Untitled Episode

Are You Hard Hearted, Hollow Hearted, Half Hearted, or Whole Hearted for Jesus? On Today’s podcast: How to Test the Attitude of Your Heart in a Minute or Less.

Psalm 139:23-24 NLT
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
    and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

The greatest factor in your Christian growth and life is the condition of your heart. 

Your heart is the soil in which God’s Word is planted. God’s Word never fails; it always produces what God desires. But the attitude of your heart will determine what God’s Word will produce in your life.

We need to become aware of what’s going on in our hearts.

Mark 4:3-9 is a very familiar parable - the sower and the seed. But I believe the application will be new to you. And powerful for you.

The 4 Attitudes of Your Heart

Brian Simmons, former New Tribes missionary, and Bible Translator,  deftly creates a picture we can remember. He says,

“The four kinds of soils speak of four kinds of hearts: hard hearts, hollow hearts, half hearts, and whole hearts. With the first soil we see the activity of Satan, the second, that of the flesh, and the third, that of the world. Bearing fruit is never a problem with what is sown but with the soil it falls upon.”

The condition of our hearts indicates what is influencing us:
1.Hard heart – influence of activity of Satan; thinking, doing or being subject to evil hardens us, makes us less responsive to God and love 
2.Hollow hearts – influence desires of the flesh, hollow, empty things., self indulgence.)
3.half hearts - influence of the world. Distractions –  (e.g. sports, or hobbies that take all our time and energy)
4.whole hearts - influence of God – 30, 60, 100 fold

Proverbs 4:23 NIV
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

I explain how to do that in my recent podcast: “Are Toxic Thoughts Killing you? Set a Guard Over Your Heart.”  https://youtu.be/gogt4wREIVI?si=iRkDb_2YYLMNDl8G 

ACTIVATION
1. Let’s Declare it as a promise and commitment to God and ourselves: 
Today, I choose to live wholeheartedly for You.

I will not let my heart be hard (offended, angry, cold or indifferent)
I will not pursue empty, hollow things my flesh desires - the lusts of my flesh.
Today, I won’t be distracted by the shiny things of the world or allow concern and worry to pull me away from You. I will not be double minded.
Fill me with your presence and Your love. My heart is wholly yours.

2. Now. Decide how you will do that. What specific small things will you do to keep yourself wholeheartedly focused on and enjoying God today? 

John C. Maxwell
“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” 

I suggest you Do a 60 second heart attitude check several times each day. Mornings, evenings, and before/after meal times or whenever you decide. But set a time. Then do it.
 
Ask yourself:
**Am I feeling  or acting: hard hearted, hollow hearted, half hearted, or whole hearted toward Jesus right now? 

**Why? What is influencing me. (THIS IS THE KEY. BECOME AWARE OF WHAT IS INFLUENCING YOU!!)

Hard hearted – Satan
Hollow Hearted – self-ish desires
Half Hearted – worldly distractions 
Whole Hearted – Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit

 
Then pray David’s prayer – asking God to show you the condition of your heart and what to do about it.  Psalm 139:23-24 NLT

He will answer that prayer. 

Correct what you need to and stay on course to live an amazing life walking side by side with Jesus.