Hard Hearts

for they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke with them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded, 52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

Mark 6:50-52 (HCSB)

There is a warning for the Christ follower within this passage.  It is a mistake to think that we are doing fine because we have a relationship with Christ or even that we are practicing regular "Christian activities".  The disciples were with Jesus and yet they are described as having hard hearts.

How did they get hard hearts?  And if we have a hard heart what do we do about it?  They had hard hearts because they did not take full advantage of being with Jesus.  They didn't understand what Jesus was doing.  They didn't recognize His sovereignty and His plan and purpose.  We also struggle with those same things.  Are hearts become hard because we forget that Jesus is sovereign and we forget what His purpose is for our lives.  What is the cure of hard heartedness?  It is to recognize Jesus is with us in the struggle and to recommit ourselves to trusting Him in the midst of our crisis.  When we do He speaks into our hearts what He spoke to the disciples, "have courage.  It is I!  Don't be afraid."

Lets be honest we all have times of hard heartedness.  Trust Him and follow Him.  He will see you through. 

Fear of Kingdom work

So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’26 “But his master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy  slave! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, 27 then you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money back with interest.

Matt 25:25-27 (HCSB)

This is an interesting parable (Matthew 25.14-30).  The most striking thought came to me from the verses above.  Here is a slave, a supposed servant who was afraid.  However, the master did not acknowledge the problem as fear but rather a problem of evil and laziness.  I really thought about that.  For many Christ followers as we hear the call to Kingdom work shrink back and say I just can't!  I'm afraid!  But I wonder if Jesus doesn't see laziness rather than fear.

I'm not sure that we can really claim fear as a Christ follower.  I'm not suggesting we don't face scary circumstances in serving Christ.  But if we believe His promises and His Word, is there really anything to fear?  Is there ever a legitimate fear to hinder us from serving Christ?  There may be fear but knowing what we know, and serving whom we serve does that fear excuse us or are we just unwilling?  

Be careful that we do not excuse ourselves from true service expecting the master to buy our excuse!

Eye on the Prize

Then the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Hosts, but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.”

1 Kings 19:9-10 (HCSB)

Was Elijah correct? Well yes he was. His assessment of the situation as best as he knew was correct. He had been zealous, they have killed other and are after him. But his real problem is much simpler and more severe. It is simple, he took his eyes off of God and on his situation. It is severe, because when we do this we are doomed to defeat. Eyes off the prize will always cause us to fall into failure.

Consider this: When playing baseball what are you told? "Keep your eye on the ball!" In golf, "Keep your head down." Why? So you are sure to hit the ball. In the Christian life God is whom we are to keep our eye on. Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Keep your eye on Him and you will always be on track.

Our Pity Party

So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!”3 Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there, 4 but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, “[I have had] enough! Lord, take my life, for I’m no better than my fathers.”

1 Kings 19:2-4 (HCSB)

Elijah has a moment of weakness. Are you surprised? Did you think that only happens to you? You do have pity parties from time to time, don't you? I know I do. In my humanness I forget that I am a Christ Follower and I feel sorry for myself.

Elijah is threatened. He allows his fear to get the better of him. And then despair sinks into him. Despair can be the most debilitating emotion that we have. Despair is when are fears seem to overwhelm us to the point we just can't function and we don't really care.

Don't let that happen to you! When you start to throw your own pity party decide you just won't cut the cake. Don't send out any invitations. Promptly cancel the party. Fear and despair are real but you must choose not to participate. We must turn to God and seek His refuge, His strength, and His comfort.

He is there and He will help you. Cry out to Him!

When Fear sets In

Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!”

1 Kings 19:1-2 (HCSB)

Have you ever been bold and courageous as a Christ follower and then fear set in? I have and probably you have and Elijah certainly did. Elijah follows God, acts boldly, is extremely courageous and then is threatened by a godless queen.

By the way, do you notice who has the real power here? Elijah acts with divine power and strength. Jezebel can only threaten in her own strength. She even vows by "the gods" whom Elijah just proved were no gods at all. And yet we see Elijah react in fear.

Well here is the point for today's lesson. We all fear from time to time. Even Elijah had a shaking in his socks experience. So don't beat yourself up but do turn back quickly to the God who has the power to work mightily through His Christ Followers.

Fear Factor: Validity

Then Moses answered, “What if they won’t believe me and will not obey me but say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”2 The Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?”“A staff,” he replied.3 Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake. Moses ran from it, 4 but the Lord told him, “Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail.” So he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand. 5 “This will take place,” He continued, “so they will believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

Ex 4:1-5 (HCSB)

You, me and Moses probably have a lot in common. When God calls us it can shake us to our socks. We get weak in the knees and scared to death. Moses was afraid and so he made excuses. The first excuse was identity, the second was authority. The third fear is validity.

Moses questions his validity. He says to God, "They aren't going to believe me." Moses needed to be validated. He wants to be seen as authentic, legitimate and real. He needs to be respected. We usually want and need that too. We face fear in God's call because we are not sure we will be validated by others.

God's response is to give Moses some nifty miracles to prove he was sent from I AM. Now it is likely we don't have a stick that will turn into a snake. To be completely honest I don't think I want one. But get this, Moses' validity is not from himself it is what God will do through him. We don't have to prove ourselves to others. God will prove that He is at work in us in His time and His way for His glory.

The point is this. Most of the time we do not gain respect fro who we are but who God is and what He is doing in us. Don't try to become someone who others will respect and look up too. Just be obedient and God will make you authentic, legitimate and real.

God is our validation!

Fear Factor: Authority

Then Moses asked God, “If I go to the Israelites and say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what should I tell them?”14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.”

Ex 3:13-14 (HCSB)

Moses was afraid to follow God's call. Sometimes we face the same kind of fears. Moses had reasons (excuses) for his fear. As well we may have really good reasons why we are afraid to follow his calling in our life.

The first reason for Moses fear was identity. The second is authority. Moses fear was that the people would not believe that God had talked with him or had sent him to them. The fear that others will not recognize our call or the authority God has given us to pursue His call may be holding us back. It did Moses. But notice what God says, "Tell them, "I AM has sent you."

Moses feared that he did not have the authority to lead. You and I may also experience this fear. But I find encouragement in what Dr. James Dobson said, "You and God are a majority!"

Don't allow the fear of authority hold you back from obedience.

Fear Factor: Identity

Therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”11 But Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”12 He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.”

Ex 3:10-12 (HCSB)

What are you afraid of? Lets be honest now, we all have something we are afraid of! I have a strong dislike of Bees and Mice. My wife dreads snakes. Others have a fear to speak in front of people. Here is an important question: will you allow your fear to keep you from God's call in your life? When God called Moses he was afraid. He had several excuses why he could not or would not overcome his fear and fulfill His call.

Moses' first fear factor was identity. Maybe you can relate. Moses said God who am I that I should go back to Pharaoh and demand that you people be set free. In all reality who else should go. Think about Moses. He had been adopted by Pharaoh, educated in the best Egyptian schools. He knew the language, the culture and the individuals in the court. Moses didn't see how God had prepared him for this challenge all he could see were his shortcomings and a misconception of who he was: an unimportant sheep herder.

I love how God responds to his fear. He doesn't remind him that he is qualified although he was. He didn't point out that God had prepared him for the challenge and He did. God didn't remind him of that original burden for his people that he had. God says, "certainly I will be with you."

You know that really should settle the fear problem. God is with you! What more do you need Moses? Oh but wait, we too allow fear to keep us from obedience. We too face an identity crisis when God calls us out. And God's response to us is the same as that of Moses, "I certainly will be with you."

Well, what more do we need?

No Fear!

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

2 Tim 1:7 (HCSB)

You've probably seen the bumper stickers that read, "Fear no Art." I have seen a variety of stickers playing off of that original. Perhaps the Apostle Paul would have made a bumper sticker that would say, "Fear no opportunity to share the gospel." I know its probably too long for a bumper sticker, unless it is a really big bumper. I have heard it said that Christians and non-Christians alike fear evangelism. While humorous it may be truer than it ought to be. We are afraid sometimes to share our faith.

Paul says, "don't be fearful!" In fact he says a lot more than just don't fear. He reminds us that we are empowered to share. We have the Holy Spirit residing within us to guide and work in us and through us. We also have a stronger motivation than fear itself and that is love. When we truly understand that those around us who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus are destined to an eternity separated from God in a place we know of as hell, we should be motivated by our love for them to do something about it. And then Paul also reminds us of our sound judgement as the HCSB translates it. In other translations it uses the word discipline. We must have sound discipline to prepare and do what we need to do to help others find the wonderful relationship with a loving God that we have.

So don't be afraid but let God work through you in power, because you love those in our World around us and discipline yourself to do something about their eternal destiny. They may just thank you someday for it!

Never Alone

Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. 46 After He said good-bye to them, He went away to the mountain to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. 48 He saw them being battered as they rowed, because the wind was against them.

Mark 6:45-48 (HCSB)

When trouble comes we often feel like we are alone. WE ARE NEVER ALONE! Sometimes Jesus makes us get into the boat. He knows what we are about to experience. He sees us. He knows what we are going through. He is waiting to see how we will deal with the problem we are about to face. He is waiting to see if we will cry out to Him. He is watching. We are not alone.
We must trust Jesus. We need to cry out to Jesus. We must remember that even when we feel alone Jesus is there and He knows. He is ready to reach out and calm us and calm the storm. Just trust Him today.