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Wednesday, May
27, 2009
A Hard Hearted People
Exodus 7:12-14 For they cast down every
man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their
rods. (13) And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto
them; as the LORD had said. (14) And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's
heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. (KJV)
Some have tried to blame God and say that
He was the one that hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and that poor old Pharaoh
just didn’t have any choice. Well remember, pride comes before the fall;
and as we have seen this week the Lord reached out and gave Pharaoh a clear
cut choice to give ear to the Word or suffer the consequences. Sound a bit
familiar; can you relate, the Lord asking you to do something as well, and
sometimes you got a bit stubborn, obstinate would be another way of putting
it?
Exodus 8:30-32 And Moses went out from
Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD. (31) And the LORD did according to the
word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his
servants, and from his people; there remained not one. (32) And Pharaoh
hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go. (KJV)
Actually it was Pharaoh himself that
started the process, just like with our old fallen natures; God would have that
none would perish but that all would come to repentance. But is that always
the case with us; or do we think we can find an easier way out of our situation or the bondage
that we have gotten ourselves into and get deeper into until we give ear to
the Lord ourselves?
Hebrews 3:12-14 Take heed, brethren, lest
there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the
living God. (13) But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day;
lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (14) For we
are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence
stedfast unto the end; (KJV)
Given the fact that, our Lord said that He
would never leave us nor forsake us, then the departure part was not on His
end but rather on ours. So, is it so much that the Lord hardens our hearts
randomly, or is it more that as we withdraw from Him so does the love and
affection we had for our Lord begin to withdraw also?
Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh
are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness,
revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also
told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the
kingdom of God. (KJV)
Eewwwuuu, just look at all that muck and
guck you allowed back into your life; every time you ignore the Lord you
reopen the door to a world of hurt, things that are definitely drawing your
love and attention away from the Lord and not anywhere nearer. Anger;
frustration; trying to do things your own way, basically again like with
the children of Israel, taking another lap around the mountain that you
allowed to build up and come between you and God.
Galatians 5:22-24 But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23)
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (24) And they that are
Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (KJV)
You know, you will find this Spiritual realm
much easier to deal with; a lot less striving and frustration, the life of
blessings that our Lord intended for you to walk in. Again people, it is up
to you to give ear to our Lord and then follow through with what He is
asking of you if you truly desire to be a partaker of His divine nature.
Hebrews 3:15-17 While it is said, To day
if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. (16)
For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out
of Egypt by Moses. (17) But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it
not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? (KJV)
Even after all that they had seen happen
to Pharaoh and his people, after all the heartache, misery, and eventually
death that resulted from his hard heart, God’s own people themselves ended
up in the same predicament as well. Today, you too will be faced with the
same opposition from the enemy who would like to get you to fall from
grace, and return to the bondage you were once delivered from also. Don’t
be fooled Church, because many of God’s people are still falling for lies,
and rather than give ear the truth that would set them free they still hold
to their fallen desires which keep them in a fallen state as well.
Ezekiel 3:7-9 But the house of Israel
will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the
house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. (8) Behold, I have made thy
face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their
foreheads. (9) As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead:
fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a
rebellious house. (KJV)
The same sun that melts butter will
harden clay if it is not kept moist. We are the clay and our Lord being the
potter; and unless we allow His living waters into our lives we will end up
hardened and worthless, someone who is no longer being molded into the
image of Him that created us.
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