Posted by Diane Ward
Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
At times, I have wondered why we speak of the heart in many different contexts such as sweetheart, broken heart, hard heart and deceitful heart. The word “heart” is found 725 times in the King James Version of the Old Testament, and 105 times in the New Testament. Clearly it is the focus and desire of our hearts the Word speaks to, and what God looks upon.
The Biblical word “heart,” references three parts of our inner being.
Mind, (where action & reaction take place), to guide and navigate us through life. It is with our minds that we focus our attention and choose to obey God, and what he holds us accountable for.
Emotions, (feelings that arise spontaneously rather than through conscious effort.) While emotions are a blessing of God, both in negative and positive aspects of sensation; they are not meant as the sole device of discretion.
Will, (discretionary decision-making), between the rational mind and emotions. We are to focus on God’s Word and His Will, as our will determines the direction we take.
Proverbs 4:23, (NIV) - Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. We are to set our compass for true north by diligently guarding our hearts and staying on heaven’s course.
The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah writes that there is no cure for the deceitful heart, while Jesus calls out the cure as recorded in the Gospel of Luke 27:10. "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
The Biblical word “heart,” references three parts of our inner being.
Mind, (where action & reaction take place), to guide and navigate us through life. It is with our minds that we focus our attention and choose to obey God, and what he holds us accountable for.
Emotions, (feelings that arise spontaneously rather than through conscious effort.) While emotions are a blessing of God, both in negative and positive aspects of sensation; they are not meant as the sole device of discretion.
Will, (discretionary decision-making), between the rational mind and emotions. We are to focus on God’s Word and His Will, as our will determines the direction we take.
Proverbs 4:23, (NIV) - Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. We are to set our compass for true north by diligently guarding our hearts and staying on heaven’s course.
The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah writes that there is no cure for the deceitful heart, while Jesus calls out the cure as recorded in the Gospel of Luke 27:10. "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
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