In our last issue we noted that God speaks to man in many different ways. We saw the value that God places on His Word. We also saw that our response to God's Word was related to the condition of our heart. We then warned of the dangers of a hard heart and began to list some of the telltale symptoms of a hard heart.
Among the list was insensitive to what God says, resistance to God's authority and outright disobedience. In this issue I'd like to continue to look at the scriptures regarding some of the warning signs of a hard heart.
Number four on our list is justifying our sin.
4) Justifying your sin.
1 Samuel 15:1-3 1Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. 2Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. 3Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
The word of the LORD was very clear. The prophet Samuel told King Saul to utterly destroy. The word of God was so emphatic and absolute that not even a child could err at its precise meaning.
To utterly destroy from the Hebrew means to completely destroy, dedicate for destruction, exterminate. But it did not stop there, God said destroy all that they have and spare them not. These words from the Hebrew meaning, have no compassion or pity on them.
He continues to tell Saul to slay this word from the Hebrew means to die, kill, have one executed, to put to death.
The LORD made absolutely sure that Saul understood WHO He was talking about so he takes the time to list them. He specifically said slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
In other words, everyone and everything. You cannot be any clearer than this.
1 Samuel 15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 1 Samuel 15:13-15 13And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. 14And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. 1 Samuel 15:17-22 17And Samuel said, When thou wast 1 little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel? 18And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. 19Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? 20And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, , I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. 22And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
The best thing to do when you are wrong is to admit it and take responsibility for it. The next symptom we'd like to note is rejection of reproof from others.
5) Rejection of reproof from others.
We need go no further than verse 19 to observe this in the life of a king.
1 Samuel 15:19-20 19Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
Samuel clearly and boldly points out that Saul did not obey. God told him to say this, and Saul's rejection of this truth was not towards Samuel alone, it was towards God.
20And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 1 Samuel 15:10-11 10Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, 11It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
I wonder if Saul came clean and repented when confronted with the truth like David did if things would have been different.
2 Samuel 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
Our next symptom is to be preoccupied with worldly things.
6) Preoccupied with worldly things.
NLT 1 Peter 4:1-4 1So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you are willing to suffer for Christ, you have decided to stop sinning. 2And you won't spend the rest of your life chasing after evil desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. 3You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy -- their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. 4Of course, your former friends are very surprised when you no longer join them in the wicked things they do, and they say evil things about you. ASV 1 Peter 1:15 but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living;
7) Lack of interest in spiritual matters.
Matthew 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.
8) Neglect of your prayer life and scripture study.
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. And the last symptom I�d like to list is avoiding fellowship.
9) Avoiding fellowship with likeminded believers.
NLT Hebrews 10:25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near. NIV Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
Has your heart become callous or hardened?
Psalm 119:10-12 10With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 12Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. Psalm 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
God is no respecter of persons. He will speak to you. You need only desire His Will and be willing to hear His voice.
May we be diligent to guard our hearts so we too can please our Father through our works.
NLT Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.