THE HEART

The heart is a muscle just a bit bigger than the size of your fist. It is located between the lungs, almost in the middle of the chest. It is the body's core muscle and it is the very first organ to be form in the body after conception.

With each heartbeat, the heart pumps blood through the body's cardiovascular system. When the heart beats, it makes a "lub-dub" sound. This is the sound that is made by the heart valves as they open and close. With each heartbeat, blood pushes through the aortic valve into the aorta and is delivered to the body. The heart beats about 100,000 times a day.

In the King James version of the Bible, the brain is mentioned only once, but the word "heart" is mentioned hundreds of times. The Bible clearly tells us that the real issues of our life should be spiritual and not material. Spiritually, when referring to the heart, it is about the inner person. The multiple use of the word "heart" as a suffix, describes a person inner self. For example to say someone is broken-hearted means someone's heart has been broken and they are burdened with great sorrow, grief, or disappointment.

During our lifetime we will encounter some very interesting, complicated, and complex individuals that will display the condition of their heart. Some people's hearts can be described as being: light-hearted, broken-hearted, tender-hearted, hard-hearted, good-hearted, true-hearted, black-hearted, whole-hearted, cold-hearted, big-hearted, half-hearted, soft-hearted, heavy-hearted, and the likes. What we say when speaking, and how we act in behavior, are all products of what we are on the inside. It's about the heart.

The heart is the source of our feelings, compassion, empathy, love, sexual desire, sorrow, adoration, disgust, satisfaction. Feelings are important because they are responsible for our entire experience of life. Our feelings motivate us to do things.

The heart is our control center for which all our decisions are made. Our heart controls our thoughts, attitudes, actions, beliefs, values, and convictions. The heart is the core of the type of person you are. Your heart is, YOU. Jesus said, "...It is the thoughtlife that pollutes. For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts of lust, theft, murder, adultery, wanting what belongs to others, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, and all other folly. All theses vile things come from within; they are what pollute you and make you unfit for God" (Mark 7:20-23).

The Lord simply tells us that ALL sin is generated in the heart. The heart is connected to our mind, will, and understanding. The Bible warns us about the different types of hearts from a contrite heart to a willing heart. It talks about the heart not of God: obstinate heart, proud heart, wicked heart, fixed heart, perverse heart, diabolical heart, haughty heart, stoney heart, deceitful heart, mischievous heart. Then it describe a different type of heart: grieved heart, willing heart, trembling heart, perfect heart, soft heart, tender heart, pure heart, upright heart, sorrowful heart, true heart, compassionate heart.

God searches our hearts. God knows the secrets of our hearts. God gives us a solution for a sinful heart, Jesus Christ. Then God demands that we love Him with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun" (Psalm 37:4-6).

You may be able to fool some people some of the time and some people all the time, but you can NEVER fool God, any time. Only God knows the true status of our heart. We may be able to fool a lot of people, but you can never fool God. What is the status of your heart? Only God can allow your heart to beat. Is your heart beating for God or against God?