Friday, March 12, 2021

Taking a Stand Against Vain Imaginings


 The person who truly loves Christ is the one who’s going to stand up for Christ no matter if they lose friends, family, or if the world hates them. It will not matter to them about that group who goes around to cancel others for Christ is in the heart of the believer who has their heart set on His plan and not the world’s plan. The person who truly loves Christ will expose the deeds of darkness!  

Ephesians 5:8-14   NKJV ……8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as His children of light. 9 ( for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

This is Paul’s term for a believer’s and unbeliever’s conduct! The faithful believers do more than abstain from evil; they denounce the deeds of darkness as the unfruitful, shameful and not worthwhile.

  Psalm 94:16  Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand for me against those who practice iniquity?    It is the Lord who sustains the righteous in their battle with the wicked.

 John 7:24  Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. This refers to social injustice!

 

God cast out the “vain” from heaven: His name was satan or you might know him as Lucifer! ….. Luke 10:18-20   And He said to them, "I saw satan fall like lightning from Heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

Yes, Lucifer fell out of heaven and it was a display of that which revolted against God the Creator! Jesus came to gain back authority that was taken in the Garden of Eden. It included Adam’s authority to subdue and have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living that moves on the earth.

Vain imaginations is of the devil and the human thought of the “Me” syndrome! But God made us in His image to be of His likeness and to be morally right before Him. That we would know we are those with intelligence, perception, and self-determination to far exceed any other living creature on the face of the earth!  We are spiritual who not only has a body, but soul and spirit. God desires us to come higher to His ways and thoughts of being. And not to be animalistic in behavior seeking only fleshly gratification.

Romans 1:20-25……KJV….20 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:

21 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.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the un-corruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

¶ 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

 

Yes, like from these verses, man will seek to gratify himself with things like those who came out of Egypt who sought to have the priest Aaron to make for them a golden calve, yet a calve had not delivered them out of the clutches of Pharaoh! While Moses is up on the mount with God, these decide to do something different from God!

The Israelites had the example of this from Pharaoh of a man who had the hardened heart. And the more plagues presented to him, the more he responded in hate and hardness! Exodus 5:2…2 Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go." NIV

Those who know not God, who do not have that relationship with Him, will do things that dictate that they have no God before them. Pharaoh might have been a leader but his rule over the land was for the worthless idols he sought!

Even within his fortified city of which he called home, was also home to a great garrison of soldiers and charioteers. Even their horses were the Arabian, that was bred for endurance in harsh dry climates like the Egyptian desert! But even in all the wealth seen in this great fortress, from the wines to special desserts, and fabulous dressing gowns, diseases were rampant and many people died. No incantations could be done……..there was no cure!

Was it their idolatry…………..a plague of their heart? The people harassed by this tyrant seen in Pharaoh called out to God. And when prayer was made, a man was sent; Moses was his name.

It was in times of a national calamity as: in drought, locusts or caterpillar, mildew or in pestilence (disease) supplications were presented. And God answered in regard to the grief of an individual , when every man would know the plague of his own heart. Plague is more than heart pain, grief or worry. Plague is a disease caused by sin.

 ONLY what is of God is truth. So any other mere words are men’s Words.

John 8:42-47….KJV………….42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

43 Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word.

44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

46 Which of you convinces me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

47 He that is of God hears God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

 

Jesus was not soft. He told these men they were of their father the devil.. If we stop  defending Christianity, that is exposing evil, rebuking those false teachers, and confronting believers, we will have more people lost and led astray than those who are the saved!

Vain imagining can be stopped when there are the times of praise, exalting God in His wonders: Nehemiah 9:10 You showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his servants, and against all the people of his land. For You knew they acted proudly against them. So You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day. This was corporate prayer that was prayed by an  entire nation that gathered to confess sin & receive God’s forgiveness and restoration. But they remembered what God did…through Moses..

In Daniel 3:19-25 ….men bound in their coats, trousers, turbans & other  garments were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace….three men of prayer, worshippers of God went in the fire…from…verse 21….and in verse 25 four men are seen…. 25 “Look ! he answered I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire; & they are  not hurt, & the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

God assisting His own in Signs and Wonders and what a life that is indeed!

 

God’s word is our lens to seeing correctly. So blurred vision can come when we are superficial with prayer and to not knowing the Word of God! God is relational & through these written words about signs and wonders what is revealed is the signs & wonders in those who obeyed HIM!

Where is the flow of the Spirit?....Human nature says: look at my body, I need food, feed me, my muscles feel weak ..The spiritual man speaks 1 Corinthians 2:13…NKJV…13 these things we speak not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches,  comparing spiritual things with spiritual.                                                                                                                

Our prayer life is comprised of knowing His written word; to live by it ………so that John 17:3 And this is eternal life:[ it means] to know ( to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the]Christ ( the anointed One, the Messiah, Whom You have sent … and .is revealed in and through our lives.

 

We are to be understanding our Father always. We are to exalt Him in His truth and faithfulness. We exalt Him in His greatness and authority. And then in those quiet, secret place times with HIM,  we cast down those thoughts that are contrary to God's heart and Spirit.  Many people say they love God, but is it equally true that they hate evil? Truly loving God is demonstrated in and by our character when we will not tolerate evil in our own hearts.

Honor the Lord: Highly esteem Him and make His Name distinct in Your speaking.  We stop speaking about us, and speak  about Him! WE Humble ourselves under His mighty Hand. As we are yielded to the Holy Spirit, planting His Word within us, we will have eyes to recognize evil. Many times it comes in a form that is pleasant or seems acceptable. Some evil is obvious, while other times it does take Holy Spirit discernment to see it. God will help you as you lean into Him. Let His praise continually be in your mouth and have a joyful, peaceful and glorious day with God!

Matthew 10:32-34….Amplified Bible…32 Therefore, everyone who acknowledges Me before men and confesses Me [out of a state of oneness with Me], I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven and confess [ that I am abiding in] Him. 33 But whoever denies and disowns Me before men, I also will deny and disown.

We should be about conversation and Jesus should be in it! Other than that you are only giving people “you”! In our daily routine of life, we are to be speaking of the Lord, the oneness we have with Him. Just because there are rebel rousers, we are to be still speaking God’s peace in His truth for life.

 

1 Corinthians 2:12-16 Amplified Bible………12. Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to ] the world but the Holy Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. 13 And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Holy Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. 14 But the natural, non-spiritual man does not welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly ( meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. 15 But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. 16 For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts ( feelings and purposes ) of His heart.  (Isaiah 40:11)

Spirit always answers to spirit. We are spirit beings, and we have a body and soul! So of the three spiritual categories you have what is the natural man, unregenerate and devoid of the spirit who has no appreciation for the Gospel. Another is the spiritual man, regenerated and possessing spiritual maturity and are seen as those free from sectarian strife! 

Titus 3:4-11  Amplified Bible 4 But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man [as man] appeared, 5 He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing bath of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 Which He poured out [so] richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 [And he did it in order] that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved), [ that we might be acknowledged and counted as conformed to the divine will in purpose, thought and action],

To purpose, was it for God’s purpose or my thinking by  my reasoning or my  senses… for purpose, for thought, was of the divine thought or my opinion, and that action, was it designated by God and His ways or again by my own thinking. Our thoughts must align with His thoughts! No opinions allowed!

 

 And that we might become heirs of eternal life according to [our hope]. HOPE IS:….elpis : with anticipation with an expectation in the confidence we have in God

Is my hope in me, is it found in my husband, is my hope in the Social Security System…my hope IS TRULY TO BE IN GOD!

8 This message is most trustworthy, and concerning these things I want you to insist steadfastly, so that those who have believed in (trusted in, relied on,) God may be careful to apply themselves to honorable occupations and to doing good, for such  themselves are [not only] excellent and right [in themselves,] but [they] are good and profitable for the people.  9 But avoid stupid and foolish controversies and genealogies and dissentions and wrangling about the Law, for they are unprofitable and futile. 10 [As for] a man who is factious [a heretical sectarian and cause of divisions] , after admonishing him a first and second time, reject [him from your fellowship and have nothing more to do with him],  11 Well aware that such a person has utterly changed (is perverted and corrupted); he goes on sinning [though he] is convicted of guilt and self-condemned.

 

From verses 8-11 Paul tells us to shun strife and factions. We are to have a transformed life that is that response to the grace of mercy revealed by God through His Son Jesus.  So in context, the meaning of verse 10 has to do with sectarian…he who causes divisions…. Is one of having a spirit toward or a devotion to a particular religion or sect. it is toward having dogmatic limits of bigotry regarding something specific as to the outward appearance. The Lord looks on the heart! Adhering to specific opinions in regard to intolerance with doctrine or belief as opinion and not authoritatively approved  is contrary to the Word of God. With God’s Word as the standard, anything outside of that is departing from truth.

  Being made new by the Holy Spirit we are activated in the Kingdom of heaven.. We are to seek unity within God’s church of believer’s. And it is by the Holy Spirit we can see deceptive doctrine displayed as well as seen in divisive behavior.

 And the third spiritual type category is the “carnal” man. He is regenerate but living much like an unregenerate, is a believer but is childish in his ways, has the spirit of a jealous and divisiveness ! This is one that will live more for human opinion than for Christ!

Again, the faithful believers do more than abstain from evil; they denounce the deeds of darkness as the unfruitful, shameful and not worthwhile. We prepare for our day or week by going to prayer and the word of God. We have conversation with Him and ask what to say to give His plan to others.  And in that prayer time we are not guessing about what is going on but we pray from the authority that has been given us through Jesus..And within God & His purpose, we  stay in His authority & speak & pray from that authority.

God’s power is exalted in us when our weaknesses are greatest because He “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). It is God’s power that continues to hold us in a state of grace despite our sin (2 Timothy 1:12), and by His power we are kept from falling (Jude 24). His power will be proclaimed by all the host of heaven for all eternity (Revelation 19:1). May that be our endless prayer in Jesus’ name! 

Go in His power and His might speaking boldness in whom you have confidence and see His glory cover this land!

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