Sep 3, 2015

Cardiphonia

The title of our present article is derived from two Greek words-one meaning heart and the other, sounds-thus, heart sounds. Cardiphonia was first given to a collection of letters by the Rev. John Newton (1781), intended to mean ‘utterance of the heart.' The book of Job speaks of, "uttering words out of the heart." The context meaning, sincerity, genuine, earnest.

Whether referring to the organ of the body or the whole man, Bible students are, for the most part, in agreement, when scriptures speak of the heart, it's in reference to one's affections, the seat of our emotions. It seems to me we've lost heart when it comes to our religion. Christianity, unlike the religions of the world, is a heart religion. Take the heart out of it, and we have a dead religion; it no longer beats with compassion.  

Our churches are filled with heartless preaching, singing, testimonies. And yes, even we Christian writers have lost heart. Paul said he wrote with many tears. One of the last things my beloved mentor said to me, before the Lord took him Home was, "Sonny-Boy, preach to their heart. When you preach to the head you get half a man, but when to the heart, the whole man." 

Among the many quaint sayings of the Irish, there is one I especially like. When describing an individual who talks to you without their words being heartfelt, they say, "They're speaking from the teeth out."  

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