REDEEMING THROUGH IMAGINATION

                    I read something recently which said; "Imagination is the redemptive power of the world." I don't remember where I read it, but I wrote it in my journal and have been thinking on it. I believe this is a very true and powerful statement! A statement which can encourage us to fulfill our divine purpose.

                    The invisible realm is the source and sole cause of all that is visible. The scriptures reveal this principle in Hebrew 11 by saying; "The world was framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Everything seen came from an unseen realm. Therefore, everything orignated from spirit.

                    When God created trees, fish, the sun, and mankind, what substance was used to create them? He took from the unseen realm and brought them into manifestation in the visible realm. It began in the imagination (image-nation) of God. It was then released through the vibrations of the spoken word and the elements brought them into manifestation. What does the imagination of God consist of? Genesis 1 tells us very clearly. "God looked at all He created and it was VERY GOOD!" Within the imagination of God there is no duality of good and evil, or right or wrong. Those principles were brought in through the imagination of man separated from its divine source.

                    "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Gen. 6:5

                    Further, at the Tower of Babel, it was revealed that nothing man could imagine would be restrained from him. Man had power to create his world from his vain imagination, which is exactly what we are seeing projected on the screen of life today. It has come from the unseen realm of his imagination and manifested in the physical realm of our world. All war, disease, hatred, and separation has been created by the vain imagination of man!

                    If this is true, then what is the answer to all the world's problems? The answer is, an imagination awakened to the redemptive power of God! God images harmony, beauty, love, perfection, and unity. This is not what we see projected in our world today.

                    Why have you and I been lowered into this realm of time, space, and matter; a world which seems divided against itself? What is our part in all of this? Our part is learn how to image as God! To learn how to control the greatest power we possess...our imagination! To bring our consciousness in line with truth. Truth is: Only as it is in the mind of God.

                    Matthew tell us to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. Where are we to be perfect? In our mind which contains our imagination (our imaging power)! We are to be perfect in the power to see reality even when faced with wrong conditions. Psalms says, "Only good and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life."

                    Then why do we experience good and evil? Because we believe in the duality of good and evil, instead of only as it is in the mind of God...all good! Jesus came to remove false conditions and to overcome a vain imagination! He began to "image" a new man who would manifest from an imagination of truth!

                    Why have we not been able to do the same? Because our faith has been weak. "You of little faith." We have not had enough right belief to know we have the power to change what we call reality. Change will only manifest when we begin to believe and image from the redemptive imagination of God.

                    Heb. 11:1 says; "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen " Faith, or belief, is a substance...the substance from the invisible realm of spirit. You possess the power through right belief and imaging, to tap into the invisible and bring manifestaion in this realm.

                    Verse 3: "Through faith (belief) we understand that the worlds were framed by the word (divine expression or vibration) of God, so that things which are seen (physical realm) were not made of things which do appear." Then what substance were they made of? The substance of belief from the unseen realm of spirit! This substance of belief is what God used to creates in this physical dimension.

                    I love verse 6 which says: "But without faith (belief) it is impossible to please, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is......." That he is what? That he, himself, is GOD! I hope you are not shocked...this is what you must believe. You are the creator. You are either unconsciously creating, or you are learning to consciously create. Either way you are always creating!

                    Let me tell you what true righteousness is. First let me tell you what it is not. It is not an action. Righteousness is right belief. Chapter 11 of Hebrews is called the Faith Chapter. It should be called the Belief Chapter! Noah became the heir of righteous by faith (belief in truth) in what he could not see with his eyes. We have the same calling!

                    When God spoke, "Let there be light" it was a declaration!   His word came out from a consciousness of righteousness (or right belief). He believed in light, so in the midst of the evidence of darkness, out of the invisible realm came......... light!   Manifestation of truth!

                    Why do we create in limitation and weakness? It is our belief! "Be it unto you accounding to your faith (belief).

                    The New Testament speaks of two laws: The law of sin and death, and the law of life. Sin is thinking from anything less than absolute perfection. It is a belief in something less than all love, all power, and all possibilities within you! Sin is only false belief! You have the power and authority in your own life to subdue sin by changing your beliefs!

                    To Be Continued......

                    Loving Life and All of You,

                        Mary Lou Houllis
                        Pastor