SPIRITUAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY ROSS SMITH
PART ONE (ATTITUDE AND HEART)
To successfully prosecute our case for qualifying for the promises of ISAIAH 58 we may need to understand our SPIRITUAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. I find this most interesting probably due to my involvement in clinical work, and no doubt if I understood the natural sphere better then I would also be better equipped to address this subject. Let me proceed by making some assumptions. For this exercise we will restrict to the A & P above the neck!!
- I would suggest that “ATTITUDE” is a synonym for “HEART”. Let me explain from scripture firstly with verses we are all so familiar with.
- I would suggest, in the same context that “AMBITION” is significantly different to “DETERMINATION”
- I would suggest that these two proposals will determine our success in accordance with that which we have been studying in Isaiah 58
Let me establish the connection between 1 and 2. Our attitude determines whether we are ambitious or determined, that’s why He said in:-
Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one HEART [a new heart] and I will put a NEW SPIRIT within them; and I will take the stony [unnaturally hardened] heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh [sensitive and responsive to the touch of their God],
Ezekiel 18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions by which you have transgressed against Me, (our perverse attitudes which control our behavior …. Comments mine) and make you a NEW MIND AND HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT. For why will you die, O house of Israel?
2 Corinthians 3:3 You show and make obvious that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, not written with ink but with [the] SPIRIT OF [THE] LIVING GOD, NOT ON TABLETS OF STONE BUT ON TABLETS OF HUMAN HEARTS.
Proverbs 23:7 For as he THINKS IN HIS HEART, (his attitude … comments mine) so is he. As one who reckons, he says to you, eat and drink, yet HIS HEART (different attitude … comments mine) is not with you [but is grudging the cost].
Did you realise you can THINK WITH YOUR HEART? Well we really can if we can get our “head” out of the road.!!! And if we have the inscription on our heart as in 2 Corinthians can we imagine the change of ATTITUDE that will overcome us, and consequently overcome the world around us
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT A MAN THINKS ABOUT DETERMINES HIS ATTITUDE.
Luke 6:45 The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good TREASURE (STORED) IN HIS HEART (his attitude …. Comments mine) 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 HIS HEART ( his attitude …. Comments mine) his mouth speaks.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT A MAN THINKS ABOUT DETERMINES HIS ATTITUDE.
If ever there was a man I respect it had to be JOB, a man of substance, influence, reputation, family, and he was stripped of everything, but still had the temerity to say “Though He slay me still I will trust Him.
Job 33:3 My words shall express the UPRIGHTNESS OF MY HEART, (my proper attitude …. Comments mine) and my lips shall speak what they know with utter sincerity.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT A MAN THINKS ABOUT DETERMINES HIS ATTITUDE.
This is why we use the expression HE GAVE HIS HEART UNTO THE LORD, did you notice that when you were saved your whole attitude changed?
Act 13:22 And when He had deposed him, He raised up David to be their king; of him He bore witness and said, I have found David son of Jesse a MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART, ( David carried the same ideals and intentions as God… had his attitude …. Comments mine) who will do all My will and carry out My program fully. (HOLD THIS LAST PART OF THE VERSE FOR LATER)
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]
SEE HOW IT IS UP TO US TO “STOP ALLOWING OURSELVES” AND “PERMITTING OURSELVES” (May I suggest that this is a study in its own right, not necessarily for our own benefit but for our ministry to others)
This is not just an ATTITUDE of mind ….. this is a gift from Father God, a bequest, an endowment, not like anything else that the world can provide for us. No need for fear, no need for Valium, no need for counseling, HIS OWN PEACE, THE WAY HE THINKS, FROM HIS HEART, HIS ATTITUDE
There are so many scriptures prescribing ATTITUDE, so let me give some references for your study.
Psalm 51:10-12
Proverbs 21:2
Philippians 2:2, 5
Colossians 1:21
There is an interesting aspect to the HEART in medical terms. Today there are numerous heart transplants carried out on a daily basis, but what the Doctors cannot explain is that some of the recipients recover with characteristics and traits that were part of the donor’s nature. For example, a lady who received the heart of an 18 year old man found she wanted to drink beer, eat Kentucky Chicken, had a penchant for green peppers, and by anonymous means determined that these were the characteristics of the donor. This lady has written a book on the phenomena. So we must not be surprised that the theory that the heart has neurons that have had memory imprinted on them is in fact not just a theory but according to the Word of God, an experience that we should identify with as our attitudes come into line with His attitudes, our heart has been renewed, (transplanted)
A poor attitude is indicative of heart trouble…… heart transplants (from what Father intended) result in aberrant behavior, originating in improper attitude.
Matthew 6:21 and Luke 12:34 …. Because where your treasure is there will your heart be also. (This is why we have to think on things good and lovely and pure etc… If our appetite for some aberrant behavior patterns is not dealt with, then this establishes our values. comments mine)
We see in EXODUS that Pharaoh “hardened his heart”, which in fact means his attitude towards the Israelites changed, and we can suffer the same disease if we do not “circumcise our hearts”.
Deuteronomy 10:16 So circumcise the foreskin of your [minds and] hearts; be no longer stubborn and hardened. (Notice that our mind is equated with our heart in this scripture … comments mine)
Deuteronomy 30:14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your mind and in your heart, SO THAT YOU CAN DO IT. See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil. [If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which] I command you today, to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land into which you go to possess. BUT IF YOUR [MIND AND] HEART TURN AWAY ( or your attitude hardens …. Comments mine) and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish, and you shall not live long in the land which you pass over the Jordan to enter and possess.
Proverbs 20:27 THE SPIRIT OF MAN [that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts. [I Cor. 2:11.]
1 Corinthians 2:11 For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts except the man’s own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
This Part 1 will no doubt expand as you ponder the implications of our responsibilities spelled out in Isaiah 58, and will hasten our progress as we continually monitor our “ATTITUDE/HEART”
PART 2 “AMBITION AND DETERMINATION”
The identification of where we stand in Christ is probably easier to discern now, because we are becoming acutely aware of the frailties of the flesh and the manner in which we can and need to deal with them. The encouraging thought is that we have begun to conquer some of the aberrations that seemed to plague us down through the decades and despite our grasp of the Word of God, the attainment to that higher calling seemed only a remote possibility. Now however the “Cascade of Change” has started, at least to trickle and each victory we achieve through His strength elevates our proximity to appropriating the promises.
And so these two “actions” come into sharp focus requiring us to see what our aims are. Both “AMBITION” and “DETERMINATION” are noble and honourable attitudes but AMBITION lacks the fortitude of DETERMINATION.
When we came to Christ we knew the sense of AMBITION, there was growth to be achieved, a new life to live, a whole new spectrum of understanding what life was all about. And that first flush of love for Christ fuelled our ambition; it stimulated us to read the Word, to attend church, to avoid inappropriate activities,
AMBITION consists of a goal, an aim or objective, or even more vacuous, a hope or dream or desire. The world is full of people charged with ambition, and in many cases the frailty of this characteristic is seen when they reach their level of incompetence and they don’t realise it, they continue to grope for success, sincerely ambitious but without developing the skills necessary to engage in a manner that brings results.
Unfortunately the Christian community has ambitious people in abundance, they see the potential that Father offers and really want it, but without having to expend any effort.
You see DETERMINATION is that drive that takes us out of the ordinary into the spectacular, where not only do we want what God has to offer, we set our hearts and minds and expend our energy to destroy yokes, to withdraw from wickedness, TO GAIN CONTROL OVER OUR TONGUE!!! Etc. Just like scripture says, “righteousness and peace kissed each other” I think the same process applies here where AMBITION HAS TO BE JOINED WITH DETERMINATION. This is what will change our attitude and heart.
I suggest the analogy is sustained by the scripture that says:
James 2:20 AND 26 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that FAITH WITHOUT WORKS is dead? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so FAITH WITHOUT WORKS is dead also.
I equate FAITH in this context as AMBITION, the faith is noble and scripturaly sound, ambition is to be applauded, but in the absence of WORKS or in the terms we are addressing DETERMINATION, there is nothing to show for our profession of faith. Ambition without Determination is a dead end, we have to RESOLVE that we are going to go the whole distance.
DETERMINATION puts legs on our ambition, it not only envisages the goal or the objective but energises the aspirant to strive for the goal with all their heart, with a sense of urgency and unabated energy, not in our own strength as that will lead to disappointment but surely as the Spirit of God challenges us to “come up higher” we find added incentive to “qualify”.
We need to support this in scriptural terms. Paul in his inimitable fashion puts the matter into context:
Philippians 3:10- 14 [FOR MY DETERMINED PURPOSE IS] that I may know Him [that I may PROGRESSIVELY become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that SAME WAY COME TO KNOW THE POWER out flowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. NOT THAT I HAVE NOW ATTAINED [THIS IDEAL], OR HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE PERFECT, BUT I PRESS ON to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own. I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; BUT ONE THING I DO [IT IS MY ONE ASPIRATION]: FORGETTING WHAT LIES BEHIND AND STRAINING FORWARD TO WHAT LIES AHEAD, I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL TO WIN THE [SUPREME AND HEAVENLY] PRIZE TO WHICH GOD IN CHRIST JESUS IS CALLING US UPWARD.
How eloquent is that? How challenging is that? How instructive is that when Paul says “MY DETERMINED PURPOSE.” Does not this suggest an almost frenetic pursuit of Gods best, that “PROGRESSIVELY” become more familiar with Gods purposes, the LIGHT penetrating so we “recognise and understand the wonders of His person”. And just in case he is setting the bar a bit high he explains that he is growing into the role, “NOT THAT I HAVE ATTAINED THIS IDEAL” he is just bordering on perfection!!!! He goes on to say STRAINING FORWARD TO WHAT LIES AHEAD … if that is not DETERMINATION I am not sure what it is. Some food for thought follows:
Consider the following verses as you contemplate your dedication and commitment to the demands of God’s Word.
2 Chronicles 27:6 So Jotham grew mighty, for HE ORDERED HIS WAYS in the sight of the Lord his God.
Psalm 17:3 You have proved my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and find nothing [no evil purpose in me]; I HAVE PURPOSED that my mouth shall not transgress.
Ephesians 6:5 Servants (slaves), be obedient to those who are your physical masters, having respect for them and EAGER CONCERN TO PLEASE them, in singleness of motive and with all your heart, as [service] to Christ [Himself]– Not in the way of eye-service [as if they were watching you] and only to please men, but as servants (slaves) of Christ, DOING THE WILL OF GOD HEARTILY AND WITH YOUR WHOLE SOUL;
Job 13:15 [I do it because, though He slay me, yet will I wait for and trust Him and] behold, He will slay me; I have no hope–nevertheless, I will maintain and argue my ways before Him and even to His face.
What determination JOB exhibited, he had been stripped of everything, suffered in his body, ridiculed by his friends, could not find God in any direction and yet his DETERMINATION is “I WILL MAINTAIN MY WAYS BEFORE HIM”
This brings me to the conclusions we reached recently that IF WE CAN CONTROL OUR TONGUE WE CAN BE PERFECT, So I don’t have to climb mountains, or fight bears and lions, or face giants other than those I have allowed to take up residence in my ATTITUDES or HEART and so now the evidence of my heart transplant with be “Good treasures stored in my heart” (LUKE 6:45)
NOTE …. Can’t wait for feedback!!!!!
Ross Smith 