HAVE YOU CLOSED YOUR EYES, STOPPED YOUR EARS AND HARDENED YOUR HEART?
Carroll Ray Sutton

  It is obvious that God has given us eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts to understand. Although this is true, many do not see, nor hear nor understand God's Will for their lives. Why is this true?

  In Mt. 13:14-15 Jesus explained why he spake unto the multitudes in parables. He said: "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 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: For this people's heart is waxed gross (have grown dull-NKJV) 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 ('and their sins be forgiven them' "- Mark 4:12). See Mark 8:14-21; 4:11-12; Acts 28:24-28.

  Although many people have closed their eyes and cannot see, Jesus said unto His disciples: "But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear." (Mt. 13:16). Paul desired that "the eyes" of the "understanding" of the saints be "enlightened" that they might know some spiritual things. (Eph. 1:18).

  Are you able to see and read God's Word? Are you doing so as you should? (See Eph. 3:4; Col. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:27; Rev. 1:3). Are you thankful that you have eyes with which you can see and read the Word of God? Have your eyes been closed to any thing that the Word of God teaches?

  Although in times past God told the people to hear His Words, many refused to hear. The Lord said "They have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not..." (Ezekiel 12:2).

  In Mark 4:9 Jesus said: "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Jesus said to the seven churches in Asia: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; Rev. 3:6, 13, 22). In Mark 4:24 Jesus said: "Take heed what you head..." and in Luke 8:18 He said: "Take heed therefore how ye hear..."

  To have saving faith we must hear the Word of God. (See Rom. 10:17). We cannot have faith unless we understand what God's Word teaches. Inspired men of God wrote it down so we can read and understand it. (See Eph. 3:2-6; 2 Tim. 2:7; Proverbs 2:6; Nehemiah 8:7-8).

  Our faith must cause us to obey the Word. We must repent of our sins, confess our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and be baptized for the remission of sins so we can be washed in the blood of Christ and become children of God. (See Acts 17:30-31; Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:37; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:26-27). As God's children we must continue to live and walk by faith! (2 Cor. 5:7; Rom. 1:17). We must worship and serve God according to His Word.

  We must never close our eyes, stop our ears or harden our hearts to anything that God's Word says on any subject. Have you closed your eyes or stopped your ears or heartened your heart to any thing God's Word says? (CRS)