The heart

Psalm 64:6, “The inward thought and the heart of a man are deep.”

Proverbs 20:5, “A man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding draws it out.” I love this verse as it pertains us as mothers. It is part of our ministry to "draw out" that which lays deep within our children's heart.

The verses below make for a great study looking closer into the heart according to God's word--the true meaning in its fullest sense.

"HEART— the inner self that thinks, feels, and decides. In the Bible the word “heart” has a much broader meaning than it does to the modern mind. The heart is that which is central to a person. Nearly all the references to the heart in the Bible refer to some aspect of human personality.

In the Bible all emotions are experienced by the heart: love and hate (Ps. 105:25; 1 Pet. 1:22); joy and sorrow (Eccl. 2:10; John 16:6); peace and bitterness (Ezek. 27:31; Col. 3:15); courage and fear (Gen. 42:28; Amos 2:16).

The thinking processes are said to be carried out by the heart. This intellectual activity corresponds to what would be called “mind” in English. Thus, the heart may think (Esth. 6:6), understand (Job 38:36), imagine (Jer. 9:14), remember (Deut. 4:9), be wise (Prov. 2:10), and speak to itself (Deut. 7:17). Decision-making is also carried out by the heart. Purpose (Acts 11:23), intention (Heb. 4:12), and will (Eph. 6:6) are all activities of the heart.

Finally, heart often means someone’s true character or personality. Purity or evil (Jer. 3:17; Matt. 5:8); sincerity or hardness (Ex. 4:21; Col. 3:22); and maturity or rebelliousness (Ps. 101:2; Jer. 5:23)—all these describe the heart or true character of individuals. God knows the heart of each person (1 Sam. 16:7). Since people speak and act from their hearts, they are to guard them well (Prov. 4:23; Matt. 15:18–19). The most important duty of anyone is to love God with the whole heart (Matt. 22:37). With the heart a person believes in Christ and so experiences both love from God and the presence of Christ in the heart (Rom. 5:5; 10:9–10; Eph. 3:17)."

The following two verse are often quoted in our home. When our children are back-talking, arguing, grumbling, etc. it is ALWAYS a matter/issue of the heart. They are beginning to understand and mature in the truth that Jesus alone is able to change their hearts. It is so sweet to hear them praying and asking Jesus to change their hearts. Mothers take note, we CAN NOT change their hearts--it must be a transforming work of the Lord!

Luke 6:45, “the good man out of the good treasure (storehouse) of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure (storehouse) brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks that which fills his heart.”

Matthew 15:18, “The things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication's, thefts, false witness, slanders.”

It is so important for us as mothers to know Proverbs 4:23, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life.” We can tell what is going on in the hearts of our children by their words, behavior and actions. What a beautiful promise we have in Romans 12:2, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (heart), that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."