The LORD's Day, February 3, 2008

A Heart At Peace

Proverbs 14.30, I Timothy 6.3-10

A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.

We have seen in the Proverbs, as we have been going through them these past few months, the idea of contentment brought up again and again.

Paul wrote to Timothy that godliness with contentment is great gain. Look closer at that passage in I Timothy 6.3-10 because it has to do with what this Proverb is about.

Sound Teaching shows us that godliness is for God’s Glory- pure motive.
False Teaching tells us that godliness is a means to financial gain. If you are godly you will be rich. That is a lie.

We brought nothing into the world and we are taking nothing out. We should be content is we have food and clothing- life’s necessities. If you are godly and content you are “richer” by far then the person who is wealthy in this world’s goods and money but does not Christ..

Those who want to get rich:
1-Fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful and destructive desires.
2-Some have wandered from the faith out of this desire.
3-Some, while they still believe, have pierced themselves with many griefs trying to get rich.

On the one side we have soundness of heart- a heart at peace, on the other a heart full of envy.
With the heart at peace it has a healing effect- it brings soundness and health to the body.
Envy rots the bones.

Let’s follow Paul’s pattern in his writing to Timothy. Let’s start with the negative or the antithesis. This is common in the Proverbs to state a truth and then give the opposite of it, or the other side of the coin if you will.

1. Envy is a horrible thing. v.30b

It is sin. It misses the mark. God created us to be content. We first see envy with Cain and Abel and God’s acceptance of Abel’s sacrifices and rejection of Cain’s.

It is self destructive.
People who envy do not always realize that chemicals are being released into the blood that are not good. It tears at the body’s natural functions of sleep and digestion as well as other things. Envy causes the body to go under stress. Envy robs the body of peace that is a life giving source. Job 5.3 Envy slays the simple.

It is has no end.
The end of envy is either frustration or it finally gets what it wants only to find the green eyed monster wanting more or something else. Power and money and this world’s treasures do not bring satisfaction to the soul.

Envy makes life miserable.

You never get to enjoy what the LORD has given you.
I Timothy 6.17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

You think about what others have and forget what you have. Envy takes us away inwardly from the LORD’s blessings and has us desire another person’s blessings. The things the LORD has given you go largely unnoticed.

You wish your life away. The idea of chasing fantasies is a bad thing. The person who does that (12.11, 28.19) lacks judgment and will have his fill of poverty. One of the blessings that come from hard work is the cumulative effect. We work diligently and we see the result of that labor. I think this is one of the many reasons I enjoy gardening, why others enjoy working with wood or metal, or paints. We find enjoyment in working and accomplishing things. The envious person finds frustration and anger and upset.

Envy is a work of the flesh, an act of the sinful nature. It never operates alone. James tells us,
“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” (James 3.16) Just like money is the root of all kinds of evil, so with envy you have disorder and every evil practice. It pollutes everything around it. Envy creates instability. I believe this has something to do in part with Americans moving every five years on an average. The great unrest we see in people’s souls today is this disorder- this confusion from envy.

2. The Desire for Riches is the Lust of the Eyes.

The glitter of gold. Gold glitters but it does satisfy the longing of your soul.

Gold and precious metals, money and a large stock portfolio are tantalizing to the eyes but they do not satisfy the deepest desires of the heart. The heart longs for peace. Our hearts were created for peace with God and there can be no real satisfaction without Him in our hearts and governing our lives.

It perishes. I will pass away or be passed on. Gold , as precious as it, will wear down and disappear... any ring over 20 years old will show you this truth.

We used to sing as kids, “Be careful little eyes what you see...” Today nearly the whole advertising industry is based on this sinful part of man- appealing to the eyes. They really work the envy angle. They play off this evil desire and I believe get people to buy things and spend money that without the commercials or ads they never would have gotten. A current example of that is the Mazda commercial where the neighbor has a new Toyota. The Mazda is red and shiny, the Toyota is gray. There was even a commercial years ago: “You’ll be the envy of all your friends.” I don’t have friends that are easily given to envy- I have many who rejoice with me over blessings and pray God will bless. I have had some people over the years who had a problem with envy and it not a pleasant thing. I would not want to be the envy of my friends. As we said previously envy is a horrible thing.

3. A Heart at peace is a wonderful thing

It is scarce.
I do not find a great deal of contentment these days. I find people with more than they have ever had but I find them wanting more.

We can learn from the children- watch how easily they can be satisfied. It doesn’t take much. We buy huge presents and they are happy to play with the box they came in

It is opposition to the world.
The world and its desires. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Its desires. Things by their very nature that make me demand more. Contentment is being thankful and at peace with what the LORD has given.

Peace in you heart is found by being content. That is under attack today. People label it complacency. But godliness with contentment is great gain.

4. A Heart at peace gives life to the body. v.30b


Life= living, alive

We have talked about this word “life” recently. It is more than simple biological life although it is that too. It is:.

*Green (of vegetation)- a source of health for the body. Fresh green vegetables- home grown- nothing like them. They are loaded with all kinds of nutrients and minerals and vitamins that build up the body. Go out and cut fresh greens in the spring. A heart at peace is like that. It strengthens the whole body. It gives the body a tonic. Do you feel your heart strengthening you or is your heart heavy and laden down?

If there is envy in your heart then it will be heavy- heavy over things that you want and do not have. It will be heavy and full of warring against your soul. Ah but if you have peace your heart will be light, you will be grateful for all the LORD has given you and you will be free to rejoice over the things He has given and is doing in others.

*Flowing, fresh (of water). There is nothing like a cold glass of water on a hot day. Better yet is a cool stream. I remember climbing into the Rocky Mountains and coming to a stream and kneeling down and drinking. What refreshing I felt invigorated. A heart a peace will do that It will invigorate the whole body.

A heart at peace will invigorate others. We know people like that. Their very presence brings a calming effect. Their homes are places of refuge where the hearts of the saints are refreshed. We love to be around them.

*Lively, active - A heart at peace doesn’t mean sitting around doing nothing. A heart at peace is led by the Spirit into the works God has prepared in advance for us to do Are you finding joy in serving Jesus? Are you finding contentment in what you are doing. A heart at peace is joyfully serving the LORD and finding purpose and meaning in the most menial tasks.

5. A Heart at peace gives soundness to the mind

A Heart at peace will revive (like of the springtime) the person. If you hide God’s Word in your heart, His Spirit will bring those promises when things are difficult. What a blessing to have God’s Word coming to my mind when trouble comes. What a comfort to have His Spirit bring to my mind the things Jesus taught us

If we look at the treasure in God’s Word and we treasure up these things in our heart then they will be ours to make withdraws from when we need them The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6.45

I worked on my calendar through June the other day. I worked right through the spring and into the beginning of summer. As I got into the end of March my mind began to fill with all the flowers and things that will begin to make their appearance. April brought the thoughts of the tulips and the daffodils, May and June the irises and lilies.

That is much like the heart a peace. It has new life year round like that of the springtime. New things are bursting forth because the LORD lives within. Things are developing- good things, pleasant things.

Envy stirs up the heart in a bad way. A heart at peace gives a stability and soundness to the mind and soul.

A heart at peace is worth more than all the more than all the money in the world and all the money in the world can’t buy peace for the heart. That can only come through fully surrendering to Jesus Christ. His peace surpasses all understanding and it guards our hearts and minds in Him. He keeps us in perfect peace if our mind is steadfast because it is we trust in Him.

If your heart is at war against your soul this morning and you don’t have peace, you can stop the war by surrendering to Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can satisfy your soul