January 27, 2014

“Refusing to See/Hear/Understand”

Blessings folk!

Matthew 13:10-17
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Isaiah had prophesied that the people would react this way.

• seeing, yet they see not
• hearing, yet they hear not
• experiencing, yet not understanding

Isaiah tells us what happened.
The Lord quotes it.

1. The people’s heart had waxed gross, became dull, had grown callous. This was due to the people turning to their desires rather than the Lord. They chose their way in contrast to God’s way. Their hearts hardened. God gave them over to their hard hearts.
2. The people’s ears became dull of hearing, they scarcely would hear, hard of hearing. With a hard heart they heard what they wanted to hear.
3. The people closed their eyes. When they could no longer ignore the truth with the senses God has granted, they ceased the sense. They closed their eyes to see not. Amazing.

They did all this to keep from having a true encounter with the Lord.
Lest at any time they should see with their eyes…
Lest they should hear with their ears…
Lest they should understand with the hearts...
Lest in doing all this they should be converted from the hard heart of man to the heart of God...and the Lord heal them.

The same occurs today.
Except, we do so with our eyes wide shut.
We have wonderful, slick presentations that enable to soulishly “enjoy” a corporate gathering all the while not seeing, not hearing and being inoculated to true understanding.

This is the status of the NonBeliever in the organizational church.
They refuse to hear, while listening all the time.
They refuse to see, while watching everything.
They refuse to understand with their heart that which they debate with the mind.

Therefore we should not be surprised when we encounter NonBelievers in the organization.

We will see more later...tares/wheat/etc…

For now, love OneAnother in the Spirit.
Love the NonAnother seeking their salvation.