Imagine...

... Are you willing to stop, and consider?

Can we imagine together for a moment...?

Let's imagine that regardless of where we stand with our beliefs concerning the existence of a Creator (or the absence of a Creator), that we happened to believe that there was one.

Let's imagine that we happened to place a faith in the existance of a Creator, instead of placing a faith in there not being one... and choose to see faith as a complete trust or confidence in someone or something

Let's imagine that we know that a personal belief that does not have someone's full personal trust, is a faulty belief that demands attention... even if it is our own.

Let's imagine that we choose to believe that there is a real, active, Creator, Who created all that we know of through the mere power of the Creator speaking everything into existence.

Let's imagine that since there is now a Creator, this Creator is now the Source of all that we know of as "Life". And just like a human creator, there is a purpose for that which the Creator creates. Likewise, this Creator created Life with a purpose. Since there is a purpose, the purpose for life would be of utmost importance for all of creation, including you, me, and us all.

Let's imagine that just like an able & passionate human creator... the Creator of all that we know of as "Life" reveals this Purpose for the gift of Life in a direct way. This direct revelation of Purpose demands attention and comes in contact with us all.

Let's imagine that this Creator of all that we know of as Life, created us with the capability to "choose" our Creator and embrace fully our Creator. Creation can either embrace their title and position of being "creation"... or... creation could choose to rebel against the purpose of their Creator and embrace a false title and position of "the creator".

Let's imagine that we as creation chose the latter option. We choose to rebel even from the beginning of our existence. This choice is one that we still choose daily. We choose to rebel from the Creator and Author of Life and in Whom alone we can find our purpose and identity.

Lets's imagine that instead of the Creator completely destroying us and starting over, the Creator decides to use the rebellion... and reveal Himself through our failure. As the Creator pursues us relentlessly, we as creation continue to rebel and ignore the need to see the Creator for who the Creator is.

Let's imagine that instead of just allowing and abandoning the creation in their downward spiral of choosing a false sense of "life" & "purpose"... this Creator (who also created what creation knows of as "Love"), chose to relay the Truth that creation has neglected and rebelled against... in words. These words from the Creator would come both directly from the Creator and through people who embrace the Creator. Even nature would reflect the Creator and declare who the Creator is and give honor to the Creator in its beauty... only if creation chooses to stop... look... and think.

Let's imagine that this Creator also decides that instead of relaying Truth through the word of creation alone (which despite creation being used to write this Truth from the Creator... creation continues to ignore Him), the Creator will go through any length to bring creation back to Himself.

Let's imagine that through passionate love for creation, the Creator desires to reveal themself in such a personal way to creation, that creation would have every opportunity to recognize their ignorance and rebellion and return to our Creator.

Let's imagine that this Creator was also the Creator of Justice, not justice that is corrupt, but justice that is pure and without any hint of perversion. Since perversion of Justice does not reflect the Creator, but instead reflects creation's choice of choosing to reject Truth, creation has no possibility of being pardoned for their rebellion on their own merit or talent since pure Justice is unbiased and fair. It would not be fair to pardon someone for the choice that they freely, that we freely, have made and make still; therefore, any pardon for creation's choice to rebel, would come not from ourselves... but would have to come from the Creator alone. Even the smallest rebellion is still rebellion and deserves the full penalty from the law... death.

Let's imagine that as we already stated, in order for Judgement to be pure, that unless an equal representative of the guilty party, which is creation, stepped up then there can be no pardon for the crime of rebellion. This Representative must take full responsibility for the punishment even though this Representative is not guilty; Only then could justice still be served and creation have an opportunity to be pardoned. This Representative must take our place and this Representative would have to be without our rebellion.

Let's imagine that the Creator, in passionate pursuit for creation, embraces this challenge on our behalf. Since mankind could not represent themselves blamelessly, the Creator would have to somehow 100% be as we are... to be born, breathe, suffer and die like we do; however, instead of choosing rebellion, the Creator must choose Life and Truth completely without ANY hint of rebellion. Since death comes from the rejection of life, the Creator MUST NOT reject life, even in the slightest,despite being 100% as creation is.

Let's imagine that the way that the Creator chooses to reflect 100% of creation, would be accomplished by the Creator's same Word that was used to create everything in the beginning... this same Word must bring flesh to the Creator and becomes one of us.

Let's imagine that the Creator does this. Dwelling with us fully. Jesus is His Name.

Let's imagine that this act would reflect a crucial aspect of the Creator often overlooked and misunderstood due to none of us being without rebellion...

... in steps into the narrative, Grace.

Let's imagine that you believe Truth is absolute... which declares that Truth is not defined by our individual opinion. For example, lets look at gravity. We agree that there is something that is refered to as gravity... well, most of us agree. Does the "truth" of what causes gravity to you, and the "truth" of what causes gravity to me, make what truly causes gravity change? Our differing beliefs concerning the "truth" of gravity doesn't change the truth.

Gravity is caused by what it is caused by... this is absoluteregardless of what we say or what we argue. Gravity operates on a Truth that goes beyond our understanding or explanations of it. Absolute Truth states that Truth is not relative to my personal views, or to your personal views, but that Truth exists independently and on its own. Therefore, since the Bible claims to be the written Truth of our Creator, and claims to have authority (2 Timothy 16-17), it either is... or isn't. If it is? Then it can stand on its own if we are willing to come to it without preconceived conclusions. We must be willing to give it a chance.

Let's imaginethat we allow the Bible to be the source of absolute truth concerning our Creator... and we see the Bible as the Creator's revealed Truth that is absolute. Therefore, any purpose for our lives that is found outside of the Bible holds no authority over us. This is due to us choosing to be surrendered to the Truth that is found in our Creator's Word alone, instead of being found in what we as creation says about our Creator.

Let's imagine that we truly are made in the image of this Creator, as stated in the Bible found in Genesis 1:27, and our Creator is who the Creator is (as it is written). ThisTruth is absolute.

Let's imaginethat the Truth can stand on its own... and we fully embrace John 14:6, where Jesus claimed to be the Truth...

Let's imagine we believe John 1:1-5, 14 where John claims that Jesus is Life and the Word of God in flesh... 100% God and 100% man.

Let's imagine that we understand that Jesus walked this earth... and He is not a "fairy-tale".

Let's imaginethat our hearts are broken from our rebellion to our Creator which we all are guilty of (Romans 3:23).

Let's imagine that we surrender to the Truth of our need for a Savior.... and that Jesus... becomes not just a man who once lived... but becomes our Savior, and whom our lives find meaning.

Let's imaginethat we believed Jesus when He said "apart from Me, you can do nothing", and we stop living life with us on the throne (John 15:5).

Let's imagine that we admit our rebellion, and surrender our lives... our talents... our breath... our hearts... to the Living Creator, Savior, and Sustainer who is passionate for us. Who alone defeated death. Who alone can represent us sinless. Who is our Creator and even though we rejected Him, He will never reject us when we surrender to Jesus... Who, as Isaiah 53:5 prophesied,  "through His wounds we are healed". (Hebrews 7:19, 24-25, Acts 3:14-21)

Let's imagine that our identities is not found in the things of this world, but on Jesus alone (Colossians 3:2-3).

Let's imagine that we commit our lives to knowing Him greater and loving others as He loved us and embracing the "life abundantly" that Jesus offers us (John 10:10).

Let's imagine that we commit our lives to knowing Him through His Word and refusing to settle for less (Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 22:37-40).

Let's imaginethat we did not keep the good news of Jesus to ourselves, but in love, went into the darkness... into the dying word... sharing the good news... the Truth... of our Creator.... EVEN unto death. (Matthew 28:16-20)

Let's imagine that we no longer have to imagine...

... what are we waiting for?

May we wake up brothers and sisters...

there is so much more than what we are settling for...

... May we not settle.

May we repent, renew, and stand. :") -J

"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship-and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. "The God who made the world and everything in it is the LORD of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything.

Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.'

As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone-an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."

When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject. So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed..."

Acts 17:22-34

Lyrics: Here [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbPHJJJggaA?rel=0&w=560&h=315]