Today's Passage - Matthew 13:10-16

Matthew 13:10-16   ...He replied, "...This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.  In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'  But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear."   The Lord was talking about the condition of the human beings today.  Very often people have closed themselves towards the word of God, and as a result we won't be able to receive God's grace even if He really wants to bless us.  Our hearts are cold towards god, just like what Isaiah said in this passage.  Many people misunderstand this prophecy from Isaiah, thinking that God hardened the hearts of people.  Actually, God will never harden our hearts, but we are the ones who harden our own hearts.  God merely allowed us to remain in such condition.   When we come before God to hear His word, we sometimes feel that we've heard too much and His word no longer touches us.  Our hearts are closed and no longer allow God to discipline us and comfort us.  This passage says that when our hearts become calloused, our ears won't be able to hear, and we can no longer hear the Lord's voice.  Our eyes are also closed and won't be able to see the Lord's word.  When we see people cry out before the Lord and repent for their sins in tears, or people praising and worshiping in joy, we will just sit there with no feeling at all, or even think that these people ought to be more rational and keep their cool.  We will no longer be able to feel the work of the Holy Spirit - It's almost like we're asleep when God is working, thus we are not seeing what He's doing among us.  Brothers and sisters, our hearts must turn back to God!   If the hardening begins with our hearts, and goes to our ears and our eyes, then God's healing must begin with our eyes, then our ears, and finally our hearts.  We first need to see that the Lord is sitting on the throne, and we must once again listen to the Lord's calling and mission.  Then our hearts will begin to understand and our zeal will be restored, and we may once again put our lives in God's hands and let Him use us.  May God's Spirit once again turn our hearts around!   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, please open our eyes so that we can see and open our ears so that we can hear.  Let our hearts turn back to you and be revived.  In this wicked time, let us still follow you fervently.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!           Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!