LAWTON CHURCH OF GOD, LAWTON, OKLAHOMA

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60 SEEKING THE FACE OF GOD

TEXT: When thou saidst, seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Psalm 27:8.

The guilty may seek His favor; the obedient child of God will seek His face. We should seek Him, not simply for the loaves and fishes—something He has—but for what He is. There is a possibility of becoming more absorbed with an “it” than with Him who has made “it” possible.

Many are occupied with ceremonies and doctrines, which may be beautiful and helpful in their proper relations, but without the presence of the living Christ are simply dead and wearisome formalities; the shell without a kernel. Dean Stanley has well said: “The teachings of Christ are not abstract doctrines nor ceremonial regulations.”

We need to come face to face with God; first, that we know Him, and, second, that we may know ourselves. Not until Isaiah could say: “Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts,” did he understand his own heart and realize his moral uncleanness. “Where there is no vision the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18.)

The countenance is a reflecting mirror, wherein the thoughts and affections, otherwise invisible, appear. It is thereby that our inward emotions are made known to others: love, hatred, desire, dislike, joy, grief, confidence, despair, courage, cowardice, ambition, contempt, pride, modesty, cruelty, compassion and the rest of the affections are all reflected in the countenance.

To seek His face means:

1. Walking in light. “They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance.” (Psalm 89:15.) The light of His countenance upon us implies His peculiar favor and blessing. “The face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”

2. Light in His light. “In Thy light shall we see light.” (Psalm 36:9.) To have the mind of Christ and see as He sees, we mast seek His face. “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17.)

3. Changed into His image. “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.)

That is holiness. The spirit of the Lord changing us into the same image, while we behold “the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first born among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29.)

4. Fellowship and communion. “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” (Exodus 33:11.) “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.” “And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John, 1:3.)

5. Cause our face to shine. “Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.” (Exodus 34:29.) The scowls and frowns and dark looks all disappear when we seek the face of God. Beulah dwellers have the lines of their countenances drawn from east to west, instead of north to south. “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance.” “The help of His countenance” becomes “the health of my countenance.” (Psalm 42:5, 2.)

6. Fullness of joy. “Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.” (Acts, 2:28.) “David speaketh concerning Him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face . . . therefore did my heart rejoice and my tongue was glad.”

“As by the light of opening day

The stars are all concealed;

So earthly pleasures fade away

When Jesus is revealed.”