Jeremiah 9:25-26
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh— Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”
These two verses are the theme and the heart of God's message through Jeremiah. God is NOT delighted with our worship services!! The church with the best praise band and singers does not WIN. The pastor with the greatest eloquent speaking tongue does not garner HIS attention. The largest and most active youth ministry does not stir God's heart. God is more moved by someone who's heart is right with Him than someone who's worship is impressive to us!! Note the following:
Mark 12:41-44 (This is the story of Jesus sitting in the Temple and observing the crowd of worshippers)
And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
God is not in awe of the guy who puts in the most money and buys the church a new sound system or carpets the church, if that man has a heart that is full of stone. This widow had a circumcised heart. God wants hearts that are full of faith, not acts that are full of show. Remember, circumcision was an "outward" sign and display to convey Abraham's inward faith and obedience toward God. It wasn't the circumcision that saved Abraham, but his faith toward God (see all of Romans 5). When we walk with God and follow Him with our heart He is pleased. If we show up to church and sing in the praise team and lead in prayer, take the offering, work in the nursery and preach the sermon (that is one busy church member) but we hold anger in our hearts for one of our fellow worshippers, we will see no fruit from our "good works." All those things are good to do, but they are not done "good" if we hold anger in our hearts toward our brothers. We must all realize that God is, one day, going to take corrective measures toward those who come to Him in worship, but only in action and not in heart. That is what Jeremiah is saying. The truth is, God knows those who worship in spirit and truth vs those who only worry about what mountain or what temple or what church looks good to worship (John 4). The truth is, God knows who are His in heart vs those who are all action and no heart.
Matthew 7:22-23
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
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