BELOVED, HOW'S THE CIRCUMCISION OF YOUR HEART DOING?

"Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth-21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." 25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. 28 A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God." Romans 2:17-29 NIV

Beloved, God cut a covenant with Abraham who was a man of faith. Abraham was promised by God that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. The angel Lucifer who was cast out of heaven to the earth knew that someone would one day come to smash his head as we read in Gen. 3:15. But Father God watched over his Israelites all through the generations and kept His hand of protection on them. Why? Because of His promise to Abraham and to be sure that the line of the Seed Jesus would come through Abraham's line. God protected these people in order to bring them a Messiah who would save His people.

God was so good to the Israelites that they just expected it from God; thus they took God for granted. They put their confidence in themselves by religious works rather than humbling themselves before the Lord. The Israelites' hearts were becoming hard against the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the One True God of all gods. So when Jesus came as their Messiah they would not receive him. They preferred the circumcision of the flesh (religious works) which had no saving value for them. Jewish men felt they had to have the circumcision of the flesh alone. But God's word says that they had to have a circumcision of the heart and not of the flesh to truly make the difference as to whom they would serve as their One True God. This heart circumcision would only be through their receiving Jesus as their Messiah so Holy Spirit could work in their hearts.

TODAY THE BELIEVING-ON-JESUS-AS-SAVIOR CHURCHES ARE FULL OF BELOVED WHO DO "RELIGIOUS WORKS" AND CALL THEMSELVES SAVED AND SERVING THE LORD. BELOVED, THIS MUST CHANGE NOW. REMEMBER GOD'S WORD THAT WARNS US ON JUDGMENT DAY WHAT WILL HAPPEN AS THOSE STANDING BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD SAY HOW MUCH WAS DONE IN HIS NAME AND GOD ANSWERS THEM THAT HE NEVER KNEW THEM.

"I speak the truth in Christ-I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit-2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. 6 It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." 8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." 10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad-in order that God's purpose in election might stand; 12 not by works but by him who calls-she was told, "The older will serve the younger." 13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." 14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." Romans 9:1-16 NIV

GOD CAN DO ANYTHING HE WANTS TO - FOR HE ALONE IS GOD AND NO ONE CAN TEMPT HIM FOREVER. THE BELOVED WHO ARE WISE DO GUARD THEIR HEARTS AND REMEMBER THE GRACE AND MERCY OF GOD.

Beloved, if one does not guard his or her heart and never forget that it is only by the grace of God and His mercy that one is saved and that this alone is what is keeping one - ONE CAN MISS IT! Please do not take God lightly like the Israelites did - AND MISSED THEIR MESSIAH. Keep a pure heart by guarding your heart from religious works, pride, jealousy, taking offense, and needing to be noticed, etc.! One must avoid all the things that God's Word warns will come before a fall away from God. It is by the grace and mercy of God alone - so guard your heart for such a time as this.


Love & Blessings,

Joan Ann