Lord, Please - - Soften our Hard Hearts

 

Lord, Please - - Soften our Hard Hearts

The Bible tells us of individuals who hardened their heart and suffered. Pharaoh was one who would tell Moses, yes I will let the people go, then his heart was hardened and he refused to do as he had said. The Bible says that he hardened his heart and did not hearken unto the voice of the Lord. His heart was hardened when he decided that he would do something else besides that which God wanted him to do.

2 Chronicles 36 tells of King Zedekiah did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet who was speaking from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel.

The Children of Israel continually hardened their hearts against Moses and refused to obey God.

In the New Testament, it is mentioned often that the very disciples of Jesus did not understand what He was trying to reveal to them, because their hearts were hardened. They had their own agenda of setting up the Kingdom, and it did not include some of the things Jesus was telling them. Hard hearted and hard headed often is one and the same.

Proverbs 29:1 reminds us: He, that being often reproved and hardens his heart, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

Pastor Don Baggett had some interesting thoughts about the kind of person that comes to your mind when you think of a person with a hard heart? Do you think of a mean person who mistreats little puppies? A mean person with no consideration for man nor beast is no doubt a hard hearted person, but I’m going to tell you something the devil doesn’t want you to know: a sweet little grandmother can have a hard heart. A preacher in the pulpit can have a hard heart. People can have a hard heart without those closest to them even realizing it. But God knows about it, and if you have a hard heart, He wants you to recognize it and repent of it.

How does a person become hardened of heart? It usually happens so gradually that you don’t even realize that it has happened to you, until you have a full-blown case of it.

We find this happening when we rebel against what God is telling us to do.

Your heart will be hardened when you determine to continue on your own way in spite of what you know about the word of God.  Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword...”

The significance of a sword having two edges is that is able to cut both ways. The application of that in regard to the subject of a hardened heart, is that the word of God is always effecting you one way or another. It’s either drawing you in and softening you up, or it is cauterizing you and hardening you against its truth. Now, which way it cuts will dependent upon how you are receiving it. Allow your heart to be soft and in a receptive mode as you read and study your Bible. Wake up your sleeping ears to hear.

We are warned again and again, in the Bible, not to be a hearer only, but a doer of the word. In other words, we are to apply what we hear to our life.

What causes hardness-of-heart? Pride, and being ruled by the flesh. Sin causes hearts to grow hard, especially continual and unrepentant sin.

How can we effect a change to soften our heart. First is a Full - blown surrender to God's will, and asking God to show us causes and effect. When you aware of sin in your life, it is good to repent quickly and not allow it to grow and fester. Repent at once we recognize our ears are no longer listening to the Holy Spirit as we should.

In your private time of Reading the Bible, I urge you to keep your heart soft before God and allow Him to reveal to you His perfect will for each of your activities. May your understanding be filled with wisdom as you act out what He is revealing to you personally.

Today as we pray over our city, our State and our Nation, we realize that many of our citizens have need for soften hearts, and also an understanding heart to realize God's Love for them; and how much he yearns to bring them into His Kingdom. Our citizens must have Hearing ears and Seeing Eyes to realize the Holy Spirit is speaking to them to change their ways and come to Jesus.

There is a terrible consequence for a persons own stubborn rebellion and refusal to believe in Jesus and receive Him. We pray that this will be prevented as hearts are softened to heed the Voice of God and that in each heart there will be created a new desire and willingness to follow Christ.

Oh Lord, Please soften our hearts and cause us everyone to be receptive to hear and to obey your voice.