THE HEART OF A MAN

I keep hearing people talking about their hearts and if you listen to the main stream of society you will
hear them talking about trust your heart and follow your heart. The premise is that our heart knows
better than we do, that it is somehow more perceptive and aware than we are. Is that true? Do we
have, in our hearts, a higher knowing and what does God say about our hearts?
First, we need to know what the heart is and, second, how it works. From there we can better
Understand God’s point of view.
The heart is the innermost part of a person. It is where the things that a person dwell on the most
reside. We always thought that describing the innermost part of a person’s thoughts as the heart was
figurative. But, then surgeons started doing heart transplants and some of the recipients started acting
different from what they did before the transplant. One man, I remember reading about, was an
overweight couch potato but he received a heart from a man that was an exercise fanatic. After the
surgery and convalescence the man decided to compete in a foot race. Then he started exercising and
became a top national competitor in three different sports. Others picked up habits or likings from the
donor. One I remember was a desire for pickles and cheese. It is obvious that God knew what He was
talking about thousands of years ago.
You can change your heart by changing what you look at and what you think about. This is so important
and, yet, most societies of the World and especially here in the United States give little to no attention
to training our minds and hearts to be what we want to be.
The conscience is programmed by doing. If you steal once your conscience may bother you. But, if you
steal twenty times by the tenth time your conscience doesn’t bother you at all. The heart is
programmed by both thinking and/or doing. If you read and ponder the Bible long enough it reaches
down and seats itself in your heart.
So now that we know what the heart is and how it works let’s go to the Bible to see what God says
about our hearts. I believe that with this background what follows will enlighten you and bless you
immensely.
Proverbs 28:26 (KJV)
26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
That seems a little abrupt and rude. Why would God say something like that? Because he knows that we
are the ones that programmed our own hearts. So, some of our innermost thoughts could be based on
truth, but, there is a lot that is based on what we watch on TV or who we listen to on our MP3 players.
In contrast look at what or who God says to look at.2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
We aren’t to trust in our hearts, but, to trust in God with the innermost part of our beings. The only way
we will ever be able to do that is by studying the Bible so much that it sinks into our hearts.
Following are more verses regarding the heart.
Psalm 53:1 (KJV)
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable
iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
That is right! How many times do we hear people say there is no God. God says they are fools.
Luke 6:45 (KJV)
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man
out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his
mouth speaketh.
That is right. We program our minds for either good or evil. That is why we don’t go by what our hearts
tell us. We as Christians go by the truth of God’s Word.
Here is another verse.
Mark 7:20-23 (KJV)
20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man
Are you getting the picture of why we, as Christians, don’t want to trust in our hearts but in God?
What do we do with the heart?
Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)
22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
There was a man that had an illness, doctors thought it was a heck of a deal. They didn’t know
what to do. So, the man believed this verse and started watching comedy movies. He watched so
many of them he got better.Proverbs 12:25 (KJV)
25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.
You can help heal someone’s broken heart by “good words.” My wife lost a lot of weight and
she hadn’t seen a lady that she knew during the time she was losing the weight. She saw the lady
today and the lady, with enthusiasm, said “ look at you! You look fantastic!” My wife told me
after that that comment made her day. We don’t understand the power of words to do good and
to heal.
Luke 10:27 (KJV)
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
We love God by getting enough understanding of God’s Word then walking on it, by doing what He tells
us to do.
Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
The word “keep” is the word “garrison.” Garrison, guard and protect your heart.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
You program or build whatever you want on in your mind and heart and when you build enough of it
you will start believing it. If it is the Word of God you will be able to do great things as it says in Mark
chapter eleven.
Mark 11:23 (KJV)
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou
cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall
come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Finally, when you hear enough of God’s Word regarding your redemption through Jesus Christ you can
confess Jesus as lord and at that moment be born of God’s spirit, born into the family of God. The
greatest privilege the world has ever known.
Romans 10:9-10 (KJV)
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.Do not take lightly what you watch and who you listen to because you are programming your heart.
Guard your heart by controlling what you are thinking. Study the Bible and you will be putting on the
mind of Christ.