The Heart

Season 2 Episode 40 - We see the word "heart" frequently in the Bible.  We can tell that it almost never refers to our physical heart.  So, what is it referring to?  And how does it relate to how I live my life?  Listen and find out!

"Reflect on This" is a once-weekly, short devotional podcast. In these devotionals, I share the things I am learning about the ways and nature of God, through applying my study of the Scriptures to life, in practical and fulfilling ways.
 
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Resources that inspired some episodes:

"My Heart, Christ's Home" by Robert Munger

"The Language of Rivers and Stars" by Seth Lewis

“Dream Small:  The Secret Power of the Ordinary Christian Life” by Seth Lewis

 Seth Lewis blog:  https://sethlewis.ie/

35 Bible Verses About Listening To Others (Explained) - Bible Repository 

"Restoration Year: Devotions to Transform Your Relationships, Spirit, and Faith" by John Eldredge

"Boundaries" by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

"The Pleasure of His Company" by Dutch Sheets

"Fresh Air" by Chris Hodges

“The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts” by Gary Chapman

"The Lies We Believe: Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life" by Dr. Chris Thurman

Featured ministries and resources:
 
“Agape Puppets” (ministry)
This is an amazing world-wide ministry that uses puppet shows to reach children (and their parents) for Christ, in cultures that are generally not very open to the Gospel.  To learn more, go to: https://theagapepuppets.org/ 

"Manufacture Good" (ministry)
 Manufacture Good is a Christian ministry that offers paid apprenticeships to men who need a second chance.  These apprentices learn biblical principles, character, and valuable woodworking and metalworking skills which lead to employment opportunities.  You can shop their catalog of fine home and office products, order a standard or custom piece of furniture, make a donation, and learn more about this amazing ministry, at: https://manufacturegood.org/.

"The World and Everything in It" (podcast)
This is a weekday 35-minute podcast that presents headline news, in-depth news articles, media reviews, and opinion pieces from a Christian world view.  Their stated mission is "biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, and inspires."
 
“Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage” (podcast) 
This is a once a week 30-minute podcast hosted by Greg and Erin Smalley, who head up the marriage team at Focus on the Family.  Each episode addresses a different aspect of marriage, using biblical principles, featured guests, practical advice, and a mixture of humor and candidness.  
 
"e-Sword" (Bible study software)
This study tool includes many free (and low-cost) resources, including Bibles, dictionaries, commentaries, and devotionals.  It allows you to simultaneously view verses and their corresponding cross-references, lexicon entries, commentaries, and more.
On your computer, go to e-sword.net
On your mobile device, go to your app store and search for “e-sword.” 

Music credits:
Beauty by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all 

Transcript

The word “heart” occurs quite frequently in the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments.  In almost all cases, it is not referring to our physical heart.  So, what does the Bible mean by the heart?  Let’s see what a sampling of some lexical aids have to say for the corresponding Hebrew and Greek words for heart:

·         The seat of one’s inner nature (The Complete Word Study Dictionary)

·         The inner man (New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance)

·         Includes the emotions, passions, and the will (Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Dictionary)

·         The seat of feeling, impulse, affection, desire, conscience (Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary)

In summary, we can say that the word “heart,” when mentioned in the Bible, is synonymous with the word “soul.”  Both words are, in fact, frequently used interchangeably in the Bible.  For purposes of clarity, let’s define the heart (the soul) as consisting of the mind, will, and emotions.

To give us better insight into the heart as the seat of our mind, will and emotions, I want to share a modern-day parable of the heart.  Written by Robert Munger and first published in 1954, “My Heart, Christ’s Home” is a simple yet challenging word picture of our heart, and our interactions with Christ as we take Him on a tour of the rooms of our heart.  I will start with excerpts from his introduction, which sets up the word picture very well.

In Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, we find these words: "That [God] would grant 

you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his 

Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" (Ephesians 

3:16-17a). Or, as another has translated, "that Christ may settle down and be at 

home in your hearts by faith."  

Without question, one of the most remarkable Christian doctrines is that Jesus 

Christ himself, through the presence of the Holy Spirit, will actually enter a 

heart, settle down and be at home there. Christ will make the human heart his 

abode.  

Our Lord said to his disciples, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23 HCSB)  It was difficult for them to understand what he was saying. 

How was it possible for him to make his abode with them in this sense?  

It is interesting that our Lord used the same word here that he gave them in the 

first of the 14th chapter of John: "I go to prepare a place for you...that where I 

am, you may be also." Our Lord was promising his disciples that, just as he was 

going to heaven to prepare a place for them and would welcome them one day, 

now it would be possible for them to prepare a place for him in their hearts and 

he would come and make his abode with them.  

They could not understand this. How could it be?  

Then came Pentecost. The Spirit of the living Christ was given to the church 

and they understood. God did not dwell in Herod's temple in Jerusalem! God 

did not dwell in a temple made with hands; but now, through the miracle of the 

outpoured Spirit, God would dwell in human hearts. The body of the believer 

would be the temple of the living God, and the human heart would be the home of Jesus Christ. It is difficult for me to think of a higher privilege than to make for Christ a home in my heart, to welcome, to serve, to please, to fellowship with him there. 

One evening that I shall never forget, I invited him into my heart. What an 

entrance he made! It was not a spectacular emotional thing, but very real. It was 

at the very center of my life. He came into the darkness of my heart and turned 

on the light. He built a fire in the cold hearth and banished the chill. He started 

music where there had been stillness and he filled the emptiness with his own 

wonderful loving fellowship. I have never regretted opening the door to Christ 

and I never will -- not [for] eternity!  

This, of course, is the first step in making the heart Christ's home. He has said, 

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20 NASB)  If you are interested in making your life an abode of the living God, let me encourage you to invite Christ into your heart and he will surely come.  

You might be thinking, “So far, this is a helpful introduction, but I am not yet seeing the word picture you promised.”  And you would be right.  We will begin the actual parable… in the next episode!

Today, I encourage you to “Reflect on This.”