I am moving on to our restoration of spiritual things to the penitent as my next targeted subject. But first Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching of Grace as seen in Jeremiah. Then with the use of the ESV translation Spiritual Restoration. I know that it should go without comment but all is done under the led of the LORD. As we walk through this life as One, in the way GOD intended eons ago. I must state that this study has graphic language for some people's eyes as it reveals what those who place more trust in themselves and mans flesh, in the false religions of man and its teachings. As both are metaphors, they being Egypt and Israel. Where Egypt, this worlds false economies, governments and religions and Israel, is mans religion which springs from godly intent, are being brought to light as such. Israel being a type of church, as an assembly of called people.
"Jeremiah Contrasting the Two Options on Trust"
"Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD." (Jeremiah 17:5-8)
"Jeremiah also offers insight into living by Grace as he contrasts the two options of trust. When it comes to where we will place our trust, there are basically only two choices: man or GOD. This choice is a critical one, because one is a curse, and the other is a blessing. "Cursed is the man who trusts in man . . . Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD."
The natural mind of fallen humanity places its confidence in man (usually, in themselves). The flesh of every born again believer in Jesus Christ is tempted to place trust in the same direction. This brings a very serious spiritual curse. "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength." When we exercise dependency upon man, we can only draw upon fleshly resources for strength. This is departure from the LORD in Whom we are to trust: "whose heart departs from the LORD." The LORD is the only source of all true blessings. Consequently, to trust in man results in a curse. This speaks to the worlds churches as they push GOD and His Holy Spirit out of their presence by reverting to man, as the focus of worship. By walking in the rebellion of disobedience by allowing a paganism of "self-will" to rule. Where evil is called good or progressivism and righteousness evil.
The curse that results from depending upon human resources (ours or others) is barrenness of life, spiritually speaking. "For he shall be like a shrub in the desert." A desert shrub represents the antithesis of abundant spiritual life. It is the picture of a plant that is barely surviving. Desert shrubs are typically sparse in growth and lacking in fruitfulness. A person who trusts in flesh is like this shrub. Also, he will not see good days of bountiful vitality. "For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes." People who trust in the fallen resources of man never do really see days that GOD's word calls good. Rather, they dwell in spiritual conditions that are like salty soil, wastelands, scorched land, incapable of habitation: "but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited." Such living is a cursed spiritual existence of carnal desolation. Without GOD! Today this reality is being played out before our eyes here in America with the choice to allow or not to allow the Muslims to occupy our Country. This being the same problematic situation of other Nations. When we see clearly the distinction drawn here we see the region of the world where this one of mans many religions lives, as a GOD-less people.
Yet, there is a fully effective option by which such barrenness can be avoided. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD."
Spiritual Restoration of the Penitent,
Psalm 51:10-13 "Create in me a clean heart, O GOD, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your way, and sinners will return to You."
Isaiah 57:14-21 "It shall be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from My people's way." For thus says the One Who is High and lifted up, Who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the High and Holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before Me, and the breath of life that I made. Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid My face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near," says the LORD, "and I will [give My Salvation] heal him. But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. There is no peace," says my GOD, "for the wicked."
Jeremiah 3:21-23 "A voice on the bare heights is heard, the weeping and pleading of Israel's sons because they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the LORD their GOD. "Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness." "Behold, we come to you, for you are the LORD our God. Truly the hills are a delusion, the orgies on the mountains. Truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel."
Jeremiah 30:12-17 "For thus says the LORD: Your hurt is incurable, and your wound is grievous. There is none to uphold your cause, no medicine for your wound, no healing for you. All your lovers have forgotten you; they care nothing for you; for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy, the punishment of a merciless foe, because your guilt is great, because your sins are flagrant. Why do you cry out over your hurt? Your pain is incurable. Because your guilt is great, because your sins are flagrant, I have done these things to you. Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured, and all your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity; those who plunder you shall be plundered, and all who prey on you I will make a prey. For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the LORD, because they have called you an outcast: 'It is Zion, for whom no one cares!'"
Hosea 14:4-7 "I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for My anger has turned from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon; his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon."
Micah 7:14-20 "Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, who dwell alone in a forest in the midst of a garden land; let them graze in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old. As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things. The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall lay their hands on their mouths; their ears shall be deaf; they shall lick the dust like a serpent, like the crawling things of the earth; they shall come trembling out of their strongholds; they shall turn in dread to the LORD our God, and they shall be in fear of you. Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over [our rebellion of] transgression for the remnant [from the nations] of His inheritance? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as You have sworn to our fathers from the days of old."
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