The Book of Proverbs - Part 5

The Book of Proverbs

Part 5

The Spiritual/Moral State of Your Heart

Proverbs identifies a wide diversity of Heart Conditions

Scheming Heart (Proverbs 6:18)

Cunning Heart (Proverbs 7:9-10)

Wise Heart (Proverbs 10:8)

Hurting Heart (Proverbs 14:13)

Content Heart (Proverbs 14:30)

Righteous Heart (Proverbs 15:28)

Joyful (Proverbs 15:30)

Arrogant/Haughty Heart (Proverbs 18:12)

Rageful Heart (Proverbs 19:3)

Pure Heart (Proverbs 22:11)

Envious Heart (Proverbs 23:17)

Q: What goes into the “Kind” of heart that we may have?

Thoughts play an important part.

1.Our Thoughts

“… a begrudging host, … is the kind of person who is ALWAYS thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.”

-Proverbs 23:7

Q: Do you know someone who is ALWAYS THINKING about money and as a result have become a cheap-scate? 

Our thinking can have an effect upon our heart.

“_______-a-holic”

Q: How is what you are thinking about having a positively or negatively effect upon your heart, faith, health, relationships, checkbook, etc?

When Jesus said in Matthew 6:33;

“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” he was talking about trusting in material things rather than God.

Both “Cheap-scates” and “Spend-a-holics” are both Materialistic. [Extremes]

The Dangers of some Modern Day ideas about “Thoughts” 

“We are what we think about.”

-Anonymous

As Christians, we actually are NOT defined by what we think about.

If we were, we would all be murderers, thieves, lazy bums, cheats in every area of life, etc.

Remember that we are all by nature sinful. (Original Sin)

Acknowledge that what we think about can easily have an impact upon our heart.

… each person is tempted when they are dragged [Process] away by their own evil desire [Thoughts] and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

-James 1:14-15

“We are who we think we are.”

-Anonymous

-Not entirely true

As Christians, we are NOT defined by what we may wrongly think about ourselves.

Ie. We have all stupidly lost things, but we are neither “stupid” nor “losers”.

We are who God says we are regardless of how we may feel.

I am not a loser.

I am not an Olympic Athlete.

I am not the Devil.

I am not a woman.

I am not free of responsibility to God.

I not not the greatest/worst in the world. 

Who God says I am as a Christian

1. Sinful, yet forgiven by Jesus.

“The things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”

-Matthew 15:18-20

Jesus takes our sin away.

“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

–Ps. 103:10-12

2. Loved by God.

“God so loved the world…” –John 3:16

3. Holy.

“To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:”

“To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi…”

“To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ…”

(Ephesians 1:1/Philippians 1:1/Colossians 1:2)

4. Valuable.

“How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

-Matthew 12:12

5. Strong.

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.”

-Palm 28:7

6. More than a conqueror.

“If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” [Psalm 44:2] 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

-Romans 8:31-39