A Map of Holiness

“O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23). Often times in life we just don’t really know what we are doing, or where we are going. One thing is for sure, and that is that we are not in control of where tomorrow may find us. But there is something that we are in control of that can assure us of having the very best tomorrow possible. That something is Proverbs 4:23, a scripture that I am convinced is one of the most important single verses in the Bible: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues [goings forth] of life.” Amen, keep our heart with all diligence indeed. If we have God’s Spirit abiding in us, we have the power and capacity to keep our hearts pure from all manner of sin (I Tim. 5:22; I Jn. 3:3). If we do that then we are ready to deal with whatever comes, although there are times when it doesn’t feel that way. But even as the scripture tells us that “we walk by faith, not by sight;” even so it is true that we don’t walk according to how we feel, but rather how we believe (II Cor. 5:7). If we know that we are keeping fear, anger, malice, resentment, covetousness, excess fleshly lust; and all other manner of sins out of our hearts; then we are able to trust that God is taking us somewhere good, regardless of how things feel or look. I say that because things can sometimes feel and look really, really bad. Nonetheless the scripture is true that simply and powerfully says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). It really is that way, including when it seems to be anything but.

There is just no way that we can always know exactly what God is doing with us in every trying circumstance, but we CAN always know that whatever he is doing with us is good, as the quoted scripture says. That is a constant reality because of the fact that God is good, and there is never a time, or place, or circumstance where he is anything but good. That brings me to another scripture that is one of, if not the most important single verses in the Bible: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Prov. 3:5). Again I have to come back around to pure simplicity to say that the only way we can trust in the Lord with all of our heart is if we are keeping all of our heart free and clean from all manner of sin. If sin is there it will be manifest in our conscience and it will certainly block our ability to do ANYTHING with or toward God with all of our heart. The only way we can completely know and trust that God is always good, and that he is always working something good for us in whatever situation we are in; is if our whole heart is filled with his Spirit, with nothing hindering. Jesus died a cruel and bitter death, and rose with a mighty and powerful victory; so that we could have the capacity to be filled in our hearts with his life, his love, his joy, and his power. So let’s not blow the most glorious opportunity ever given, for sin’s sake; but rather let’s keep our hearts with all diligence so that we can be assured that the ‘issues’ [goings forth] of our lives will be good, and lead to the good places where he wants to take us. Amen.