"Hearing and Accepting"

  One of the most difficult things is to hear and accept. Many people hear but they don't accept. The Hebrew writer tells us that Israel of the Old Testament provoked the Lord when they heard (Heb. 3:16). Why? Because the word they heard was not united with faith within them (Heb. 4:2). Simply put, they would not accept!

  I recently received an email from a friend of mine asking me why when you preach people seem to respond so little. I explained it was an acceptance problem. They heard the lesson but accepting it to take effect on the heart is another thing. We can move back to the marvelous day in the beginning of the new covenant in Acts 2, when Peter and those apostles began preaching to the crowd. The majority of those hearers walked away that day, back into their own mind-set of what they want to believe about God but still separated. Those that heard and accepted (received) made a heart change, a commitment by responding (Acts 2:41). The result was a pardon by the Lord and they "continually devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42).

  As parents when we corrected our children, many wonder why you have to tell them over and over the same thing. The question seems to pop-up, "Did you hear me?" Yes, they heard but the real question is will they accept your instruction to effect change in their life?

  How well do you hear and accept? When confronted with the Lord, do you take it to heart by responding to receiving His word? I realize at times there are things difficult to accept but they need to be accepted in order to effect the change we need to have. When Jesus spoke the parable of the sower, the good soil are those who have a heart that the word is sown on and they hear it and accept it which bears fruit (Mark 4:20). Paul speaks of a fleshly, unspiritual person will not accept the things of God and sees them as foolishness (I Cor. 2:14). We can see why there are many varied teachings! The apostle John wrote to the church and a fellow by the name of Diotrephes wanted to rule and would not accept what John wrote from inspiration from God (III John 9). The Lord still speaks today through His word but it seems many hear and fewer seem to accept.