House Church Talk - Visualizing Christ

[Phillip Cohen]

Hi Lee,

So you don't visualize things? You have no dreams or goals? Just trying
to make it through the day? I spent most of my life like that. Very
boring, depressing, black and white. Dark Ages stuff.

In the last days, we'll see visions and dream dreams. Does that mean
they'll always come down from God? Never birthed from within? Never the
dreams and desires of our own hearts? Who placed those visions there?

Look around you. Practically every invention that surrounds us began with
a thought, a dream, a vision, a desire. We could debate the issue till
Jesus comes. Fact is, we do visualize, whether positive or negative. And
then we move toward that vision. 

Blessings,
Phillip

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 11:06:21 -0400 Lee Underwood <leeu at cfl.rr.com>
writes:
> Phillip,
> 
> I have to tell you that I think the process of visualization is 
> faulty, as 
> far as the Lord is concerned. Think about it. It is YOU who are 
> doing the 
> visualization, it is YOU who is coming up with the visualization. 
> Why not 
> seek the Lord for a REVELATION. Scripture speaks of revelation, not 
> 
> visualization.
> 
> Paul says to contemplate the things above but he does not say to 
> visualize 
> them. Our mind can't visualize the things of the heavens. We are 
> fallen 
> creatures.
> 
> Jesus is now glorified. We do not see any of the apostles trying to 
> 
> visualize Him. If God thought it necessary, He would reveal Jesus to 
> those 
> He wanted. Remember, Stephen, when he was filled with the Spirit, 
> saw (not 
> visualized) Jesus at the right hand of the Father. We are not the 
> ones in 
> charge of this, God is. Remember, He said HE reveals Jesus to us. A 
> problem 
> with "The Passion" and other films of Jesus is that, when some 
> people pray 
> to Jesus, they visualize the actor who played Him, whether they 
> realize it 
> or not. The human mind is a very powerful tool/weapon. Jesus is 
> glorified, 
> sitting at the right hand of the Father. Let's not bring Him down to 
> the 
> level He once suffered at.
> 
> We're involved in a discussion group here that focuses on home 
> churches. 
> That, to me, says that most of the people, yourself most likely, are 
> 
> searching for the plain, Scriptural truth. We're tired of man's ways 
> and 
> want to get back to the plain, basic truth of following Jesus. For 
> that we 
> need to look at what the apostles did. And visualization was not one 
> of the 
> things that they did. They sought the Lord; they wanted to know Him 
> in 
> spirit and in truth. They weren't concerned about how He looked. 
> John says 
> when He returns we will know what He looks like (1 John 3.2).
> 
> Phillip, I say these things in love, brother. I think the Church 
> needs to 
> come out of the world and its practices. If we don't see it 
> practiced in 
> the Scriptures, we must not do it ourselves. We don't need to 
> "update" the 
> Scriptures. Did not God know what was going to happen in our day? 
> Visualization is a mystical thing. I used to practice it, to some 
> extent. 
> The problem is that it works ... too well. And it does not appear 
> that 
> anyone in the Scriptures who followed God used it.
> 
> Trust God and seek Him. Draw close spiritually.
> 
> Blessings,
> 
> Lee
> 
> 
> At 7/22/04 05:11 AM, Phillip Cohen wrote:
> >Dear Saints,
> >
> >I've started an audio/video course that helps me develop a more 
> positive
> >self-image. Very good program.
> >
> >No, I'm not looking for a debate over whether this type of program 
> is
> >right or wrong. Read on . . .
> >
> >The course recommends that I spend 20 minutes 3 times a day 
> relaxing and
> >visualizing myself becoming like the people I admire. Well, here's 
> the
> >problem . . .
> >
> >I really want to be like Jesus. But I'm having a hard time 
> visualizing
> >Him. I'm realizing now that for all the years I've been reading 
> the
> >Bible, I've processed the words, but come short on visualizing Him. 
> Sure,
> >I enjoy visualizing the events in the Bible. That's fun, imagining 
> them
> >as though they were happening right now.
> >
> >But visualizing Jesus? There are so many false Christs, I'm afraid 
> my
> >imagination will just fabricate another false Christ.
> >
> >I'm stuck. Can you help me? Have you successfully created an image 
> of
> >Jesus in your mind that helps you and is accurate with the Bible?
> >
> >An upbeat, inspiring discussion on this topic would be very 
> refreshing.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Phillip
> >spiritfilledhome at juno.com
> >God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in 
> them.
> >1 John 4:16

Phillip
spiritfilledhome at juno.com
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
1 John 4:16