Circumcise Yourselves to the Lord

Jeremiah 4:4 (KJV)

"Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings."

Circumcision is a private matter, something hidden that no one sees. Likewise, God is concerned with the private matters of your heart, the things you keep hidden from the world. He desires for you to cut away everything that is not of Him.

Too often, we put on a show. We want others to see us as good, godly people with integrity, great faith, and pure intentions. But sometimes, this performance is just that… a performance. It is not who we truly are. God is not concerned with the image we portray; He cares about who we are in private.

The person you are when no one is watching is who you truly are. That is the person God is watching. He desires authenticity. He calls us to cut away the hidden sins, the attitudes, and the behaviors that we would be ashamed of if they were exposed. Godly integrity means being the same person privately and publicly. As Christians, we cannot be double-minded. If we profess one thing in public but live differently in private, we lack integrity… we are hypocrites.

I have seen many, including myself, allow ego, pride, arrogance, and self-serving motives to overshadow true godliness. We may post on social media, stand before crowds, and say all the right things. But in private, we can be the complete opposite. We become consumed by compliments, likes, and popularity, using God as a platform for personal gain. Yet, when no one is watching, we set Him aside.

God wants all of you. When you submit yourself fully to Him, your private and public self will align. True godly integrity means being the same person regardless of who is watching… because one thing is certain: God is always watching.

Removing the Foreskins of Your Heart

Jeremiah 4:4 – "Take away the foreskins of your heart."

We must remove the things that keep humility out of our hearts. A humble heart has no room for ego, pride, or arrogance. Life’s trials and traumas often lead us to build walls of self-protection. In doing so, we develop behaviors that keep us from true godliness.

• Ego prevents vulnerability.
• Pride keeps us from humility.
• Arrogance stops us from accepting truth.

God calls us to cut away these barriers so that we can be vulnerable, humble, and receptive to His truth. We cannot approach Him with hardened hearts. To be fully transformed, we must remove the things that tether us to the flesh and replace them with His truth.

We do not need to be the most popular, the most admired, or the most successful. We need God. With Him, our desires, motives, and intentions will change. Our outlook will shift because true transformation comes from a heart surrendered to Him.

Remove the foreskin from your heart.

The Consequence of Our Evil Ways

Jeremiah 4:4 – "Lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of your evil doings."

Because of our sinful nature, I often reflect on how far we fall from God’s standard. We may think of ourselves as good people, but Scripture tells us otherwise. The Bible declares that we are wicked, and only through Jesus Christ can we be redeemed.

• It is His blood that grants us salvation.
• It is His sacrifice that forgives our sins.
• It is His mercy that allows us to stand before the Father.

Yet, we can become so self-righteous that we forget our sinful nature. We measure our sins against others and assume that because we are not engaging in "big sins," we are somehow better. But sin is sin.

There is no hierarchy in sin, except for blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, all sin is equal in God's eyes. Though the consequences of sin may differ, God sees it all as wicked.

• Complaining with an ungrateful heart is just as sinful as murder.
• Hidden sins are still sins.
• What we think is insignificant may still be evil in the eyes of God.

He sees everything. He knows our hearts. The only way to be made whole is through Christ. We must not only accept Him as Lord and Savior—we must live for Him.

Because of our evil ways.
Because of our selfish desires.
Because of our pride and arrogance.
Because of our hidden agendas.
Because of our need for attention.
Because of our sin.

This is why we need God.

Walking in Godly Integrity

Church, we must seek God in everything. The only way to have godly integrity, character, and purpose is by fully surrendering to Him. We must let Him fill our hearts so completely that there is no room for anything else.

I strive to be a person of integrity. Yet, I sometimes question myself:

• Have I done what I said I would do?
• Have I lived up to the standard Jesus set?
• Am I truly reflecting Christ?

I want my life to be one where people see virtue in me. But at times, doubts creep in, and conviction stirs when I realize I have not followed through. Integrity means keeping our word and being faithful in both big and small matters.

We all fall short. But by the grace of God, we continue to strive for righteousness.

2 Peter 1:5 – "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge."

Our lives should reflect our closeness with Christ. If our lives are chaotic, dishonest, or lacking integrity, people will not see the goodness of God in us. However, when we walk with godly integrity, others will witness His greatness through our actions.

I care about how others perceive me, but more importantly, I care about how God sees me. When I focus on living for Him, righteousness naturally follows.

A Call to a Higher Standard

Matthew 23:12 – "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."

We should not seek to appear greater in public than we truly are in private. If we do, God will humble us. What I call a "humble stumble" is when He brings us back to the lowly place we were meant to be.

Instead of exalting ourselves, let us walk in humility. God will raise us to His standard of excellence in His time. And His standard is the only one worth striving for.

Let us circumcise our hearts and live with godly integrity.

Love You all,

Bex