Make Me To Know

Rise and Shine for Jesus! \O/

By Pam Iannello  (my late mother)

Job13:23, "How many are mine iniquities and my sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin."

Can you ever remember a time when you prayed this way? What did Job ask God to grant him? Knowledge of his sins... He actually wants to tackle the worst about himself and invited God to help him! A rare quality indeed…The Bible says in Proverbs 20:6, “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?”

Through Job we discover the necessary perspective we should all have in order to remain teachable and moldable as God’s children! Ladies, our heavenly Father will gladly make known our transgressions and our sins to us when we ask Him. Not because He is a great big bully, but because He loves us and wants His children to cut themselves off from sin. Hence, we are then free to grow spiritually. However, most of us are more in tune to the many sins of others rather than our own! The question is, when you find out what your sins and transgressions are, what will you do about them??  Will you debate the reason, confess them and repent of them, or just ignore the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit?  

Job 6:24, "Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred."

Job even had enough character to approach those who knew him well in the very same manner he approached God. He requested they too, join him in discussing his various imperfections. Here was a man that was ready to yield should it appear that he was in error. Do you care today how many are your sins, dear lady? Do you give diligent thought to the way in which you are erring? Can you freely admit your faults to man or even be approached to discuss them? Are you quiet long enough before God so He can teach you the mistakes you are making? In humble sincerity, will you ask the Lord to make them known to you and then yield to the right way of living? On the other hand, maybe that is not something you have wanted to address or even felt you needed to. Remember ladies, the Christian life is not a destination at which we arrive, but rather a journey we travel in this life. It is to be an upward journey, a forward journey - never backward, and never downward.

The same yielded spirit of Job is illustrated in the life of Ezra as seen in verse 21 of Ezra chapter 8: 

“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and our little ones, and for all our substance.”

We find that Ezra proclaimed a fast for one reason - to seek after God. Like Job, Ezra realized the importance of depending upon the Lord. Before leaving on their journey, he sought after his Creator for direction in his life. He set a season apart to gain wisdom... Whenever we are about to cross the threshold of new circumstances, we should be careful not to bring our old sinful ways along with us! For that reason, Ezra humbled himself before the Lord and requested a thorough education in the way he should go. This was to be no minor course either, for Ezra was not interested in being hasty! You see, he proclaimed his fast near a river – he planned on remaining where water was available for however long his schooling might take. In applying that same principle to today, you should park yourself in a good church and settle in to be taught as did Ezra! Proverbs 20:21 says, “An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.”. Conditions suddenly brought about are often suddenly ruined… Rather than trusting in himself, Ezra rested in God's leadership. He preferred to be skilled in finding the right way to go; not only for himself, but also for the sake of the children he was responsible for, and for all his substance. Not one area of his life did Ezra keep back from God! In addition to being truly teachable, Ezra was also a good example to the little ones traveling with him through life, teaching them how to handle their own affairs wisely by seeking after God first and without hurriedness. Ladies, did you ever stop to consider how your mind-set is affecting the younger generation that God has surrounded you with?  Are you an example of one who is completely dependent upon the Lord in all areas of your life, or typically independent of Him?

Proverbs 20:24, “Man's goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?”

Humility begins with self-examination, and continues on with self denial. When we can pray as Job did above, we are willing and ready to examine ourselves thoroughly and with God’s aid. We will not form plans of our own… Then in meekness of heart, we will turn away from our sins one by one and to the Lord in total dependency. This, ladies, is teachableness in action! How much of it is exhibited in your Christian life? The more you and I spend time in the Word of God, the more we will realize what we do not know, and what we need to know!

Proverbs 19:2, “Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.”

If you do not take time to ponder the path of your feet as soberly as did Ezra, you will end up residing on the dead end street of your indulgences! Wise is the Christian who humbly and frequently seeks to be taught…

Psalm 25:9, "The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way."

Ladies, are you in the habit of seeking guidance from someone you know has a strong walk with the Lord when you find out you do not have all the answers? On the other hand, do you think it a sign of weakness if you can't uncover the answers by yourself?  Do you look down at those who seek to be taught from others? That is just your pride! Humility prevents such issues from mattering to us, for it seeks instruction regardless of the appearance! It is the manifestation of good judgment in your life, not stupidity… A teachable spirit was seen in the Ethiopian eunuch who had enough sense to realize when he needed guidance in the things of the Lord and it drove him to ask for help....

Acts 8:31, "And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me?  And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him."

If you cannot accept the reality that periodically you're going to need someone to sit with you and tutor you through your errors, then you are not teachable!  How do you think Philip acquired his education in order that he might adequately answer this eunuch's questions??  No doubt, he had to bring himself under the teaching of someone.... Ladies, if you can't see yourself doing that, you won't ever be used to teach others when escorted around by your own unteachable attitude! You will in no way be called upon by God to instruct those who want to learn if you can't humble yourself first and learn from others. In the case of the eunuch, we sense that God is lovingly aware of all those individuals with seeking, teachable hearts and is faithful to provide somebody able to answer their questions. May you be humble enough to be called upon for such a job... Prepare yourself today by inviting God to make you know your own transgression and sin! 

God Bless,

Pam

Isaiah 60:1&2

Copyright 2002 Pamela A. Iannello