The Heart/Mind Connection Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: The Heart/Mind Connection------------------------- Date: 8/26/2000 Keywords: "hardness" "heart" "mind" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Ephesians 4:17-24* 17. This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18. being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19. and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20. But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21. if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22. that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23. and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24. and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Questions 1. How do you view your heart? Is it just an important muscle, or does it have more than a physiological function?   2. When you think of your heart's condition, how would you rate it spiritually?   3. How can a heart's condition relate to a struggle with pornography?   Practical help Why would the Apostle Paul make such a bold statement about the Gentiles (verse 17)? After all, his major ministry efforts were to the Gentiles. Sounds a little like Gentile bashing to me. Well, Paul wasn't bashing the Gentiles; he was bashing the result of godless society. A society who's objective was (and still is) to convince everyone to have a little elective surgery — to remove that spiritual link between mind and heart. Consider the results of this surgery: Relying on your mind to get you through life is futile. What the "heartless" mind understands is shrouded in darkness. That mind chooses not to know God. That mind eventually lets the heart petrify. If you're stuck in a smut habit and don't want to be, maybe you're doing battle with a disconnected mind. That part of you that's feeling like you shouldn't be viewing porn is a heart crying out for reconnection to your mind. That only happens by the love and grace of God. Let God do a little corrective surgery. If you're not sure how God can do this for you, click here. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2000 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."