There are many Scripture verses throughout the Bible telling us about our hearts. This indicates to us that the condition of our hearts must be very important.
For instance, in Jeremiah 17:9 we learn that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; “, and in verse 10, the Lord says that He searches our hearts, also Apostle Paul in Romans 1:21 tells us that our hearts can be foolish and darkened. Other verses let us know that our hearts can be hard, tested, firm, perverted, broken and contrite. Spiritual seeds can be sown in our hearts. From our hearts we can act, make our own plans, and do the will of God. With our whole hearts we can trust God and love Him. Our hearts can be changed, made pure and, our hearts can be circumcised.
Our hearts can be circumcised?
“Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart…” – Jeremiah 4:4 (KJV)
When the Bible speaks of the heart it is not referring to your physical heart but to a place that is much deeper inside you. According to Psalm 103:1, it’s the “all that is deepest within me” part of you – your inmost being from where the rivers of living waters flow (John 7:38). It’s where the deepest activity of the Holy Spirit takes place, beyond our conscious thoughts.
When the Bible speaks of the circumcision of your heart, it’s about the severing of anything that will keep you from being a person whose heart or spirit is right before God. It’s the casting off of your fleshly nature (the old life) and the sins of the flesh (see Colossians 2:11-13). This is an inner, unseen circumcision performed by the Holy Spirit (Romans 2:29), who cuts away whatever is useless in, and a hindrance to your new life.
When God told Abraham to literally circumcise himself and every male, eight days old and older (Genesis 17), it was symbolic of their new beginning. Today, your new beginning will commence with a circumcised heart.
Amen†
"A Circumcised Heart" Shelley Johnson 23-May-2016
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