A Hardened Heart

But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.  (Romans 2:5)  
  
Scripture tells us that in the end times, many people’s hearts will be hardened toward the Lord. What does it mean to have a hardened heart? We will look at that today and identify the signs for those who might be on the path of a hardened heart toward Christ.   
  
Sign #1 - A decision to have your way, regardless.  
First of all, there is a decision to have your way no matter what. That hardens your heart – to choose what you want, rather than what God wants.   
  
Sign #2 - A decision to no longer be open to the facts.  
Second, when someone is closed to the facts, they don't care what the Bible or anyone says. They have already decided, “I will have it my way, regardless of what you say or what logic says.” This is the darkening of the mind and the feudal thinking that is part of the hardening of someone's heart.   
  
Have you ever talked with someone and you just couldn't get through to them? You tried to give them some facts, but they were not interested in listening to you. They had already closed their mind. That is a description of someone who was in the process of hardening their heart.   
  
Sign #3 - A decision to walk away from God.   
Third, there is a decision to walk away from God. I did not say walk away from being spiritual, because many people who are still spiritual are walking away from God. They don't want to have anything to do with God, although they still embrace spirituality. It is a description of a hardened heart.   
  
Sign #4 - A decision to give yourselves to the desires of your flesh.  
Finally, the result of a hardened heart is to give yourself over to the desires of your flesh (sex, filth, greed, thefts). Our actions reflect our hearts. If you are acting in a way that is contrary to what God says is right and good, your heart is hardened toward Him and His Word.