-/\/\-----------------------------------------------------------------
\ / MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST --
http://www.heartlight.org/
--\/------------------------------------------------------------------
February 10, 2008
IS YOUR IMAGINATION OF GOD STARVED?
Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created
these things.
Isaiah 40:26
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=isa+40:26&sr=1
The people of God in Isaiah's day had starved their imagination by
looking on the face of idols, and Isaiah made them look up at the
heavens, that is, he made them begin to use their imagination aright.
Nature to a saint is sacramental. If we are children of God, we have
a tremendous treasure in Nature. In every wind that blows, in every
night and day of the year, in every sign of the sky, in every
blossoming and in every withering of the earth, there is a real
coming of God to us if we will simply use our starved imagination to
realize it.
The test of spiritual concentration is bringing the imagination into
captivity. Is your imagination looking on the face of an idol? Is the
idol yourself? Your work? Your conception of what a worker should be?
Your experience of salvation and sanctification? Then your
imagination of God is starved, and when you are up against
difficulties you have no power, you can only endure in darkness. If
your imagination is starved, do not look back to your own experience;
it is God Whom you need. Go right out of yourself, away from the face
of your idols, away from everything that has been starving your
imagination. Rouse yourself, take the gibe that Isaiah gave the
people, and deliberately turn your imagination to God.
One of the reasons of stultification in prayer is that there is no
imagination, no power of putting ourselves deliberately before God.
We have to learn how to be broken bread and poured out wine on the
line of intercession more than on the line of personal contact.
Imagination is the power God gives a saint to posit himself out of
himself into relationships he never was in.
/--- Turn Today's Verse into a Poster ---------------------\
Create beautiful 18"x24" posters from any Bible verse!
You can add your own personal note, making them great for
gifts or awards. See the selection:
\--- http://ads.heartlight.org/email/50/
-----------------/
Content-type: text/html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
VELVET ELVIS: REPAINTING THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, by Rob Bell
In this provocative, hopeful book, Bell asks what the church might look
like if today's believers fully embraced "the way" of love, peace,
sharing possessions, compassion, risk, forgiveness, and harmony.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?254
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
each purchase you make, you're helping to support Heartlight's
ministry. Thanks SO MUCH for your help!
MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST - by Oswald Chambers /\/\
===============================================================\ /===
http://www.heartlight.org/devotionals/my_utmost
\/
This email is made possible by YOUR donations! If you've found
our service encouraging or inspiring, we pray you'll give a voluntary
donation to keep this ministry going. Donations are NOT required,
but they are appreciated!
http://www.heartlight.org/support
Visit HEARTLIGHT on the web for even more articles, plus music,
devotionals and more for your Christian walk!
This devotional is copyright Oswald Chambers Publications,
< http://www.oswaldchambers.co.uk >.
HOW DO I SUBSCRIBE?
It's FREE! To subscribe send a blank email to:
join-myutmost@maillists.heartlight.org
HOW DO I LEAVE?
To unsubscribe send a blank email to:
myutmost-unsub@maillists.heartlight.org
STILL HAVING TROUBLE?
If our automated unsubscribe system isn't working for you,
send an email to mailmaster@heartlight.org and let us know
what list you would like to leave. We'll take care of you.
======================================================================
