And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: "In hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and in seeing you will see and not perceive. For the hearts of this people have grown callous and their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have shut. Lest they should see and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and repent, so that I should save them (Matthew 13: 14 -15)

The disciples asked the Lord why He keeps on speaking and teaching the crowds in parables. And Jesus gave an astonishing answer that is so serious and humbling in its implication and it's my prayer it doesn't describe you.
The Lord said, the people have a callous and hard hearts. This is a serious spiritual condition, where the heart is not sensitive or receptive to God any more. In short they are spiritually dead. Their inward man is not responding to God, or to His Word or to His Spirit. Such people see with their physical eyes but can't perceive spiritually, they hear the messages of God with their physical ears, but can't understand. The result is that nothing happens to them inwardly. There is no repentance, no obedience of faith, no saving power of God at work and no righteous living and godly lifestyle.
But what we should not forget is that the goal of teaching and preaching is to bring us into these, which are the virtues and marks of being Christ followers and being in the kingdom of God. We are not preaching to promote ourselves, but to bring us to Christ and the righteous kingdom life He sacrifice Himself for on the cross.
How do people come into this spiritual state of affairs? Especially those that are God's people? Prophet Isaiah answers that by saying, they have hardened their ears, they have shut their eyes and their hearts have grown callous. Evidently, we bring ourselves into that state by making ourselves unwilling and insensitive to God, to His word and to His Spirit. A hardened heart and a callous heart, that doesn't respond to God or hear the voice of God is serious.
Jesus said, when people are in such a spiritual state, their worship of God is vain and so is their life, because God's word doesn't save them or heal them or help them though they hear it every day, see it on social media every day and receive in their inbox every minute. And yet, it's useless and unprofitable
My admonition to you is that, begin to resolve to come out of that state and don't deceive yourself. If you could read this message and it doesn't burn in your heart, or stir your heart on a righteous way of life or move you inwardly to repentance, or draw you to consider some issues in your life or on your relationship with Christ or make you to take steps to begin to revive your prayer life, Bible study, going to church or telling people about Christ or make you willing even to say Amen to the message or thank God for such a timely word or to even pass it on to other people, then you can know what state your heart is in in. It has grown callous and hard spiritually.
So as we approach the end of the year, please move out of that hard and callous heart condition and become sensitive and responsive in your heart so that you can hear Jesus' voice and follow Him in the coming new year as obedient and faithful sheep of the Lord.
May the Lord bless and guild you as you seek to become sensitive and responsive to Him in Jesus name. Amen
Shalom, life and grace to you is
Moving people onto God's purposes
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@johnsonkoranteng @sirknight @sc-g