A WORD FROM THE ANOINTING
JUST GOING THROUGH THE RELIGIOUS MOTIONS!
The Senior Apostle & God's chosen ordained Messenger brings a revolution of biblical Christ-Faith and Belief. For centuries, the religious leaders and Churches had made their traditions worldly in authority over the Bible, which resulted in many practices contrary to Jesus Christ. The Scripture alone is authoritative for the faith and practice of the Christ Jesus Royal Believers. The Bible tells us that God’s Word is true, God-breathed, and complete ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ), and we are warned not to go beyond what is written ( 1 Corinthians 4:6 ).
Dear Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ, have Your Way In This Message and Teaching and lead us into All Truth. Amen...In Isaiah 29, Isaiah is prophesying against Jerusalem and, by extension, the rest of Judah (verse 8). He predicts judgment on the kingdom due to their sin, judgment that will come through invading armies ( Isaiah 29:3–4 ). However, the Prophet also affirms that God is incredibly gracious and will restore Judah after bringing justice upon their enemies ( Isaiah 29:5, 18–24 ). In the middle of Isaiah’s prophecy, he diagnoses Judah’s problem of hypocrisy, which is bringing about their judgment: “These people come near to Him with their mouth and honor Him with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him. Their worship of Him ( God said ) is based on merely human rules they have been taught” ( Isaiah 29:13 ). While the Israelites were saying the right things, their hearts were far from God in Jesus Christ.
The word Heart is a common metaphor. In English, the heart often represents someone’s emotions. When we say that someone has a “heart of stone,” we do not mean that his blood-pumping organ has been mineralized; we mean that he is unmoved by emotional appeals. When an ancient Israelite used the word heart metaphorically, he was thinking of the center of someone’s soul, the place where he makes all his decisions and experiences all his emotions. The “heart” was the location of one’s will and intellect. Therefore, when the Bible commands us to love something “with all our hearts,” it means loving with everything We, have on the inside.
When God said that “their Hearts are far from Him,” He meant that they had chosen other loyalties besides God. While they might have sounded religious, they did not love Him or obey Him. Their thoughts and their decisions were bent away from God. The NET Bible has a helpful translation here: “These people say they are loyal to God; they say wonderful things about God, but they are not( actually ) loyal to Him. Their worship consists of nothing but man-made ritual” ( Isaiah 29:13 ). In English, We might say that the Israelites worshiped “but their hearts weren’t in it, Just like in our day just putting on a religious show Sunday after Sunday.”
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ quotes this verse in an important confrontation with the Pharisees ( Mark 7:6–7 ). They, too, had hearts far from God. The Pharisees pretended to care about God’s law and commandments by following outward acts like hand washing, but they did not care about God on the inside. When they met God in the Person of Jesus, they tried to kill Him! After quoting ( Isaiah 29:13 ), Jesus scathingly summarized their heart condition: “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human religious traditions” ( Mark 7:8 ). The Pharisees still did religious things. Still, they had forgotten the reasons behind their actions. They said the right things, but their hearts were far from God.
As Jesus' Royal Believers, we face the same temptation as the hypocritical Israelites. Sometimes, it is easy to maintain the outward appearance of religious obedience by following basic rules, yet we lack any real relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in our hearts. We start “Just going through the religious motions” without growing in love for God or for others. We might faithfully go to religiously built Human-Made Buildings every Sunday, but ignore God the rest of the week. Like the Pharisees and the ancient Israelites, “faking it” is not spiritually healthy, and it will eventually catch up with us.
In, Isaiah 29:13 is a stark reminder that rules and rituals, by themselves, cannot please God. God wants true righteousness. God wants you to love Him with “all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” ( Mark 12:30 ). “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings” ( Hosea 6:6). and also study the Book of Hebrews. Amen.
The word Heart is a common metaphor. In English, the heart often represents someone’s emotions. When we say that someone has a “heart of stone,” we do not mean that his blood-pumping organ has been mineralized; we mean that he is unmoved by emotional appeals. When an ancient Israelite used the word heart metaphorically, he was thinking of the center of someone’s soul, the place where he makes all his decisions and experiences all his emotions. The “heart” was the location of one’s will and intellect. Therefore, when the Bible commands us to love something “with all our hearts,” it means loving with everything We, have on the inside.
When God said that “their Hearts are far from Him,” He meant that they had chosen other loyalties besides God. While they might have sounded religious, they did not love Him or obey Him. Their thoughts and their decisions were bent away from God. The NET Bible has a helpful translation here: “These people say they are loyal to God; they say wonderful things about God, but they are not( actually ) loyal to Him. Their worship consists of nothing but man-made ritual” ( Isaiah 29:13 ). In English, We might say that the Israelites worshiped “but their hearts weren’t in it, Just like in our day just putting on a religious show Sunday after Sunday.”
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ quotes this verse in an important confrontation with the Pharisees ( Mark 7:6–7 ). They, too, had hearts far from God. The Pharisees pretended to care about God’s law and commandments by following outward acts like hand washing, but they did not care about God on the inside. When they met God in the Person of Jesus, they tried to kill Him! After quoting ( Isaiah 29:13 ), Jesus scathingly summarized their heart condition: “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human religious traditions” ( Mark 7:8 ). The Pharisees still did religious things. Still, they had forgotten the reasons behind their actions. They said the right things, but their hearts were far from God.
As Jesus' Royal Believers, we face the same temptation as the hypocritical Israelites. Sometimes, it is easy to maintain the outward appearance of religious obedience by following basic rules, yet we lack any real relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in our hearts. We start “Just going through the religious motions” without growing in love for God or for others. We might faithfully go to religiously built Human-Made Buildings every Sunday, but ignore God the rest of the week. Like the Pharisees and the ancient Israelites, “faking it” is not spiritually healthy, and it will eventually catch up with us.
In, Isaiah 29:13 is a stark reminder that rules and rituals, by themselves, cannot please God. God wants true righteousness. God wants you to love Him with “all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” ( Mark 12:30 ). “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings” ( Hosea 6:6). and also study the Book of Hebrews. Amen.
Apostle James R Winfree Sr, National Global Social Media Ministries, was launched in the 1970s when I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into my heart and life. The past 40+ years are an amazing account of Jesus Christ keeping grace and power. Jesus Royal Believers Way Ministries, we follow the teachings and truths of our blessed Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, and we are reaching God's spiritual sons and daughters worldwide in many nations, most frequently visited Apostle Winfree's Facebook, Blogger. Posts, Black Planet, Instagram website, and social media searches. We are currently growing and expanding, reaching Christ-built and established Churches here in America and globally without man-made or human-built walls made with hands.
Sincerely, In The Lord God Jesus Christ Kingdom Purpose,
His Serving Founder, Presiding Senior Apostle, Messenger Elder James Winfree Sr & Elect Lady Betty R Winfree
We can be contacted and reached at apostle.winfree@yahoo.com ( Please let us know how to keep you covered faithfully in our prayers ).
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