The Heart - Tip of the Iceberg

[Annette]

This past year or so, in my readings, I keep coming across verses about the heart. Some verses remind me that I need to trust God with all my heart, to guard it and our pursue having a clean heart. These were personal choices that I have to make.

I think my favorite has been Psalm 51:10, as I see it as a continual process that God is working on in my life.

 Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

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

Psalms 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

And then there are the verses that talk about God hardening hearts. I have often wondered why God chose to harden Pharaoh’s, heart. I know the verse says that through it, God would show signs and wonders, but the idea of hardening someone’s heart it a hard concept for me to come to comprehend.

Exodus 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,

Exodus 9:12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.

 And then I read about God changing King Saul’s heart.

1 Samuel 10:9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

 Since this is a topic that I keep coming back to, I thought it would be interesting to see what your thoughts on it are. I know that what I have shared is just the tip of an iceberg when it comes to thoughts, verses, and discussions about the heart.

Blessings.

 

[warrior12]

Proverbs 23   King James Version (KJV)

²⁶ My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

 

[wingnut-]

Matthew 6:21  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

[Marilyn C]

11 hours ago, Annette said:

This past year or so, in my readings, I keep coming across verses about the heart. Some verses remind me that I need to trust God with all my heart, to guard it and our pursue having a clean heart. These were personal choices that I have to make.

I think my favorite has been Psalm 51:10, as I see it as a continual process that God is working on in my life.

Psalms 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Hi Annette,

That is so good to hear from a younger person - the daily walking with the Holy Spirit who shows us our attitudes and behaviours and words and thoughts, that all need attention. Too much is focussed on - my ministry, my dreams, my plans. Yes God has areas of service for us, but as you said it is about the heart that God is dealing with, for that is how we are made like Christ. A good encouragement and topic.

all the best, Marilyn.

[Neighbor]

The introductory paragraph from a fine application filled sermon on the heart and on  prayer:

Here is an excerpt. May the fuller text be beneficial to the reader. May  it be received as beneficial to the heart. 

http://www.biblebb.com/files/spurgeon/2869.htm

Prayer Found in the Heart

January 16th, 1876
by
C. H. SPURGEON
(1834-1892)
 

"Therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee."—2 Samuel 7:27.

It is a very blessed thing for a child of God to be anxious to glorify his Heavenly Father, whether his wish is realized or not. The strong desire to magnify God is acceptable to him, and is an indication of spiritual health. It is certain, in the long run, to bring blessing to our own souls; and I have frequently noticed that, when we earnestly desire to do something special for the Lord, he generally does something for us very much of the same kind. David wished to build a house for God. "No," says Jehovah, "thou hast been a man of war, and I will not employ a warrior in spiritual business; but I will build thee a house." So, although David may not build a house for God, it is well that the plan of it is in his heart; and God, in return, builds up his house, and sets his son, and his son's son, upon the throne after him. But, my dear friend, if thou shouldst not find an opportunity to do all that is in thine heart, yet, nevertheless, it is well that it is there. Carry out the project if thou canst; but if thou canst not, it may be that, as thou hast desired to deal with the Lord, so will he really deal with thee. If you have sown sparingly, you shall reap sparingly. If you have sown liberally, you shall reap largely; for, often and often, the Lord's dealings with his own people are a sort of echo to their hearts of their dealings with him.

Again the full text is at 

http://www.biblebb.com/files/spurgeon/2869.htm

A little more from that sermon, the introductory outline  - the three points to be presented:

" I am going to speak upon that subject in this way. First, concerning David's prayer, how did he come by it?Secondly, how came this prayer to be in his heart? And, thirdly how may we get into such a condition that we shall find prayers in our hearts?

  Edited May 19, 2017 by Neighbor

[enoob57]

The heart is a storage area that defines what is most important to us... think carefully of what you place their

Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

[23] Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

 

[Annette]

14 hours ago, Yowm said:

The heart truly is the center of our being.

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
(Luk 6:45)

Psa_26:2  Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

Jer_17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
 

This is why unless one is born again God will not be steering their heart.

And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
(Eze 11:19)

 

 

Thank you Yowm, as I was writing this, I kept thinking about 1 Samuel 16:7, the part that reminds is that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at our heart. I agree the heart is at the center of who we are. And I think that is why it is so important. Thanks for the verses you have shared. Hope you have a great weekend.

[Annette]

14 hours ago, warrior12 said:

Proverbs 23   King James Version (KJV)

²⁶ My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

 

Hey Warrior12, this verse though short is so powerful... not only ts it our heart that we need to concern ourselves with, but there are things that we can do and watch out for that influence our heart. Thank you so much for sharing this. Blessings.

 

[Annette]

13 hours ago, wingnut- said:

Matthew 6:21  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Thank you, Wingnut, 

So true. If something is valuable to us, we will make time for it. We just need to take note of where we are spending our time and what we are doing and we will find out what is important to us. Blessings.

 

[Annette]

11 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Annette,

That is so good to hear from a younger person - the daily walking with the Holy Spirit who shows us our attitudes and behaviours and words and thoughts, that all need attention. Too much is focussed on - my ministry, my dreams, my plans. Yes God has areas of service for us, but as you said it is about the heart that God is dealing with, for that is how we are made like Christ. A good encouragement and topic.

all the best, Marilyn.

Thank you, Marilyn, for your encouragement. Time and again when we have been faced with situations even through this past year, I keep coming back to the idea of guarding our heart and keeping our attitude in check. Even at times, when we are doing what is right, it is easy to go from just standing up for what is right to becoming argumentative about what we are doing. 

I like what you say about becoming focused on "my" things, dreams and ministry when in the end it is not meant to be ours, what we do, is to bring glory to God.

I trust you have a great weekend. Blessings.