A Rejected/Accepted Heart

"The sacrifices of the Lord are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O Lord, thou wilt not despise."  (Psalm 51:17)


Recognizable traits of a heart God rejects:

self-righteousness -- looks down upon others
independent, self-sufficient spirit
a desire to be successful
a drive to be recognized
feels worthy of honor when compared to others
wants to be in control at all times
an "I have the power" attitude
a desire for personal advancement
wants others to bow down to his/her leadership
feels confident on how much he/she knows
proud of his/her spirituality
uses others for personal gain
over zealous for personal spiritual growth at expense of church body

Recognizable traits of a heart that God accepts:

has a sense of his/her spiritual need
esteems others better than himself/herself
has a sense of need of God's forgiveness
zealous for body growth -- personal growth comes through it
takes initiative to ask for forgiveness
has a desire to have others grow
has a dependent spirit, recognizes his/her need of others
has a sense of his/her own unworthiness
seeks loving relationships with all in Christ's body
has true humility as demonstrated by loving endeavors
has a sense of God's mercy
has a sense of gratitude
seeks God's glory through submission to Him