IMAGINATIONS

In Genesis 6:5 we find that God is totally displeased concerning the vain Imagination.   “The Lord saw that the wickedness (depravity) of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination or intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually.”  And in Gen. 11:6 as noted by Moses, “And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one [unified] people, and they all have the same language. This is only the beginning of what they will do [in rebellion against Me], and now no evil thing they imagine they can do will be impossible for them.”

So today we see Thousands dead, many thousands injured and the possibility of a 3rd world war due to the vain imaginations of one man who imagines to restore the old USSR and to be it’s king.

Actually this is what caused lucifer (satan) to defect from being a wonderful archangel to becoming an enemy of our Creator.  Ezek. 28:5-7    “By your great wisdom and by your trade You have increased your riches and power,  And your heart is proud and arrogant because of your wealth;  Therefore thus says the Lord God,  ‘Because you have imagined your mind [to be] Like the mind of God [having thoughts and plans like God Himself],  Therefore, behold, I will bring strangers upon you,  The most ruthless and violent of the nations. And they will draw their swords Against the beauty of your wisdom And defile your splendor.  (should read the whole chapter.)

So imaginations can be either GOOD or BAD.   As for Jesus, Heb.12:1-3.  “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of [a] witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us,  [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [imaginations of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, [b] disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].   Just consider and meditate on Him who endured from sinners such bitter hostility against Himself [consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Or we may end up in Rom. 1:20-24.   “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves…..”   2 Cor. 10:5.  “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

So Take Care with Your Liberty 1 Cor. 8:1-3.  “Now about food sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge [concerning this]. But knowledge [alone] makes [people self-righteously] arrogant, but love [that unselfishly seeks the best for others] builds up and encourages others to grow [in wisdom].  If anyone imagines that he knows and understands anything [of divine matters, without love], he does not yet known as he ought to know.  But if anyone loves God [with awe-filled reverence, obedience and gratitude], he is known by Him [as His very own and is greatly loved].

For many years I have been considering the unity factor as first mentioned in Gen.11:6 and how disunity can prevent the power of the Holy Spirit from having the freedom to confirm the Word of God in Power like when Jesus returned to Nazareth. Matt.13:57-58.   Our Creator God will only allow His  PURE Truth to be confirmed by HIS power,  2 Tim.3:5.   So unless our unity factor includes God’s absolute TRUTH as well as unity,  it will be only an organization but never have the confirmation of God’s Power.  Yet, the church of today is so full of vain (prideful) doctrines and traditions but very difficult to find a church that matches the Book of Acts.  And the church of today seems to have adjusted to being mostly words & doctrine but with little or no power.   And so there is very little faith now in most Christians to do what Jesus did and greater things as Jesus taught us that we should do.  John 14:12,   Mark 16:16-20,  1 John 4:17.  So seems our efforts may be in vain unless we carefully exclude the vain traditions of today’s church in our efforts.   

My vision or imagination here is to find and submit to God’s absolute Truth and to  find souls who are interested in writing another chapter in the Book of Acts,   Acts 29 if you will.   A committed people  that have the imagination and faith to come together in pure truth and unity to allow the Holy Spirit to establish them in the building of that powerful Church that Jesus came to build and sent the Holy Spirit to complete.   A Church without walls and without spot, wrinkle or blemish that has made herself ready to be joined for eternity to her King and Master.  A Church of God’s people who honor only the pure Truth of God’s Word as found in the context of the Holy Scriptures.  And being super aware of the limited understanding and simplicity of the language of those scriptures in sharing the Glory of God.   1 Cor. 2:8-10.   “ None of the rulers of this age recognized and understood this wisdom; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;  but just as it is written [in Scripture],  “Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man,   All that God has prepared for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, who obey Him, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that He has bestowed].”  10 For God has unveiled them and revealed them to us through the [Holy] Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things [diligently], even [sounding and measuring] the [profound] depths of God [the divine counsels and things far beyond human understanding].