[Feature Story] We Have to Cast Away Seventeen Attributes of Untruth to Cultivate Hearts into Good Soil
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December 18, 2011 |
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Jesus likened the heart of men to soil and divided up the hearts into four sorts of soil: good soil, thorny soil, rocky soil, and soil beside roads. To cultivate our hearts into good soil and bear much fruit, we have to smash hard soil and get rid of rocks and thorns. It can be compared to our casting away untruth and sinful nature. Here, we will check through 17 untruthful hearts that we have to remove from our hearts and God hates. It's just like if you pull large roots first, other fine roots come out with them. When we pull out the following 17 untruthful hearts, we can cultivate our hearts into truth quickly and receive answers to whatever we ask.
 1. The Hardened Heart
Those who have a hardened heart never change even though they listen to the Word of God and see the works of God. They do not accept the power of God in their hearts and doubt about it all the time. They end up in the way of death.
2. The Heart of Coward
This is the heart that avoids responsibility that we must take. For example, when God asked if Adam had eaten the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam shifted the responsibility on God and Eve as written Genesis 3:11-12.
3. The Heart of Retreating
Although one knows what is wrong and right, he retreats out of fear in the situation where he has to reveal what is right. He even shows an indecisive attitude when he gets pressured by exterior elements. Such a heart is made by fear for disadvantage or harm that he might face with.
4. The Indifferent Heart
Those who have this indifferent heart have no interest in something that, they think, has nothing to do with them. It is to seek their own benefits, so they don't care about things that give no benefit to them. They usually think, 'What is the use of minding this or that business?'
5. The Heart of Wanting to Become the Head
The heart includes the heart that pursues fame or authority. It also could be discovered in the hearts of heads. They should see if they serve their juniors or they want to be served. Through the checking, they can know if they have this heart.
6. The Deceitful Heart
Those who have deceitful heart often break their resolution and blow hot and cold seeking their own benefits. It leads to the heart of betrayal. This deceitful heart is a big root of evil we should pull out from our hearts.
7. The Excusing Heart
It comes out from the deceitful heart. When those who have this heart get pointed out, they keep making excuses. Their excuses are even inconsistent. Those who usually make excuses on their wrongdoings have this heart.
8. The Heart of Deceiving Others or Hiding Fault
Those who have this heart talk about favorable things to them, but not about unfavorable things since they want to hide their fault. They speak exaggerating what they do right or making their faults nothing.
9. The Heart of Pretending Not to Know
Some pretend not to make mistakes although they did so. This is because they think people don't know what they did. Even when others are wrongfully accused and have hard time on account of them, they just pretend innocence. It is until others point them out that they admit it and make excuses.
10. The Heart of Boasting off
Men with this heart want to show off and make themselves known to others. What's worse is that they want to show off in front of those who don't know them well, not those who know them well.
11. Jealous and Envious Heart
Of course, some don't feel jealousy on people who have nothing to do with them. But they feel embarrassed and jealous when friends in similar situation to theirs get praised and loved by others. People usually have jealousy and envy in their hearts without revealing them.
12. The Heart that Hates and Avoids Those who Don't Agree with You
If you hate and ostracize a person who doesn't agree with you, or if you avoid a person who points you out and hate him, then you find yourself having this heart. Such a person doesn't listen to others' advice or reprimand, but stays away from the advice-givers.
13. The Heart of Rudeness
The heart of rudeness arises from arrogance. One with such a heart hurts others' feelings with rude words and behavior, so he can't be united as one with them. Some look rude just because they haven't learned proper etiquette.
14. The Heart of Refusing to Sacrifice
If you have this heart, you sacrifice yourselves or give things to others only when there is benefit for you or things that agree with your thoughts. In particular, pastors and church workers must not have this heart. It causes harm to others since it seeks its own benefit.
15. The Heart of Reading Others' Mind
If you try to get recognition not from God but from others, you naturally try to read others' minds. Those who have such hearts pretend to be holy when they are with others, but act as they please when they are alone. If they had true faith, they wouldn't try to read others' face.
16. The Heart of Attributing Faults to Others
This heart comes from deceiving heart. One who has this heart usually makes excuse for his mistakes. Of course, we sometimes have to explain what happened correctly, but you must not attribute your faults to others to avoid responsibility.
17. The Heart of Feeling Sorry for Rewards
If you have this heart, you feel sorry when you do not get proper rewards nor get recognition from others. Some harbor ill-feelings out of this heart and end up revealing their evil.
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