John 12: 39-40, For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, “HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM.”
Mark 6: 51-52, Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.
Mark 8:17 And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart?
Ex.16:19-20, And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.
Ez 36: 25-28, Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Eph. 1:18, I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
That is a lot of verses to start with, but there is something that I want you to see from the sequence of verses. In Mark 6:6, Jesus marveled at the unbelief he encountered among the people in his home Town. Their unbelief created an atmosphere that limited the miracles he was able to release among them. The passage above and Mark 6, his very own disciples were “astonished” that he was able to calm the storm. Verse 52, says they were astonished because they had not gotten any insight from the loaves and fish; instead their hearts were hardened. The word “harden,” carries the idea of something that has petrified. To have a “hardened heart,” doesn’t mean that you are mean spirited; it means that your heart has gotten “old, and petrified,” as opposed to “childlike, and flexible.” Often as we get older we get “set in our ways,” and lose our sense of “wonder” and “fascination.” A childlike heart, which is the only kind that can change, and explore the kingdom, is flexible, and open to believe anything. Here is the good; no; great news; at your new birth God gave you a new heart. He gave you a heart of flesh that is new, and childlike, full of wonder. In the Chronicles of Narnia, it was the youngest one who believed in the magic of Narnia first. Lucy could see it because she still believed it was possible. As a Christian you have two sets of eyes; the ones in your head that gathers information, and the ones in your heart that perceives truth, even if the truth contradicts the information. It is through the eyes of our heart that we learn to perceive the reality of heavenly Narnia; the Kingdom of Heaven. We live in a heavenly kingdom, and only with heavenly eyes can we perceive what’s really going on around us and respond in proper fashion. Now, remember the good news, or better yet the great news; you were already given a heart that can see, perceive, and live in the reality of Narnia. That thing in you that wants to take the plunge; that wants to dare to believe the impossible; that wants to really let go of all the reasoning, and the anxiety, fear and depression the reasoning brings, is the real you. It is the resurrected you that is one with Jesus. The cynic in you is your fallen false self. That thing in you that runs towards unbelief lives in your outer man. That’s the flesh, but that Thing in you that wants to jump off and fly without explanation is the New Creation. It’s really the real you. It’s not to late. Just say yes to your new heart. Let go, and surrender to the life of wonder that has been yours since your new birth.