A Far Heart

10-31-07

We as humans are known to be the masters of impressions. We are able to say the right words, give the proper signs and mimic behaviors to portray the image or idea we want others to see. Even when the image is not real we can add actions and attitudes that reinforce our phony-ness. Masters of manipulation, skilled in the art of trickery, we make up our own little worlds then try to force others to live in it. We put together our own ideals and insist that others line up to them.

Such is the case Jesus referred to in Matthew 15:8 & 9. The religious persons were saying the things that gave praises; they even had the language that gave honor but their heart was far from God. These religious persons were seeing and hearing what Jesus was doing but their desires and concerns were not supportive. They were in the right pace physically but their heart was not supporting what was going on. In essence they were giving honor and praises but their heart was so far they could not relate to what they were giving.

Like these religious people, we to can have a ‘Far Heart’. How do you know when the heart is far? When the heart is far there is a tendency to look and respond to God differently. God is no longer the affection of the desire. We may find ourselves sitting in church but reluctant to get involved. We may read our Bibles but have trouble accepting Its commands. We may pray to God but struggle to trust and obey what He says. We lift our hands in love but on the inside we resist and hold back. We know the way to God but instead of going to Him we go through the motions. We look to God for the wrong reasons, desiring that He would meet our needs, relieve our burdens or calm our troubles.

The ‘Far Heart’ has a broken link in the connection. With a broken link no access to God can be established in a way that reflects a meaningful relationship. Communication may take place but not to the point where it affects. Mutual interest is lost and the differences in concern lead to differences in identity where persons can be involved but refuse to accept or acknowledge the connection or relationship. The heart is far.

Buried in the Heart

10-26-07

Quite often we associate burial with death when in fact burial speaks to confinement rather than the loss of life. Being buried in the heart enables the things in the heart to come alive. Consider the person who buries them self in work, family, church or play. The result from this effort is higher level of commitment and performance.

To be buried in the heart seals you in the core of you identity to the point where you are lost in the essence of your desires and consumed by your habits. There is seclusion and confinement into the things that makes you tick and you are left alone only to what really matters. Released out of this confinement is a true and pure representation of your identity.

Who wants to be that true or pure? Consider this, when you tell a lie you surrender the truth of your reality to someone else. Truth and purity causes you to have more authenticity in what you do. Once you are able to live comfortably with the true source your desires your life becomes empowered by the treasures found in that source.

Being buried in the heart allows for a greater level of purity of ones identity. It enables us to live life comfortable without the mask or behind the scenes.

Full Heart

10-24-07

The heart is the source of much of what is experienced in life. The quality of life we come to enjoy and the standards we set for ourselves are products of the heart. Whatever is in the heart in large quantities seeks to release itself. Our verbal and non-verbal communications are mere extensions of the full heart.

So, how does the heart get full?
What the eye sees, hears hear and body touches allows connection to the source that provided the impulse of what is seen, hear or felt. Once connection is established exchanges takes place. Withdrawals and deposits, acceptable and unacceptable standards are communicated back and forth.

The things we are connected with are able to grow and increase once allowed in the heart. Growth causes the impulses to become more frequent and stronger. The frequency in communication causes the full heart .

By repeatedly thinking about a thing, feeling a certain way, accepting a certain value, believing a certain thing or giving favor to a certain thing the heart becomes full. Our life is only a product of our habits. Our habits are the practice of our interest and desires.

Our heart becomes full of what we allow it to be filled with. It is no surprise the things of the world constantly bombard us with things we try to get away from.

Astonished Heart

9-18-07

While taking a friend home a few nights ago we found ourselves stuck for a short period behind a car parked in the middle of the street. The lights were on, the engine was running and the driver’s door was wide open. Standing a few feet from the car was a young woman. The sound she made was too faint to be a scream but too blurred and trembled for a conversation. With her arms folded rubbing her shoulders and walking around trembling made it clear, terror was in the air.

Fortunately she had stopped just across the street from the police station. The police were trying to comfort her and sooth her troubles but to not avail. I heard one of the officers in a demanding yet disturbed voice ask, “Where is he, is that him?” With each question she turned away briskly screaming, 'No, Ah, Ah'!

Knowing my magnetic pull for being caught in weird situations. I hurried the car around as I spoke a word of peace over her situation. No doubt some guy had done something causing her to become what Deuteronomy 28:28 calls an ‘Astonished Heart’.

What is an astonished heart? It is a heart that is filled with feelings of anxiety. It leaves a person uneasy, nervous and vulnerable to the unexpected. Everything seems to go wrong even the right ones. There is no comfort regardless of what is done. The sense of urgency rules even when there is nothing happening. There is no confidence regardless of the amount of support.

Self assurance is not produced by an astonished heart. A person with this sort of heart is unable to identify the truth from a lie, the secure from the worried, the positive from the negative nor the certain from the uncertain. The person is left full of doubt, jittery and afraid. Silent fears are killers. They rob life of its future, hide the opportunities that come available, drain the drive to do more, get better and improve oneself in order to get the most out of a situation.

How do you get rid of an astonish heart? Trust in the Lord. Listen carefully to His voice and OBEY.

Heart of Gratitude

10-01-07

Too often we take for granted the satisfaction that comes from having more than enough. The ease in which things come cause us at times to overlook what God has put in place. For example, how often do you neglect to verbalize your appreciation for the acts kindness given to you? Do you acknowledge God for the two freezers fill with food? How about those wonderful kids and grand kids that carry your likeness? We love for things to go good all the time and get disgust when things don’t work the way they should. How about being grateful for being able to experience the good and the bad and the ability to know the difference?

What is a heart of gratitude?
A heart of gratitude is a feeling of appreciation flowing from place where emotions are generate. It is the joy and gladness coming from within that stimulates a positive attitude. It is seen in what we do and how we do it. The heart of gratitude is a force flowing from the heart designed to keep us on top of our circumstances, connected in our relations, dedicated in our service, protected from our enemies and in the right relation with God.

A heart of gratitude is evidence that the heart recognizes the hand of God in what is experienced. This type of heart prevents advancement of enemies by guarding who or what is allowed to influence your balance. We know what happens when you loose your balance right? You fall. A heart of gratitude is what we must show for all the great things God has freely provided. It is hard to make a stand without it.

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Faint Hearts

8-27-07

If you ever plan to accomplish something of significance here is one thing you should remember:
‘faint hearts are not fit for battle’

There are certain things that are not allowed in a confrontation and a faint heart is one of them. A faint heat is a prerequisite that separates those who are not ready and should return home. This not an incrimination but evidence that the heart is missing the basic necessity for success.

Understand that if you are going to accomplish anything significant you will have to pass through difficult situations. A faint heart is one that has lost its strength and energy. The heart may have been strong at one point but some where along the line it has grown weaker and more emaciated.

Several things can cause a faint heart.
1 – weariness from the stress of the confrontation
2 – conditions of danger that arise in the confrontation
3 – tendency to break under repeated pressure
4 – the wrong mindset and thought patterns

Here are two strategies to protect yourself from a faint heart.
1 - spend sufficient time alone with God
2 - obey as directed

God is more concerned about where the heart is and where it should be than were it was or where it came from. So, keep the heart strong and do not let it become faint, then success and faith size results will be your reward.

The heart and its treasure

10-13-07

What is a treasure?
Treasure is a deposit. It indicates a place where wealth is stored for safe keeping. Treasure holds what is valued. We resort to it as a source of hope and security. We confide in it to supply our needs and find our level of satisfaction. Our aims and intents become levelled in the place referred to as treasure.

Why is treasure important?
Treasure is important not only because of its value, but also because we depend on it for the future. The heart follows it like the flower follows the sun. Treasure affects the temper of our attitudes, the direction of our pursuits, and the tenor of our lives. Out of the treasure flows our cares and fears, concerns and thoughts. This includes our first thought, inner thought, familiar thought and frequent.

Take wise action when securing your treasure because its location influences the heart and content of life.

Whats the harm? nobody sees or knows

10-10-07

Many persons have developed a belief that the things that occur internally are not regarded as action. Thinking or feeling something is OK as long as you don't do it. Nobody sees or knows so what the harm?

Whatever harm exist will be found in the person who carries the thoughts and feelings, their actions being guided by those thoughts and feelings. Evidence of the harm can be detected in the ability of the character. Understand that character type has power to exact and demand within the context of that character. For example a person who is respected for an honest character will gather more trust than a person with a dishonest character. similarly a person with a reputable character will be able to gain more respect than a person with a lesser character.

The harm can also be seen in the opportunities the person is able to form and embrace. Opportunities are links that takes life to another level. Once handled correctly they will enable us to have experiences and develop relationships that enrich our lives. The things that exist internally helps us to see those opportunities and embrace them. Allowing the internal to be off focused or mis-intended limits that ability to see and embrace opportunities that come available.

The heart is key for the life one expects to have. What is allowed to enter the heart eventually leads to experiences both internally and externally. Setting the heart in line with the life one expects to have forces everything else to fall in line - the eye will see right, the mind will think right and the actions will be right.

It is your duty to keep the heart from corrupt glances and defiling impressions to ensure it does not limit or degrade the quality of your life.

Ability of the Heart

10-09-07

One of the things that make the heart so powerful is the abilities it possess. The heart has an incredible ability to convert what is seen into vision, what is heard in to discernment, what is known into understanding, what is felt in to passion and what is chosen into commitment.

The heart adds commitment in relationships; dedication to service; sincerity to worship and generosity to love. It does not end there. The heart can also add focus to vision, truth to discernment, wisdom to understanding and strength to passion.

What you have in your heart can literally direct, protect, destroy or revive you. With the heart life never have to remain the same. Life can be lived and enjoyed to the fullest in focus, sincerity, truth, wisdom and strength.

The heart is connected so closely with life in that all that pertains to life flows through the heart. The heart and life are inseparable, you can't have one without the other. Unleashing the abilities of the heart squeezes the essence out of life.

Not satisfied with life? "Put more in it, to get more out it" Put more of your heart in it, that is put more dedication in your service, more sincerity in your worship, more generosity in your love and more commitment in your relationships. Then life will open itself up to you.

Pure in Heart

10-09-07


You are fortunate and well off when your mind is free from corrupt desire and your feelings are free from guilt because you will be able to gaze at something remarkable. Not just a mere glance but an earnest inspection to the point where inward impressions are made and a spiritual experience is derived.

Purity is a character that is able to discern the higher good, with it you can discern visually beyond the common eye to observe Godly activity when they are present. With a pure heart you are able to become aware of the things of God and experience God as you witness His presence.

A pure heart involves nothing else but what is in perfect tune with God. All the unnecessary elements are left out. Purity enhances sight - it opens the sense of perception to God. Purity establishes focus - it enables one to observe God activity. Purity enables a connection - connection can be made to experience God at work.

The major problem with purity is 'who wants to be that clean?'

Head vs. Heart - 4

5-21-06

It is only fair to have a definition of what is referred to as the heart. So, "What is the heart?"

When we speak of the heart we are referring to the central and core part of an individual. The heart contains the essence of life. It is the hidden spring for personal life and it contains and conceals the true character. The heart makes up the motive, desire, intention and affection.

Not be confused with the soul (mind, will and emotions), which contains the inner attributes, such as the thoughts, choice and feelings. The heart gives each person their distinctive features which are displayed in actions, attitudes and beliefs. The heart represents the ideas a person owns. These ideas are developed over time and affect how a person acts and what he/she acts on.

Although the heart contains much of who a person is, its reclusive nature causes it to be filled with mystery and deception. A careful look at the heart gives a person reason for doing; it reveals a person's moral nature and it gives actions a foundation to move on.

I trust that this explanation gives a clearer representation to the question, "What is the heart?"

Head vs. Heart - 3

1-03-07

When considering the heart and its potential, some might recall the famous story "The Wizard of Oz". The lion who was born to be a king but lacked the courage because he had no heart. The condition or absence of his heart prevented him from being in his rightful position and living the standard of life he was created to live.

Lets look at another. How about the character "Data" from the Star Trek movie. Data posess a unique ability to compute information and posess vast amounts of knowledge but no heart. The absence of heart prevented him from showing personal emotions. He can think but not feel. He could know but not relate.

The heart offers much more than the head can ever conceive. The next few weeks I will share with you what I have learned about the power we possess in our heart. I will show you how it effects the quality of life, ability to serve God, achieve goals and the impact it has on our ability to make the most out of life.