Cast Down Imaginations

Genesis 37: “So he (Jacob) said to him (Joseph), ‘Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.’ So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. They (Joseph’s brothers) saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.”

Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22 ESV,
“You have heard that it was said to those of old,  ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

So, with Joseph’s brothers, where did the sin begin? It began the moment that they first despised and hated him. Joseph’s brothers didn’t stop there, their thoughts turned to action. They basically were at the point where they wished that Joseph had never been born.

Our thoughts can become very dangerous, bitterness, hatred can esculate to levels of no return. Joseph’s brother’s had murder in their heart and minds but God had bigger plans for Joseph and Joseph’s dreams eventually came true. Joseph’s brothers lives were never fulfilling, except Benjamin because he was not involved in the plot.

Joseph’s brothers that were involved, all had their own difficulties for the rest of their lives. The moral of this story? Our thoughts control us if we let them and our thoughts can lead us down a dangerous path of destruction. And we may say there just thoughts but that’s not how our Lord saw it.

Prayer:
Father, I cast down my imaginations and everything that comes between me and You. Teach me to forgive and forget just like you did with my sin.