QT 22 Apr 14, Hardened hearts do not want to hear logic

Mark 8:17-21 (ESV) And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?  18  Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?  19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?" They said to him, "Twelve." 20 "And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?" And they said to him, "Seven." 21 And he said to them, "Do you not yet understand?"

NOTE: A hardened heart, which would include most of the world, does not think logically, even when the facts are right before them. The world thinks that it "thinks." The world compliments itself on its science and its "settled" science, but in many cases, it is just another religion. A little evidence and a belief combined to form a dogma. A lot of evidence, like the life of Jesus, the words of Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus, does not stir their hearts the slightest--because they do not want to believe. We think we are smart, but we fool ourselves because of our hardened hearts. Father, protect me from the same error. Help me to see where faith is necessary and where logic is applicable.

QT 21 Apr 14, We harden our hearts, God softens them

Mark 6:47-52 (ESV) And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."  51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

NOTE: I wonder if the real problem with hardened hearts, is not that God hardens hearts, but that God does not un-harden them. We choose to believe or not to believe. We are not force to believe. But God does need to bring a change, an un-hardening of the heart to be able to believe. In and of ourselves, we would always choose to ignore God and his commands -- that is our nature. But God is the one who opens our hearts to truth. We still must use that grace for good; we still must choose to believe. But God in his kindness is the one who softens our hearts and opens our minds to his truth.

QT 17 Apr 14, Love waits

Heb 13:4 (ESV) Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

NOTE:  There are really two distinct warnings in regard to marriage. They concern those who are getting married and those who are married. The latter is the more obvious and is addressed by the word, 'adulterous.' Adultery concerns sexual relationships, while married, outside of the marriage relationship. God says it is wrong and it defiles the marriage bed and dishonors marriage. The second warning is to those who are going to get married, the betrothed or engaged. It is addressed by the word, 'sexually immoral,' which concerns sexual relationship before marriage. It also defiles the marriage bed and dishonors marriage. Why is marriage so important to God and the rules of marriage so important? Because marriage is the highest form of love on earth, and includes a lifetime commitment of two people to each other, and two people becoming one. When we ignore God's rules, we cheapen the commitment and the uniqueness of marriage itself. It becomes just another thing that comes and goes as needed. We exchange our appetites for holiness, and demean love. Love cares so much for the other person, that it can wait.

QT 14 Apr 14, We must warn others of the danger of sin

Heb 12:15a, 16-18, 25, 28-29 (ESV) See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; . . . that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest . . .

25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. . . . 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

NOTE: In context, this letter was written to Jewish Christians who were falling back into Judaism and the world. The writer is warning them of consequences of such a decision. In this case, they did not know, but Jerusalem would be destroyed by fire in a few years and everyone within the city would die. So, there are temporal and eternal consequences for our sin. The temporal consequence is discipline from God. The eternal consequence is a loss of certain rewards in heaven (but NOT a loss of salvation). And so the author warns the reader, and feels compelled to warn the reader. It is a requirement to warn others who we see engaged in sin of the consequence of sin. That requirement is especially true for those that are in leadership.