FACE TO FACE

by Marsha Burns

It occurred to me that a lot of people in the body of Christ really don’t know how to be face to face with God. We speak out loud to the air, hoping God will hear us and go away not knowing for sure that He has heard us.

Consider Moses:

Exodus 33:
7 Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the LORD went out to the tabernacle of meeting, which was outside the camp.
8 So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle.
9 And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.
10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door.
11a So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.

Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

So, I believe that if God spoke to Moses face to face; He can and will speak to us face to face.

Psalms 27:8 When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."

Psalms 41:12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And set me before Your face forever.

Psalms 105:4 Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!

Psalms 143:7 Answer me speedily, O LORD; My spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, Lest I be like those who go down into the pit.

Face to face defined: to face, to be in the presence of.

Some time ago, I had a conversation in which we were questioning whether people really “see” us – not to just see our form or our face, but to recognize, to perceive, to acknowledge, understand and accept us for who we are. We each came up with a list of people who “see” us that can be numbered on either one or two hands … not many consider the number of acquaintances we have in a life time.

I remember the movie AVATAR and loved the line “I see you,” which precisely defined what I’m talking about.

If I’m talking to you face to face that means to me that I see you, I acknowledge, understand, respect and accept you. It means to me that we have made a connection. So, if we speak face to face, we’re not speaking to the air or to the room; we are connecting and communicating.

That concept gives new meaning to these scriptures:

Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

Ephesians 4:3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

If we know how to be face to face with another person, how much more important is it to be face to face with God? In prayer, we need to “see” God, not talk at Him or to the air or to the room, but to make a connection.

Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Calling Those Things:

As the Lord leads, we also call people forth … into light, strength, healing, provision, etc. We are calling those things which do not exist as though they did (Romans 4:17).

In doing that we need to see them, to make a spiritual connection, and to call them forth by the Spirit. Having a right heart attitude of seeing, acknowledging, understanding and accepting them.

By the way, when we do this we are not violating their free will; they can make a choice whether to come forth or not. We are not praying for God to change them or make them different.

Warfare:

We’ve taught for a long time that when we engage in warfare, we don’t use the shotgun method, like shooting in a dark room and hope you hit something.

We need to know what we’re battling, and that takes discernment. Discernment comes from getting face to face with God and allowing Him to show us what the devil is up to.

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Again, we don’t speak to powers of darkness without getting in their face, understanding how they are functioning, making a connection and making them get out.

Sincerity:

Sincerity is the word that coming to mind as I was thinking about all of these applications.
Sincerity is honesty of mind; freedom from hypocrisy.

Joshua 24:14 Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!

2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

Colossians 3:22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.

Spirit and Truth – face to face in worship:

John 4:24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

John 14:17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Seek Him:

2 Chronicles 15:2b The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Take the time to come face to face with the Lord. Don’t try to visualize a face of flesh and blood. Instead move by your will into His presence by concentrating on His presence until nothing remains but Him and you.

Faith Tabernacle

http://ft111.com