The HeartCry

"Is it true the heart doth cry".
"I hope it is" said dry eye.

"I often hear it's desperate plea",
was the response from bended knee.

Again. the mind surprised by this,
"what cause has brought such amiss".

And then the lips said "hold on there,
'twas the heart that always sent me prayer".

Praying hands could not keep quite,
and blurted out, "you can't deny it".

"Oh mind with all your great control,
did you not know the heart speaks for the soul".

By: Preston Pittman

That little poem has so much packed into it, and it could use a little more work, I think. But, as a lead-in to what is most important to me, and to The Lord... I would rather put more of my time into the study of Gods' Word.

We hear the term "Heart Cry" from time to time and I believe most people understand it as likened to a yearning deep within... for or out of compassion. It can be referred to as a crying out for the affection of someone, or a heart already filled with deep emotion that just can't be contained, and it can also be the result of someone in great physical and/or emotional pain... trying to reach out for help. It can mean many different things to many people, but isn't it interesting that it's always described as the heart that is crying.

Jesus spoke about the heart often during His physical presence here on earth. His teachings concerning the heart, both directly from Him and through His disciples, run throughout the New Testament and yet man struggles with the connection to the reality and spiritual significance of the human heart.

Matthew 15:8 "These people draw near Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are far away from Me."

In this verse from Matthew, Jesus is talking about how some group of people appear to draw close to Him by the things they say, but then He contrasts this to a strange reference about "our subject", the heart... being held off, far away from Him.

It is easy for Christians to understand that Christ is talking about "people pretending to love Him, yet do not know Him"... but do we understand the literal implication of this verse and others like it. That is where we are going with this study today.

The strongest muscle in the body... an adult heart pumps about 5 quarts of blood each minute - approximately 2,000 gallons each day. It's system of arteries, veins, and capillaries is over 60,000 miles long. Your heart is in the center of your chest between your lungs, although, the bottom is tipped to the left, and that is why you physically feel more of your heart on the left side of your chest. The heart beats about 100,000 times each day. In a 70-year lifetime, the average human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times. An adult woman's heart weighs about 8 ounces, a man's about 10 ounces. A child's heart is about the size of a clenched fist; an adult's heart is about the size of two fists. These are some of the facts about the physical aspect of this vital organ Jesus often refers to.

"Absent" of neurons, cerebrum, hippocampus, or any of the physical parts that are associated with cognitive functioning, it is hard to perceive the heart as something that thinks, reasons, or believes. So what do we make of scripture verses like these next few:

Matthew 15:18 "But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles [him]."

Luke 6:45 "The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks."

John 13:2 "So [it was] during supper, Satan having already put the thought of betraying Jesus in the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son."

So, if the heart is incapable of producing the things (thoughts - evil or good, communication of any kind)that Jesus refers to... what is He talking about? We know it's not the same word used to describe the mind... which He spoke much about also... Remember, He says that we are to Love God with all your heart AND all your mind... so then, what "is" in the heart of all of us that God hears, speaks to... knows, etc. Let's look at some clues in these next few verses which suggest something within the heart.

John 13:20 "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who receives and welcomes and takes into his heart any messenger of Mine receives Me [in just that way]; and he who receives and welcomes and takes Me into his heart receives Him Who sent Me [in that same way]."

Getting closer to the clue... we must listen to what Jesus is saying to His disciples, here in John, chapter 14, just prior to leaving this world in the flesh (physical body). He has just said that He has to go, however...

John 14:16 "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever-- 17. The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you. 20. At that time [when that day comes] you will know [for yourselves] that I am in My Father, and you [are] in Me, and I [am] in you. 21. The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.] 22. Judas, not Iscariot, asked Him, Lord, how is it that You will reveal Yourself [make Yourself real] to us and not to the world? 23. Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him.

Here, we read that the Lord, will send the Comforter and He will be "in" us. And He says He - Jesus will be "in" us (this is different than the omnipresence of God that is throughout all things). We will see that it is the heart, that is the abode, special dwelling place of The Holy Spirit... but what about before the indwelling? Who or what was Christ referring to in the heart prior to this?

Genesis 1:26. God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness...

2:7. Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being.

6:3. Then the Lord said, My Spirit shall not forever dwell and strive with man, for he also is flesh;

Romans 10:10 "For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation."

The heart is the dwelling place for the Spirit Man... the eternal part of each of us that will never die! From the moment we are born, our unregenerate spirit cries out for love. The deep desire to be loved is purposed in us for one very special purpose. Man feels this desire so strongly, yet is unaware of the ultimate purpose. We may spend our whole life trying to find something or many things to satisfy that deep desire... the "heart cry", and never find the one and only thing that can satisfy the yearning. That's right... God (the Creator) is the only thing that can satisfy the spirit of man.

Apart from God, the unregenerate spirit of man thinks evil and is influenced by the presence of evil spirits. Evil spirits may also literally share the heart of many who give way to the devil or are possessed. So, the heart can also be where evil spirits dwell in the case of people that are possessed.

But the Heart is where the Lord longs to live in all men. The heart is where the Holy Spirit dwells in those whom Christ has saved from eternal death. The most vital human organ which pumps life through every man and woman is also a temporary dwelling place of the spiritual realm. When Christ says He listens to the heart of man, He really is! Before our brain can form a sentence, He has already heard the source (the spirit - Holy or unholy) and thus sees the true nature of what we say.

Upon receiving a new heart - the regenerate spirit - the new man... we also receive The Holy Spirit. The heart cry is also new. With Gods' love abiding in us, now our hearts cry out for the lost in the world. We share Christ's compassion for every man, woman, and child... yes, my friends... the heart cries.

Ephesians 3:17 "May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love."

I love you, Preston