A Callous Heart

      One of the truly successful gimmicks of the enemy is to make (through suggestions) the followers of Christ engage in mundane arguments about the Faith that will lead them nowhere but effectively take their eyes off the Truth. This gimmick is very effective as it had distracted so many from receiving revelations and instructions from their Source – God Almighty for their lives! It is true that we live in the world and we must be concerned with the happenings in the world around us especially its politics and policies. The devil understands that if he can distract us long enough to take our eyes off the Lord, we would not get revelations or instructions on how to live well. Sadly in this, it looks like he is winning! For instance, in our neck of the woods, the devil has distracted so many sons of God by throwing up countless inane arguments about Pastors, tithes, their way of life and many more, meanwhile, on a daily basis, people, mostly Christians in our country are being kidnapped, rendered homeless, killed, with the government of the day carrying on as if nothing is happening. In Scriptures, when the governments of the day come up with policies that harm or will harm the people of God, the people don’t get bogged down with inane arguments but they seek the face of God as to what to do to get out of the situation. 

       In the days of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they did not allow the ranting of the mad king get to them, but they remained focused in their faith; and so were able to stand the terrible test they had to pass through. Praise God that they did not sit down to argue doctrinal issues as to why they had to go into slavery when some of their mates were left as remnants in their home country. They declared boldly to the king: “If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods, or worship the gold statue you set up” (Daniel 3:17-18). Beloved, despite the happenings around them, they didn’t take their eyes off the Prize (God). The reason they were able to do this effectively is because their hearts were of flesh and it was directed by the Spirit of God. So many because of the inane arguments have become callous in their utterances and their hearts have become callous as well. You may insult the Pastors that come to defend tithes and what not; the question is ‘why do you think you will equally be absolved of blame?’ Understand this, when we close our eyes in death, all the positions we hold or aspire to hold dies; and we all face SAME judgment! 

       This terrible distraction from darkness have caused so many to argue and throw out the principles of God. Thus, making their hearts callous and hardened! This attitude is not new: “Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe. Disagreeing among themselves they began to leave after Paul made one statement: ‘The holy Spirit correctly spoke through the prophet Isaiah to your forefathers when He said, Go to this people and say: ‘You will listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted – and I would heal them’” (Acts 28:24-27). Do you see the pattern? The evil in the world we live in now is on the increase; as sons of God, we need the instructions of God to navigate it successfully. We tried it our way, look at where we are presently! Enough of the distractions from arguments that will not help us individually or as a people, rather such arguments harden our hearts deafen and blinds us to the tricks of the enemy over our lives and nation.  Peradventure, this callousness may just be what is affecting your life presently. Enough of giving the enemy legal ground to operate on our land! It is time to return to the Lord with the whole of our hearts, and He has promised He will heal our land! “I will no longer allow the insults of the nations to be heard against you, and you will not have to endure the reproach of the peoples anymore; you will no longer cause your nation to stumble. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD…I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes and carefully observe My ordinances…” (Ezekiel 36:15, 26-27). God bless you!