Threads

The heart is at the very core of a person and the place in which one determines the course of his or her actions. In all actuality, the heart and the mind work together to determine the actions of a person: feelings and thoughts motivate actions. The heart is the means by which both physical and moral life is sustained and the place the two realms merge. We are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart (Deuteronomy 6:4-6). This commandment requires that we dedicate our heart to the Lord in purity and morality. Any defilement of the heart, practice of sin and impurity, means that we love the Lord with less than all our heart; sin is evidence of unrighteousness and failure to practice the way of wisdom. Fear of the Lord is reverence for the Lord. In Proverbs 1:7a we are told, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”. In Proverbs 8:13 we are told, “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil”. “Fear of the Lord” means making my heart right with His heart: loving what He loves and hating what He hates. • How is your heart “right” with God’s heart and how is it not “right” with His? Consider what He loves that you love and what He hates that you hate?

• More difficult questions to consider are these: What does He hate that you love? What does He love that you hate?

• What changes need to take place in your heart for it to be consistent with the Lord’s heart?

• If the way of wisdom is righteousness, and you desire wisdom, what are some ways of practicing and protecting righteousness that you need to incorporate in your own life?

God desires that our lives be free from the strongholds of sin. Because He is the definition of righteousness, He desires that we revere Him and make His ways our ways in the living out of daily choices, making right choices. Wisdom, as expressed in God’s character, through His Word, modeled by Jesus, and guided by the Holy Spirit is application of the knowledge and understanding of God. ”Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:13-18).