August 27 – Be Wary of Applause

“The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold, and each is tested by the praise accorded him.” – Proverbs 27:21 (NASB)

Praise is enjoyable often sought after as a means to shape bolster our self-image and confirm that we have what we desire from others. It is a part of our natural man to desire acclimation and approval from others. Some seek it diligently and strategically and others take it as it comes and do not live for it. No matter, we each find it very difficult to perform before others without doing the self-evaluation on “how we did.” We want to be found worthwhile, capable and proficient to do our assigned tasks. We do not attain excellence every time and sometimes we flop miserably. With our proverb today is another with a similar lesson. Proverbs 27:19; “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man.” Not only do we seek affirmation from our peers and the congregations but we seek it from ourselves. Our hearts reflect what we are. Looking for acceptance and even celebrity status is like spending too much time in front of a mirror fretting over our appearance. The looking glass will only return what we really are just as our heart reveal our true motivations. 

197

January 20 – No Partial Knowledge

“For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. … For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”  1 Corinthians 13:9-10, 12 (NASB)

Some of the words and truths we read in our Bible seem beyond our understanding. When we read the Scripture without adding anything to it or taking anything away from it, we find it always true even if we have not yet reasoned it so. There are many such dichotomies in the Bible. Most times we are not so earnest and just roll right on past them. When we do, we miss the deeper truth that God has for us. Here is a promise that we can cling to and live with that will help us understand that what we don’t understand. One day it will be clear. Paul says that what we understand now is incomplete – We only understand a part. Often the truth is deeper than our ability to know. But we have the promise that there is a day when it will be made clear. We will understand it deeply and completely. What we comprehend partially now we are promised we will understand its entirety in heaven. We do not even know ourselves fully as God does, but we will one day know ourselves completely just as God knows us.

193

January 9 – No Disgrace, No Shame

“ For the Lord GOD helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.” Isaiah 50:7 (NASB)

When once we decide that we will no longer fight the efforts of God to help us by attempting to make our life a DIY project, we will find help from the Lord GOD. When we try to do it ourselves, what happens is that our failures will eventually bring us to shame. It is a shameful thing, a disgraceful action to reject the help of God. If we think we can manage any single small part of our lives we should certainly be ashamed of ourselves because our shame will be known by all when the day of visitation is here. Setting our face like flint means we take a course that we purpose to not waver from. That’s a resolution worth making, don’t you think? Not only Isaiah talked about this, listen now to what the apostle Peter wrote to us. “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”*

197

* 1 Peter 4:16-17 (ESV)

November 15 – A Time To Turn

“O God, restore us And cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.”  Psalm 80:3,7, 19 (NASB)

Consider when you find yourself at the end of a blind alley or perhaps the Dead End on a country road. What is our first impulse?  We want to get out of there. We’re likely lost unless we intended that as our destination. God's people were frequently at a dead end and perpetually needed help turning back. Repentance or restoration was a way back. That  is the idea the psalmist was writing about in this Psalm. He calls on God three times to “Restore us O God.”  He also is asking for God to ‘shine’ His face – that is, show favor so that the outcome would be salvation from their predicament. Israel in the Old Testament, was many times and many situations in this need. We are too, aren’t we? Like this psalmist we need a revival. If truly we seek revival, it comes when we promote the glory of God through our lives and church assemblies. The proper object of our Christian life is God’s glory. The church was made for this purpose, to glorify God; but it is only a revived church that brings glory to his name. Let’s call on our LORD God for this restoration..

199

September 6 – Clearly Know

“ For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”  1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV) 

Do we really know ourselves?  We may think we do but probably we don’t.  If we are as most, we try to do the best we can with what we know.  In the days that Apostle Paul visited Corinth, it was a city much caught up in its own image and the pleasures that made it up.  Mirrors in that day of the 1st Century A.D. were polished brass and they reflected badly.  Paul is teaching the believers that how we perceive ourselves today is nothing like how we will once we are in heaven.  We will see ourselves clearly as if face to face.  Today, this is not so unrealistic, our mirrors work well but in that time it was a good example.  And, Paul says not only will we see ourselves for what we are in Jesus Christ, we will also know ourselves in a way that is complete.  We will know just as we are known.  We will see ourselves and know ourselves just as Christ has made us.  No longer confused children, but mature (perfect) in Christ. We will lack nothing. We will have all we are and need.

- 193 -

February 12 – Step By Step Transformation

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”   2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

Each day we need to be reminded that  we who are children of God by faith in Jesus are being changed to be more and more like our Lord.  When we believed in Jesus, God sent His Holy Spirit to work in our lives and to guide us to becoming more like Him.  Our God is a God of glory and He want us, His children, to show forth His glory.  Our verse says that we are reflecting God glory.  It is not really our own glory – it is a reflection of God's glory which shows in our living.  And as we grow in faith it is an every increasing glory which shows out from us.  Let's trust this promise that we are being transformed through this process from one degree of glory to another.  The promise is secured by the Holy Spirit and is from our Lord Jesus Christ. 

#-#-#

November 27 – Light Chases Dark

“For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”  2 Corinthians 4:6 (NASB)

How might we expect our lives to be different from the lives of those who do not know God and have not believed in Him?  This verse tells us of one of the blessings of the Christian life.   Because God, who is the Creator of light when there was nothing but darkness, has made His Light shine in our hearts.  By doing that we have the promise that we have the Light of knowing the Glory of God.  God wants His light to be shining in our hearts every day.  He is a God of glory and He wants us to share His heavenly glory as we live here on earth.  That is the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Christ.  Others see that in our lives and might be attracted to it.  So as we live our lives here on earth we need to be thinking of God's heavenly glory and we need to realize that this will change our outlook on life.  We belong to the God of Glory, it is a promise we can trust. 

# # #

Please share these posts with others. 

July 9 – Seeking

“You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.””  Psalm 27:8 (ESV)

In his heart, David knew what a blessing he would receive by coming close to the Lord.  These words come from a psalm he wrote.  He knew from past experience how he would be strengthened by fellowship with God.  He knew that it was God who had called him into close relationship.  We who have believed in Jesus have experienced the same result from coming close to God. Our Lord says to us to seek His face just as He did for David.   Don't we have the same urge in our hearts that David had?  We can hear our hearts reminding us how we need to come close to our Lord often.  So, let's follow David's example day by day.  When we feel that inner urge to get close to God, let's put other things and other thoughts aside and allow Him to bless us again in close fellowship.  God has called us to seek Him.  He promises that when we do, we will find Him.  

January 6 – Ever Increasing Glory

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NASB)

There is a great change that comes into our lives when we accept Jesus as our Savior. The Bible says that we are then born again and we are given a new life. This is eternal life we received when we believe. But that is just the beginning of what God has for us and wants to do in our lives. We read in our verse today about the more that is promised. It speaks of a continuing process that is going on in the life of a believer. We read that we are being transformed into God's likeness. You see that God wants us to be like Him and that it doesn't all happen when we become believers. Our new birth is only the beginning of the transformation process. Our verse tells us that this is the work of God's Holy Spirit, and what does He expect of us? Just that we allow Him to make  us more like Himself. Let's be willing for to happen in our lives today.

August 26 – Seek His Face

“Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.” Psalm 27:7-8 (NIV)

Our verse today is from the song-book of the Bible, the book of Psalms. In it we find these words addressed directly to God. The psalmist knew from past experiences how good it is to have God in heaven. He knows how the longings of his heart could be satisfied as he turned to His God. The same experience can be ours today. We find ourselves in situations which cause us to long for God and His promise is that he is there. All we need to do is turn to him and seek His face. Yes, when we sense a spiritual need in our lives we can feel the urge in our heart to seek the face of the Lord. He will be there because He is faithful now just as He has been faithful in the past. 

August 8

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)

As we live by faith here on this earth, we are looking forward to greater things in heaven. That’s what the apostle Paul had in mind as he wrote these words. We do thank God for what He has revealed to us about His eternal glory and what we are going to experience in His presence. For what we experience now although it is wonderful, it is only a part of what is promised to us. We must remember that when we are there the glory will be far beyond anything we can imagine. In the days that Paul lived there were no mirrors like we have today. The mirrors were polished brass or silver and the reflections were not clear as we are used to.  What we see here is like a poor reflection in a cheap or defective mirror, or like a blurred picture. There we will see the real thing!