CONTINUED FROM LAST POST.....
MORE QUESTIONS.....Where is 'heaven'?Where is the 'promised land' [spoken of
throughout the Bible]?
Where is the 'redemption' of the children of Israel [spoken of
throughout the Old Testament]?
[whose journey through the wilderness, on their way to the 'promised land', is an analogy, or a parable [for
our lives], to all mankind.]
[the word 'Israel' means, a prince with God. i.e.
accepted of God.]
Matthew 13:10
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Many ppl today see only this material world, and have no perception of a spirit world.
And likewise, the children of this material world, cannot comprehend 'where', or what 'heaven' is.
....the children of this world,
do not seek God, because, they love this world.
They cannot understand, that 'heaven', is to be in the very presence of God.
That is where heaven 'is', 'heaven' is to be in the very presence of God.
....and outside of his presence, is darkness.
1 John 1:5
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, THAT GOD IS LIGHT, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
Acts 17:27
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said,
For we are also his offspring.
Hebrews 12:9
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto
the Father of spirits, and live?
Of [spiritual] children and parents.....Galatians 4:1-7
http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?t=KJV&x=0&y=0&b=Gal&c=4&v=1I have come to see the bible as a book full of HIDDEN-IN-PLAIN-SIGHT parables, which explore man's condition, and which explain his relationship with God.Jeremiah 17:10
I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
If you want to find God, then God's advice [within the Bible] is very simple.
Seek him.....i.e. read the Bible, and pray to him.
Deuteronomy 4:29
Psalms 119:2
Jeremiah 29:13
Romans 3:11
Acts 17:27
The Bible contains a deep matrix of information [which most men do not have the patience to uncover, and explore].
....the deeper you study it [by just simple reading],
the more it will reveal to your heart, about the nature of our God.
But that requirement [a need for some dedication], is a simple and natural filter, against
those who hate God.
....[and men, think that *they* are clever!]
Proverbs 8:17
Psalms 25:14
John 5:39
We walk this earth today, and many men scoff,
...that, 'God' does not reveal himself.
And yet in our journey here, so few of us consider the question,
....
*Who* is it, that *is* being revealed???2 Peter 3:3
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
.....21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Psalms 25:12
What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
Psalms 5:4
For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness:
neither shall evil dwell with thee.Psalms 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.