Changed by Beholding

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18.
As the mind dwells upon Christ, the character is molded after the divine similitude. The thoughts are pervaded with a sense of His goodness, His love. We contemplate His character, and thus He is in all our thoughts. His love encloses us. If we gaze even a moment upon the sun in its meridian glory, when we turn away our eyes, the image of the sun will appear in everything upon which we look. Thus it is when we behold Jesus; everything we look upon reflects His image, the Sun of Righteousness. We cannot see anything else, or talk of anything else. His image is imprinted upon the eye of the soul, and affects every portion of our daily life, softening and subduing our whole nature. By beholding, we are conformed to the divine similitude, even the likeness of Christ. To all with whom we associate we reflect the bright and cheerful beams of His righteousness. We have become transformed in character; for heart, soul, mind, are irradiated by the reflection of Him who loved us, and gave Himself for us
Jesus Christ is everything to us—the first, the last, the best in everything. Jesus Christ, His Spirit, His character, colors everything; it is the warp and the woof, the very texture of our entire being. The words of Christ are spirit and life. We cannot, then, center our thoughts upon self; it is no more we that live, but Christ that liveth in us, and He is the hope of glory. Self is dead, but Christ is a living Saviour.
If we keep our minds stayed upon Christ, He will come unto us “as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” Hosea 6:3. As the Sun of Righteousness, He will arise upon us “with healing in his wings.” Malachi 4:2. We shall “grow as the lily.” We shall “revive as the corn, and grow as the vine.” Hosea 14:5, 7. By constantly relying upon Christ as our personal Saviour, we shall grow up into Him in all things who is our head.
The Faith I Live By p. 150
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Prayer Requests
—-Please friends pray for my son Darin. he needs Jesus in his life. Caryl
—-I have a prayer request for my daughter she’s 19. She’s going in for surgery today. It last 3 hours. Kinda worried, she’s really sensitive to things. Could please pray for her ? The surgery starts at 1:30. Please pray. her name is Golden. Heather
—-Please be in prayer. My little Alan had another febrile seizure today. His fever is down but we don’t know the cause. Jennifer
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Dear Friends,
Many years ago, I was staying for awhile at the home of some people that I knew. One day, their daughter Ann, who was about 15 at the time, decided to surprise everyone by making supper. Mashed potatoes sounded good, so she opened the cupboard and began looking for a bag of instant potato flakes. Soon she found it and poured its contents into the big pan of boiling water. Only after that did she discover that she had too much water for the amount of instant potatoes. It was more like potato soup. Ann searched through the cupboards until she found another sack, opened it, and began pouring the contents into the pan and stirring. After the mashed potatoes were just the right consistency, Ann set the potatoes aside while she finished the rest of the meal.
Everyone ooohed and aaahed as she proudly served us the delicious-looking dinner she had prepared. The mashed potatoes looked especially good even though they were a little cold. As we began to eat them, we discovered that were hard crunchy chunks in them. That was strange. No one could understand why instant potato flakes could be crunchy. Upon investigation, we found that one of those bags of instant potatoes was not potatoes at all. It was a bag of plaster of paris!
Just as those potatoes contained something other than potatoes, so in life things are not always what they appear to be. A pleasure that looks so innocent can start us down the wrong path. Two ways are open before each one of us. Two paths that at first glance may look the same can lead in very different directions. Often the wrong path looks at the beginning like it is the better path, one that will give us a happier, richer, fuller life, but too late we find that it is as Solomon says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Prov 16:25
How important it is, then, that we look beyond the path’s beginning and see where it will end. How vital it is that we are not deceived as to which path to take. Jesus bids us, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matt 7:13-21 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” 6:24
How can we know which way we are traveling? How can we know which master we are serving? Appearances can be very deceiving. We can be easily fooled. David gives the answer to our dilemma. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Ps 119:9-11 Paul adds, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 Jesus assures us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jer 29:13
May we choose each day to set our feet upon the Solid Rock, Christ Jesus our Lord. May we “give diligence to make [our] calling and election sure.” 2 Peter 2:10 May the Light of Heaven guide our footsteps all the way to His Glorious Kingdom is my prayer.
Rose