Face To Face

Monday night Epic Champions (Our mentoring initiative for men), gathered at my home. We covered the book “Celebration of Discipline” by Richard Foster. A must read on every-ones book list! Once you read the book in its entirety, I would suggest the following year, taking a chapter a month & spending some time digesting it slower. It’s rich!

17 men gathered in my home and we broke a 3 day fast together. We broke the fast by partaking in communion & then we ate, & then we ate, & ate, and…..some men were happy, some men were thrilled:( (wrong word, but oh well) about a strictly liquid fast, but I believe the point was made, fasting is truly a spiritual discipline, that when accompanied with prayer becomes a method that allows us to hear, learn, and move to understand our creator.

I did a teaching on “A Leader & his prayer life!” So I’ll share just a brief thought about that. Here goes……

I remember the nearly 14 years ago, when I headed to the hospital to see my daughter Hannah born. I had no idea what emotions would course through my veins the moment I held my baby daughter. Even though I was nervous, I can tell you now, it was a moment I will never forget.

To spare you all the details of the birth itself – I understood the mechanics & 4 children later, I definitely understand. LOL! The moment they handed this little 8 pound girl to me, with her pink hat, wrapped in her little pink blanket, my heart melted. I was a daddy for the first time. I remember her eyes, the softness of her skin, I even remember the little blue vein that was pronounced on her forehead. Those little pink booties came off her feet pretty quick, so I could see whether she had my toes, or her mothers? Mom won! When I looked at my new baby girl, my life was changed forever. Maybe you’ve had face to face defining moments like that?

I was changed when I came face to face with my baby girl. Here’s the point……You can’t come face to face with your God and stay the same. To come into the presence of the living, One True God, is to be changed!

I like what E.M. Bounds said “The ones who have most fully illustrated Christ in their character, and have most powerfully affected the world for Him, have been those who spend so much time with God as to make it a notable feature in their lives.”

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. Ex 34:29 I want my face to radiate to the world, Jesus Love!

God knows every detail of your face, I want to know every detail of His. Why? I don’t want to remain the same! I want my face to radiate to the world, I’ve met face to face with God. Why? Because God’s love runs so deep, so wide, so high, that once people encounter God, they will forever be changed. That excites me!

When you come face to face with God in prayer, you will be changed!