An Open Heart
The bible has over 800 references to the heart.<= o:p>
In the bible the word heart has a much broader
meaning than it does to the modern mind.
The Greek Lexicon defines the word heart as foll=
ows:
The center and seat of spiritual life; the soul =
or
mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires,
appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors; of the will and character, or t=
he
soul so far as it is affected and stirred in a bad way or good, or the soul as the seat of the
sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions.
We can say that the heart includes the min=
d,
will, emotions and conscience.
What does the bible say about the heart?
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and it =
is
exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know =
it
[perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]? (AMP)
This is certainly the condition of an unregenera=
te,
unsaved person.
God does work on our hearts when we become
Christians.
Ezekiel 36:26
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit
within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a
heart of flesh. (NKJV)
I will give you a new heart As reborn Christians G=
od
renews the mind giving us new desires that didn’t exist before.
The heart is changed through a process called
As Christians can we follow our heart?
Proverbs 28:26
He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident of =
his
own mind and heart is a [self-confident] fool, but he who walks in skillful=
and
godly Wisdom shall be delivered. (AMP)
So we don’t follow our own mind and heart =
but we
walk in the Spirit---being Spirit led.
Many times our heart is affected by our past
experiences.
Much of what you are today is the summatio=
n
of your past experiences.
Let’s look at some of the things our hearts
can carry.
Prejudice -=
a
judgment or opinion formed before the facts are known. An unfavorable opinion formed befo=
rehand
without knowledge thought or reason.
Prejudice against a particular race, religion, or
social class or age
A bad opinion formed without knowledge -=
That’s irrational thinking
Judging other people ----- being guarded before the fac=
ts are
known.
Prejudice is an un-renewed part of the mind or
heart.
Bias- A particular tendency =
or
inclination that prevents unprejudiced consideration.
Being biased is contrary to reason. It doesn’t allow=
a
rational decision
Opinion- a belief or judgment that
rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
A belief not based on absolute certainty or posi=
tive
knowledge but what seems true to one’s own mind.
Most of think we possess correct thinking.
Jury selection is all about selecting peo=
ple
without prejudice, bias and opinions.
I challenge you to analyze your own
thinking.
On some level we all deal with insecurity<=
/u>.
Sometimes the most outgoing people are the most
insecure.
Sometimes as a result of unattended hurts<=
/u>,
our personality, openness and responsiveness are all affected.
Have you ever met someone with mean poisons comi=
ng
out of their mouth?
It’s most likely the result of a mul=
titude
of hurts and disappointment that never got healed.
Have you ever noticed that sometimes a person th=
at
has experienced a lot of hurt is a very giving and kind person?
But their heart is very guarded so people
don’t get too close.
Our hearts guarded according to how much risk we=
are
willing to take.
That person keeps people at arms length,----No o=
ne
can get to close
Many times in love relationships
people get hurt and will never completely open up again.
In our earthly relationships-----To love i=
s to
risk hurt.
It’s better to have loved and be hurt than
never to loved at all.
Is your heart guarded to some extent----<=
/span>maybe you don’t =
even
realize it.
We can’t let past hurts dictate our future
response.
If we do we allow our opinions, bias and prejudi=
ce
win.
Love and appreciation is sometimes not returned.=
If we have a limited supply of love we
would be in trouble-----but we have an unlimited supply of love flowing to
us.--From God as well as other people.
Therefore we keep giving without having a guarded
heart.
Sometimes in marriage one person or both
will bring in baggage very neatly concealed.
Their response in the marriage to their partner =
is
affected by the issues of the past.
Other people from the outside see the problem,
If the hurts were truly healed the person would
respond in a normal way.
It takes a courageous person to say, I didn̵=
7;t
realize it but I operate my life with a guarded heart.
Have you ever seen a person respond to a situati=
on
differently than you would have?
Issues of the past form something in us
that restricts the way God wants us to respond.
Our hearts reflect the sum total or our experien=
ces.
Sometimes we have to recognize that what happene=
d to
us wasn’t our fault.
We can’t change the things of the past.
We=
may
have the attitude that someone is going to pay for what that other person d=
id
to me.
Without knowledge penalizing an innocent person =
for
something someone else did.
Romans 12:21
Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but
overcome (master) evil with good. (AMP)
When we allow past hurts to govern our future we=
are
overcome by evil.
Living with hurts actually allows that person to
hurt you over and over again.
We have to make a decision to get well.
The good news is that God wants to heal your hur=
t.
Even those areas buried so deep that we don̵=
7;t
think about them much.
Life hurts----------------God heals
God ways you can operate as a normal person----Y=
ou
not longer have to guarded.
God says you can be open in relationships.
God says you don’t have to live in the pas=
t because
He has a future for you.
Has the hurt been properly dealt with?----we can=
get
bitter or better
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all
our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any troubl=
e,
with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (NKJV)
God comforts us that we may be able to comfort t=
hose
who need comforting.
The invitation is from God to get better.
Not a guarded heart but an open heart.
Why?--- because it doesn’t make sense to operate out of prejudice, bias or opinion when it involves another person.<= o:p>
Unaffected by things of the past. --Responding with an
openness that pleases God.
Luke 4:18
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because=
He
has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the
brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to=
the
blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;(NKJV)
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted =
to console those who a=
re
afflicted
We open our heart to Him to permanently heal are=
as
that were never properly tended to
To proclaim liberty to the captives when we because Christ=
ians
Christ redeemed us from captivity
He continually wants to free us from bondage of =
past
hurts.
And recovery of sight to the blind <=
span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>If you are in a prison=
of a
guarded heart you are blinded to the fulfillment of what God wants you to
experience
Jesus came to change things
This invitation today is also for people who want
God to heal areas that may not have been properly healed.
.