Face to Face

Peter stood before Jesus and said, “You are the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:16)

Pilate stood before Jesus and said, “What is truth?” (John 18:38)

Pilate was standing face-to-face in the very presence of the Truth, yet he did not recognize the truth.

Peter knew that Jesus was the Son of God because Father revealed that to him (Matthew 16:17). Peter’s heart was receptive to divine revelation. Pilate’s heart was not.

At the end of a turbulent marriage, the alcoholic husband left his wife and seven children. The woman was born-again, Spirit-filled Christian and along with her children, attended church three times a week. She did the best she knew how to bring her kids up in a godly home. But by the time all the children became adults, they were scattered across the country and only one of her seven kids serves the Lord.

This woman loves the Lord, prays and praises regularly, and is very hungry to learn as much as she can about the Word of God. Her heart is heavy with the desire to have her children together again and for all of them to serve the Lord.

But her heart is not receptive to the revelation that she is the reason that her family is broken. Her heart is not receptive to the fact that she applied the letter of God’s Word—not the spirit of the Word—and mixed it with harsh and critical words towards her children. Only when she sees the truth in her own life, will she no longer be a hindrance to the answer of her own prayer.

David was a man that was after God’s heart. Although David committed some very grievous sins, his heart longed to acknowledge and rid himself of any obstacle or wickedness and to follow God at all cost. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23–24)

God wants us to know the truth about Himself, but He also wants us to know the truth about ourselves.

If you’ve prayed a prayer like David’s, watch for the answer; God wants to give you the answer more than you want it!

He will bring you face-to-face with the truth about Himself and about yourself.

Many pastors and Christian counselors would agree that many Christians don’t want to acknowledge the “uglies” within themselves.

But no matter how hard, how repulsive, or how much it hurts, we need to be open, humble, and receptive to seeing the truth about ourselves. God already knows our weaknesses and our “uglies”. Even other people know things about our hearts that we refuse to see. Many times, we are the only ones who don’t see something about ourselves that needs changing.

We need to recognize those divinely orchestrated moments when something happens or something is said that brings us face-to-face with the truth about ourselves.

For example, you may have heard from several people a specific comment about your character that you didn’t like. But maybe those comments were initiated by God. He might be telling you to face and accept a truth about yourself so that you can deal with it and become more like The Truth.

There was a man that displayed very prideful behavior. Except for the “yes-men” that he surrounded himself with, many people told him of the fruit of pride in his life. Some people spoke in the spirit of meekness (Galatians 6:1). Other people tainted their words with anger or condemnation. Either way, the man refused to listen and refused to even consider the possibility that God was trying to warn him. Today, decades later, this same man has become stone deaf to God’s voice. He believes that he is gifted with all five of the five-fold ministry gifts. And that he alone can hear God’s voice and understand the Bible.

If we are to be humble before God, if we are willing to empty ourselves of all things that hinder us from clearly hearing God’s voice in all matters, we must be willing to be face-to-face with the truth about ourselves.

“but His confidential communion and secret counsel are with the [uncompromisingly] righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with Him).” (Proverbs 3:32b, Amplified)

not fear, to cast out the spirit and give that person what Jesus died for: freedom from bondage and to experience abundant life in Christ.

It is my prayer for you that Father will continue to help you to hear His voice, and more and more frequently.

With God’s grace and in His peace,

Gary

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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

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