I have been greatly encouraged by studying Proverbs 31. I saw areas where God was encouraging me to remain steadfast and I saw new areas God wanted me to grow in. When God puts something on my heart to do, I am encouraged. Satan may want us to despair, feel overwhelmed, or sad but our Great God always wins His battles. God used an ordinary people all the time to accomplish His great purposes. We are all ordinary but our God is extraordinary. He sees the great things He has planned for us to accomplish through Him.
Many times we despair because we try to do God's law without His power and strength. Trying to bey God's Law and rules is a system of religion not a relationship. We can not fulfill the law's demands. The law was a schoolteacher/tutor to lead us to Christ. Everything Christ did on the Cross was sufficient. Jesus' last words were it is finished. God is our sufficient savior. We will be discouraged if we take God's commands and just try to do them. Practices without foundational truth become a system of religion without power. It is like having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof as found in 2 Timothy 3:5. We can not put practical application before proper theology and a right relationship with God.
I have grown in the areas of using my words as an instrument of peace. I have learned much about grace, humility, a gentle and quiet spirit, working hard with hands rather than being idle. As I studied Proverbs 31, God really showed me more about His Sufficiency and my submission.
2 Corinthians 3:5 says
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God ... (NKJV) . As I studied the virtues of the Proverbs 31, I rested in God knowing that I was not sufficient in myself. These virtues - hard work, doing good to husbands, gentle and quiet spirit, kind words, clothed with humility were not mine based on my sufficiency. Everything I am and have is from the sufficiency of God. Likewise 1 Corinthians 4:7 says "For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" No one is superior to another. If you have any qualities it is because you received it from God.
Apart from God, I can not do anything the Scripture says. John 15:5 says "
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. The last verse of Proverbs 31 states Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. Christians are to bear fruit as they submit to God's ways and walk in God's ways. Our part is submission to what God says. We can not obey half heartedly. We have to live wholeheartedly unto the Lord doing everything with thanks to Him. We are to love Jesus with our whole heart. We are to obey ALL through Him who gives us strength and power.
We know that the Proverbs 31 was a wise woman because she feared the Lord. In Proververbs 14:26-27 says "In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to turn away from the snare of death." Since this Proverbs 31 study, I have gained more confidence in the fear of the Lord that I have rather than in my false belief of self. My part again is submission. I don't need false confidence, false pride, reverse pride or boasting because I have strong confidence due to my fear of the Lord. He is my refuge. I don't have to act as if I am nothing and don't compare to others and I don't need to exalt my confidence. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I am learning to be satisfied from above. Proverb 14:14 says "...But a good man will be satisfied from above."
As I submit to God, praises rise up. I have much to praise God for. Praise and worship is submission. Psalm 67 is a a great Psalm to read to see the importance of our submission, praise and worship. It leads to the blessings of God so that all the earth shall fear God (which is the beginning of wisdom). As we,Christians, praise and worship God then God's ways are known on the earth that salvation comes among the nations. (Psalm 62:2). God makes us fishers of men as we submit, praise and worship. The Proverbs 31 woman was a lady of praise and worship as she did all to the glory of God.
Additional Resources:
www.discipleshiplibrary.com/pdfs/A487B.pdf
http://www.slideshare.net/rdc2506/theology-i-gods-attributes-sufficiency
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Books,%20Tracts%20&%20Preaching/Printed%20Books/PTP/ptp-chap_02.htm
http://bible.org/seriespage/sufficiency-god-through-his-spirit-2-cor-212821146 |
|
