An exceptionally intelligent person is often referred to as a brainiac. How does such a smart person speak from the heart, seek truth with all their heart, see with the eyes of their heart, or listen with their heart? What some intellectuals pride themselves in knowing, the heart’s wisdom trumps all the scholars around the globe! One new year’s resolution could wisely be to listen more with our hearts. Science says that the heart’s brain sees, hears, learns and stores the wisdom of the ages. Most minds cannot conceive a thing, believe or have faith in anything in which the seeker cannot touch, feel or see. The mind blowing truth is that God created our hearts with a brain. Read on to discover that the brain in the heart was formed before the spaghetti in our head. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:20 Let us walk in the light of Truth, and let us choose to examine our hearts because “Out of the heart’s abundance, the mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

“He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through Him all might believe.” John 1:7  When the Messiah arrived as a dependent baby, those who rigidly studied the commands of God were unable to interpret beyond their own understanding. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5  Dr. David Jernigan studied the anatomy of the heart and reports “the heart has it’s own brain.” The human heart has a magnetic field 5,000 times stronger than that of the brain.  Wrap your head around the science that proves that when we follow our hearts and speak truth from our hearts, LIFE IS BETTER. Our heart influences our perceptions, emotions, thoughts and beliefs. If the brain in our head collects information that opposes God’s Word, we are apt to allow this head knowledge to overrule the brain of the heart.  God gave us the choice to seek Him with all our heart. The truth is that our pea brain is nothing compared to the untapped wisdom within the heart.   

The heart is made up of a network of neurons, neurotransmitters that sends messages to the mind.  The heart is a complex organ that acts independently as it listens,  learns,  and produces the “feeling of the heart”.  Without the emotions felt in the heart, we could not be brokenhearted. One scripture to memorize is “Jesus wept”. God manifested Himself as a man named Jesus. He was fully God and fully human. Jesus felt pain, sorrow, joy and compassion just as all humans do. The Word of God says much about the attitudes of our heart. How do we obey this verse? “be made new in the attitude of your minds.” In the time God graciously gave us, when we choose to listen to the still small voice – to what the Spirit is saying, He imparts wisdom. Ephesians 4:22-24 “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

We are to have listening hearts and our Father challenges us to see things as God does with the eyes of our heart. “Turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding.” Proverbs 2:2  The fact that we live among the broken hearted, that God chose us, changed our hearts of stone, and filled us with the Holy Spirit, is one of the many WONDERS of GOD. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalms 34:18 Our Father loves us, He takes care of us, He heals us. AMEN “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalms 147:3 As the Devil is out to steal our joy and destroy our faith in Jesus Christ, our spirits are crushed, and our hearts are broken as we lose our connection to our Creator, the One who knit us together in our mother’s womb. He created all that is, and God created us with a heart that has a brain – “The heart is the generator of virtually the full spectrum of electromagnetic energy found in the body, and it is sensory tissue. Over 65% of the neurons in the heart are dedicated to reading and sensing changes inside and outside of your body.  But doesn’t the brain control the entire body? No. The heart has a brain of its own and operates independently of the head brain.” Dr. David Jernigan – Listening to the heart, following our heart is to be in step with the wisdom that comes from within the heart’s own, separate brain.

We listen with an ear to hear what the Spirit of God is saying, or we listen to the news, a podcast, or a so called expert.  Our heavenly Father commanded us to apply our hearts to His Word and His wisdom, in order that we may understand His Ways.  We are commanded to love God with all our hearts. “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law…” Isaiah 51:7 NKJV   Those who know God’s Word, Ways, and His will, know with confidence the Truth that sets them free is in their hearts.  Believers ask God to search their hearts for anything that is not of Him. 

A great New Year’s Resolution is to listen more with a compassionate heart. “For the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you.” 1 Chronicles 28:9 Our Lord does not search our minds, or our brains to know what treasures we store up. Our Father searches our hearts. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties.” Psalm 139:23 The young king Solomon asked God for wisdom, and our Father was pleased to give him much more than what he asked for. “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.” 1 Kings 4:29 The wisdom of God was evidenced in Job, regardless of his severe suffering. “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are His.” Job 12:13 Without comparing what I think I know about God to anyone else, it is my desire to know my Abba Father more intimately. I do NOT want to just stuff my brain with more details about God, I want to connect the brain in my heart with the heart and purpose of God. He created my heart with a brain, for His purpose and glory. AMEN

We are wise to ask for an understanding heart, in order that we are enabled to remain obedient regardless of our circumstances. “Give me understanding, so that I may keep Your law and obey it with all my heart.” Psalm 119:34  God’s Word is full of evidence that wisdom is available and calling out to us, but we need to listen, not with our own understanding but with the understanding that is deeper than any head knowledge. “Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?” Proverbs 8:1 Let us not miss our calling. The One who created us, God Almighty knows our hearts and our needs. If we simply read the Bible without praying that the Holy Spirit give us understanding, we may deceive ourselves as we allow the contents of our minds and hearts to override His holy ways. Think of a mirror, are we reflecting Christ, can people see the Jesus in us? Do people hear what the Spirit wants to say through us? Are we listening and hearing from God? Are we receptive to what He wants us to say and do? The best of God’s plan for all of us is yet to come. How He will accomplish all that He has planned is less certain than what most people can grasp.

Our Father is full of surprises, and we should be full of WONDER at His Word, Ways, and consistent provision! Every word of the Bible reveals Who God is, and how much He loves us. Like Pastor Jack Hibbs explains, God manifested Himself as a man named Jesus, to feel what humans feel so that He could relate to us, so that we might entrust God with our hearts. Our WONDERFUL Counselor, Mighty God, I ask that as You speak to our hearts, that we listen and surrender fully to the plan You have for us, in Jesus name. AMEN. “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” Proverbs 19:8 – ENJOY the WONDERS of GOD as you place your trust in Jesus.

Abba Father, Holy God, we stand in AWE and WONDER of all the evidence of Your Glory. Thank you pastor Jack for the JOY of the LORD which is evident in you. The word tolerate means that even though we may completely disagree with others, that we tolerate those that disagree with us as we honor and respect them. The emotion that excites us by sight, mind as we are struck with amazement. The observance of something new. That which is great or extraordinary. Acts 3:10 ” they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.” Let us constantly remain within the WONDER of HIS WORD, that we are rocked by the WONDER of His POWER, that we are stilled by the WONDER of His GRACE, that we are astonished by the WONDER of His SALVATION, and be willing to surrender to the WONDER of His Love, and be glad to be changed by the WONDER of SURRENDER. There is no other GOD who is full of WONDER. There is no doctor like our great Physician, Jesus our Lord, who heals us with a word, who binds up our wounds. AMEN