Sister Alice Sunday School 5/4/14

Sister Alice Sunday School 5/4/14

Jer 31:21  Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.

The Highway – Strongs H4546 מסלּה m^esillâh mes-il-law'

From H5549; a thoroughfare (as turnpiked), literally or figuratively; specifically a viaduct, a staircase: - causeway, course, highway, path, terrace.

Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries

It’s right, it’s plain, it’s secure, and it’s well tracked.  Exalt, make plain, raise up.

Isa 35:8  And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

Isa 35:9  No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:

Isa 35:10  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

If we really want to serve God with all of our heart, even though we know nothing or very little, we will not error.  If we walk toward the light then we will see the next step and then the next step.

People with a lion like nature, look for prey.  They want a group of other lions that they can rule over.  No one on this highway will be looking for someone under them that they can use.  There are no big I’s or little you’s.  There are no big you’s or little I’s.

The redeemed will be there:  Redeemed from their own ways, redeemed from their sin.

The ransom: the price to be paid was paid by Christ Jesus on the cross that everyone of us could be bought back or redeemed.

Everyone that is truly born again is a part of the church.  If they are serving God with all their heart then they are a part of His church.  We can expect to have joy, rejoicing, and singing on this pathway.  These wonderful things we can expect on this highway. 

A lot of the sorrow in my life is because I didn’t hold on and wait on God.  I jumped in and was left with sorrow because of following the wrong path.

Isa 43:19  Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Have you ever felt that you were in a wilderness in your life?  “I don’t know where to go.  This tree and that mountain look the same as the other.”  If we will trust God then He will make a way in the wilderness and a river in the desert. 

Isa 62:10  Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.

We must not only hear and know; we must get started and go through the gates of salvation to get in.

Isa 26:1  In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

Isa 26:2  Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Isa 26:3  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

We can have perfect peace because our mind is stayed on Him.  Open the gates, whosoever will may enter in.

Pro 16:17  The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

There will be no evil on this way.  We must depart from evil. 

Jer 31:21  Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.

Set - H5324 נצב nâtsab naw-tsab'

A primitive root; to station, in various applications (literally or figuratively): - appointed, deputy, erect, establish, X Huzzah [by mistake for a proper name], lay, officer, pillar, present, rear up, set (over, up), settle, sharpen, stablish, (make to) stand (-ing, still, up, upright), best state.

Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries

Heart – H3820 לב lêb labe

A form of H3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything: -  + care for, comfortably, consent, X considered, courag [-eous], friend [-ly], ([broken-], [hard-], [merry-], [stiff-], [stout-], double) heart ([-ed]), X heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind (-ed), X regard ([-ed)], X themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly, wisdom.

Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries

It is the center of everything.  We want to set our heart. 

I had a discussion with a mother about her child that did not have grandparents.  He is a very brilliant little boy.  He starts the fire and drives a big cat.  When the mom doesn’t let him do what he wants then he is upset and kicks her and says “I hate you.” 

I prayed about it and said, “How can I help her, really truly and not just spout out advice.”  It came to me in prayer to tell her, “You have to capture his heart that he will want to do differently and think differently and see himself as a part of the whole, in a team.” 

Capture his heart:  this is like us, if we are going to make it in this highway, our heart has got to be captured. 

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

They were talking about baptism in the chapter before that it is a symbol of the death to sin and a new life in Christ:

If you be risen with Christ then seek those things which are above.  Christ wants to train us to set our heart so that the actions we do and the feelings we have in our heart the whole body will see and be encouraged. 

Set – G5426 – to exercise your mind.   (There is some effort in exercise.  Thinking of exercise while lying in bed does nothing to help our muscles.)  Mentally dispose in a certain direction.  Interest our self in with concern or obedience.  Be careful of, regard, savor, think.

Affections – G5426 – set your affections is a phrase, they go together. 

How are we going to set our minds?

Jer 6:16  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

The eternal paths are the old paths.  We want to make sure that the path we are on is not just for this life but for the eternal.

Jer 7:23  But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

Get a verse in the bible out and hang onto it.  You can hang onto the promises in the bible.

Jer 30:21  And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.

We have to engage our heart.  Like two gears that engage together to make a machine work.  “I will cause him to draw near…”  How do we get near to God?  In order to set our heart on this highway, we must be drawn near by God.  He is faithful to draw us.

Jer 31:3  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

God loves us, he doesn’t draw us with, “If you don’t walk in my way then this is what is going to happen to you.”  He says, “I love you my son or daughter, and with loving kindness I draw you.”

Son 1:4  Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

Lord I want to be close to you.  Please draw me.  He encouraged us to ask.

Hos 11:4  I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

Brother Bill - The highway is a blessed way and it is to stay away from that which is wrong.  Where is the hard life in that?  Stay away from that which is wrong.  It is a blessed way.  I have seen it in my own family the heartache could have been avoided if they would have just served God.

Sorrow and sighing flee away on this highway.  As soon as we quit choosing bad then we can expect that to flee away.

He drew them with bands of love and took off the yoke.  Sin is a bondage to us and a heavy yoke.  Christ is a blessed liberty.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

We cannot set our heart to God unless He draw us.

Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

No one is left out.  He will draw all men unto Him. 

Jas 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Jas 4:9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

He wants us to all be humble on this pathway.  What have we to be proud of that we will not lose?  Some have such keen hearing that they can be the best hunters.  The most perfect eyesight will wax dim.  It is a blessing to be humble.

We start drawing to Him and He is right there looking for us.  “I’ve been looking for you.”  “I’ve been waiting for you to wake up so I can have a visit with you.”  He has been waiting to draw us.  As soon as we start drawing nigh to God then He is right there waiting.

Engage your heart – to braid, intermix, traffic as in trade.  If you are selling horses, your mind is in it.  You look at every horse and think, that wouldn’t be good…

We must engage our heart.  Mortgage, occupy, give a pledge.  Occupy ‘til I come: keep your heart engaged in working for the master until He comes again.