Fountains of Wisdom—A Study in Proverbs Part 37- In the midst of Despair–Rejoice

If we look at the world around us with all the wars, financial ruin, terrorism, illness, and evil that surrounds us, we would be overwhelmed with despair.  If we look at the struggles within our own lives—work, home, health, and family—we would be overwhelmed with fear.  If we look deep into the crevices of our own heart and recognize our own failures, we would be crushed with the weight of guilt.

 

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Yet, into the darkest pit of our despair comes a ray of shining hope that surrounds our soul, embracing it—lifting it high above the rubble surrounding us.

  That is shown forth in chapter 21 of Proverbs, as it begins with verse 1.  “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”  God is in control, even over the hearts of wicked leaders—God will accomplish all that He has planned.  He does not cause evil; yet, in His mercy at times He tarries His judgment knowing the end of the story.  We see this world and our lives as though they are forever.  We suffer the pains

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Fountains of Wisdom:  A Study in Proverbs  Part 36  A Treasure More Precious than Gold

As we have studied long in Proverbs, I have felt the burning light that reaches deep within the recesses of my heart—searching and trying the darkest secrets of my own self-exalting heart.  As noted in the commentary of the GNV Bible for  Proverbs 20:27 The word of God giveth life unto man, and causeth us to see and try the secret of our dark hearts.  It searches the crevices of our desires.  It shines it light upon that which we may have declared as precious only to reveal how insignificant any treasure is compared to the one true treasure which is God.  In darkness the shiny hard precious object that we hold so tightly too as though some precious stone—may in the light only be shown to be a cockroach instead.  God is the “king that sitteth in the throne of judgment, (&) chaste away all evil with his eyes. ⁹ Who can say, I have made mine heart clean, I am clean from my sin?” (Proverbs 20:8 GNV)

Picture used by written permission of Ronald Barba

God is the only one who can cleanse my heart.  There is nothing that I can do to transform my own heart.  Were it not for God’s grace that shines His light before my eyes to reveal His own Glory to me, I should never have even desired Him. 

Though many men will boast of their own goodness, there cannot be found those who are truly faithful among them (Proverbs 20:6).  Those who falsely

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Fountains of Wisdom- Part 35—Poverty, Wealth and the Sovereignty of God

There is a lot to be said in the Bible about poverty—from the laws given to the Israelite nation, the Proverbs and the teachings of Jesus. God’s laws carried many instructions as to how to help the poor by allowing them to harvest behind the harvesters and through compassion to help those who are less fortunate. We have the sermon of Jesus noted in Luke,

“²⁰ And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.”

Then we come to Proverbs 19 where once more there is noted a lot to say about the poor. The lazy are condemned for their laziness (verses 15, 24); yet, there are those who are poor to no fault of laziness and God’s word is clear that His people are to help the poor. Look at verse 17: (GNV) He that hath mercy upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord: and the Lord will recompense him that which he hath given.

There is a lot to say in Chapter 19 about the poor and how they are rejected by their neighbors, ignored and looked down upon; while the rich have many

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Most of the times, I have for you a new poem for our poetry Sunday; but today I am choosing from my archives of poems.  Back in 2010 I published a book titled a Broken and Contrite Heart.    I ended the final chapter of that book with this poem that I wrote in 2010.  I hope you recognize the truth of God’s Gracious Love and the relationship we have with Him.  He is our anchor and our hope.  When Satan tries to tell us we aren’t good enough and we will only fail, we can boldly say, “I know that; but, Christ died for me, paid my price and in Him, I have victory over all the evil you want to throw at me.”

The Grace in Which I Stand

 

Oh feeble heart, Oh fragile soul

Where is the hope on which you hold

With all the failures of your past

Where is the faith to make you bold

Where is the faith to make you bold

 

There was a King though blameless He

That came to pay my penalty

And in that act He set me free

To follow Him in liberty

To follow Him in liberty

 

It is His love that drew me out

And in His Grace I shall not doubt

That He who started this work in me

Will finish it with a Glorious Shout

Will finish it with a Glorious Shout

 

One day the finished work be done

That I might look then like God’s son

Sifted, shined just like pure Gold

As Glory shines forth, Glorious One

As Glory shines forth, Glorious One

 

And in this hope my faith conformed

I know my life will be transformed

I stand upon this future grace

So for His work my passion warmed

So for His work my passion warmed

 

So in this faith I firmly stand

That formed in me as God had planned

No force on earth can shake me free

My future held by God’s great hand

My future held by God’s great hand.

© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to any brands, products or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides regarding the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Fountains of Wisdom A Study in Proverbs (Part 34) Choose Life

There is a choice that lies before mankind since the moment of creation.  It was the choice given to Adam.  As clear as could be presented, God had given Adam the chance to choose life or choose death and that choice is laid before each person who has been born on this earth.  Were you to ask most people, they would quickly tell you “I don’t want to die.”  Yet, at that same moment they choose death over life by rejecting the only source of real life which is found in a relationship with God.  When God created man, God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen 2:7)  With that act, God had given man life overflowing, abundant filled with innocence, righteousness, glory and joy.  Everything beautiful had been handed to Adam with that one choice placed before him—choose life or choose death.  If you eat of this tree you will die.  We know he chose death; whatever, the excuses given or the reasons—He chose death which was the spiritual separation from the fountain of life found in God.  Now life would be drudgery, misery, defeat and despair because of the separation from perfect love and perfect righteousness which is God. 

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Just as darkness is the absence of light, death is the absence of life.  Spiritual life comes from a relationship with God; thus, absence of a relationship with God  is eternal spiritual death.  There might be moments in everyone’s life in which they experience the exuberant joy that being Alive in Christ could bring; because God in His mercy and grace provided just enough of His beauty, majesty and glory in this fallen world so that mankind could see and experience glimpses of spiritual life and thereby have the chance to choose-life or death. Glimpses of Glory ever before us in the first cry of a baby that is born, the beauty of a sunrise, the flowers as they begin to bloom in the spring, or the exuberant joy of falling in love–all of these glimpses of life are ever present before us.

Proverbs 19: ^(AMP)16 He who keeps the commandment [of the Lord] keeps his own life, but he who despises His ways shall die.^(AMP)23 The reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it rests satisfied; he cannot be visited with [actual] evil.

This choice God places before each and every person born.  He pleads, He

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