Heart

Words: Heart, Change, Reform, Repentance, Love, Acceptance, Racism, Hatred, Bigotry

Examining the heart:

First off to clarify, we must be sure to understand that when the scriptures refer to the heart, it isn’t talking about the organ within ones body that is responsible for pumping blood throughout your body.

According to the BDB Abridged Hebrew dictionary, Heart is defined as:

the inner man in contrast with the outer.

the inner man, indef. the soul, comprehending mind, affections, and will also thought purpose.

the mind- knowledge, thinking, reflection.

inclinations, resolutions, determinations of will.

5. the conscience of man.

6. ref. to moral character (i.e. uprightness of heart, or wicked heart)

Whereas the New Testament defines heart as the following:

heart- denotes the seat and center of all physical and spiritual life. The soul, the mind that hosts thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, and endeavors. The inner man

Saul of Tarsus was one of the biggest antagonist to the early church that was written of in the book of Acts. We can say that he certainly was prejudice towards the saints of God at the inception of the church. He was responsible for having men, women, probably children arrested, beaten, and possibly even murdered. Even though he was wrecking havoc on the church, I believe with all my heart that instead of the church asking God to avenge them, instead of them asking God to move him out of the way, I believe the church asked God to have mercy upon them!

Why? Because Jesus prayed for his adversaries when he was on the cross and said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”.

I believe that the church prayed for Saul and asked God to save Him. Reason being is that they knew that God could change any mans heart. This is our mandate for the church, we need to pray for the haters, we need to pray for the white supremacist and the black supremacist. We need to pray for these crooked cops that think they are doing the world a favor by taking the law into their own hands and murdering our people in the streets.

In no way, form, or fashion am I advocating sitting by idly and passively and just praying. Our voices need to be heard! It’s okay for you to protest peacefully, but if you are not on the streets protesting, there are other ways to make your voice heard! By all means please exercise your right to vote. But more importantly, share with others the gospel of Jesus Christ! People need the LORD to change their hearts and change their lives!

Heart- needs to be changed.

Thoughts:

Jeremiah 17:9–10 AV

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things: What is in the human heart?

Matthew 15:18–20 NLT

18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”

The Apostle Paul also eludes to things that are in the heart:

Romans 1:28–31 NLT

28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.

Again he says in

Galatians 5:16–25 AV

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Romans 1:21 AV

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Change:

Matthew 13:15 AV

15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

God is the only one that can truly change the heart of man!

1 Samuel 10:9 AV

9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

Psalm 51:10 AV

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Ezekiel 11:19 AV

19 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:

Romans 12:2 NLT

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Ephesians 4:22–23 NLT

22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

Remember the scriptures: Be angry and sin not, let not the sun go down in your wrath. It’s okay to be angry.

Justice:

Isaiah 59:4–14 AV

4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 5 They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. 6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. 7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. 9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. 11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. 12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; 13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

Proverbs 2:1–9 NLT

1 My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. 2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. 3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. 4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. 5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. 8 He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. 9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go.

Proverbs 21:3 NLT

3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.

Love:

1 Corinthians 13:1–13 AV

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Matthew 5:43–44 AV

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 5:45–48 AV

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

I know you say......well I’m not perfect. Yet Hebrews says: (research the word “perfect” and “perfection”.

Hebrews 6:1 AV

1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

The Church had a mandate from Jesus Christ to love and pray for their enemies. This teaching is what makes us unique from any other religion, our relationship with God in Christ is that based upon love. Because of the fact that God loved us, even when we were enemies of God and because his love saved us. We should reciprocate that love not only to God and our brothers and sisters in Christ, but to the unsaved, and even our enemies, knowing that we were once enemies of God.

We need to love harder and deeper. True love doesn’t give you a pass when you are in the wrong! True love holds you accountable for your actions!

1 John 4:7–16 AV

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

1 Peter 4:8 AV

8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.