Download YOUR PHYSICAL HEART The heart is a muscular organ that

YOUR PHYSICAL HEART
The heart is a muscular organ that supplies blood and oxygen to all parts of the body. It is located
a little to the left of the middle of your chest, and it is about the size of your fist.
The heart muscle is special because it circulates blood through your body providing nutrients and
oxygen your body needs to function. When the heart is unable to supply enough blood to the
body’s organs, it affects the body in a way that can result in heart failure.
Heart failure describes a weakening heart. The heart does not stop beating, rather, over a period
of time it beats less effectively, causing congestion in the lungs and other tissues, due to fluid
buildup. Your body needs this steady supply of blood to continue to deliver oxygen to all the
body’s cells or these cells will die overtime; if that oxygen-rich blood does not circulate as it
should, a person could die.
Heart failure afflicts about five million Americans, and causes or contributes to about 300,000
deaths a year. Roughly 1.2 million heart attacks occur each year, and more than forty percent of
those suffering from a heart attack will die. Even more worrisome, 335,000 people with heart
attacks will die in an emergency department or before ever reaching the hospital. According to
the American Heart Association, over 7 million Americans have suffered a heart attack in their
lifetime.
YOUR SPIRITUAL HEART
The physical, blood-pumping organ found in your chest is not the heart of which the Bible
references. It is the heart which involves the mind, will, emotions, and conscience of man. W. E.
Vine comments on the Greek word that is rendered heart and explains how the heart came to be
figuratively used:
"Kardia: 'the heart' (Eng., 'cardiac,' etc.), the chief organ of physical life ('for the life of the
flesh is in the blood,' Lev. 17:11), occupies the most important place in the human system.
By an easy transition the word came to stand for man's entire mental and moral activity,
both the rational and the emotional elements. In other words, the heart is used figuratively
for the hidden springs of the personal life. "The Bible describes human depravity as in the
'heart', because sin is a principle which has its seat in the center of man's inward life, and
then 'defiles' the whole circuit of his action, Matt. 15:19,20. On the other hand, Scripture
regards the heart as the sphere of Divine influence, Rom. 2:15; Acts 15:9. ... The heart, as
lying deep within, contains 'the hidden man,' 1 Pet. 3:4, the real man. It represents the true
character but conceals it" (J. Laidlaw, in Hastings' Bible Dic.)." (Expository Dictionary of
New Testament Words.)
Scripture reveals God was concerned from early on in mankind’s history with man’s heart and
cared deeply about the spirit, or motivation, behind man’s actions. This is demonstrated by such
statements as “Do not hate your brother in your heart.” (Leviticus 19:17). After recounting His
Ten Commandments, God exclaimed, “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would
fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their
children forever!” (Deut. 5:29). King David knew well that God “searches every heart and
understands every motive behind the thoughts.” (1 Chron. 28:9).
What issues that come from the heart are important enough to consider as Proverbs 4:23 says of
it, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” Additionally,
scriptures plainly teach the importance of the heart of man in his relationship and service to God.
God’s acceptance of man is based on man’s heart (Prov. 3: 5). Moreover, God commands that
we love Him with all our heart and soul (Deut. 6:5); He demands our whole heart (Ps. 119: 34,
69) and nothing less; and requires “whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto
men.” (Col. 3: 23).
Jesus often spoke of this heart, which is the source of whatever affects life and character.
Matthew 12:35 says, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things,
and an evil man, out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” He also said in Matthew 15:19,
“it isn’t what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of a man.” “For out of the
heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and
blasphemies.” Further, He explained to the Pharisees of His day, just as a tree is known by its
fruit, so is a man known by his ways. As are his thoughts, so will be his actions, “for out of the
overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” Jesus explained that “men will have to give account on
the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be
acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Mt. 12:33-37). He repeatedly made it
clear that what a man does is linked to the content of his heart (Mt. 15:18-19). His actions are but
a reflection of his thoughts and intents. It shouldn’t surprise us that the Creator of man went
straight to the heart and core of the matter, addressing mankind’s thoughts from the beginning.
Man’s innermost attitude and disposition have always been of concern to God, in both Old and
New Testament, therefore it is important to assess the condition of your heart regularly. May you
be like the Psalmist and cry out, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my
thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps.
139:23-24).
In the month of February we will be highlighting information about the importance of your risk
of having a Spiritual Heart attack. To learn more, browse next week’s topic on “Symptoms
related to Spiritual Heart Disease.”