Do not harden your hearts IV

Heb 3:12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

Level 1 of a hard heart - Disobedience is a sure sign of a hardening heart.

We talked about hardening our hearts to his word and obedience, that if we didn’t obey we were not pursuing his rest.
The cures – Come close to his word again on a daily basis and do it.

Level 2 of a hard heart - Not Giving God the Honor he is due

Last week we talked about Mary and her heart of sacrifice to the Lord. We only touched the subject of sacrifice.
The cure – Giving God his rightful place through worship, sacrifice, attention,

Level 3 of a hard heart - Total selfishness, makes us see only ourselves

The cure? Living a sacrificial life –

Level 4 Death – Not physical death but the death of our dreams, hopes, purpose. We fall into pessimism and criticism. The Bible says “They murmured, complained” This was the last thing that God put up with. He said these people have complained against me these 10 times it’s finished now they will die in the desert!

1 Co 10:10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

Ps 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

This is one of the sure signs that we have fallen into a hardened heart. We have given up the race and have become a complaining spectator.

Eze 37:1-14 1 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. 11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

This nation is full of dry bones, lives and dreams that used to be alive, but now are dead and dry, hopes that have been abandoned. People slain by life’s problems and challenges, Sin’s temptations and people’s greed and selfishness.

The Lord led his servant through this Chaos and this destruction and death and asked him a question. Why did he ask him? Because it is important that the people of God not only agree with what God is doing, but that we participate in it.

HE ASKED ME!

“Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know

We don’t know what God is doing and how he will do it.
We don’t know with whom he is going to do it! Even Dead dry bones!

If he will use me, he will use you! (I was…)

This is what the bones will say if you ask them!

They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone

This is what the dry people say!
This is what people are saying about the dry bones!

Mt 16:13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

I have read this scripture and heard sermons about it many times, but today the Lord showed me something that is so important. He showed me the word “Prophecy”

Prophesy

1 Co 14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. 3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

Strengthening

To make stronger
This is what the Sovereign Lord says I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life

Ro 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Encouragement

Giving Hope
This is what the Sovereign Lord says Breathe into these slain, that they may live

A professor in a small college, loved by students and teachers, adopted this wise plan early in his teaching: Whenever he discovers a student who is discouraged about his work, he makes a point of giving that boy a better mark than he really deserves and of seeing that the others in the class know about the good mark. “Almost invariably,” says the professor, “the boy perks up and earns that kind of mark the next time around. It’s a sly little secret but it works magic!”

Comfort

to ease the grief or trouble of
This is what the Sovereign Lord says I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back

There are Christians of a certain tribe in Africa who never say when their people die “who die in the Lord” that “they have departed!” Speaking, as it were, from the view point of loss, they triumphantly and joyously say, “They have arrived!”

They came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army

o Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”