hard hearted
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Ways You Can Break Through To Reach Hardened Hearts
Ways You Can Break Through To Reach Hardened Hearts
By Larry Moyer on Dec 12, 2014
R. () I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.
45 And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. 46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. 47 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. 48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. 49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: 50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. 51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.
Speaking to a hard heart is like correcting a rebellious teenager. So how do you do it?
you know a stony heart feels like, don’t you?
It’s when I am indifferent to the needs of others.
It’s when I am disengaged in worship week after week.
It’s when I’ve been involved in sin and my conscience is no longer pricked.
It’s when I withhold forgiveness.It’s when my heart has become divided instead of devoted.
when it has to be your way or no way
when you go against everything the Pastor says
but for most of us it’s simply as the disciples did they forgot where God had brought them from.
52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.
· It’s when I am indifferent to the needs of others.
Start on Your Knees
· It’s when I am disengaged in worship week after week.
· It’s when I’ve been involved in sin and my conscience is no longer pricked.
King James Version Chapter 5
17 mPray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you
It’s when I withhold forgiveness.It’s when my heart has become divided instead of devoted.
Pray until something happens
prayer reminds us that we are not the power source but the instrument that requires power from God
Responsorial Psalm: , ,
R. () I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.
Watch Your Attitude
If a speaker doesn’t admit that a hardened heart can invite frustration or even anger on his part, he is probably not being honest with himself. Preaching to a hardened heart can make us feel like we are wasting our time. “Why try?” we are tempted to explain. “If they want to ruin their lives, why not let them ruin them?”
But humility, not hostility, cracks a hardened heart. Paul says to Timothy, “…in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so they may know the truth…” (). Paul was writing a pastoral epistle, so the context would indicate that “those who were in opposition” may be unbelievers who have never come to the truth or believers who are walking from the truth. Either way, it’s the attitude behind what you say that penetrates. If I am a hardened person, I may argue with what you say, but it is hard to refute the proper attitude in which you’ve said it. Does not admonish us to speak the truth in love?
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Use Humor
rely on the word of God
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Use Humor
Tell me I’m in a wretched condition—callous to spiritual truth, uncaring about anyone about me, unteachable in spirit—and I’ll likely get mad at you. Tell it to me in a way that makes the hardest heart grin, and I’m likely to reflect on what you say. Be careful, though, how you enter and exit the humor; it can make a big difference. For example, suppose as you are preaching you say, “Sometimes we find it hard to admit where we are spiritually and how great our need is, how far we have walked from Him and how much we need His mercy. A woman who had her picture taken was totally disgusted with how it looked. Storming mad, she walked into the photographer’s office, slammed the picture down on his desk and said, ‘That picture doesn’t do me justice.’ He responded, ‘Madam, with a face like yours, you don’t need justice, you need mercy.’ Now, wait a minute, before you laugh, have you ever thought about how much we, too, need mercy? If He gave us what we deserve, we wouldn’t stand a chance. We deserve His justice, but we receive His mercy.” This kind of humor I’m not easily going to forget. You make me laugh, but the Holy Spirit may use it to make me listen.
Use “we” more than “you”. A hardened heart, whether it is a non-Christian who hasn’t come to Christ or a Christian walking from Him, grieves the heart of God. But so does impatience, unkind thoughts and selfish thinking on the part of any growing believer. Sin of any kind is offensive to God. Furthermore, as D.L. Moody once said, “But for the grace of God, there be I.” Had it not been for His grace, we too would be lost. Any believer stands the danger of walking from God if he ceases to grow as a Christian. Therefore, as we speak to hardened hearts, “we” has to be a big part of our vocabulary. ”We” in speaking has three advantages. For one, you don’t come across as “holier-than–thou.” Listeners understand that you not only see them as sinners, but you see yourself as one.
Rely on Truth, Not Emotions
rely on the word of God
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
remember that God is our power source
remember where God brought us from
Pray until something happens
watch your attitude (that person use to be you)
rely on the word of God
remember what God did to save you