October 20, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 20
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Following Scripture Verses

1. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2. The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3. It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5. Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6. Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7. The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
8. A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9. Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10. Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
11. Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12. The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14. It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15. There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16. Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17. Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18. Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19. He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20. Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21. An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22. Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
23. Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
24. Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
25. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
26. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27. The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28. Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
29. The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
30. The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.

Today's Pathway:
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"Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?" - Proverbs 20:9

Today's verse raises an important question that every man must ultimately face. The question is this: "What am I going to do about my sin problem?" Here Solomon asks who the man is that can state that his heart is clean or that he is pure from sin. The answer is that no one can say that he has no sin. Romans 3:23 tells us that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Thus we see first of all that every man has a sin problem.

Second, it is necessary to note that no man can make his own heart clean. Paul tells us that salvation is obtained "not by works of righteousness which we have done" (Titus 3:5). There are no deeds nor rituals that can cleanse a man's heart. No man will ever stand before God and demand entrance into Heaven based upon his own work in purifying his heart.

Third, we must see the solution to the problem. While I can not cleanse my own sinful heart, I can have it cleansed for me. Jesus Christ came to earth and shed His blood as a sacrifice for me on Calvary so that He could wash away my sin. I John 1:7 tells us that the blood of Christ "cleanseth us from all sin". Revelation 1:5 states that Jesus "washed us from our sins in his own blood". Therefore, I can have a heart that is clean before God, not because of what I have done, but because of what He has done.

I have not made my own heart clean, and the fact is that I still commit sin. However, Jesus has washed my sins away in His blood, and I stand before God justified and cleansed. Hallelujah!

Pastor Mark J Montgomery