We have to take our eyes off man…Jesus is the beautiful one! He alone deserves our gaze, our adoration and our praise! HE ALONE IS WORTHY! HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS SACRIFICED FOR ALL…
Our gaze of adoration toward man is part of what has led to the demise of many Christian artists, pastors, etc. As we admire them, they become filled with pride; they begin relying on self instead of God, get full of the flesh, and are overtaken. .
Also, when we focus on man our hearts are not able to receive the full revelation of Jesus Christ that transforms our hearts and spirits. Because God will have NO other God’s before Him, and when you set your hopes on man, you put that man before God and it is a form of adultery.
Another distraction from the beauty of Jesus is earthly anxiety. Jesus is the beautiful one, Jesus is the powerful one. Earthly anxiety robs our hearts from focusing on Christ and chokes the word of God from being planted in our hearts (Matthew 6:25-34, Luke 8:14, Luke 21:34).
As the people of God, the desire of HIS heart, return their gaze, their affections, their longings back to Jesus Christ, the beautiful One, things will truly change.
The children of Israel were afraid of going before the Lord, because He is Holy. They told Moses to go for them. So that means they did not have perfect love for God (Exodus 20, 32) …perfect love casts out fear, 1 John 4:17-19! When Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up, He said woe is me, I am a man of unclean lips (Isaiah 6). When you are in God’s presence you are naked before Him and your flesh becomes uncomfortable. (I am preaching to myself also). So then we want others to go before GOD for us, we want to glean from their revelation instead of getting before God ourselves. God is the lover, but also the refiner, pruner, chastener. So then, because we are not close to God ourselves, loving Him with all of our heart mind soul and strength…what happens, we still long for God, but are afraid to get too close, so we cling to what seems like God and elevate them to the place of God and worship the creature rather than the Creator. The Children of Israel did not want to draw close to God, they wanted Moses to go for them, so their hearts were idle, not focusing on the beauty of Jesus, because Moses was on the mountain, beholding God for them. So what happened? They created an idol made of Gold to worship instead. The idol has no holiness to fear so it is easier to be in its presence.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away . 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 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. 2 Corinthians 3
I challenge myself, I challenge you, to retract our hearts from all things that steal our gaze, our focus from Jesus Christ the beautiful One. Is it t.v? Is it facebook? Is it even friendships? What takes your focus, your gaze from the Holy God of Israel? When we focus on Christ we will be healed, cleansed, we will be blessed with greater revelation and understanding of who Christ is and how to love Him with all of our being.
Luke 10:27
And he answering said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus is The Beautiful One…what owns your focus? Who holds your gaze?
Revelations 5
(This is why He is so beautiful…)
7And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
8And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
9And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
11And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
13And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
14And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
*Jesus You’re Beautiful – John Thurlow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQQMG93kxqM
*Holy – Matt Gilman & Cory Asbury
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHxoaq6wBJ8
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The Call
– Get the Book that God is Using to Give the Spirit of Elijah to the Generation that Loves Jesus and Wants to See Him Return: Killing Idols For REVIVAL.
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