to avert those impending calamities which we have but too well deserved.

This was indeed a time of war in which they where pleaded to almighty God for deliverance while admitting their guilt (thief on the cross)

Luke 23:39–43 KJV 1900

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

......God hath power to forgive sins on earth.

Luke 18:9–14 KJV 1900

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

This shows that there is more to serving God than just having the head knowledge but rather, service to God must involve the heart and not just the mind.

All these weren’t side stepping the responsibility or the guilt of their transgressions, or of not placing God in his proper place in their lives.

they where taking personal responsibility for their actions and pleading from the heart for the mercy of God

In proclamation 6 You could say “well they where at war”.....Are we not at war now???? Are we not pleading for our spiritual victory both personal and collective.

We have an election coming up....While we realize the profound importance in the Presidential election that is before us here in 2024....We realize the importance of what it could mean for our country and rightfully so.

The question we must ask ourselves is do we place the same importance on our position with God and the importance of the profound outcome of our decision and what it means to us?

In this country, we don’t need another president (like pilot) that will fear the people but rather, a man that will fear God.

The problem is this: We live in a world where people are barely acknowledging sin let alone, actually working to eradicate it.

The statistics i read before...4% believe they are going to hell.

We are more worried about our image before men than we are our image before God.

Our standing to people rather than our standing with God.

We dress ourselves up to look good in the sight of men but neglect what we look like to God......proclaimed as whited sepulchres.

We fail to acknowledge or recognize sin for what it is. (a condition of the heart and not of the mind)

Story of the woman with a daughter in prison.

Many are under the delusion that a mind full of knowledge equates to a saved man or a man that is therefor right in the sight of God. that a simple prayer can somehow secure our place in heaven.

What has happened?? They have in fact engaged their minds but have neglected to engage their heart.

Men never entertain a real hatred towards sin unless God illuminates their minds and changes their hearts.

John Calvin

I have come to the place through studies and some research, that perhaps God changes the heart first and then the mind follows......

Psalm 139:23–24 KJV 1900

Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

There is a story of two friends both firmly established in the field of theological and philosophical study and aptitude.....both where major book dealers.

the one a christian and the other with knowledge but indifferent to the things of God.

The unbeliever was from England and decided he wanted to come to america and wanted to stay with the christian man and his wife.

When they met the man at the airport....he told his friend what the true reason was for his visit to the United States....He wanted to hear some of the great preachers of america

after the mans time in america, the christian man asked him what he thought about the sermons he had heard.

He stated emphatically, he had not heard a single sermon preached in america.

after asking why...he stated with some force of words, you don’t have preachers in america only teachers.

when asked the difference he said “to teach is to inform but to preach is to move”. teaching is to the mind whereas preaching is to the heart.

We are not suffering in this country from a lack of information but rather suffering from a lack of a move of God......

In this country we do preach from the word but....there is a difference between preaching the word and preaching from the word or preaching about the word.

this difference can be between being informed and being moved…trying to appeal to their heart and not just their head.

It’s been said, is it not the head that changes the heart.....but perhaps we have been looking at it in the wrong way....is it rather, the other way around...

The heart that changes the mind

But how can a heart of stone effect a mind that is dead.

The bible says that God takes out the stony heart and replaces it with a heart of flesh....pliable and mold-able in the master hands.

Luke 6:45 KJV 1900

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Referring to the very place of inner most passion and desire…from the very soul of a man

From the heart of a man comes the passion that drive us to the feet of God.....from the very convictions we feel when the spirit begins to move on the heart of a man and in turn, causing us to be moved

Lets take a look at a little bit of the science behind the mind and heart.

This is an actual medical study on this subject.

The Heart, Mind and Spirit

A medical and scientific description and analysis

Heart and emotions

It is long known that changes in emotions are accompanied by predictable changes in the heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and digestion.

So, when we are aroused, the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system energizes us for fight or flight, and in more quiet times, the parasympathetic component cools us down.

In this view, it was assumed that the autonomic nervous system and the physiological responses moved in concert with the brain’s response to a given stimulus

The connection of heart and brain

Following several years of research, it was observed that, the heart communicates with the brain in ways that significantly affect how we perceive and react to the world.

It was found that, the heart seemed to have its own peculiar logic that frequently diverged from the direction of the autonomic nervous system.

The heart appeared to be sending meaningful messages to the brain that it not only understood, but also obeyed (Lacey and Lacey, 1978).

Later, neurophysiologists discovered a neural pathway and mechanism whereby input from the heart to the brain could inhibit or facilitate the brain’s electrical activity (McCraty, 2002)

In many cultures throughout history, the heart has been considered the source of emotions, passion and wisdom.

Also, people used to feel that they experienced the feeling or sensation of love and other emotional states in the area of the heart.

However, in the past, scientists emphasized the role of the brain in the head as being responsible for such experiences.

Interestingly, recent studies have explored physiological mechanisms by which the heart communicates with the brain, thereby influencing information processing, perceptions, emotions and health.

These studies provided the scientific basis to explain how and why the heart affects mental clarity, creativity and emotional balance.

The brain in the heart:

After extensive research, Armour (1994) introduced the concept of functional ‘heart brain’.

His work revealed that the heart has a complex intrinsic nervous system that is sufficiently sophisticated to qualify as a ‘little brain’ in its own right.

The heart’s brain is an intricate network of several types of neurons, neurotransmitters, proteins and support cells similar to those found in the brain proper.

Its elaborate circuitry enables it to act independently of the cranial brain – to learn, remember, and even feel and sense.

The heart’s nervous system contains around 40,000 neurons, called sensory neurites (Armour, 1991).

Information from the heart - including feeling sensations - is sent to the brain through several afferent.

These afferent nerve pathways enter the brain at the area of the medulla, and cascade up into the higher centres of the brain, where they may influence perception, decision making and other cognitive processes

Thus, it was revealed that the heart has its own intrinsic nervous system that operates and processes information independently of the brain or nervous system.

This is what allows a heart transplant to work. Normally, the heart communicates with the brain via nerve fib-res running through the vagus nerve and the spinal column.

In a heart transplant, these nerve connections do not reconnect for an extended period of time; in the meantime, the transplanted heart is able to function in its new host only through the capacity of its intact, intrinsic nervous system (Murphy, et al, 2000

Communication via hormones: the heart as a hormonal gland

More recently, it was discovered that the heart also secretes oxytocin, commonly referred to as the ‘love’ or bonding hormone.

In addition to its functions in childbirth and lactation, recent evidence indicates that this hormone is also involved in cognition, tolerance, adaptation, complex sexual and maternal behaviours, learning social cues and the establishment of enduring pair bonds.

Concentrations of oxytocin in the heart were found to be as high as those found in the brain (Cantin & Genest,

Using a rigorous experimental design; there was evidence that both the heart and brain receive and respond to information about a future event before the event actually happens.

Even more surprising was that the heart appeared to receive this intuitive information before the brain (McCraty, Atkinson & Bradley, 2004).

In fact, the heart is seen now as a highly complex, self-organizing information processing centre with its own functional ‘brain’ that communicates with, and influences, the cranial brain via the nervous system, hormonal system and other pathways......

We’ve often heard that it is the head that changes the heart…maybe perhaps it is the other way around.

there is a bond that occurs only when the heart is in total agreement with the mind....when the heart is completely engaged and surrendered to God.

How can a heart of stone effect a mind that is dead.

Ezekiel 11:19 KJV 1900

And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Ezekiel 44:9 KJV 1900

Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.

interestingly, we know that circumcision was a covenant between Israel and God...

but we see here the mention of an uncircumcised heart.....

Speaking of the lack of a covenant relationship of the heart between a man and God.

There is a man named RICHARD OWEN ROBERTS, who is the president and a founding director of international awakening ministries....

He stated “the majority of Americanized ideas of salvation is nearly rubbish”

the only way any of this can be corrected at all, is if the opinion of people is corrected

Our opinion of God, of Self, of Sin, of Repentance and of Salvation

Man all to often, has unresolved or ignored sin in their…and if this remains this way, it will eventually manifest itself outwardly.

Sin is a powerful thing

Many people think they have been saved from the penalty of sin when in fact, they haven’t even yet been saved from the power of sin.

We have to understand that the secret places in the heart and the sin that lives there is of choice and not of circumstance.

We all to often repent and ask God to forgive us when we have no intention of changing anything in our actions and behaviors.

We allow knowledge to be imparted (to a degree)while holding back the full surrender of our hearts

Matthew 15:8 KJV 1900

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

This scripture is talking about deception. the deception of the mind that thinks because of knowledge i am saved.

This is not talking about those that hate God, or are choosing to not serve God....but rather to Christians....believers.

People thinking that they can be in favor with God while leaving their heart out of it.

That they are somehow saved by what they know (or what head knowledge they have) and not by true repentance and a passion driven desire to remove themselves from a life of sin.

Not allowing God to truly transform their heart.

This is true, in part, because we have been told all to often, if we recite a prayer we are in some way become a subject of the kingdom of God.

We have a knowledge base that is according to learned principles and not driven by a transformed heart (by talking points so to speak)

Therefor, if the wrong view of salvation is to be corrected then the wrong view of sin and repentance must be corrected.

A man in prayer once said:

I want to thank you Lord that last night when i knelt beside my bed and confessed my favorite sin you forgave me.

and when i kneel tonight and confess it...you will forgive me

and when i kneel tomorrow night and confess it..you will forgive me.

can we truly say that this man is truly a repentant man?

this is called taking advantage of the grace of God for the convenience of what we are living.

People say that they have repented when asked…but the bigger question is when was the last time you repented.....Expound

often people don’t want their sin to go away because they enjoy it, because they take pleasure in it.....This mans repentance is in vain...

This is repentance with no intention of changing

This is a mind that acknowledges sin but a heart that remains unchanged or indifferent.......

True repentance is not a single act but rather a continual state of repentance daily.

The only way to restoration is found in the getting back to the doctrine of God according to scripture.

It is not enough to merely be informed of the things of God but we must be transformed in the things of God.

Proverbs 21:2 KJV 1900

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: But the Lord pondereth the hearts.

In america We’ve seen an inversion of obedience and grace....

It used to be understood that obedience was the evidence of grace

Today they have put grace before obedience.

We must understand that the essence of sin is self.

If this be true then repentance would be considered a turning away from self....

One of the underlying problems is people don’t even understand what they understand.....

I heard a lady say one time.......

We are saved by grace alone

and by Jesus Christ alone

and by faith alone

All to often, people have developed a relationship with the church rather than a relationship with God......

Revival, whether personal or collective, is unlikely to come unless true repentance is understood....

When we allow God to move on our minds it is a much needed foundation of information

But when we allow God to move on our hearts, transformation can truly be realized.....intellectualism...

The bible says that there are those that are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

My experience talking to a homeless man (the greeter)

What he was saying is shame on me for knowing it and not doing it…for letting it remain head knowledge and not heart transformation.

Not only do we repent…but we turn from sin and do what we know to do...

We become obedient to the word of God.

There is a huge difference between acknowledging sin and truly repenting of it......remorse

there is a sorrow that leads to death and a sorrow that leads to life.....

We must vindicate ourselves from sin..

meaning: Turning so far from sin that one cannot be accused of sin rightfully.

Vindicate means:

to free from allegation or blame

To be truly set free from and to be free from a charge.

Romans 6:1–6 KJV 1900

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

If in our bodies/lives we are continuing in sin then we are not serving God and should come to a true place of repentance.

Allowing God to not only transform our minds but more importantly…our hearts.

When we are truly surrendered to God…A noticeable change will occur!!!

if no change is seen…then perhaps we need to find a place of true repentance....heart felt and not merely by head knowledge.

by a sorrow that is not earthly, as unto death, but a spiritual sorrow that leads to God…and then to LIFE.

Quote: A mind without the heart is like a plan without action (author) Darrell Nellis.

Like having materials to build but not building anything. (like our border wall)

If we allow God to transform our hearts we can then take what we have learned and begin to build a true spiritual house built upon a firm foundation.