In The Gospel of Mark we read about the story of the 5,000 and Jesus walking on the water and the disciples were afraid when they saw him walking on the water to them.
Because their hearts had been hardened earlier when the 5,000 were fed. When we try to explain or understand the miraculous things that God does and our natural mind cannot explain it many times our heart becomes hardened and we don't really believe it.
In Hebrews it talks about how sin enters in and it separates us from God and it hardens our hearts we're blinded to him. I have good news if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
A hardened heart that cannot see God does not have to stay that way. That's why Jesus came so that we could be reconnected to God.
In 2 Corinthians it talks about how the gospel is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded people from being able to see God. He knows that if he can keep a little sin between us and God. Then we're closer to him.
In Luke we find the story of the road to Emmaus and on the road Jesus was showing himself to them but their eyes were veiled to see him, they talked with him about him yet they did not know him.
This whole scenario gives me hope for moments when I find myself surprised when God moves because my flesh and sin has distanced me from God. If those who walked and saw Jesus experienced this struggle then I know it can be overcome if I'm aware of it.
And so on the road they spoke with him and then he joined them for dinner and when he broke the bread their eyes were open to see who he was and they said did not our hearts burn when he opened the scriptures to us.
The spectacular can be copied by the devil but the word of God becoming alive and living in our hearts only God can do that.
The sacrifice that Jesus gave was so that our hearts that are cold and hard towards God can be softened and come alive again so that we might have a new life.
How did this word relate to you?
Have there been any doors that you thought were locked, but in reality they were open?
What part of this word came alive to you? aka caused your heart to burn.
Let the king of my heart be the mountain where irunthe fountain drink from oh the king my heart Good Good sail inside waves letthekingofmyheartfire
Great post Rev. Ryan! There is one statement that stands out to me as I desire the same thing, "I want Him to get involved in rescuing others on my journey not me because my heart became hardened." During House of Prayer when you said we need to be touched to talk--it makes me think of this statement you made in your blog--we need to already have that relationship with God that He has touched us and we, as you mentioned, are strolling together looking for other people who need Him. This doesn't happen when we need rescuing too, all because of hardened hearts. I had this image come to me, a rescue swimmer is just that--they are trained to…
Ok, hopefully, the third time I try to post this it will work. But I can't promise this round will be as insightful as the first two iterations of this post were...lol!
How did this word relate to you? When Ps. Aaron was talking about the disciples right after the feeding of the 5,000, and how they didn’t even recognize Jesus walking on the water. I was very much struck by that. The concept that when we try to naturalize or understand the how and why of the miraculous we can harden our hearts to who God is, what He is capable of, and where He is going. Those moments when God shows up in a really we should be utilizing them…
Thank you Ps Aaron for such a great message!
How did this word relate to you? After this hearing this message, I immediately got to see an area that my heart was hard and it was towards another person/people--with the thought of "they don't love You God why would You do this for them?" that came after He showed me some things. Immediately the word came to me about it rains on the just and the unjust and right after that repentance came because that word showed me my heart. It was hard and because it was hard to them--it was really hard towards God and what He could or should do. Talk about eyes being opened. I can look…
How did this word relate to you?
Been wrestling with a hardened heart, so this Word brought answers. Thank you. Becoming afraid or anxious of what God wants to do... too much trying to go back to my own understanding trying to explain what He's doing/wants to do. Or what He's not doing/doesn't want to do.
Have there been any doors that you thought were locked, but in reality they were open?
The door to the Word. And maybe sometimes it really was locked to me because I came with the wrong intent. Certainly been many times, like you say Pastor, about "well, I got my chapters in". Takes Christ to open the scriptures. The ditch on the one side…