Symptoms of a Hard Heart Prov.28:14 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Symptoms of a Hard Heart
Proverbs 28:14
Why is it, that we can easily see a hard heart is someone else? In the ministry we see young and old alike harden their own heart against the things of the lord and fall into mischief. When we try to point these symptoms out to them, they are shocked and disagree completely. You may be showing symptoms of a hardening heart and do not know it. When you go to the doctor and receive an examination for a yearly physical, you may not know you have heart disease. You may have ignored some very important symptoms and counted them of no importance, heart burn, a pain in the center of your back, short breath, etc. All of these are very important symptoms of a physically fatal condition. Let us look at some symptoms of developing a hard heart, spiritually toward the things of God.
Five is the number of death in the Bible, here are five symptoms that can take you out!
- Willful Disobedience [Exodus 4:21]
- Pharaoh was going to disobey God because God hardened his heart [8:32 He hardened is own heart more than once]
- [5:2] Pharaoh maybe at this point didn’t understand obeying God?
- [9:27] He understood now (went through a learning curve), yet he willfully disobeyed after that.
- When you start to willfully disobey God, you are getting a heard heart.
- Clearly seen in young people, more hidden in older folks
- Taking God’s blessings for granted [Deu. 8:6-20]
- Children of Israel forgot God’s Mercies (Take GOOD things for granted)
- We become not thankful [Rom.1:21-22]
- Count your many blessings, name them one by one (go on a mission trip)
- All of us take the blessings of God for granted. Be careful, symptom of a hard heart.
- Clearly seen in young people, more hidden in older folks
- Discontent and Discomfort [Ps. 95:8]
- Complain about BAD things and Blame God
- “provocation” excites anger, causes resentment
- Mummering – out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh
- [Num.14:2, 27-33] God don’t like it one bit!
- [Phil.2:14] Paul gave clear commands
- [Phil.4:11] He learned to be content
- Symptom of a hard heart
- Rejecting deserved rebuke [Proverbs 29:1]
- From God, from parents, from a boss or preacher (stiff necks make hard hearts)
- [Zechariah 7: 8-13] you pull away the shoulder, and refuse to listen
- [Heb.12:11] it’s good for you
- Words of God—Bible, Holy Spirit, are for your good
- [Luke 6:38] God use men to bless you
- [2 Sam.7:14] God uses men in your life to chasten you
- Take the rebuke
- A hard heart will destroy you
- Failing to respond [Matt. 13:10-15]
- The children of Israel had reached a point of hardness that:
- They were listening to God (Jesus) with no intention of obeying
- Many folks come to church with no intention of obeying!!!!! Why come?
- Preaching engages the intellect with knowledge, stirs the emotions, and should encourage a response!
- Are you failing to respond?
- A sure symptom of a hard heart
How to have a healthy heart (just like your doctor’s advice, there’s no surprises here)
Purification— [Psalm 24: 4-5] Keep your heart pure
Preparation—- [Psalm 139: 23-24] Get with God
Protection—[I Tim 6:11-12] “Follow after” must be willing to be led