Digging Deeper

Heart Guide for Lesson 8:
Beholding the True Image

Contrasting the head and heart: Enlightenment culture and the pride of man have over-emphasized the place of the mind. Following the lead of European post Renaissance culture, Western Christianity became overly rational and has tended to boil the Christian life down into maxims, rules, pious platitudes and dry doctrines. As important as rational truth is (we are depending upon it in this teaching), we were never meant to seek it alone and neglect the heart's imaginative capacity of beholding images. 

The mind is a gateway: All thoughts have to pass through it but the heart is the seat of power and controls the deep issues of life as well as our deepest, most cherished beliefs about God, ourselves and the world we live in. Our mind may hold very correct theology, but our heart can still think and react like a two year old!  Who reigns in your heart - Satan, Self, or Jesus?

For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts. Mark 7:21 ESV

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.   Proverbs 4:23 WEB

Comparing the head (intellect/brain) and heart: What the head can do is good, but just look how much further the heart can take us into Life! Then pray for grace.

HEAD                                   
          HEART

Knowledge, facts              
          Wisdom, understanding

Physical sight                   
          Spiritual insight

Likes                                     
          Loves

Thinks by logic                   
          Reasons by feelings (deeply held beliefs)

Analyzes                              
          Meditates

Holds consciousness       
          Held by conscience

Ego resides                         
          Jesus resides

Center of the mind           
          Center of the spirit

Makes identifications        
          Holds identity

Holds ideas of God             
          Beholds the Image of God

Stores memories                
          Treasures remembrances

Believes                                 
          Trusts

Hears the words of others  
          Listens to the hearts of others

Sees, plans, decides          
          Dreams, envisions, determines

Chooses                                
          Wills

Lord, don't let my walk with You become a head trip.
Lead me into paths with a heart!

Return to Beholding the True Image: Head to Heart Guide for more ways to go deeper into these truths or stay 'on course' by going to the...