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dalyunministry · 4 years

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Pas. Johnraj Lamech

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Greetings in the matchless Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Topic: How to deal with our hard-heartedness?

Rhema Word: Romans 2:5-6 (NKJV) ”But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”.”

Let’s pray. Our Gracious Loving Father, thank you for giving us an opportunity to meditate your Word today. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for helping us to understand your Words which are living and active. Please help us to live a life as per your Word Lord. Father, we give all the Glory and Honour to you. We pray in the mighty Name of your beloved Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

While meditating on Mark 3:1-6, ”And He (Jesus) entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.”, the Holy Spirit whispered into my ears to discover my rocky heart to understand more about hardheartedness.

My heart started flying around the words “hardness of their hearts” like a bee around a flower and my mind jostled from one verse to another extracting the nectar. The net result was a honey-comb of information which enlightened my eyes.

Let us try to understand on the following seven aspects of “hardheartedness” with the help of our Holy Spirit, today:

1] It is refusing to understand God’s dealing in our lives:

2] It is a destructive attitude:

3] It is disobedience to God’s Word:

4] It is being an uncooperative family member:

5] It is pride:

6] It is rejecting counsel:

7] Necessary hardheartedness:

1] It is refusing to understand God’s dealing in our lives:

The first striking incident in the Bible about hardness of heart is Pharaoh refusing to release the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. There are many passages which say, ”God hardened the heart of Pharaoh (Exodus 4:21). But we should not fail to put together corresponding verses which are windows into the other rooms of Pharaoh’s life. We read in Exodus 7:13,14 ”And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said. So, the Lord said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.” Further, we see in Exodus 8:15 ” But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them.” In other words, God never hardens a soft heart. He only hardens hard hearts to show forth His glory. We can also say that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened as the Lord predicted.

During every trial, Pharaoh was probably getting more and more convinced that Jehovah God was greater than all his Egyptian deities. Maybe he was “almost” convinced like Agrippa (Acts 26:28). But when the situation eased he hardened his heart once again (Exodus 8:15,18,19). There were many opportunities given to him to repent but he was stubborn. The Bible says, ”His heart was not moved by the miracles” (Exodus 7:22).

God works in our lives in various ways. Unless we let our hearts be moved by God’s dealings, our hearts will become stony. Even the smallest of miracles He does in our lives – an escape from a fatal accident, someone sending us what we were just longing for – must catch our eyes and tickle our tongues to praise Him. Similarly whenever He chides, we must be quick to understand and repent.

If Pharaoh had let his heart be moved, he could have saved his country, army, people, firstborn and his soul. If you think Pharaoh could not have let his heart be touched of God because God hardened it, I don’t think I will vote for your opinion.

Very many years later the Philistines captured the Ark of God from Israel and were smitten with piles and mice. Is this the hand of the God of Israelites? Though they could have hardened their hearts they decided to appease the great Jehovah God. Their priests said in 1 Samuel 6:6 ”Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did mighty things among them, did they not let the people go, that they might depart?”

2] It is a destructive attitude:

There were three gallant men in David’s army who were given to hot impulses. David says of them in 2 Samuel 3:39 ”I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. The Lord shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”

Zeruiah was not a man, but David’s sister and the mother of the aforesaid three, Abishai, Joab, and Asahel (1 Chron 2:16). More sensitive than the pupils of the eyes, they were full of themselves and slaves so their own urges. We read of three incidents which reveal their harshness in three ways, viz, Vengeance, Insecure reactions and Intolerance:

a] Vengeance:

Abner was captain of Saul’s army. When Asahel, the youngest of Zeruiah’s sons, gave Abner a chase, Abner warned him to leave him alone. When the gazelle-footed Asahel would not be discouraged, Abner killed him in self-defence. The backlash reaction of Joab is sad. Instead of breaking the cycle of hatred and revenge, when opportunity presented itself, Joab stabbed the defenceless Abner to quieten his own nerve and celebrated a lacklustre victory (2 Samuel 3:20-27).

The tragedy struck a cord deep in David. He considered Abner a prince and a great man and walked the extra mile to get him for his kingdom (2 Samuel 3:38-39). But the cutthroats murdered him in a personal vendetta. David was also a shrewd man but for the sake of the kingdom he kept his suspicion at bay and embraced people.

We learn two things here. We have to forgive and maintain personal relationships for the Kingdom’s sake. Secondly, we should not lose people by over-suspicion without proof of their infidelity. Just because we hate somebody or we are suspicious of someone, the Kingdom of God cannot afford to lose people. Yes, we are still weak and we need people. Let us sacrifice personal interests for the Kingdom sake and be broadminded like David.

b] Insecure reactions:

Absalom made Amasa as his captain when he took over David’s kingdom (2 Samuel 17:25). When the coup failed and Absalom died, the people came back to the king. Think of Amasa’s face with rotten egg all over. But David promised to make him commander of his army in Joab’s place (2 Samuel 19:12-14). How tactfully David got the people on his side! May be David decided to promote Joab and give his place to Amasa. He was true to his word (2 Samuel 20:4). The stage was thus set for a clash.

Joab saw Amasa as a threat to his position and murdered him deceitfully (2 Samuel 20:9-10). How sad! What a contrast to David’s soft heart and the hard hearts of the sons of Zeruiah.

Remember, promotion comes from the Lord. Our security is in our position in Christ. No one can take it away. We should never reach for success by trampling on people nor defend our position by slashing whoever cuts our path. That is hardheartedness.

c] Intolerance:

The hardheartedness of the sons of Zeruiah is seen in another scene. Shimei came cursing and throwing stones at the king in his exile. If David had not been there Shimei’s head would have rolled off his shoulders in no time as Abishai drew his sword out. But David, crestfallen, said, ”What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the Lord has said to him ‘Curse David’. Who then shall say, ”Why have you done so?” (2 Samuel 16:8-12). Again what a contrast between the two!

When David again sat on the throne, Shimei apologised for his hasty act. Again Abishai sprang up and demanded his execution. For David the battle was far from over. He lamented, ”What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?” (2 Samuel 19:20-22). Compare with the disciples desiring to bring down fire to consume a village.

Tolerance is a Christian virtue. Especially when you have the power to hurt someone and you hold it back, God honours it. No wonder David was a man after God’s tender heart. Let us not spring up to slander, harass and hurt people for what they do to us. Let us not take the sword in our hand.

Joab was given a chance to survive. But after the rollercoaster events, Solomon had him executed when he joined Adonijah to make him king. It was not a matter of vengeance but so that more harm will not come to the kingdom (1 Kings 2:5,3-34).

Let the end of the sons of Zeruiah serve as a warning to soften our hard hearts. The three died without a change of heart without letting the hard brick wall around their angry hearts to crumble.

3] It is disobedience to God’s Word:

When we read or hear the Word of God we must make a willing effort to understand it. Only then it will take root, grow and give fruit. Our reading or hearing must be action-oriented. Jesus said in Matthew 13:20-21, ”He who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.”

Before rushing to judgement let us understand that there is a whole beam in our own eye. Practicing God’s Word is getting that beam out chip by chip, chip by chip. We have no excuse for our disobedience. We judge someone but we do the same.

Apostle Paul says in Romans 2:5 ”But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” Beloved, it is time to turn your darling sin out of doors. Remember, ”Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity” (Proverbs 28:14).

When we believe the effectiveness of the Word of God it becomes easy to practice.

God’s truth can come to us in many ways. We must discern and believe the truth without hardening our hearts. Rebellion against the revealed will of God is hard-heartedness. Yes, God laments in Ezekiel 3:6-9 ”Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”

Zedekiah did not humble himself before Jeremiah, the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord…but stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord God of Israel (2 Chron 36:12-13). The result: His sons were killed before his eyes and his eyes put out so that his last sight and memory would be the slaughter of his children.

OBEY GOD’S WORD AT ALL COST AND YOU WILL NEVER REGRET IT.

4] It is being an uncooperative family member:

Talking about divorce Jesus said ”It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” (Mark 10:5).

Husband-wife relationship is a very delicate one and must be handled as a flower. When hearts are hardened the relationship dies.

Refusing to wipe away the tears from the eyes of the wife and listening to her problems, not speaking kind and gentle words to her, not doing the duty of a husband are all hardness. Similarly the wife can be hard-hearted by blatant disobedience, by not trying to understand her husband’s physical, spiritual, social, emotional and other needs, by nagging and even by threatening divorce.

When relationship problems arise, sit together, listen to one another and let the Holy Spirit soften your heart to change. Then your marriage will have more chances of working. The Pharisees wanted to loose, unbinding, easy marriage. That is not marital “bond”. Marriage is sticking together through good and bad. In this era of convoluted ideas, God is permitting many to divorce when they pray and pester Him, not because that’s His will for them, but because of their hardheartedness, their unwillingness to forgive, to accept to change themselves a little to suit the other person’s temperament.

That is why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 ”Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” Alienated spouses, listen to me! Love is not moonlight, mangoes and music. You must work hard at it. Everybody has got enough reasons to divorce. If you let God soften your heart, you can resuscitate your relationship and be reconciled (1 Corinthians 7:11). Then get your marriage back on track.

Parents can be hard-hearted towards their children by their negligence. In Job 39:13-18 we read about the hard-hearted mother ostrich: ”“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, But are her wings and pinions like the kindly stork’s? For she leaves her eggs on the ground, And warms them in the dust; She forgets that a foot may crush them, Or that a wild beast may break them. She treats her young harshly, as though they were not hers; Her labour is in vain, without concern, Because God deprived her of wisdom, And did not endow her with understanding. When she lifts herself on high, She scorns the horse and its rider.”

Little children are like eggs. If proper care is not given, they get crushed. Overstrictness, not understanding them, humiliating them pushing them beyond their capacity, excessive and cruel punishments, not expressing love and appreciation, not spending enough time with them, leaving them to fend for themselves or watch the TV for long hours, leaving them with untrustworthy people are all hardheartedness. Remember one thing: you can never hug your kids too much. Teach them the Bible and lay down a good foundation for their future. Children can also be hard-hearted towards parents.

There is also a commandment to be kind-hearted to poor believers. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 15:7 ”If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother,” When you see a poor Christian many questions will dart across your mind. How can I help him? Will my family object? How many can I help like this? Am I spoiling him by helping? Sort out the questions and help sensibly. It is not at all difficult to pick out the deserving. If not all, select one or two families and help them out.

5] It is pride:

The Bible says in Job 41:24,34 ”His heart is as hard as stone, Even as hard as the lower millstone…He beholds every high thing; He is king over all the children of pride.”. This is about the leviathan which may be a whale or crocodile.

Can you appease a crocodile? Its very being is so hard you cannot get through to its heart. Any plea to it is hitting your head against a rock. If we are so proud and hard by nature we need to change. Much of our bad nature can be changed if we take it up as a challenge and work on ourselves. Somewhere we have to stop and think and change. Do not let pride harden your spirit (Daniel 5:20). Take a major gulp of humility.

Jesus saw a man with a withered hand in the synagogue. The Pharisees watched so they could accuse Him if He healed the man on the Sabbath day. Their mind was so rigid about Sabbath, they decided never to change. Even if it meant delivering of a man from his long-term illness it was unacceptable to them. It was ego. The Bible says Jesus was angry and was grieved at the hardness of their heart. When Jesus healed the man they went out to destroy him (Mark 3:1-6). Yes, ego pushes us well below the civilised standards of behaviour.

Remember, the Bible says in Proverbs 16:18 ”Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Conquering pride is an uphill task. When the Holy Spirit gently blows on our hearts and whispers, ”You can change yourself and accept the better way of life,” we must let our hearts be softened.

6] It is rejecting counsel:

The Bible says in Proverbs 29:1 ”Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.” Remember, Pharoah was destroyed suddenly and without remedy

About God’s people, the Bible says in Jeremiah 5:3 ”Lord, do not your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.”

We should not always expect God to speak to us from the skies. It can come in the most unexpected way. Listen to it and live. Why should you be suddenly destroyed? David had Nathan and Gath as his counsellors. Who were Solomon’s counsellors? Who are your counsellors?

In essence, hardheartedness is the unwillingness to be pliable or make an effort to change.

7] Necessary hardheartedness:

Having understood hardheartedness, we should not become jelly fish. Even Jesus whipped.

A master gave one talent to one of his servants and went abroad. When he returned and claimed his due, the servant replied, ”Lord, I knew you to be a hard man.” The master did not refute. He said, ”You knew I was a hard man, wicked and lazy servant. Then why didn’t you work harder?”

When it comes to getting things done, unless leaders are hard task masters much will not be accomplished. Tender masters tend to make their workers lazy. A hard master with sensitivity to the worker will not only get things done but steps up the quality and sharpens the skills of his workers. In the same way parents need to be wisely hard too for the good of their children. Sometimes wise harshness is necessary to keep the family going in God’s will (Genesis 16:6; 21:10-12).

To get to the bottom of the problem, may be all of us are hard in certain areas. The Bible says in Exodus 9:34 ” When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts.” Yes, Pharaoh sinned again by hardening his heart.

Let us check our hearts. If the Lord put His finger and pointed out where we are hard, take a giant step forward by confessing it as sin (Exodus 9:34).

In 2 Chronicles 36:11-14 we see about King Zedekiah, ”Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in God’s name. He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel. Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.”

But, let us long and work for a humble, tender heart like Josiah who was just eight years old when he became king. The Bible says in 2 Kings 22:19 ”Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord.”

Like a cool breeze in a hot summer day comes God’s assurance that there is no heart too hard for the Lord to break. Under the New Covenant, He has promised to remove our stony heart and transplant in us a heart of flesh! (Ezek 11:19; 32:26). Hallelujah!

CAUTION:

Apostle Paul cautions us in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 ”God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.”

Remember, ”Hardening of the arteries may take a man to the grave but hardening of one's spiritual heart will take a man to hell!”

Yes, if the kindness of God toward you is not leading you to repentance, then every day, every hour, you live, drops another drop into the terrible "treasure" of indignation which will burst the great dam of God’s long-suffering in the great Day of His Wrath, when God shall reveal His righteous judgment! Flee to take refuge in the Cross of Calvary.

Jesus said in John 5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

Yes, the wrath of God fell on Jesus but will fall on us if we fail to take refuge in Him.

Let us introspect ourselves..

Shall we let our hearts be moved by God’s dealings to pre-empt our hearts from becoming stony?

Shall we listen to our Lord whenever He chides and repent quickly?

Shall we forgive and maintain personal relationships for the Kingdom sake?

Shall we sacrifice personal interests for the Kingdom sake and be broadminded like David?

Shall we withhold us from slandering, harassing and hurting people for what they do to us?

Shall we obey God’s Word at all cost so that we will never regret it?

Shall we conquer pride in our lives with the help of Holy Spirit when He reminds us?

Shall we make an effort to change ourselves when we get counselling from our counsellors?

Shall we take a giant step forward by confessing our hardheartedness as sin and plead for a soft heart from our Lord?

Let us Pray: Our Heavenly Gracious Father, we thank you for helping us to understand about how to deal with our hardheartedness. Please help us to allow our hearts to be moved by You Father to pre-empt our hearts from becoming stony, listen to Your voice and repent whenever You chides us Father, forgive others and maintain personal relationships besides sacrificing our personal interests for the Kingdom sake, help us from slandering, harassing and hurting people for what they do to us, help us to obey Your Word at all cost and conquer pride in our lives, make a sincere effort to change ourselves when we get counselling from our counsellors and confess our hardheartedness as sin. Father, please give us a soft heart so as to have an uninterrupted intimate relationship with You so that we can escape wrath on the day of judgement. We give all praise, glory and honour to Your Holy Name. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

God bless you all.

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