THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART
We all know that the human heart is a physical organ that sustains life by its pumping action which sends the life blood throughout our physical bodies. That the blood is the life of the flesh is a bible pronouncement (see Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:11-14 and Deuteronomy 12:23) saying that the human body, or any physical body, is dependent upon the blood for its life and thereby dependent on the physical heart to circulate the blood and keep the body alive.
Now, as we have seen in previous posts, we are Spirit and not the body and it is important to understand this in order to understand Jesus’ and the New Testament writers’ teaching on the heart of man. We can commit adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:28); we can have good and evil treasure in our hearts (Matthew 12:35 and Luke 6:45); hearts can wax gross and can be converted (Matthew 13:15); we can be defiled by what comes from our heart (Matthew 15:18); we can believe or doubt in our heart (Mark 11:23) and it is in our heart that we can have peace or be troubled (John 14:27). Last, it is with our hearts that we love.
It is clear from the words of Jesus above that our non-physical hearts can be both good and evil, that this heart is our outward personality and that it can be changed. Now to some the heart and the soul are spoken of as being the same or very much similar, however, there is nowhere in Jesus speaking that the nature of the heart is referred to the Soul or the nature of the Soul referred to the heart. In Jesus words the Soul and the heart are distinct and separate so that we can love the Lord with all our heart and all our soul (Matthew 22:37 and Mark 12:30) and it is clear from these passages that the mind too is a separate and different entity. While it is not the purpose of this post to discuss the Soul or the mind, it should be noted that for our purposes we need to consider the Soul as that part of each of us, that aspect of life, that continues after the demise of the personality which is the functioning human mind and the emotions and that lower aspect of will that drives us on.
The words of the Lord, according to Jeremiah, say “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked : who can know it? 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.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10). He is of course talking here to the Jewish nation that has forsaken Him but the words are in regard to the heart of man and they show the depths to which the heart can go in man’s relationship to the Lord. Even in the barbaric times of the Old Testament where men were considered good, even in their barbarism, there is still a greater lowness to which the heart can go.
The heart then, that part of us all that does, can do good or evil; it can lift us up to spiritual heights or it can deceive and beguile. It all depends of what is feeding it; the nature of selfishness in desire and thought or the nature of spirituality which comes from putting our attention on those things that are the Good, the Beautiful and the True. Exploring the words of Jesus on this subject of the heart reveals His teaching.
-
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8) refers to those whose heart is stayed on things that are pure, things of the Spirit and not on the lower desires and wants.
-
“For where your treasure is , there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21) tells us that it is what we, as people, consider to be important in life, what we spend our resources and time on, that will determine where our hearts are. If our treasure is spiritual or if it is basely carnal are clearly good or bad but there is a great middle ground here too. Life in the main stream of getting ahead, garnering possessions and houses and family, this too can be our treasure if it is what we spend our resources and time on instead of our spiritual well being.
-
” O generation of vipers, how can ye , being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh ” (Matthew 12:34) shows us that when we spend our time in selfishness and anger and lust, that we will speak these things because they have become what is in our heart.
-
Speaking of the Jews, to the multitudes that followed him He said “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” (Matthew 13:15). This saying is a testament to the fact that when we don’t listen and see because of preconceptions or stubbornness or the ‘that’s what I was taught’ attitude, that our hearts will wax gross (literally be made fat) on those misconceptions. It is also a testament to the reality of the ability to change and to be healed and understand the Truth and the Way.
-
And quoting Isaiah He says that “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8) which He uses to equate the people of that time with the people of His time and which is true also for people of this time. How many are there who make a pretense out of spiritual living and who will hear in the end ‘I never knew you’ because they do not the will of the Father (see Matthew 7:21-27).
-
“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:18-19) Here, speaking about what defiles a man, Jesus makes it clear that it is what is in the heart that defiles. Then also it would be what is in the heart that will purify and sanctify.
It should be clear that the what is in the heart is very telling of where we are in this life. It reflects as who and what we are to ourselves and to others. It should also be clear that it is a choice. In closing today I leave you with a saying by Moses which is as true today as then: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment
EXPECT NOTHING, REQUIRE NOTHING, BE THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING. I heard these words during a sermon by Brother Keith Moore whom I listen to frequently. Now he is a Word of Faith minister and a prosperity philosophy teacher who has many good messages (all available on line for free by the way just google his name) and I was quite surprised to hear him say these words because to me they are contrary to prosperity teachings or at least contrary to how they are received.
