A hearty hello after a long silence!

There have been so many things that have taken place since my last post. I hope to one day write it all down so my dearest family and friends can read all about the things I observed and learned in the time of learning and stretching while I was away. But in the mean time I would like to talk a little bit about the verse that kept my attention the whole while I was away!

I had to learn to understand and follow a new accent and was around another language very much. To know just what I was to do and when was a science! I had to watch everyone around me very carefully! As I saw how much I had to keep them in my sight so that I could be with them and by being with them be at the right places at the right time and they could always correct me if I was anywhere I was not to be or if I was doing something I was not to be doing! It is the same way that we are supposed to be walking with the Lord, keeping our eyes fixed on Him!

"By beholding we are changed!"

Have you ever heard the phrase, "You are what you eat"? Well, throughout this study I have come to firmly believe that you are what you watch!


2Co 3:18  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.


we are all changing! How do we change? How many of you say the exact same things you said when you were first born? What about when you first began to talk? Do you still do the very things you did on your first day at school in the same way you did it?

We all change! We are influenced to some degree by everything in life and, more specifically, everyone in our life. We can become in some ways similar to a person we admire or we can become in some ways like that person we cannot stand! Why? I have heard it said that one must never think about what they do not like in a person, because if they do they will find that if they do not already have that very thing they detest in their own character they will develop it without even realizing it.

I am sure many of you will remember the story of the Great Stone Face, by Nathaniel Hawthorn. Here is a simplified version of the story!

This story took place in a little village nestled among the mountains far away from cities, other villages, and away from the influence of the outside world. Near the village was an enormous face in the rocks of a nearby massive mountain.

The children of this village would gaze on this face so kind and generous. Their parents used the handsome and kindly features of the face to teach their children to be kind and thoughtful toward those around them.

One of the children who grew old under the silent teaching of this gentle face was a boy named Ernest. Daily he gazed on that face, for hours at a time, thinking, studying, even speaking to that giant face of stone, and daily he looked for the promised man that was to come to his village with the same face as was seen in such splendor on that grand mountain.

So many years passed, so many men had come and so many times the people would run through the streets, “Here comes the man of the great stone face!” But as many times as they were excited, so were they disappointed. It wasn't the man with that kind and generous and loving face! It was not that helpful spirit, serving heart, tender kindness and honest justice. It was not that man with the same face as the great stone face!

Ernest had grown old, old and wise. People sought his opinion, searched out his wisdom and came to him for help. He still, day after day gazed on that face… so kind! So true! Longing for the man to come

One day a poet came to visit him. A poet that wrote such lovely things that surely the great stone face would say the same things! So encouraging and tender! Loving and wise!

Ernest had hoped to meet this man that had such beauty of speech. Surely it was the man so long sought for! He listened to him talk and indeed wonderful words but…

"Why are you sad?" asked the poet.

Ernest told him of the prophecy which he had longed all his life to see fulfilled. "And," he said, "when I read your beautiful words, I think surely you are worthy to be the man I have longed to see, and yet I see no likeness."

The poet sadly shook his head, and said: "No, Ernest. I am not worthy. My words, indeed, may be beautiful, but my life has not been so great and good as the words I write."

As they spoke the sunset drew near, the two walked to the little knoll where Ernest was to talk to the people of the village as he always did. He stood in a little niche, with the mountains above him, and the glory of the evening sun shone around his silvered hair. At a distance could be seen the Great Stone Face, surrounded by a golden light.

As Ernest talked his face glowed with the depth of his feeling, and suddenly the poet threw his arms above his head and shouted: "Behold! Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great Stone Face!"

Then all the people looked and saw that what the poet had said was true. The prophecy was fulfilled. The Great Man had come at last!


How did this man become the man of the mountain? The great man that was so long looked for and sought after? He had studied, gazed on, looked to, and constantly thought of this honorable face!

Do you study Christ? Are your eyes fixed on Him?

Christian, are you just calling yourself a Christian and reading your Bible and saying your prayers but not gazing in His face and watching how He lived, how He acted, how He loved? Or must the song be sung -

“Don’t say that you love Him and live like you don’t. You think they’ll believe you? I tell you they won’t! Don’t think that this world is made up of fools. They’re watching your life. Do you live by the rules?”

(I just want to ask, diverting for one second, – people everywhere, esp. young people are watching us every chance they get looking for any compromise or contradiction with what we say. They will find enough without us even knowing it but if we know about it I wonder… just what should we do about it?)

"Don’t say that He’s very important to you when everything else dominates what you do. They’ll (those watching your life) never believe you unless they can see, your words and your life together agree! So JUST LIVE WHAT YOU SAY! Show them that Jesus is truly the way! Someone is watching your life today!"

How can we gaze on Christ?

By reading His Word, communing with Him in prayer, daily studying, and gazing into His face by way of meditating on Him and His word so He can teach us His way. You speak often to those you love, those who fill your mind throughout the day. When it is possible you might call them or you might send them an email or sms/text message. Why? You are thinking of them, their ways, their likes, their dislikes… We are gazing on their character!

How much do we gaze on the character of Christ??? "Looking unto Jesus" There are verses all through the Bible that show us the character of Christ! How often do we study it? How often do we look into the looking glass of His word and see where we are not having the right attitude or bearing our cross as He would have done? We are affected by what we behold and others are affected by what we behold!


I am reminded of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, where Evangelist was telling Christian how to escape from the wrath to come. He told him to find that wicket gate! That strait and narrow path! He pointed out the Light that he must keep his eye on. 


"Keep that light in your eye and go directly thereto. So shalt thou see the gate and there, when thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do to inherit eternal life" 


Keep your eye fixed on Christ, my dear friends, and walk ever toward that Light! Don't look at circumstances, problems, hopeless situations... Look ever to Jesus and by gazing on Him! By looking to Him, by considering Him more and more you will be able to be the light that you are to be to those around you and thy Lord will direct your step every step of the way along your journey in this world. 


So, by beholding we are changed! What you steadfastly behold you get used to and you begin to judge other things by it! Is it wisdom you are beholding? Is it truth and righteousness? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it of good report? Is it virtuous? Is it worthy to be praised??? 


Christ alone is worthy! That is why who we are friends with is such an important part of our life! If our friends are not looking to Jesus then is it safe to spent loads of time with them? "We are using our influence over them and helping them along!" Wonderful!!! That is beautiful! Tell me please, do you spend more time with your Saviour than you do with them? I am not saying you must be in solitary confinement for most of the day and then go out and spend time influencing your friends! I am simply saying, if you are walking with the Lord, you will be looking to Him moment by moment!


More often than not those who long to spend so much time "in the closet" alone with the Lord and then go and "use their influence" sad to say, at this mentioned stage of their Christian walk they seem to be more grumpy or "holier than thou" than the desired encouragement to others to do right and be right!


Keep your eyes fixed on Christ and do your duty! Remember the JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH! 1 Corinthians 13 is a very good example of the character of Christ! It is what we are to be toward our neighbors! Toward each and every human being that comes into our life! Study it! Learn it! know it!!!! LIVE IT!


Don't expect others to be perfect! Don't expect them to be "as good as you!" The fact is they are probably better than you in more areas than you would ever admit! Love them for who they are! They are human, they have their own struggles! They need you to encourage them and help them along life's toilsome and weary way! Don't step on them and push them down. Lift them up, help them to look to the cross of our dear Saviour and see Him lifted up so that He can lift them up!


Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness, and meekness with long suffering. Forbearing one another in love! Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace!


Look to Jesus and LIVE!!! Keep your eyes ever fixed on Him!


By beholding HIM you are being changed into His image! Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world!