Now!

Hebrews 3:¹⁵ “But now is the time. Never forget the warning, “Today if you hear God’s voice speaking to you, do not harden your hearts against him…” (LB)

The third thing that causes and strengthens familiarity is Declaring Without Doing. The problem is we tend to blame the things we are familiar with as the hinderance to our personal growth. Not realizing that it is our familiarity that is the hindrance, the trap. We blame the things we are familiar with, for instance, the child blames the parent. People blame their Pastor or blame the church. You blame your spouse. Some blame the school they attended or blame the book they are reading. We tend to focus on and blame the things we are familiar with, refusing to see that the problem is our familiarity.

Jesus said to Martha, “If you believe you will see the glory of God”. Martha said, “I believe”. Jesus said, “Where have you laid him” Martha said, “Lord, I told you that by now he is stinking”. Jesus said, “Did I not say that I am the Resurrection and the Life?” “Yeah, I believe you said something like that, and I believe You”, Martha said. Jesus said, “Are you sure you believe?” Martha said, “But I said I believe that in the last day there will be Resurrection”. Jesus said, “That was not what I said to you, Martha. You are not listening, Martha. What I said is that I am the Resurrection and the Life. Didn’t I tell you that you will see God’s glory if you believe?” (John 11 paraphrased, please read).

Martha had become familiar. And because she had become familiar, she had become hardened. The Word was not entering. When they got to the tomb, Jesus said, “Roll away the stone.” Martha protested, she said, “Is it that you did not hear what I said? He is stinking by now”. Jesus said, “No, it is you who is not listening to what I am saying. I am the Resurrection and the Life. Lazarus come forth!” And he that was dead, the Bible says, came back to life. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, every dead thing that ought to be alive in your life will come back to life. So, if you change your heart, then suddenly, what has become familiar becomes new and fresh. As you read this Word, if you allow God to change your heart, the things that were familiar before now will become fresh and new.

You will begin to appreciate your work, your boss, your business, your spouse, your children, and your church. Hebrews 3:¹⁵ “Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts…” (emphasis added). The key word there is today! God is saying as you encounter this Word today, it is time to have a change of heart! And the time is now!

Prayer: Father, open my heart and life to Your Word, In the Name of Jesus. Amen!