IMAGINATION

Adam777 · October 13, 2019

to see and hear God in the world about us.

1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? WHERE IS THE DISPUTER OF THIS WORLD? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom THE GOD OF THIS WORLD HATH BLINDED THE MINDS OF THEM WHICH BELIEVE NOT, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

1 Timothy 6:17 CHARGE THEM THAT ARE RICH IN THIS WORLD

James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, HATH NOT GOD CHOSEN THE POOR OF THIS WORLD rich in faith

1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, even our faith.

John 18:36 Jesus answered, MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, INHERIT THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU from the foundation of the world:

John 7:7 THE WORLD cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I TESTIFY OF IT, THAT THE WORKS THEREOF ARE EVIL.

John 17:15 I pray NOT that thou shouldest TAKE THEM OUT OF THE WORLD, but that thou SHOULDEST KEEP THEM FROM THE EVIL.

Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might DELIVER US FROM THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD, according to the will of God and our Father:

1 John 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and THE WHOLE WORLD LIETH IN WICKEDNESS.

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and SATAN, WHICH DECEIVETH THE WHOLE WORLD: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Revelation 16:14 For they are the SPIRITS OF DEVILS, working miracles, WHICH GO FORTH UNTO the kings of THE EARTH AND OF THE WHOLE WORLD, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Luke 21:33 HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY: BUT MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY.
34 And TAKE HEED UNTO YOURSELVES, lest at any time your hearts be OVERCHARGED WITH SURFEITING, and drunkenness, AND CARES OF THIS LIFE, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 FOR AS A SNARE SHALL IT COME ON ALL THAT THAT DWELL ON THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH.

2 Peter 3:11 SEEING THEN THAT ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE DISSOLVED, what manner of persons ought ye to be IN ALL HOLY CONVERSATION AND GODLINESS,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, LOOK FOR NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, WHEREIN DWELLETH RIGHTEOUSNESS.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, BE DILLIGENT that ye MAY BE FOUND OF HIM IN PEACE, WITHOUT SPOT, AND BLAMELESS.

Psalm 37:8 CEASE FROM ANGER, and forsake wrath: FRET NOT THYSELF IN ANY WISE TO DO EVIL.
9 FOR EVIL DOERS SHALL BE CUT OFF: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 BUT THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH( INHERIT THE KINGDOM...NOT OF THIS WORLD) ; and SHALL DELIGHT THEMSELVES IN THE ABUNDANCE OF PEACE ( THEY WHERE DILLIGENT TO BE FOUND OF HIM IN PEACE).

Poetry, art, and music can take us to places that literal and scientific truth

Isaiah 52:15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Acts 17:21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. WHOM THEREFORE YE IGNORANTLY WORSHIP, HIM DECLARE I UNTO YOU.
24 GOD THAT MADE THE WORLD and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, DWELLETH NOT IN TEMPLES MADE WITH HANDS;
25 NEITHER IS WORSHIPPED WITH MEN'S HANDS, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
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.
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but NOW COMMANDETH ALL MEN EVERY WHERE TO REPENT:
31 BECAUSE he hath appointed a day, in the which HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

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.

it seems that God has fun with creation. Why else would we see long-necked giraffes, elephants using their long noses to suck up water, camels with lumps on their backs, and so many other curious creatures? …O LORD, how manifold are your works!

Job 39:13 Gavest thou the goodly WINGS UNTO THE PEACOCKS? or WINGS AND FEATHERS UNTO THE OSTRICH?
14 WHICH LEAVETH HER EGGS in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,
15 AND FORGETTETH THAT THE FOOT MAY CRUSH THEM, or that the wild beast may break them.
16 SHE IS HARDENED against her young ones, as though they were not her's: HER LABOUR IS IN VAIN WITHOUT FEAR;
17 BECAUSE GOD HATH DEPRIVED OF HER WISDOM, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

Matthew 15:9 BUT IN VAIN THEY DO WORSHIP ME TEACHING FOR DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.

Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, AND THEIR FEAR TOWARD ME IS TAUGHT BY THE PRECEPT OF MEN:
14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for THE WISDOM OF THEIR WISE MEN SHALL PERISH, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

Jeremiah 8:7 YEA, THE STORK IN HE HEAVEN KNOWETH HER APPOINTED TIMES; and THE TURTLE AND THE CRANE AND THE SWALLOW OBSERVE THE TIME OF THEIR COMING; but MY PEOPLE KNOW NOT THE JUDGEMENT OF THE LORD.

Job 41:31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
33 UPON EARTH THERE IS NOT HIS LIKE, WHO IS MADE WITHOUT FEAR.
34 He beholdeth all high things: HE IS KING OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF PRIDE.

racing across the sky in a convertible. But when I gaze reverently at the changes in the clouds moved by wind

Jude 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, FEEDING THEMSELVES WITHOUT FEAR: clouds they are without water, CARRIED ABOUT OF WINDS; trees whose fruit withereth, WITHOUT FRUIT, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Imagination is a facet of the mind along with reason, emotions, and the will. Memory employs the imagination so that we can recall events of the past. Imagination also allows us to contemplate our lives in the present. It also empowers us to visualize the future, which is necessary for planning and decision-making.

Our own mind heart and eyes..

Numbers 15:39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them ; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

but we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

Emotions and the memory of us:

Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

The past:

Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Phillipians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The future:

Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

James 4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

The present:

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Past future and present with God..

Ecclesiastes 3:1 TO EVERY THING every thing THERE IS a season, and a time to EVERY PURPOSE under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: AND GOD DOETH IT THAT MEN SHOULD FEAR BEFORE HIM.
15 THAT WHICH HATH BEEN IS NOW; and THAT WHICH IS TO BE HATH ALREADY BEEN; and God requireth that which is past.

Ephesians 1:4 ACCORDING AS HE HATH CHOSEN US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME BEFORE HIM IN LOVE:

Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, WHICH AFTER GOD IS CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS.

Luke 1:75 IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE HIM, ALL THE DAYS OF OUR LIFE.

Imagination makes possible empathy, the ability to assume the perspective of someone else

Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Jesus is also calling for an imaginative act when he tells us “you shall love your neighbor as yourself”

A demonstrated act to believe in and to follow..

2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Ephesians 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Our imaginations need to be cultivated and disciplined. But ultimately, they need to be redeemed. Christ’s death and resurrection gives us forgiveness and the power to die to the old and live to the new. Immersion in God’s Word, which directly addresses our imaginations

Redeemed by the answer of a good conscience, exercising all the thoughts to obedience of Christ so they do not be evil as the entire scriptures witness for mans imagination when uncontrolled..

1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Acts 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.

2 Corinthians 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;

Meditation on the Bible, as practiced by the Puritans among others, included vividly imagining what the Scripture passage was describing.

2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

Genesis 40:8 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

Christian artists, writers, and preachers have given the church—as well as civilization as a whole—a rich legacy of imaginative works that convey the Christian worldview in a compelling way

2 Peter 2:2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

Luke 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Adam777 · October 13, 2019

Imagination. Biblical or evil?