UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART? – Friday May 15th 2015

UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART? 

Memorise: Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Acts 7:51

Read: Romans 6:1-10, Bible in one year: 1^st Samuel 24-25, Mark 9:2-29

In his sermon just before he was killed, Stephen spoke to a Jewish audience made up of people who were circumcised in the flesh as required by God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:10). However, Stephen revealed to them that there exists a circumcision beyond that of the flesh: the circumcision of heart and ears (Acts 7:51). This circumcision is spiritual. He admonished them to accept it in order to belong to the new dispensation of grace. They rejected his message and held tenaciously to the old order, which Paul declared as irrelevant under this new dispensation. 1^st Corinthians 7:19 says:

“Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.”

those of us who claim to know God and claim to be born-again must be careful not to fall into the same error as the Jews to whom the gospel was first preached, the circumcision of our heart and ears must not be one professed by mouth only. Our Pentecostalism must not turn to lawlessness. We must truly be circumcised in our heart and hearing, so that the message of the gospel may always have a place in our lives. We must heed the warning of Hebrews 12:15-16

“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.”

We tend to glory in many things as Pentecostals, as if attending a Pentecostal Church is the main ticket to heaven. Many of us have become docile in spiritual matters. The enemy is taking advantage of this passive attitude to penetrate and adulterate Pentecostal beliefs. This is why homosexuality, lesbianism and the reconstruction of the Bible doctrines handed to us by the apostle and prophets are being considered. What we must do as individuals and as a family is to retrace our steps back to our first love for the Bible and the sound teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, such as these in Revelation 3:2-3:

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”   

Prayer Point

Pray for God to send revival upon His Church, especially among Pentecostals who are now growing lukewarm.