~A Matter of the Heart~

This study was inspired when upon waking up this morning, this quote was floating through my mind. :)

"And don't just follow your heart, man; 'cause your heart can be deceived. 

But you gotta lead your heart." 

~Fireproof-the movie

 I picked up my Bible and found the word "heart" jumping out at me! Then I opened up a book titled "The Resolution for Women" and it was on a chapter titled, "Underneath It All" which just "happened" to be about...you guessed it, the "heart". ( Doesn't sound much like a coincidence to me! ;) I love it when the Lord does that and guides you through a topical study of His choosing! :D ) The chapter talked about a crack in the ceiling being painted over but how that didn't really fix the root of the problem, which actually started with the foundation. She then compared this to our mouths potentially reveling "cracks" in our hearts. 

What we allow a place for in our hearts, can then result in the outflow of our thoughts, ideas, attitudes and eventually our actions. I enjoyed using Biblegateway.com to see other verses related to the heart and below is a collection of some of what I gleaned through Genesis to Proverbs alone! God's Word has a LOT to teach us on this topic. By contrasting what characteristics of a fleshly/sinful heart looks like and then taking a look at a heart molded by God, we are able to do a heart check to see what things we might need to ask the Lord to help us adjust in our lives, so that we might be more closely conformed to His perfect image and so we might be vessels useful for Him and for His glory!  I hope this study might be a blessing to you...as it also was to me! :)

This information was gathered from Websters 1828 online dictionary.

heart HEART, n. [L. cor, cordis, and allied to Eng.core, or named from motion, pulsation.] 1. A muscular viscus, which is the primary organ of the blood's motion in an animal body, situated in the thorax. From this organ all the arteries arise, and in it all the veins terminate. By its alternate dilatation and contraction, the blood is received from the veins, and returned through the arteries, by which means the circulation is carried on and life preserved. 2. The inner part of any thing; the middle part or interior; as the heart of a country, kingdom or empire; the heart of a town; the heart of a tree. 3. The chief part; the vital part; the vigorous or efficacious part. 4. The seat of the affections and passions, as of love, joy, grief, enmity, courage, pleasure &c. The heart is deceitful above all things. Every imagination of the thoughts of the heart is evil continually. We read of an honest and good heart, and an evil heart of unbelief, a willing heart, a heavy heart, sorrow of heart, a hard heart, a proud heart, a pure heart. The heart faints in adversity, or under discouragement, that is, courage fails; the heart is deceived, enlarged, reproved, lifted up, fixed, established, moved, &c. 5. By a metonymy, heart is used for an affection or passion, and particularly for love. The king's heart was towards Absalom. 2 Sam. 14. 6. The seat of the understanding; as an understanding heart. We read of men wise in heart, and slow of heart. 7. The seat of the will; hence, secret purposes, intentions or designs. There are many devices in a man's heart. The heart of kings is unsearchable. The Lord tries and searches the heart. David had it in his heart to build a house of rest for the ark. Sometimes heart is used for the will, or determined purpose. My Reflections: From this we may gather that our spiritual heart is the primary organ of our motion, and it is essential to be in good working condition and health to sustain life. We know that Jesus is the way the truth and the life. I've heard it said that the life is in the blood. Jesus is our life! He being spotless from sin himself, died on the cross, in our place, for all of our sins! He shed His blood that we might have life and have it abundantly! Without Him, though we are living, we are dead. We need Him to enter our spiritual hearts so that we may have life! Also, in the above definition we find that the heart is the middle part or interior. Notice that it's not a sideline, minor part. It is at our core and it is center! In this way too, we should set Christ as the center of our lives! He should influence our thoughts, attitudes, actions and every decision. We should strive to see things as He sees them! We should seek His will and direction and yield ourselves entirely to Him! And if our hearts are the chief part of our being, and that is yielded to Him, then He is to be the one in charge, not us! We are not our own, we are bought with a price! He has set an example that we should follow in His steps and we are to imitate Him and reflect Him. He is referred to as our Shepherd and our King. He guides and directs us in the way we should go, we must learn to hear His voice and honor His Word.  The heart is defined as the seat of the affections. If we give our hearts to Him, we will allow Him to shape and mold those affections as He will. He will be our delight and we will take pleasure in His word. When we think of the heart we may also think of love. God is love. If He fills us we then may experience His love and love as He loves. (1 Cor. 13)

Deuteronomy 4:29

But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.

Deuteronomy 10:12

“Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul...

Characteristics of a Fleshly Heart

hardened, decieved, fainthearded, blindness and with bewilderment of heart, trembling, dread, turns away, stubbornness, melt with fear, insolence and the wickedness, heart fail, troubled heart, heart died within him so that he became as a stone, afraid and his heart trembled greatly, despised, stole away the hearts, lose heart, troubled, turn your heart away, heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, heart was turned away from the Lord, despised him in her heart, He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord, yet not with a whole heart, heart has become proud in boasting, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the Lord his God, But he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord God of Israel, sinned and cursed God in their hearts, godless in heart, For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart, With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak, The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”, closed their unfeeling heart, troubles of my heart are enlarged, evil is in their hearts, Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart, His heart gathers wickedness to itself, regard wickedness in my heart, Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick, perverse heart, arrogant heart, despondent in heart, heart is wounded, devise evil things in their hearts, heart is appalled, heart spurned reproof, perversity in his heart continually devises evil, Who spreads strife, heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, cunning of heart, perverse in heart, Deceit is in the heart, heart of fools proclaims folly, Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, Hope deferred makes the heart sick, heart knows its own bitterness, even in laughter the heart may be in pain, backslider in heart, Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, he foolishness of man ruins his way, And his heart rages against the Lord, deceit in his heart, abominations in his heart, he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity, who trusts in his own heart is a fool

Characterictics of Heart alinged by Christ

joy and a glad heart, heart to know, circumcise, love the Lord, Take to your heart, serve Him with all your heart, know in all your hearts, incline your hearts to the Lord, heart exults, return to the Lord with all your heart, direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him alone, after His own heart, heart of a lion, truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart, understanding heart to judge, to discern between good and evil, wise and discerning, return to, incline our hearts to Himself, wholly devoted to the Lord our God, integrity of heart,  followed Me with all his heart, turned their heart back again, Is your heart right, heart prompts him, heart was tender and you humbled, set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God, a perfect heart to keep Your commandments, rejoicing and happy of heart, wisdom which God had put in his heart, set their hearts on seeking the Lord God of Israel, heart was blameless all his days, For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His, set your heart to seek God, heart to make a covenant with the Lord God, humbled the pride of his heart,  For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel, found his heart faithful before You, direct your heart right, And establish His words in your heart, uprightness of my heart, wise of heart, Meditate in your heart, You will strengthen their heart, speaks truth in his heart, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer, a pure heart, My heart will not fear, When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.” let your heart take courage, My heart trusts in Him, For our heart rejoices in Him, The law of his God is in his heart, I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.”, Our heart has not turned back, And our steps have not deviated from Your way, My heart overflows with a good theme, Create in me a clean heart, O God, A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise, My heart is steadfast, O God, Pour out your heart before Him, You who seek God, let your heart revive, a heart of wisdom, heart is upheld, Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You, heart be blameless, heart stands in awe, my heart is not proud, I will give You thanks with all my heart, wisdom will enter your heart, let your heart keep my commandments, Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding, Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live, in the midst of your heart, Watch over your heart with all diligence, Do not let your heart turn aside, tranquil heart, cheerful heart has a continual feast, heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, Bright eyes gladden the heart, A joyful heart is good medicine, I have cleansed my heart, The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes, Apply your heart to discipline, Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the Lord always, direct your heart in the way

Other Characterics (uncatagorized)

hearts of the people melted and became as water. resolves of heart, the Lord looks at the heart, words to heart, inclined, turned the hearts, take it to heart, acknowledge in your heart, affliction of his own heart, devised in his own heart, enraged, heart has become proud, heart shall be united with you, undivided heart, with a perfect heart, intentions of the heart, directed their hearts, to give them one heart, prepares his heart to seek God, sadness of heart, glad and pleased of heart, “Wise in heart, concealed in Your heart, your heart carry you away, wishes of my heart, heart faints within me, heart became secretly enticed, heart is as hard as a stone, heart’s desire, sorrow in my heart, heart’s desire, heart is like wax; It is melted within me, agitation of my heart, My heart throbs, My heart was hot within me, My heart is in anguish within me, If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them, For the inward thought and the heart of a man are deep, heart was embittered, cried with all my heart, when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken, plans of the heart, As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man.

The Lord and Our Hearts

the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts, You try the heart, for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men, God left him alone only to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart. Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart, He who fashions the hearts of them all, Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart, Search me, O God, and know my heart, But the Lord tests hearts, But the Lord weighs the hearts