I am going to continue to pray about this, for sake of further clarity regarding God's word on the matter. But coming from 20 years of being steeped in occult, esoteric knowledge and practice--20 years of honing witchcraft, ignorantly "pursuing God according to my own understanding" (thus rejecting Him out-of-hand by refusing to meet on His explicitly revealed terms)?...hearing about people casting and catching visions is a walk back through that particular flavor of deviance.
Because that concept constitutes the underpinning premise of much of witchcraft: You pick something to focus on, build up increasingly clear and concerted definition of that desire, and increasingly hone your will for it to manifest--whether as an individual or a group. Putting this sort of effort into practice alongside a few Bible verses and prayers doesn't alter the fact that the whole process defies even a pretense of submission to God and submission to His intimate, Scripture concording guidance.
The entire idea of "casting visions" ultimately refers to reliance on human reasoning, no matter how "theologically informed" that reasoning might conceive itself to be: The fundamental premise is one wherein one's own understanding of matters and of needs is considered sufficient to aptly conceive of and manifest whatever's determined appropriately desirable.
I've yet to hear anyone cite "casting a vision" wherein people grasp deeper knowledge of the truth of their sinfulness and the exceeding enormity of God's grace in Christ, as unto a more wholehearted and utter despair of self and submission to Him in repentance. No, there's usually something about "casting vision" which seems--on the surface and according to societal norms--"good" and "personally or societally beneficial." Freedom, maybe. Or...dominion. Or...even saying repentance, but meaning something different than coming to Christ and submitting to Him and His Word, deferentially.
"Good" intentions which don't lead us lovingly and straight to the foot of the cross, speaking truth with compassion and like-minded contrition of awareness of each our need for mercies untold, though...?
Those are not quite good, at the very heart of the matter. And that's what makes the difference, where the same terms are increasingly used for differing matters.
God, alone, is good. What He wills, alone, is good. Deferring to Him is the only way, then.
We are defiant and fickle, apart from deference to Him. Our very best guess at what is good for one another--unless it be solely informed by a right, Holy Spirit interpreted assessment of Scripture--is just going to miss the mark, in some fashion or other. Which is only unto further consequence. Because sin always yields consequence...breaking things has a way of breaking things.
Likewise, the idea that there will never be a point necessitating separation from intimate fellowship with others if only others profess "Christianity" is entirely unscriptural. "Setting aside differences, for the sake of just agreeing on Jesus"...if that were all it truly were, would be something else entirely. But, it's not what it seems. It's a gradual decline to eventually "embracing all faith traditions as equally valid." That's where it goes. Because we can agree to disagree, yes, but that does not mean someone isn't wrong. And pretending otherwise isn't loving, given the consequences due to each and every one of us who contemns Christ by refusing to defer to Him and plead for His offered forgiveness and mercy.
Jesus outlined a matter of difference in relations between reconciled and unreconciled, recorded as Matthew 18:15-17, specifically in context of directing us to lovingly plead with one another against sin. And Paul called specific people out as being given over to Satan, even, in context of having abandoned a right deference and submission to the truth--abandoning, making shipwreck of faith in God. And Paul's statements weren't malicious, but only a statement of fact which serves as a warning to us all. And we can know Paul's words weren't coming from a place of contempt and malice, given what has also been recorded of the fruits of the Holy Spirit at work in Paul as unto inspired writings preserved by God for His purposes. And given that we've been instructed to put away such things.
We have many warnings, is all. Many. Many dire admonitions, also, specifically not to be deceived. Direly warned that even the very elect would be deceived, if possible (Matthew 24:24). This isn't a small thing. And I'm reminded now of what was said nearing the end of CCEF conference a couple weeks ago: when we read warnings in the Bible, we are in danger if we think or attempt to convince ourselves they aren't for us.
As a means of stressing that point, the fellow speaking told of a time when he was working a locked floor in a hospital where fire alarms were routinely, falsely tripped by residents. One day he heard an alarm and just decided it must be another false one. He decided against being inconvenienced by the warning, decided it didn't mean anything for him personally, and just continued doing paperwork. Until firemen in full gear came and quickly ushered him out of harm's way, during which time he encountered smoke and knew the fear of realizing how utterly foolish he had been.
In a similar fashion, we all tend to become accustomed to rationalizing away the dangers of this world--the pitfalls of our own shortcomings and tendency to falter to temptation (conceived of our own lusts, even). And this, in regard to our faith. Not in terms of threats to body--vast as those are, yes. Rather, real threat to our faith is daily encountered, unless we actively battle against unbelief and strive to know Him more intimately in spirit and truth. For the deceitfulness of sin is vast. It blinds slowly, very gradually encumbering clarity of heart and mind. Cajoling with a false promise that "just a little won't hurt," or "it's not that big a deal," or "these things aren't problems for me." So many siren songs, yet the result is only the same. Shipwreck.
Such snares are nebulous at outset, in a society where we're vaguely in a state of somnambulance (Eph. 5:14-15) alongside the many who relativize all things unto being equally acceptable, thus equally valid, thus none definitive, so that nothing may be deemed divisive as absolute truth cannot help but to be. Dividing asunder even as between bone and marrow. (Hebrews 4:10-12)
Put another way, in the Western world we inhabit society which professes a need for unity at all costs--deeming all things which seek common or individual "good" to be equally justifiable and equally valid. For the sake of peace. For the sake of bettering the world. For the sake of bettering our societies. For the sake of bettering our communities. For the sake of bettering our families. For the sake of bettering the lives of those who are suffering. For the sake of being better people, ourselves.
Despite that there are inherent contradictions rife on all levels of this stance--being sustained by only a glance toward "entitlements" to fair treatment such as nonetheless simultaneously redefines "fairness" at every turn. All under guise of believing that "if we have equality, then we will have peace and good will come to us in the land." Again purporting that if we are all "treated fairly," then we will all "succeed." But these terms are never fundamentally, thus meaningfully defined. They each change in every given context, depending upon the temperament and priorities and values of the audience. Yet this is never questioned (or, at least, I've yet to hear it done). And this does not work: Pursuing nebulous concepts which have no substantive anchor in reality inherently precludes attainment of meaningful or lasting "good," as none such has actually been agreed upon, effectively. Thus, none such is actually being pursued.
Put another way, slightly--apart from reference and submission to God, all aims are falsely skewed toward further defiance against Him. Which, really, this constitutes the basis of the united front being fostered internationally. Which is inherently skewed unto further falsity, as arising from error at the most fundamental of all levels: a foundational departure from reality cannot but yield to further dissonance throughout a dependent system. Fundamental denial of utmost reality cannot sustain solidarity of purpose, as the foundation upon which any such striving rests is itself truly insubstantial.
If we aren't gathering unto truth, we're scattering from it.
The heart of the matter is that there's resentment of God's sovereignty: much of the age-old desire to be "as" the Creator, to act "as" Him in our own lives and so dictate our own fates. But there's simply no human equality with God. We cannot uncreate and recreate ourselves. We can't be unborn as to designate our own birth. And no matter how deeply we may come to understand His creation and the intricacy of wisdom displayed, resonantly throughout...we cannot become reality's creator.
That's just not a thing. He's the Creator and Owner of us all. Period. He speaks things which are not into being. We simply just can't. Whatever we have, we've received--whether talents, strength, intelligence, loving families, abusive families, disabilities, education, employment, unemployment, and all else. We didn't create ourselves. We didn't create the world we were born into. And we can't dictate our genetic make-up, nor our societal endowments. We aren't the gods of our own fate, nor the determiners of our own future, ultimately. We don't even control our own lives, though we may deceive ourselves very deeply otherwise. He allows us to make decisions. He has endowed us with the ability. Even that...is given, where it does persist. So we also only have limited choices, according to His ordained design and order. And due to the fabric and nature of creation and our Creator, where we do decide we also reap the fruits of our decisions. Whether curses or blessings. Serving God or self. One or the other.
But we'll never be God. We're either slaves to Christ or to sin, then. He is our Creator and our Master, ultimately. And either we submit to Him and continually present ourselves as a living sacrifice or we remain under the wrath we've earned, eternal.
And I know how much the idea of deferring to Christ's rightful Lordship over us rankles the chains of those who still refuse to acknowledge His rightful dominance--that utterly caused me irritation and (more deeply than I even permitted myself to realize, generally) resentment, until He brought me to the point of realizing it was true whether I wanted to accept it or not, and the only difference was which consequences would be borne (here and now as satisfied by Christ, or hereafter and unto eternal hell).
The fleshly spirit which isn't in submission to Him wants to assert its own rights and dominance and capacity for doing right and accomplishing good, all by its own interpretation and means, is all. Sometimes though that is presented under false pretense of striving to please Him. Problem is, without faith we can't please Him. Period.
No matter what we might try. Scripture attests that as being impossible.
And if we don't even know or acknowledge who and how He is, we really are in a position of being unable to honor Him--faith entails rightly knowing and acting in accordance with submission to the knowledge that He's God and we're not. Faith sees the truth of His rightful sovereignty and thus repents in dust and ashes, for also seeing the travesty and tragedy of sin. Faith entails rightly assessing reality and truth. A valid faith perforce thus acts upon truth. So, if we aren't honoring Christ as God and Master in our hearts' desires and intentions and our actions----we don't possess faith. Instead, we pursue idols.
And this is all not nearly as precisely relayed as I would deeply desire, but the thread of reasoning is here, nonetheless. I'm just despairing in the Lord's direction over these matters, for love of the church and for love of God. I am sincerely hoping and praying for His mercy for us all--myself much included, as I have no idea how to proceed or what to do except pray and wait and trust He'll guide.
These types of idols are utterly beguiling, is all: To "please Him" by "walking in the authority and power He has given?" To "please Him" by "believing who we are, and acting like it?" To "please Him" by "doing what He called us to do?" All of it presents a vague, overarching sound of seeming legitimacy. Who among us who seeks Christ and wants His forgiveness would not want to please God? And who among us who actually loves Christ doesn't want to please Him?
But...there's a sort of shifty guilt as an implicit motivating factor--guilt, in that the inherent implication is that if we otherwise do less than or otherwise than these things we are "letting God down, since we're not doing what He wants us to do by using the gifts He's given and also walking in the authority He wants us to have." But God isn't a manipulator. Jesus is our righteousness. Period. What the Father has ordered is that we believe on/in/unto the One He sent. And love God with everything we are, also loving others as ourselves. If Christ Himself did only as the Father presented to Him, why would we do other than just...be led by His Spirit, deferentially and as continually seeking Him in Scripture?
He doesn't have to make empty promises and wheedle people into doing what He would have them do, is all. He's not a petulant overseer who's disappointed but resigned to just bear with us sadly, when we don't "live up to our potential." He prepared good works for us beforehand, that we would walk in them. As we complete the sufferings of Christ. For our God is one who has bled and died for us on a cross--becoming a curse for us, so that we might be forgiven for the very sins which are due the very wrath He drank to the dregs for us. Our God walked amongst us as a servant--a suffering and despised servant whom we crucified. Our God wept when He encountered the death of others, and wept when He was faced with enduring our due wrath and suffering and rejection and shame and pain and torture and death, though being the very God of life. Our God--the author and sustainer of life--died. So that He also would overcome death. So that by His self-sacrificial death we would be redeemed, and through His resurrection we stand justified.
Sometimes only by looking full on the truth of what Christ has done and who He is does the strangeness of other doctrines become apparent when there's "seeming goodness" inherent those doctrines.
All the more to remember that the God of all Creation--Christ Jesus, our Savior and King--assured us we must take up our own cross in this world, if we are going to follow Him. He also assured us that we would not be greater than Him--we will not be exempt from His sufferings, if we are His (one of two options--His or not--He delineated and defined these categories)--for the servant isn't greater than the Master, as the student is not greater than the Teacher.
He assured us we will have trouble in the world, if we are His. But He also assured us that we need not be concerned, because He has overcome the world. And He reigns, now. Though things haven't all been wholly brought into subjection, as of yet. Though the kingdom is coming, even now, in those who are His.
Just as He said, for we can do nothing apart from Him. Like as He didn't do anything apart from the Father, yes? So, either we must abide in the True Vine or be cut off from Him. These are the only options.
So I'm not sure where the good news is, in this: thinking we have to save the world and/or take possession of it, ourselves, because we have power? As I've read, we've been told to expect rejection and persecution, instead of victorious dominion on this earth (until He returns, at least)--such that the best-case scenario is to walk in such a way that there's not knowing offense come through us, and as that we do such good that people who despise us and God will nonetheless give glory to God due to our lives. We walk as strangers, sojourners, and the despised of the world if we are Christ's. And of this lattermost though, I see good news: Being Christ's, being forgiven sin and imputed His righteousness. So that even enduring rejection and pain and suffering in this life will work a greater glory, in eternity. Such that the joy of His fellowship now persists in the midst of sufferings, and His guidance is steadfast and ongoing. His Spirit leads, as the flesh is put to death. Walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the deeds of the flesh, perhaps? Even as those who are led by the Spirit of God are adopted. Sons of God. By His stripes, we're healed--righteousness which isn't our own is given to us, so that we are made accepted and acceptable in the Beloved. This pleased God. And the glory of His grace will be praised.
So, then--by what means and on what grounds ought we contrive to figure out ways to unite society and overcome adversity and squelch poverty and suffering? Jesus grieved these things, yes. And if we love Him and love one another so shall we... But if we know Him, we know that He is the one--the only one--who can or will right these travesties of brokenness. And, further, if we know Him well enough even as to know ourselves to some extent truthfully, we'll know we don't even fathom the depths of the darkness in our own hearts. So, too, we'll be increasingly humbled to realize that similarly as we aren't capable of even knowing ourselves except for by His light, how much less are we capable to know--independent of deference to Him--the means by which to "heal" others and the world?
Put another way, we cannot heal ourselves, how then are we undertaking by our own understanding to heal the church, society, the world?
All to say--as best I know from Scripture and from knowing Christ and walking with Him step by step (I should be dead so many times over--He has been very merciful again and again, and increasingly to my awareness is this so)--no matter how good our intentions, we haven't any righteousness which is truly beneficial, apart from submitting to God's leading.
Which...isn't to say that we do absolutely nothing and stop caring and serving and interaction. He doesn't lead that way. Antichrists, however, do. But not Christ, Himself: He leads to selfless devotion to whatever is placed before us, for the sake of love and the love of truth: For the love of God and man. Counting others far more worthy than ourselves, we will press in to Christ so to serve more selflessly and more wholeheartedly, knowing we cannot do so otherwise.
All of which runs counter to fleshly reason, is the reason--the carnal mind is enmity against God. Such as requires death to one's own sense of independent capacity, significance, understanding, righteousness, and justification--incrementally accomplished by God's merciful interventions in our hearts as we draw nearer to Him. For when we deeply believe we comprehensively know things, we are seeing all so much more only the smallest part of reality. (1 Cor 8:2). ...or otherwise, we would yet realize something about how little we actually know, because of understanding some honest degree of the exceeding further greatness and incomprehensibility of God's own wisdom.
Thus we are better suited to defer to the One who knows all. Let Him lead. Seek that He will do so. Plead that He will. Rather than dredging up ideas which seem righteous and profitable, and mindlessly attempting to spread them. (Just to consider: Prov. 16:25, Prov. 19:21, Prov. 21:2, Prov. 24:12) Because the problem isn't a desire to "do good"--the problem is that our very ability to actually "do good" necessarily is solely predicated upon an actual deference to that which is Good. To Him who is good. Our best intentions are otherwise unavoidably deviant, as it goes.
He does lead us to serve others, though--just to note again, this isn't exempted. There will be widows comforted, homeless clothed, orphans adopted, and the starving will be fed. We will desire justice and mercy. And will lament lack. Just...not on the sole basis of our own understanding of what's right and good, rather as a deferent, manifest worship of Christ and love of Him overflowing unto love of others.
All of which is not to say that He doesn't ever work via self-serving, self-gratifying acts endeavoring mercy. He's so gracious that the sun shines on the righteous and the evil and rain falls on the wicked and the just. He is very merciful.
Something that I'm driving at is just of the nature that there's a type of purported kindness and love and peace which is common today which forsakes and abnegates truth for the sake of "brotherhood," and "kindness," yet there's something of what's at the heart of these which is also at the heart of this other: Idolatry, of each, yes. There's something specific regarding perhaps an unspoken agreement amongst many to worship one another?--as: "so long as we each remain accommodating to the unstated agreement to worship one another at least by refraining from questioning one another's beliefs, then no dissent against one another from outsiders will be granted credence." It's a solidarity, of sorts, but with a faulty foundation. There's false peace, then. A false love. Allotting false hope. And preserving hollow joy. Part of this all arises from and remains concentric about the sheer refusal to define terms of interaction and intent--so long as there's an element of the nebulous, then truth can be "accommodated" and deviance "denied."
Casting visions and seeking to establish and maintain a unity which forsakes truth...all arise from departure from an actual submission to God which yields unto striving to intimately know Him and serve Him foremost as life's intent and core desire. But we need His help, even for this. Period. Just as we need to know Him, we need His help as to do so--His Word grafted on our hearts by the Holy Spirit, yet we need His Spirit to reveal Him per His Word. That has to be the foremost cry of our hearts, always--to walk in step with Him and know Him ever more deeply. By His Word. For otherwise, we're actively stepping further into distraction, unto delusions.
Jesus pleaded with the Pharisees, regarding thinking they had life in the Scriptures without ever actually coming to Him: He's a person. A living God. Active. Period. So we can come to Him, or continue to do things our own way. Not an option to do both--mutually exclusive. (John 5:39-40)
All of which to say that if we're not actively directing ourselves and one another unto Christ, we're directing away from Him. Which latter...is neither loving nor good.
Such is the flesh and the spirit of man that if we aren't actively bringing all things into subjection to the truth of God's sovereignty and presentient mind...we are actively forgetting His wisdom exceeds our own, beyond measure. So, yeah. Let's not cast visions, please? He's merciful, but we're better not to test Him.
Lets turn our eyes to Jesus, instead. And not to a "vision" of Him, even, but to an increasing consideration of all He's revealed in Scripture, so as to know Him more accurately in spirit and truth. May we desire Him above all things, else. (1 Tim. 1:5) Let us turn to Christ.
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