Rediscover the Bible for Life

“A Christian’s Heart”

by Dennis Lee

This week we’re beginning a new series on the type of heart Christians are to possess.

But what is the heart.

Medically speaking, the heart is a muscular organ that pumps life giving blood to all parts of the human body through the body’s circulatory system of various blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries). This provides the oxygen and nutrients that our bodies need to survive.

A heart that is healthy pumps the right amount of blood at a rate that allows the human body to function as God created.

So I think it’s safe to say that the human heart is one of the most important organs God placed within our bodies.

I think it’s also safe to say that a person’s heart is one of the most important spiritual organs as well. But the heart I am talking about isn’t the human organ; rather it’s the spiritual part where emotions and desires reside.

This spiritual heart is seen from the very beginning when the Bible says we’ve been made in the image and likeness of God, Genesis 1:26. And so God has a heart, not the physical organ but one that can be broken over our sins, and a heart that we’re told to follow.

It’s this seeking after the heart of God that God commends and is seeking after. It was such a heart that got King David noticed by God.

The Lord said, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.” (Acts 13:22)

And so we’re to be actively seeking the heart of God.

In our natural condition, that is sin, the heart of man isn’t even lined up with God’s heart. Instead it’s evil, wicked, filled with deceit and treachery. So wicked and so treacherous is the human heart that we’re easily deceived by it, but not so God, He knows it well. In fact, He’s the only one who knows our heart’s true condition.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10a)

Jesus knew this about the human heart; therefore He didn’t commit Himself to anyone because He knew what is in man, John 2:24-25.

Of the human heart Jesus said, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” (Mark 7:21-23 NKJV)

What we need then is a new heart, which is what the Lord promises to those who seek Him for it.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

So important is this that Solomon tells us to guard our hearts.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)

This is why we’ll be looking at the qualities of the Christian heart over the next several months at Living Waters Fellowship.