The headline of a recent medical article read, ‘The most life-threatening issues are always issues of the heart.’
The heart is the most important organ in the body. It is the central pump and powerhouse that circulates the blood and provides oxygen and energy to all the cells. The heart beats about 100,000 times per day and about 35 million times per year. A human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times during an average lifetime! It is truly an amazing organ.
The Bible mentions the heart 987 times, and almost all of these refer to our spiritual heart. When you study the word for heart in the Old and New Testament it is quite complicated and complex. There are many different functions associated with the heart and there is an overlap with other terms like “spirit,” “mind,” and “soul.” Overall, it is vital to understand, the heart is the seat or core aspect of our inner nature that makes up the real person that we are before God. It is called the “wellspring of life”. We see this referenced in Proverbs 4:23 NIV, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
The writer is saying, ‘Check your heart because it can affect every other area of your life!’ Here’s what I know… the condition of your heart determines the direction of your life.
A bad heart will ruin your home life.
A bad heart will poison your outlook.
A bad heart will lead you in the wrong direction.
A bad heart hinders your effectiveness in ministry.
Some of the most damaging symptoms of a bad heart include bitterness and unforgiveness. When living with these conditions, you can lose sight of God’s goodness and eventually no longer see your purpose in life.
Jesus teaches His longest and most famous sermon called the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount. There is one underlying theme He is most concerned about which is our heart. Matthew 5:8 NASB, says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
Purity is a prerequisite for seeing God rightly. God is the one who purifies the heart, and the instrument with which He cleans it is faith. We cannot see God rightly if we are living with impurities in our hearts. When we behold God, with purity, we are awestruck by His glory. If there was ever a moment when we desperately needed to see God rightly, the time is now.
Dear Father, what a blessing it is when I behold your beauty. I pray, Lord, that You’ll help me to keep my heart clean and pure, and to stay away from any condition that keeps me from seeing you rightly. Help me to release any unforgiveness and bitterness. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Kaci Stewart serves on the International Women's Advisory Council for the Church of God. Kaci is a passionate speaker and worship leader. For the last eighteen years, Kaci has served as Co-Lead Pastor at citylife church in Tampa, FL with her husband, Tony. Kaci's desire is to reach women. She launched BRAVE Women's Conference in 2015, started SMILE, a ministry for single moms, and is active in supporting Non-Profit Service Providers and Advocacy Agencies for Sexually Exploited and Trafficked Women and Youth.
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