The Great Stone Face
Redeeming the time brothers podcast by
Gene Kissinger Proverbs chapter 27 And verse 19. It says “as in water face
answer to face. So the heart of man to man,” Paul Chapelle in writing about this
passage retells Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, the Great Stone Face. It's a short story
about an unusual rock formation in New England, that looks exactly like a man's
face and local legend had it that there would come a man who would be born who
would look like that stone face, who would be one of the greatest of men that
ever lived. One young man named Ernest, who grew up at the foot of the mountain,
was continually looking for that great man to come. And a series of people come
by, a great writer, a politician, a general and so on. Yet none of them are that
great man, none of them look like that Great Stone Face towards the end of his
life an older, wiser Ernest becomes a preacher and at sunset he is invited to
preach a sermon outdoors, to the people of the community. While he's preaching,
a look of love comes over his face and a poet in the crowd shouted out to look
at his face and look at the face on the mountain. They look the same. Earnest
didn't believe it, but the others believed that he was that great man. The
thrust of the story is we become like what we focus on. When we focus on
something or someone long enough, we end up becoming like them, we need to be
very careful who we pay attention to. Our society is very bad about putting
forward very bad people as role models, and they're lifted up, and even called
idols. The problem is your idol will become something that shapes you, you and I
need to find good godly mentors to help shape our life. We need to reflect on
the great lives of past men and women who have lived godly lives so that we can
emulate those character traits within our lives. We need to learn the lesson of
the Great Stone Face and become like what we focus on, let's focus on God. Let's
focus on godly character in men and women so that we can emulate those traits in
our own lives. Let's pray. Dear Lord, God, I thank You that You have given us
men and women who model what it's like to live out their faith in adverse times,
whether it's a teenage Joseph who is standing against temptation, or an elderly
Daniel, who is praying even though it means he'll be cast into a lion's den,
Lord, or if it's Peter who's willing to get out and risk his life to walk on the
water, or Paul who's willing to preach when it means he might be stoned to
death, God, whatever the case, help us to learn the life lessons of these godly
men and women who have fleshed out what the faith looks like in their
biographies. Allow us God to find and follow that in Jesus' name. Amen. God
bless you. I love you, but Jesus loves you so much more.
Laugh Lines.
Aftertaking the exams and having my driver's license photo taken on a humid Florida
day, I asked, "Could I get a better picture?" The officer replied, "If you bring
a better face.
Classics Corner.
WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
F.B Meyer "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."--
Gal 5:16.
WHEN WE walk in the spirit we shall be led by Him (Gal 5:18+, Ro 8:14+). In the early stages
of life we are apt to be headstrong and impulsive, as Moses when he felled the
Egyptian. But as we grow in Christian experience (2 Peter 3:18), we wait for the
leadings of the Spirit, moving us by His suggestion, impressing on us His will,
working within us (Php 2:13+) what afterwards we work out in character and deed
(Php 2:12+, Php 2:14+). We do not go in front, but follow behind. We are led by
the Spirit. The man or woman who walks in the Spirit has no desire to fulfill
the lust of the flesh (Ed: Not exactly true! The desire is still there. The
fulfilling of the desire is not.). The desire for the gratification of natural
appetite will be latent in the soul, and may flash through the thoughts, but he
does not fulfill it. The desire cannot be prevented (Gal 5:17+), but its
fulfillment can certainly be withheld. When we walk in the Spirit He produces in
us the fruit of a holy character (Gal 5:22-23). The contrast between the works
of the fleshly--i.e., the selfish life (Gal 5:19-21).--and the fruit of the
Spirit, which is the (super) natural product of His influence, is very marked.
In works there is effort, the clatter of machinery, the deafening noise of the
factory. But fruit is found in the calm, still, regular process of Nature, which
is ever producing in her secret laboratory the kindly fruits of the earth. How
quiet it all is! There is no voice nor language. It is almost impossible to
realize what is being effected by a long summer day of sunshine. The growing of
autumn arrives with noiseless footsteps. So it is with the soul that daily walks
in the Spirit. There are probably no startling experiences, no marked
transitions, nothing special to record in the diary, but every year those who
live in close proximity witness a ripening wealth of fruit in the manifestation
of love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
self-control. PRAYER Gracious Lord! May Thy Holy Spirit keep me ever walking in
the light of Thy countenance for the glory of Thy Son. May He fill my heart with
the sense of Thy nearness and loving fellowship with Jesus. Order my steps in
Thy way, and walk with me, that I may do the thing that pleases Thee. In Jesus'
Name. AMEN.
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