In my post yesterday I opened by talking a bit about the voice heard but no one visible is to be seen or known by observation with our eyes. Then I stated that this voice may even come from deep within our soul and consciousness. Then some time ago I shared about the little ball of light that came from the center of my being grow some what in size and then return to been seen again some 20 or so years later. With each of these all I have to say is welcome to my spiritual world as sojourner on this earth that many call home. It has been said that your home is where your heart is, for me and my wife ours is looking heaven ward, even our rented house is uneasy and not in a state of being settled. And though we have peace and rest in GOD there are still seasons of uncomforting and direst caused by our humanness. Okay enough of that, now for Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace as experienced by Abraham and his families sojourning. Then I will look at man's heart being searched and known by the LORD making use of the ESV translation, both being part of my e-Sword program. I must warn you that in this search of our study topic, there are portions of heavy warnings against those who are of another belief and persuasion.
"More on Abraham's Patient, Heavenly Pilgrimage, by Faith"
"And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:15-16)
"Abraham (and his family) lived as "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13). He lived as an obedient sojourner here on earth, trusting GOD to lead them about as one who was in the world, but not of the world. He also lived as a patient, heavenly pilgrim, trusting GOD to lead him eventually to the eternal homeland that awaits all who have saving faith in the LORD. We have a similar calling from the LORD. "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul" (1Peter 2:11).
Abraham understood that spiritual sojourners and heaven-bound pilgrims must stay away from earth-bound cravings that undermine one's godly quest. "And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return." Abraham and his seed had many tests and trials in their pilgrimage with the LORD. If they had set their attention on the country they forsook, they would have been tempted to return there. The enemy of our souls wants to wage war against us by ensnaring us again in the world that we have forsaken: "in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). Everyone is vulnerable to such attack. Even one of Paul's early associates in ministry fell prey to this enticement. "Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world" (2Timothy 4:10). Thus, the LORD warns us to stay away from any indulgent relationship with the world. "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1John 2:15).
Instead, we are to desire the priorities of Abraham and his family. "But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country." Even though the land of promise was in their inheritance that will come about, they hungered for the ultimate realities of heaven above. Such heaven-focused faith is pleasing to our heavenly Father. "Therefore GOD is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." In this heavenly city ("the city of the living GOD — Hebrews 12:22), we will dwell forever with our glorious LORD!" This where we have our answer to, can two walk together except they be in agreement? Wherein we have taken on the character of Abraham as part of the nations of promise. (Genesis 12:3, 18:18, 22:18, 26:4, 28:14, 30: )
Man's Hearts Searched by the LORD,
1Chronicles 28:9 and Psalm 44: "And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.
Psalm 44:20-26 "If we had forgotten the name of our GOD or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not GOD discover this? For HE knows the secrets of the heart. Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. Awake! Why are you sleeping, O LORD? Rouse Yourself! Do not reject us forever! Why do You hide Your face? Why do You forget our affliction and oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground. Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of Your steadfast love!"
Jeremiah 17:9-11 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? "I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds." Like the partridge that gathers a brood that she did not hatch, so is he who gets riches but not by justice; in the midst of his days they will leave him, and at his end he will be a fool."
Amos 9:1-4 "I saw the LORD standing beside the altar, and He said: "Strike the capitals until the thresholds shake, and shatter them on the heads of all the people; and those who are left of them I will kill with the sword; not one of them shall flee away; not one of them shall escape. "If they dig into Sheol, from there shall My hand take them; if they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down. If they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search them out and take them; and if they hide from My sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them. And if they go into captivity before their enemies, there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them; and I will fix My eyes upon them for evil and not for good."
Zephaniah 1:7-13 "Be silent before the LORD GOD! For the day of the LORD is near; the LORD has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated His guests. And on the day of the LORD's sacrifice— "I will punish the officials and the king's sons and all who array themselves in foreign attire. On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their master's house with violence and fraud. "On that day," declares the LORD, "a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second Quarter, a loud crash from the hills. Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar! For all the traders are no more; all who weigh out silver are cut off. At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, 'The LORD will not do good, nor will HE do ill.' Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them."
Romans 8:26-27 "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning's too deep for words. And HE Who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the Will of GOD."
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