The spiritual heart (as opposed to the physical heart) is referred to in the Bible over 1000 times, yet most of us don't really stop to think about what the term "heart" means.

Heart is defined in the dictionary as the center of the total personality, especially with reference to intuition, feeling, or emotion. It is the innermost core of everything about your being. The spirit, like the heart, is also defined as the essential nature of a person, a causative, activating tendency or influence, that is the seat of your conscience, emotions, and decisions.

You could say that the spiritual heart is the source of the REAL you. What flows out of it governs everything that effects the rest of our lives. It is the command, communication and control center for the human personality.

Proverbs 4:23 - Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL HEART LIKE?

ACTIVATING YOUR SPIRITUAL HEART

CHARACTER QUALITIES

As human beings, we live our lives on three levels: overt, covert, and what Bob Mumford calls below the bottom line.

Our overt behavior is visible to all. Sins in this area include adultery, theft, murder, and excessive living. Our overt good deeds include tithing, serving, praising, and working.

Matthew 5:21-22 - "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Covert behavior refers to our thought life and emotions. Covert sins include lust, greed, hatred, and covetousness. Covert good deeds include faithfulness, humility, love.

Matthew 5:27-28 - "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Living below the bottom line refers to the REAL you. That means your motives and attitudes. This is what God judges and this is what Jesus came to change, the source of our inner being.

Matthew 6:1 - "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:20 - For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Motives motivate to action (or non-action) often manifested by the avoidance of confrontation:

• unwillingness to get deeply involved in the lives of others
• putting a bandaid on problems
• doing just enough to get by
• resistance to change

Not dealing with our motives will cause them to manifest in behavioral problems.

Attitudes are your perspective on life your paradigm, measuring stick for sizing up situations and people, for interpreting circumstances and words.

Our attitudes color every situation either positively or negatively:

• Fear of intimacy
• Fear of commitment
• Fear of being vulnerable
• Inability to take responsibility (doing the blame-game)
• Excusing our behavior
• Having a victim mentality
• Self-pity

Not dealing with our attitudes leads to unthankfulness and envy.

If our motives and attitudes are impure, our behavior will never be meaningfully changed. If the spring is muddy, the task of cleaning yourself up is hopeless.

It all boils down to “Who’s going to run the show, me or God?”

Matthew 6:25 - "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Kingdom living means Jesus Christ rules your life. You are called to obedient servanthood.

Philippians 2:5-8 - Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

God gives us a lie detector in our spiritual heart to alert us to wrong motives and antitudes. It’s called ANXIETY. It’s that gut feeling that something’s not right. What is means is the Kingdom of God is not in control.

When God gives us revelation, conviction, or correction, we will respond with either joy (peace) or anxiety.

When our motives and attitudes are exposed and resolved, it results in biblical action -- also known as SANCTIFICATION.

What to do when the lie detector is tripped:

1. Recognition – this is a matter of the will
2. Radical Action – willingness for spiritual surgery no matter how painful or humiliating “Radical action is to be preferred over total loss.”
3. The fruit of wrong motives and attitudes – if we don’t deal with them, God will allow them to grow and affect areas of our covert and overt behavior (He will make our sins public in hopes that we will deal with them.)
4. The clear eye – Our best defense against wrong motives and attitudes is seeing ourselves clearly.

God calls us to examine ourselves constantly to expose the wickedness within our spiritual heart so it can be rooted out and we can be freed from anxiety and live the life God always intended for us to live.

Matthew 6:22 - "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.

Psalm 139:23-24 - Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Matthew 5:29 - If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

Revelation 2:23 - And I will strike her children (her proper followers) dead [thoroughly exterminating them]. And all the assemblies (churches) shall recognize and understand that I am He Who searches minds (the thoughts, feelings, and purposes) and the [inmost] hearts, and I will give to each of you [the reward for what you have done] as your work deserves.

1 John 3:19-21 - By this we shall come to know (perceive, recognize, and understand) that we are of the Truth, and can reassure (quiet, conciliate, and pacify) our hearts in His presence, Whenever our hearts in [tormenting] self-accusation make us feel guilty and condemn us. [For we are in God's hands.] For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts), and He knows (perceives and understands) everything [nothing is hidden from Him]. And, beloved, if our consciences (our hearts) do not accuse us [if they do not make us feel guilty and condemn us], we have confidence (complete assurance and boldness) before God, Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)--[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life]. Amen (so let it be).