HEART

            There are a few things we may say about the heart, and not all of them will agree, I mean, some will appear to be paradoxical. The heart could be defined as the hollow, muscular organ in vertebrates that pumps blood received from the veins into the arteries, thereby supplying the entire circulatory system. Also, the vital center of one’s being, emotions, and sensibilities; courage; fortitude; and the central or innermost physical part: the heart of the financial district; the most important essential part: the heart of the problem. These and more other things could be concepts of heart.

            But, how could I know the heart of someone? I guess that it will depend on his attitude facing problems of life. But, again, if I want to know more about the human heart I should know what the Scriptures say about it.

Heart comes from the Greek Kardia: The Scriptures attributed to the heart thoughts, reasonings, understanding, will, judgment, designs, affections, love, hatred, fear, joy, sorrow and anger since these things can actually affect a man’s physical heart. We all know how thoughts and emotions affect our blood pressure. Therefore, the heart is used for the mind in general (“O generation of vipers, how can ye being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” Mat. 12:34; “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quit spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” I P. 3:4); the understanding (“And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,” Lk. 9:47;  “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” II Co. 4:6); the will (“Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.” Acts 11:23); the memory (“And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.” Luke. 1:66); the intention, affection or desire (“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Mat. 6:21); the conscience (“For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.”). It can also mean the middle or inner part, as the heart is of the breast, as the heart of the earth is the inner part of the earth, the grave.

But, whatever things are about the heart, the Scriptures declares that an unchanging heart is capable of evil things and very perverse.

“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” Mat. 15:19, 20.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 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.” Jer.17:9, 10.

It is possible to know the heart of the people? I will say no, unless you have a guide in yours…  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  John 14:23.

As I reviewed certain things, I found in my papers this presentation of an introduction to Christian care. It refers to all those who are in need of care both older and young people as well to all who need to practice mercy and grace

 

INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN CARE

What do I understand is the controversy against Christ in my generation?

1. My age is against Christ in His capacity and authority as the only mediator between God and man.

2. My age is against the Bible as God's infallible word, thinking to have proven in its rational criticism that the Bible is insufficient to guide man in a scientific and highly complex generation.

3. Some in my age hold that God has left man to superintend life according to man's best rational understanding without God's interference.

4. Purity is impossible in this life even with Christ.

5. My age believes in cheap grace and in forgiveness, but it has little depth of awareness of the debt incurred and how we are to participate in its payment.

  6. My age has forsaken Christ as the creator of the cosmos.
  7. My age has denied Christ as the Son of God.

What are the things that I must therefore live with and do something about in
my generation?  

      1. Human and religious authorities vying for preeminence in the void.

      2. The use of deceptive-psychological methods to lure men to participate in the age,   methods which claim to understand and manipulate human nature toward certain objectives.  

3. The falsification of man in Psychological and Physical descriptions of his nature and purpose, and in his care and maintenance.

      4. Rational processes are applied to life which claims that understanding is the best goal of human care. But rational processes can only take apart and cannot build up or solve man's problems.

5. A natural morality and ethic has taken over life which prevents true sympathy for life, "working uncleanness with greediness."

6. An independent and   self-sufficient (so-called) social and psychological science seeks to become the mediatorial authority for knowledge about human life among the sciences.

7. The denial of any absolute authority.

8. An increasing world-wide economic motive arising to guide life. Will my decisions and activities enhance me financially?

9. Two motives are vying for preeminence presently: a. is my decision eco­nomically good?   b. will my decision increase my self-esteem and subsequently   further me in becoming all that I can be?

10. A generation of people with low self-esteem whose enemy is anything that has led to this condition.

11. Increasing lawlessness, crime, and the weakening of society's resistance to crime.

12. The legalization of crimes to enhance one's ease of life and self-esteem

13. Increasing hatred for the weak, and worship of the fittest.

14. Rational and utilitarian approaches to explaining life are casting significant doubt on the ability of sympathy, faith, wisdom, and love.

15.              An unbiblical view of human life as "normal" and "abnormal" and the resultant power of the categories derived from this viewpoint.

16.              Human authority that does not encourage obedience to the law of God (see Ezra 7:26).   Rather human authority encourages a neutral territory to life, that being science and specifically medicine and medical procedures.   The Physician is viewed as a magician who exists for man's betterment and can do no wrong except hinder a person's self-esteem or ease of life.

17.              Secularism perpetrated—a belief that God should not enter the affairs and functions of the state.