With their lips do honor me, but their heart is far from me …” A biblical verse has been much talk in our heart, and I’m sure you will speak to the hearts of all who wish to receive a new life: “The Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw
near me and with the his mouth and with their lips do honor me, but their heart is far me, and their fear toward me is a commandment of men who learned mechanically, will continue to do wonderful work among this people, yea, a marvelous work and wonder: so that the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the prudence of their prudent be hid. “Isaiah 29.13,14
The Word of God here tells us about the people who attend church, pray, fast, short, do what they want. The heart, however, remains far from the Creator. God does not look at our outward appearance: He looks inside our hearts, and delights of his sincerity. He whose heart is in the hands of God is protected by him, because who would dare to touch something that is in the hands of God? Who has power to do so? When a person has a heart after Gods own heart, there is nothing in this world that can destroy your life.
Many are those who come to church, but never give their whole hearts to God, because their hearts are tied with things of this world. God can not act in their lives. The heart needs to be completely in the hands of God, much more than before. On the cross the Lord Jesus, we find that the vertical shaft represents the harmony between man and God, and the horizontal relationship of man with his fellows. The Lord Jesus said, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies and pray those who persecute you;”(Matthew 5:44). Who can love an enemy and pray for those who persecute you, not being the one whose heart is in God?
“The Universal Church, for example, has been persecuted, like the early church was also. Only at that time the Christians were thrown to the lions in arenas. We, however, stayed praying for those who persecute us, forgiving those who still hate us. The capacity is not ours, but the Holy Spirit gave us a heart for it. If we had a new heart in any way we would have the courage to pray for those who threaten us. This is how it must happen. If you are attending church, but not yet delivered the heart to God, he is still old, or you continue with an old life. This is where the problem you face is primarily based. The new heart, in contrast, gives us a new life. From the moment you surrender your old heart to God, and He gives you a new one, you start to have a new life. Their problems begin to be resolved gradually, according to the development of their faith.”
said Bishop Macedo.