FOUNTAINS OF WISDOM—A STUDY IN PROVERBS PART 46—What do I do with this Sin?

It is by grace that we are saved and by grace that our salvation is sustained in the mighty hand of God. At times we find ourselves resting on that fact to the point of becoming flippant about our grace, much like David when he was walking on his rooftop and saw Bathsheba. After all, it was the time when as the King he was suppose to be leading his army; but, instead he was leisurely enjoying his palace, sleeping late and enjoying the position God had given him.

photo courtesy of istockphoto.com

Much like David, sometimes we become complacent in the fact that we are saved by Grace, while sin lurks at our door. There are other times when we have battled sin within our own hearts daily until we tire of that fight and lay down our sword.

After all, our works can’t save us—so I will rest in the truth of that salvation by grace and just go about my life, awaiting my death one day-miserable and frustrated. What do we do? Do we work or do we just wait? If I work, then how do I avoid pride in my work? What did James mean when he said, “¹⁴ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?…¹⁷ Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” (James 2)

Let us look at what Proverbs has to say.

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FOUNTAINS OF WISDOM-A STUDY IN PROVERBS PART 45-IF I ONLY HAD THE NERVE

Proverbs 28: (NIV) The wicked flee though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

Having seen the wisdom of God through His word—being drawn ever closer to desire His mind in us and having tasted of the Grace which is ever about the work of transforming our stony self-exalting hearts into hearts that can be filled with God’s love and joy; then, what can make us bold to come before His throne? The more I know of His righteousness as displayed in His word, the more I recognize my own guilt before Him. The more I taste of His Grace, the more I recognize the utter unworthiness of my own heart. How often do I react to any situation with first trying to defend myself? How often does fear play a role in my responses? When you hear a police siren directly behind you, what is your first reaction? Or what is the first thing you feel when your boss calls you into their office-particularly if there had been a major down-sizing in the company? How do you respond when suddenly you are faced with illness or cancer? Or what if, suddenly you are faced with losing one by one those things you use to hold dear to you?

 

artwork used by permission of Ronald Barba and is protected by copyright

I daresay that the more we know of God, the more we recognize our own unworthiness and our guilt before a righteous God. That feeling of guilt causes us to fear and run to hide even when nothing is pursuing beyond our own sense of guilt.  How can I boldly go before God to ask of Him anything? How can I witness for Him?  What if I fail?

After all, He is so majestic, righteousness, and filled with Glory that I must bow before Him in praise; even if He never gave me anything in return—even if heaven were not on the line. Is that not what is required of full repentance? Yet,

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FILLED WITH THE TRUTH OF YOU

BY EFFIE DARLENE BARBA

 

CHORUS:

Let my mind be filled with the truth of You

Let my heart be filled with a love that’s true

While I bravely stand—freed from guilt and fear

As Your Grace has bid me Your throne to near

 

Let me sing of Your Salvation Song

Let me sing amidst life’s densest throng

Let me go wherever You bid me go

Standing firm against all worldly foe

 

As Your child make me strong and pure

Rising high above the lustful lure

Praising You as my Lord and King

Of Your Joy let my voice still sing

 

CHORUS:

Let my mind be filled with the truth of You

Let my heart be filled with a love that’s true

While I bravely stand—freed from guilt and fear

As Your Grace has bid me Your throne to near

© 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 44—“If I Only Had A Heart”

Proverbs 27: (NIV) ¹⁹ As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.

We looked at the fact that we needed a brain—one set upon the principles of truth found in the gospel. Then what about the scribes and Pharisees who were so filled with the knowledge; yet, could not see that Christ was the Messiah? What about the philosophers, scientists, and even church leaders who have intellectual knowledge; but, seem to be so caught up in worldly desires that they don’t acknowledge Christ as Lord? Or even in my own life, what about those times that I know the truth and still do not live forth the life that I should for Christ. Much like Paul when he wrote in Romans 7:15 (AMP) “¹⁵ For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled, bewildered]. I do not practice or accomplish what I wish, but I do the very thing that I loathe [^[b]which my moral instinct condemns].” So, if knowledge of the truth is not enough; then, what is the matter?

photo courtesy of istockphoto.com

The truth is I need more than just a brain knowledge of God, I need a new heart that is alive with the truth of the Gospel—transformed and sustained by God’s love until my heart pumps every beat to His Glory.

As a cardiology nurse practitioner, I work every day with the concepts of the heart. The heart is that organ that pumps life throughout the body and when it stops—life stops. The same is true spiritually. The central core of living forth a life in Christ begins with the heart. Because of sin, we know that the heart of man is filled with self-exalting, selfish pride above all else. Jeremiah 17: “⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? ¹⁰ I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins ”So often, we are incapable of even seeing the depth of our own darkened hearts unless the light of the truth shines into our hearts exposing all the darkness found within. We try to cover it over, we make excuses for it, and we work very hard to try to prove that we of our own are “good.” Still, God has looked down and in perfect righteousness has seen the truth “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5)

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Fountains of Wisdom—A Study in Proverbs part 43—“If I Only Had A Brain”

As I continued this study in Proverbs, I could not help but notice the themes in Proverbs 26 being that of the fool, while Proverbs 27 dealt with the heart, and Proverbs 28 with courage. I could not help but think about the characters from the “Wizard of Oz”. The scarecrow who went in search of a brain, the tin man searching for a heart and the lion in search of courage. How much like these characters are we humans!!

We go on a never-ending search for knowledge and truth. We are a very tech-savvy world searching for the next bigger, better video game—the newest computer or the next Smartphone. We want knowledge. Societies search for philosophies that would govern a utopia; but, alas the more we search—the more evil, sorrow, war and death surround us. We search our earth for more resources; while we continue to use up those resources present with our greed and desire for more. We want to control all around us by our great knowledge and skill; yet, with all we do can we tell the rain when to fall or turn a tornado from its path?

We are but fools in search of a brain. As a whole, mankind continues on this never ending search for knowledge while at the same time ignoring the very source of all knowledge and truth—God, our Creator and King.

Turn to Deuteronomy–

Continue reading If I Only Had a Brain →