Entering God's Promised Rest - Jesus Is Greater Series #2Sample

Don't Allow Sin to Harden our Hearts  

Thoughts on the Word

This is the second warning in Hebrews. 

Be careful, sin will harden your heart. A hard heart prevents you from responding in faith when things get difficult - we'll respond with our human wisdom (and often human selfishness). A hardened heart takes time to form. Our heart gets hard when we walk in disobedience and live with a life that does not seek repentance and forgiveness. 

We start with a heart that feels the conviction of the Spirit, but over time, the conviction does not poke us like it used to. We no longer feel the shame of disobedience. Eventually, we do not even feel that we are in disobedience. We justify the actions that we do and feel it is others that are the real problem. Our hearts have hardened.

The consequences? You will not enter the rest that God has for you. Israel did not enter the land of promise because of this. They were left to wander in the wilderness the rest of their lives. 

What is the cost of rejecting Jesus and His words because of sin in our lives? We live our lives without God's rest.

Time to Pray

Lord, I forget how serious sin is. When I am disobedient, my heart gets hard so I have trouble hearing and following You and Your words. I am no different that these people. Father, You forgive so easily, that I forget how seriously You take sin. I forget how much sin robs me of Your blessing and Your rest. Today, keep a guard by my mouth - so I do not speak words that dishonor You. Put a song in my heart to You - so my heart does not focus on the wounds people give. Give me eyes to see others as You see them - Your most precious creation. In Jesus name, Amen.