It’s time to Check Your Attitudes

 

 

 

God does know your Heart, 

and so do many of your acquaintances

The question is, do you know it, or are you hiding it from yourself ???

What are we really talking about ??

HEART is all about ATTITUDES

Frequently used in the Bible, and often used to describe someone with perseverance,

it is important to know the intended use of the word ‘ heart ‘ .

Just as the word ‘son’ does not have the same meaning today
as it did 400 years ago, when the King James Bible was compiled,
neither does the word ‘heart’, have the same understanding today as it was intended then.

Today ‘ heart ‘ is best understood by the words
‘ attitudes and motive’ .

God does know your attitude about things
and many of your friends also know your attitudes,
because you show your attitudes by what you do
as well as what you say Mt 12:34 15:18  Lk 19:22

Are you ready to consider your own attitudes,
and are you willing to admit to yourself, what they are ????

Or will you continue to rationalize excusing your actions by saying ” God knows my Heart ” ???

or excuse someone else, by saying ” but God knows his Heart “.

If so, it is time to consider  what God expects of you. Mt 20:28

” Your attitude should be the kind that was shown to us by Jesus…” Phil 2: 5 

BY Command,
God expects you to love Him more than ANYTHING else Mk 12:29,
love your neighbor ( the stranger) as you love yourself Mk 12:31
and love your Christian ‘brother” as HE loves us Jn 13:34

Furthermore,  if you are a Christian, God expects you to forgive ALL others who have offended you. Mt 6:14 

The attitudes ( heart ) that God desires, can be found in a modern Bible translation of Galatians 5:22 :

love JOY peace PATIENCE kindness
GOODNESS gentleness FAITHFULNESS
and SELF CONTROL

If these nine attitudes are
learned … understood … and practiced…

your expressed attitudes ( heart ) , will be what God expects .

Once you have developed them through practice,
your attitudes (heart) will not be controlled by your feelings,
then offenses to you will not so quickly affect your attitudes.

” slow to anger “… Ps 145:8  is a good example of the results that can be expected.

You will be kind, good, gentle, faithful, and forgiving
more often, then later on a continuing basis,
and you will experience and show
love joy peace and more self-control Gal 5:22

Others will notice a difference in your life….
and you will be able to give God the credit
drawing others to Him* to get the same peace you have,
which should be your motive in all things 
……..and so God’s primary goal is accomplished……..

How can these attitudes be developed ???

First by learning the definition of each,
then by making a decision to choose to have each one .
Just as it takes practice to learn to play a musical instrument,
so also it takes practice to develop each one
until it becomes your life style.

When circumstances and emotions become distractions to your decision,
force yourself to redirect your focus on Almighty God…..
you will find Paul was right, and you can do what God expects of you,
the thought of Him will strengthen you ( Grace) ,
over-riding your emotions, hurt, and pain from offenses of others.

In time, this reaction to distracting emotions will become your life-style,
and by your focus on Jesus and what He has already gotten you through,
you will flow in the Fruits of the Spirit…His Holy Spirit
and have a Heart ( attitudes) that will not only please God,
but will be seen in you by others, drawing them to Him

When you do this…cause others to be drawn to Him….. He will Bless you

(c) 2002 www.focusonJesus.net

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Thank You  …  https://www.BibleGateway.com … for the many passages we quoted from your vast resources of Holy Bible Translations