8.29.12 "What's that on Your Face?"

"What's that on Your Face?" 

Job 31:1-33:33 
2 Corinthians 3:1-18 
Psalm 43:1-5 
Proverbs 22:8-9 

2 Corinthians 3:18 "But we Christians have no veil over our faces; we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him." 

Have you ever noticed that as people grow up, they look more and more like their parents? It's really an inevitable process. It's in our DNA. 

As we mature in Christ, our spiritual DNA must cause us to look more and more like the image of Christ. This is a process to which we must commit. Philippians 1:6 says, "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." We want God to complete His work in us, but we need to remind ourselves that it's so OTHERS can see his glory! 

Paul is talking in 2 Corinthians 3 about the glory in the new covenant of salvation. verse 12 says, "Since we know that this new glory will never go away, we can preach with great boldness". We forget sometimes that the salvation we have needs to be reflected in our face. Sometimes Christians walk around like they've been sucking on lemons, and then they complain that people don't want to be like them. 

When we were new to the neighborhood, we met a family down the street who used to live right next door to a family from our church. As we struck up a conversation, I mentioned his former neighbors. He stopped what he was doing and said, "Just mentioning them brings a smile to my face! They are truly the salt of the earth. They are the kind of people that people are supposed to be." I couldn't have been more proud of my brother & sister in Christ! Their testimony paved the way for this man & I to be friends. Imagine the different response he would have toward me if these Christian neighbors had spent their lives complaining, arguing, and NOT representing Christ. 

There is such a power when we let our lives reflect the glory of Christ. Don't forget the last part of the scripture: "... as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him." If you're not allowing the Spirit to work in your life, the reflection shown on your face will not be a pretty one. If you're restraining his work there is no freedom. Verse 17 says, "the Lord is the Spirit who gives them life, and where he is there is freedom." When you allow God to move in you, your face shows freedom. 

The world is in bondage, and they are starving for freedom. We need to stop veiling it behind selfishness, complaining, and the overall victim mentality. (victim mentality comes from Christians cowering away from sinners) We need to let the Spirit have freedom within us so his glory shines around us! 

This is all necessary to fulfill our Mission to Reach our World for Christ. You can't Live the DREAM without this. Let your face reflect his glory today. There's someone in your world desperate to see it! 


Through the Power of the Spirit, 
Live the DREAM! 

Pastor Greg Lathe 

Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship 
Relationships Devoted to Unity 
Empowered Through Biblical Training 
Active Ministry Involvement 
Mission to Reach our World for Christ