You must circumcise the forskin of YOUR heart. Part II

Being Jehovah's Witnesses, we have had much instruction in God's Word. We have come to know who the true God Jehovah is and his son Jesus Christ. We have learned about God's personality, his main traits or attributes consisting of power, love, justice and wisdom. We have learned so much about the type of God he is by the example of his son Christ Jesus. Yet no matter how much we have learned or how much we know, the learning process is eternal. (Ecc 3:10-11, Job 11:7, Rom 11:33) What is the key to preparing your heart or getting your heart circumcised? Referring back to Jeremiah chapter four again, take a look at verses one and three: 4 "If you would return, O Israel," is the utterance of Jehovah, "you may return even to me. And if you will take away your disgusting things on my account, then you will not go as a fugitive. 2 And [if] you will certainly swear, As Jehovah is alive in truth, in justice and in righteousness! then in him the nations will actually bless themselves, and in him they will boast about themselves." 3 For this is what Jehovah has said to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem: "Plow for yourselves arable land, and do not keep sowing among thorns. 4 Get yourselves circumcised to Jehovah, and take away the foreskins of YOUR hearts, YOU men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; that my rage may not go forth just like a fire, and it certainly burn with no one to do the extinguishing, on account of the badness of YOUR dealings." We see three steps here, one is to return to Jehovah. To return is to now focus your attention on him. Two is to take away your disgusting things. This would indicate a repentant action to stop doing what is bad in Jehovah's eyes. Three is to plow for yourselves arable land and not sow among thorns. What does this mean? An arable land or ground is fit for cultivation. Plowing is the action that makes the ground arable or fit for cultivation. Jesus used similar illustrations. Luke 9:62 Jesus said to him: "No man that has put his hand to a plow and looks at the things behind is well fitted for the kingdom of God." (Compare Ecc 11:4) Matt 13 On that day Jesus, having left the house, was sitting by the sea; 2 and great crowds gathered to him, so that he went aboard a boat and sat down, and all the crowd was standing on the beach. 3 Then he told them many things by illustrations, saying: "Look! A sower went out to sow; 4 and as he was sowing, some [seeds] fell alongside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Others fell upon the rocky places where they did not have much soil, and at once they sprang up because of not having depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose they were scorched, and because of not having root they withered. 7 Others, too, fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them. 8 Still others fell upon the fine soil and they began to yield fruit, this one a hundredfold, that one sixty, the other thirty. 9 Let him that has ears listen." How we plow or cultivate our heart will determine how the seed that is sown will grow. What does plowing involve? Jesus said that no man plowing that looks at the things behind is fit for the Kingdom. So we need to keep our eyes on the future with a spiritual view. Looking at the things behind is to dwell in the past with a fleshly view. Nothing this world has to offer is worth looking back on. After plowing is done, sowing seed and watering must take place in order for it to grow. As Christ is said to sow seed, so are we ourselves said to sow seed. We sow seed in our own hearts and in the hearts of others. (Gal 3:6-9, Ecc 11:6) Galatians chapter six brings out the point of what we are sowing we shall reap. Gal 6:7 Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap; 8 because he who is sowing with a view to his flesh will reap corruption from his flesh, but he who is sowing with a view to the spirit will reap everlasting life from the spirit. Prov 11:18 The wicked one is making false wages, but the one sowing righteousness, true earnings. Plowing and sowing go hand in hand. Notice how in Hosea chapter ten we are given good admonition: Hosea 10:12 Sow seed for yourselves in righteousness; reap in accord with loving-kindness. Till for yourselves arable land, when there is time for searching for Jehovah until he comes and gives instruction in righteousness to YOU. (Isaiah 55:6) Search for Jehovah, YOU people, while he may be found. Call to him while he proves to be near. (Amos 5:4) "For this is what Jehovah has said to the house of Israel, Search for me, and keep living. Zeph 2:2 Before [the] statute gives birth to [anything], [before the] day has passed by just like chaff, before there comes upon YOU people the burning anger of Jehovah, before there comes upon YOU the day of Jehovah"s anger, 3 seek Jehovah, all YOU meek ones of the earth, who have practiced His own judicial decision. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably YOU may be concealed in the day of Jehovah's anger. To keep searching and seeking Jehovah is to plow and sow good seed. By doing so in meekness, righteousness and with all humility, we will prepare and circumcise our hearts. Ultimately though Jehovah will have to completely circumcise our hearts. But for now we can work on tearing off that foreskin as much as we can. Deut 30:6 And Jehovah your God will have to circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, that you may love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul for the sake of your life.