Today’s Devotional – February 14th (By Beholding Jesus…Changed! Part 1)
By admin On January 14th, 2021.
Today’s Devotional – February 14th
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By Beholding Jesus…Changed!
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Part 1
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“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.”
2nd Corinthians 3:18
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Mirrors have been around since the days of Adam & Eve.
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Yes, mankind has had a long history of desiring to behold our own image.
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The very first mirror, no doubt was merely the reflection seen, when one looked into a pool of still water.
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Later, metal craftsmen made mirrors from highly polished metals.
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But in 1835, the German chemist Justus von Liebig created the first silvered-glass mirror, by a chemical process.
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And this led to our modern-day process of mirror-making, which has perfected mankind’s love-affair with the mirror! (info from Wikipedia on, “the mirror”)
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Girl with round mirror – Wikimedia – US public domain
Mirror – Woman with mirror on ancient vase – NAMA Femme au miroir – Wikipedia – Share-alike License
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IMAGES WE BEHOLD
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And speaking of images, just what images have I beheld today?
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What visual things attracted my attention today?
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Or what music made my ears perk up today?
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And what thoughts permeated my heart today?
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What word/image media did I peruse today? The TV? The newspaper? The Internet?
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In this high-tech age we now live, the possibilities are endless, as to what we may choose to behold.
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As the Preacher said… “the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.” Ecclesiastes 1:8.
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Yes, God has created Man to be curious.
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Our eyes are constantly searching.
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Our ears are always ready to hear.
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mirror – Wikimedia – public domain
People on Times Square – cropped image – Wikimedia Commons – share-alike license
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FILTERING OUT EVIL
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But as a Christian, am I taking inventory of what images I have allowed myself to behold today?
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After all, God gives us this advice… “…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8.
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So, here in this above verse, Paul is being very upbeat and happy! Yes, he tells us to focus our hearts on the things of Heaven! The things that are of the truth! The things which are pure and lovely! Noble things! Things that will elevate our thoughts in a Heavenward direction!
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These are the things which should become the focus of our attention each day!
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Mirror – Wikipedia – Public Domain
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HAPPY HAPPY VERSE!
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But God, through Paul, also has another wonderful passage for us!
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Perhaps one of the most joyful verses in the Bible! And it is found in 2nd Corinthians 3:18…
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Listen… “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.” 2nd Corinthians 3:18
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Now what could be a more pleasant truth than this above verse? And this passage makes reference to a mirror (or glass).
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What could be more wonderful than to behold the image of Jesus?
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Well, the above verse is infinitely more wonderful! Because it tells me, that not only should I constantly behold my precious Lord Jesus, but by so-doing, I will be more-and-more changed into His glorious image, day-by-day, week-by-week! Month-by-month!
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Now that’s not only wonderful, but it’s almost unbelievable!
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Just think of it! To be changed into Christ’s image (by God’s Spirit)! Yes, that’s pretty awesome, wouldn’t you agree?
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mirror – Wikimedia – public domain
Transfiguration bloch – Wikimedia Commons – US public domain
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FOLLOWING THE MASTER
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Have you ever been snow skiing?
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Well, when kids went skiing together, it was quickly learned that one could make really rapid improvement by simply following behind a really great skier! And whatever you saw him do, you would merely try to imitate whatever he did!
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And this is exactly what Jesus wants us to do, as well! Yes, just like those disciples of old, Jesus calls us to “Come and follow Me”.
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And so, by keeping my thoughts on Jesus, throughout my day, and asking myself, “What would Jesus do”, at every turn, I can more and more behave, even as Jesus might behave.
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Now this is not some one-day accomplishment! No, this is the work for my remaining days on earth! To use computer language, this should be my “default mode”. This should be my “modus operandi”.
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To just let Jesus guide me through each and every little situation of the day. Trying to think how Jesus would answer. Trying to think where Jesus would go. To say what Jesus would say! To eat as Jesus ate! To sing what Jesus would sing! To pray what Jesus would pray!
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Mirror globe by Arpingstone for Wikipedia – Public Domain
Freestyle skiing jump – Wikipedia – share-alike license
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KEEP YOUR EYES UPON JESUS!
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These are the things that comprise the essence of what a Christian’s life is all about!
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And as our introductory Bible verse says, by doing these kinds of things each day, I will ever-so-imperceptibly be changed into His glorious image!
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Let’s repeat this verse once again…
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“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.” 2nd Corinthians 3:18
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And just as the world loves to behold itself in a mirror, so too, the Christian loves to behold Jesus in the mirror of God’s Word! And each and every day that we meditate upon the Bible, we get a clearer and more perfect picture of just who Jesus was and is!
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And by constantly beholding Him, as in a glass (or mirror), we are imperceptibly changed into His glorious image, even as by the Spirit of the Lord!
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A very happy idea, indeed!
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Brooklyn Museum – What Our Lord Saw from the Cross – James Tissot
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“For now we see through a glass, darkly;
but then face to face”
1st Corinthians 13:12
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TO READ PART 2, CLICK HERE…
February 14 (By Beholding Jesus…Changed! Part 2: “Ellen White’s Book on Jesus’ Life”)
Transfiguration – Bloch – cropped – Wikimedia Commons – US Public-Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Show me the way so that I may behold Jesus through my day. Lift my heavy burden so that I might follow Jesus as one of His disciples…
Woman Praying – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Lunar Eclipse & Spiritual Eclipse” or you can also read… “Mercury & The Image Of The Beast”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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HEAVENLY OBJECT LESSON
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“Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” Isaiah 24:23
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When God created the Moon and the stars, He ordained them to “rule the night” (Genesis 1:16). The Moon, especially when it is full, can light your pathway through the night, as it reflects the light of the Sun.
So too, the Christian is to be a light to the world: to this sin-darkened world. But as the Moon must reflect the light of the Sun, in order to be a light to the world, so also must the Christian reflect the light of Jesus, to be a spiritual light to this planet in rebellion. Listen…
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“Ye are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
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However, during an eclipse, the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, preventing that sunlight from shining on the Moon’s face. This is an incredible object-lesson about when the child of God allows the world to come between him and his Lord. Like the eclipse, that person no longer reflects the light of Jesus, because his or her love of this dark world of sin has eclipsed the light from the “Sun of Righteousness” (see Malachi 4:2).
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And so, this is just one of the many poetic truths seen in the Moon. (For more on this subject of an eclipse, you may link to the article… “Lunar Eclipse & Spiritual Eclipse”)
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Dutch Painting: Um_moinho_dominando_a_baía_à_luz_lunar – Wikimedia – US public domain
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Moon Into Blood Trilogy: 1st Face: The Night Watchman” or you can also read… “How Shall The Moon Be Turned Into Blood?”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TOMORROW:
Today’s Devotional – February 15th . . . . THE TWO IMAGES
magnifying glass on puzzle – Wikimedia – Share-alike license
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20 MINUTE+ AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH
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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
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THIS STUDY #45 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…
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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain