Subject:  BEHOLD JESUS! Look upon Jesus' face - HOW in the world do we do that?

Question:
A sincerely interested person one day asked me:
Jeff, you talk about how you seek God each day & personally "Behold the Lamb." You describe how you turn your mind & heart to "focus on Jesus."  Also "focus on Jesus" (or behold God) during prayer.  As you play spiritual music to the Lord on guitar, piano or sing songs of worship alone or with others, you aim to "focus on Jesus."  You can walk with Jesus even as you go about everyday activities.  I have also heard you talk about how we each need to meditate on the revelation of Jesus through the words of the Bible.  To hear His voice through the pages of that Book. I want to know more about how you "Look upon Jesus." HOW (do you do that)?

Answer:
I was so glad this question was asked.  Truly a VERY DEEP & important question!  A topic of SUCH GREAT IMPORTANCE.

How do we seek His face?  Behold God?  Hear His Voice?

Below I will share four tips & some of my personal answers. 

- brother Jeff

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BEHOLD JESUS!  Look upon Jesus.
HOW do we do that?  

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From what I have learned after many years of walking as a Christian, I want to PERSONALLY encourage you. You can INCREASE your DAILY PERSONAL communion with God, know Him as Father, closely, through Jesus!  Daily look upon His face.  I want God to become real in your life!

John 14:6 describes an important fundamental:  The ONLY way to know God the Father is to draw near to Him through Jesus!  God, the Son, Jesus, is the Son of God, the one & only Saviour of Mankind! Acts 4:12 reveals our ONLY way to Heaven is through Jesus.  We can seek God in His Word (the Bible) to find DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT.  Jesus & the Bible shine as lights, truly enabling us to know God MORE!

When I play guitar or piano or sing worship songs, I have often learned to FOCUS my mind, emotions & spiritual DESIRE with a RECEIVING heart.  I am looking for God, wanting to hear His voice.  This is a "be still & know that I am God" communing attitude. Psalm 46:10  Life's ultimate privilege is to DRAW NEAR to God in Spirit & in truth, in thought, emotion, with all of our hearts.  This is the beautiful Psalm 42:1-2 longing & hunger!

Psalm 42:1-2
As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

Sometimes we must choose to humble ourselves & rest ourselves before God's Presence with a NEEDY drawing near.  Even if I am hurting or sad or troubled or face a problem, be still before God & begin to quietly cry out:  "PLEASE HELP ME, GOD!" Other times our James 4:8 seeking (God's nearness) is almost a ROMANTIC longing of being in love with Jesus, seeing Him as our spiritual bridegroom, the One WHO loves us most. "I LONG for your LOVE, Lord! I WANT You close! I need You & desperately desire INTIMACY with Your Presence, Jesus! Our Father in heaven, by Your Holy Spirit, manifest Your living Presence to me here as I wait for You."

The Psalms are a great study manual in hundreds of prayers & cries to God, for help, for healing, for closeness, for deliverance.  Read the Psalms often.  They are God's gift to you.

As Christians, we can move our hearts' attention to draw close to the Lord with an intentional spiritual focus. GO into your room, close the door & pray to your Father in Heaven.  Put the Internet, the phone, your ipad, smartphone & computer out of the room.  Shut those off.  And listen for God.  If you don't hear Him, sit down & read a few chapters from the Scripture.  Look for His Voice there. 

Daily, cultivate a heart that is sensitive & hungry for God's Word.  Learn to love His Presence. Is your heart hurting?  Are things going bad?  "Be still & know that He is God."  Psalm 46:10

Humility really helps. James 4 & 1 Peter 5 describe HUMBLING OURSELVES as IMPORTANT to our daily, hourly, minute by minute, James 4:8 drawing near pursuits.

I do similarly while listening to, reading or meditating on the Bible.  I intentionally take most all the scriptures PERSONALLY and realize the promises & encouragements are directed toward me.  Then I TURN THEM into HUMBLE PRAYER (often immediately). Likewise, in worship, through music, with musical instruments, while singing, during prayer, or as a part of Bible meditation, we can sincerely DRAW NEAR to God!

Don't be content with the outer court.  Or even the inner court.  Stay in pursuit until you begin to taste the Holy of Holies!

Once our EYES are fixed ON GOD, we can receive what the Holy Spirit brings to us.  Then BEHOLD JESUS!

Action point:  Adopt your own seeking activities.  Try this various ways: through worship, private prayer, prayer with others, prayer or Psalm-singing with a close, personal Christian friend.  Go deeper into Bible meditation.  Go out & visit parks, lakes, forests & mountains.  And enjoy seeing GOD in His creation!

How to personally grow DEEPER in COMMUNION with God

Suggestion
1. Read the Bible daily
Each day (hour by hour) focus your mind & thoughts on scripture.
You can apply scriptures to your daily experiences in everyday life.   Relate each situation you face directly with what you read in scripture. Let Biblical "meditations" DESCRIBE WHO GOD IS to you.  Let God's Word UNVEIL Jesus to your understanding. Then look for Him in real life. 

Learn to receive God's instruction & hear His voice through the scriptures you read. Keep your mind & ears open to hear the Holy Spirit.  God's Spirit will pinpoint certain verses, give you a dream or vision or vivid awareness of something true.  Pay attention when the still small voice whispers a scripture to you.  Someone is trying to lead you to water.  Psalm 23

Specifically focus on Jesus with each scripture you read.  Ask yourself, with each Bible verse, how does this scripture tell me about WHO JESUS IS?  Listen to the Holy Spirit bring the Revelation of Jesus into each chapter you read.  Almost every verse from Genesis to Revelation has something to reveal about WHO JESUS IS.  "The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy."  Revelation 19:10

Once you get a word from God, journal it, make a written note of that nugget somewhere (on paper, on a stick-it note, on a bulletin board, on post-it notes on your Mac computer screen.  Write a spiritual journal using a text editor in your smartphone or on your computer. Post your latest insight on Facebook.  Bless the world.  Tweet it on Twitter.  People are starving everywhere to HEAR the VOICE of GOD.

Afterward, turn your thoughts again & again to that message from the Lord. If the Word you get is especially relevant, return to it often.  Let that Word be like a Lamp to you, to guide you each day or hour, linger long upon those sweet divine glimpses.  Everywhere you go, make the Word of God your meditation.

Psalm 1
Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
Who brings forth fruit in its season,
Whose leaf shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

Lovingly, peacefully, hungrily turn your mind to DWELL upon JESUS! Psalm 119:105, Rev. 19:10

Mark 12:30 Lovingly, DWELL upon JESUS each moment as you meditate on scripture. Deeply FEEL a heart NEED for Him! Tell God all your longings & dreams, ask Him for what you NEED! DRINK in His GRACE!  When you get a nudge or an insight, meditate on each glimpse of Jesus which appears. God will reveal Himself to your spirit, your soul, mind, or emotions. 

Remember heaven's grace & truth.  Learn to cultivate helpful, inspired meditations FOCUSED clearly on JESUS!
There is NO OTHER NAME which saves! No other! Acts 4:12, Psalm 19

Make your favorite pastime to visit with Jesus! Luke 10:38-42  Behold & ENJOY!  Don't be in a hurry when you pray or read scripture. Worship from your heart & let the Lamb of God draw close to you. Fear God humbly. DRAW CLOSE & know your closest Friend!

Jesus is the One you want to seek & love! His Word can become your favorite Book! Listen for His VOICE in the pages of the Bible each day.

John 10
"My sheep hear My voice & they follow Me." 

Rejoice in JESUS, thanking Him that He provides ALL YOU NEED! Christ seeks to illuminate His eternal covenant to you. And then stand by Your side forever.  He will never let you go.  Hebrews 13:5-6

Psalm 34
"Taste & SEE the goodness of the Lord!"

The Lord is our Shepherd! Psalm 23 

Seek God's face always. Remember each day that the Lord is our Father in Heaven.  Hallelujah!

1 John 3:1
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is who we are!

Suggestion
2. Allow God's Presence to draw you close.   Let God touch you.  Draw near to God.

Learn that Jesus is real.  And delights to make Himself known to you.  Fear God. But get a glimpse of His love. Know that the Lord delights to draw close to you.   

Understand God's intended purpose for Christ-centered, Biblical, spiritual experiences like: visions, dreams, prophecies, spiritual perceptions or hearing God's Voice.  Find scriptures that become a divine meditation & help you see Jesus, experience God.  DRAW NEAR to Jesus.  With every word you sing, Love the Lord!

WELCOME the Lord's Presence. He wants to make Himself known to you.  Though invisible, God is VERY REAL!

If you're hurting or lonely or afraid, remember that God is "an EVER PRESENT help in time of trouble." Psalm 46

Be receptive to messages from scripture or even EMOTIONS, ideas or visions brought to you by the Holy Spirit. God knows how to touch our emotions to enable us to FEEL or think or experience something good about Jesus. Or the truth of His Word.  God can bring us peace, love, joy, show us His kindness, goodness, faithfulness, to enable us to FEEL loved, or be TOUCHED by God's compassion.  If you feel guilty, humble yourself, confess your weakness & let a strong SENSE of cleansing through the Blood of Christ speak to you: "you are FORGIVEN."
 
WHILE meditating on God's mercy, apply 1 John 1:9 to yourself. See JESUS' MERCY toward you. Make it personal.  RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.

Read the book of Acts. From Acts or the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), get a revelation of what is meant to be the NORMAL Christian life. Anything & everything Jesus did is exactly what He also wants to do in your life!  "Jesus Christ is the SAME yesterday, today & FOREVER!"
Jesus wants to reveal Himself miraculously to believers everywhere through the pages of the Bible.  The Bible is unlike any other book.  Actually, the Bible is ALIVE!  See the Holy Spirit at work revealing God's Power in the book of Acts.  He will surely do much of the same in our lives as well.  Only believe.

Follow Jesus closer each day. And look for Christ to show Himself to you as the God of the Supernatural. 




Day by Day  -  Day by Day
Oh dear Lord three things I pray
To see Thee more clearly 
Love Thee more dearly 
Follow Thee more nearly 
Day by day

Hebrews 13:8
"Jesus Christ is the SAME yesterday, today & FOREVER!"

Jesus is REAL, loving & forever ALIVE!  

Always remember: Jesus LOVES YOU!

John 3:16-18
16 For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal, everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned.

Suggestion
3. Steer your mind daily toward uplifting spiritual & Biblical meditations. 
Learn to focus your heart directly on Jesus, realizing God is here "RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW." (Emmanuel)

Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign...a Son, and will call him Emmanuel. [God is with us.]

Look for a divine level in prayer & Bible reading that brings you beyond mere human thinking & intellectual reasoning. You are spirit, not just mind, emotions & flesh. 

Allow God to show you more of His many ways of talking & communicating.  "Hearken diligently to the Voice of the Lord your God." 

Go beyond emotion to get to know God in Spirit & in truth.  Let the Holy Spirit break through your dark days.  And conquer your senses.  Don't wait until you feel something.  Christianity is not primarily based on feelings.  But rather: facts, faith, evidence & reality. 

God's Presence can pour out great joy, peace, a rejoicing love or a sense of victory & also feelings of triumph.  But sometimes you will feel "out of it." Or won't feel like going to church.  And may not feel like reading the Bible.  Don't give in to those doldrum feelings.  Get divine self-control to not let negative emotions control your decisions.  Refuse to let temporary sadness take away the joy of your salvation.  Remember God's Word remains true even when we feel lousy.  Quote scriptures to yourself or listen to worship music until you feel better.

Go back to God each day.  Slowly linger in His Word.  Search for the Lord.  Be ready to camp on anything God shows you.  Study those words deeply.  Let scripture venture beyond shallow intellect or emotions into a REVELATION. 

Stay on the topic when you notice God is feeding you.  Journal that Word.  Take notes.  Look up more scriptures.  SAVOR each sweet meditation from the Bible. Eat God's Word SLOWLY, like eating a delicious meal.

Eventually, the darkness will be driven away by the Light.  And you'll start to feel better. 

Enjoy each aspect of Who God is.  Study Christ. Let Him be real in your life.

Put aside distractions from earth & worrisome matters.  Make knowing Jesus your magnificent obsession. 

Don't let dark days pull you away from a more heavenly meditation waiting to burst through those dark clouds.

Keep returning to what God reveals to you (again & again through each day).  When you don't have something new, return to your favorite scriptures again & again.  "He who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of His storeroom both new treasures as well as old."  Milk each revelation for all it's worth. 

Example of a Biblical meditation
For example, you can dwell on the realization: "Jesus is MERCIFUL & KIND toward me PERSONALLY." 
A.  Find a scripture or two that tell you that. 
B.  Then realize it's true:  "RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW."  Apply it to some situation you're currently going through.
C.  Next, pray to experience Jesus touching you with His MERCY & FORGIVENESS exactly as the scripture talks about, right where you need it.  D.  Open up to HIS PRESENCE. Keep going on this meditation.  Let it fill your mind.  And touch your emotions.  Let the Blood of Christ & His cross become real to you.  Take communion. 
E.  Thank God for what He's done. 
F.   Follow up by dwelling on God's forgiveness, remembering it throughout the day.

Remember:  Faith trumps feeling.  And God's Presence can heal hurting emotions.  Jesus can forgive any sin.  So, be humble & thankful.

Return your thoughts each day to memorized scriptures.  Pick ones that really speak to you.  Meditation on scripture makes the Word of God alive to you personally.  Remember Jesus is present, real, living & active. His Word is sharper than a two-edged sword. 

APPLY verses to yourself PERSONALLY.  Do this with most everything you read in God's Word.  He is talking to YOU.

Psalm19:7-14
The law of the LORD (the Word of God, the Bible) is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.   8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.   9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.   10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.  11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.  12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.  13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.   14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Suggestion
4. Let EVERYTHING that happens to you become a series of opportunities to TURN to GOD
in prayer, worship or scripture meditation.  Daily.

Shallow religious people only think about God on Sunday.  Maybe Wednesday night.  Let Jesus be real in your life 7 days a week.

Let the Lord be ever on your mind.  Isaiah 26:3 says: "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed (fixed) upon You. Because he trusts in You." 

For example, if you have a financial need, let that struggle or concern be an OPPORTUNITY to go find & meditate on scriptures about God's PROMISES to provide for you.  (i.e. Psalm 23:1 or Phil. 4:19)  The Lord will take care of your needs if you trust in His grace & love.  And keep yourself on the good side of His Word.  Stay humble.  Believe & pray.  

Psalm 37:5
I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

Bring the BIBLE more & more into EVERY aspect of your life.  Follow what it says.  Consistently.  Repent if you make a mistake.  Don't do it again.  Psalm 1:1-3 

Also, learn to have a heart to pray for others.

Somewhere in the midst of practically focusing on the Lord & His Word each day, you will begin to see & FIND JESUS! 

Remember: "without faith it is impossible to please God."  (Hebrews 11)  Atheists & proud humanists can't get through the door.  "Your iniquities have separated you from God."  (Isaiah 59:2)  Instead, "God gives grace to the humble."  "Seek & you shall find." 

Conclusion:
The above four hints contain manifold tips about how to increasingly BEHOLD JESUS!  Anyone with humble, seeking faith can do it.  If you repent of your sins & embrace faith, God will reveal Himself to you.  Stay away from other religions (false paths).  Go straight to Jesus.  Don't give up until He becomes more & more real to you.  Toss aside satan's doubts & believe the Bible, every Word.  God will make Himself known to you.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

One of the most beautiful experiences in life is to look upon Jesus!  Behold Him in sweet, daily communion.  Be one of those loving ones who does this a thousand times over.  Experience & taste the Lord's goodness!  And go back often.  He will always be there for you.

Truly, I encourage you to go out into deeper waters.  Look for God to make Himself real to you.  Every day, "BEHOLD the LAMB!" John 1:29

Psalm 27:4
One thing I have desired of the Lord,
This will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to seek Him in His temple.

In Jesus' Presence you will be saved, kept & held forever.  Like a child, you are learning to love & behold an awesome God, a true Friend Who sticks closer than a brother.  Jesus is the One you can hold on to forever.  And He will never let you go.

On this beautiful journey, the Bible is forever your best Friend.  And the Holy Spirit is right alongside as your Teacher & Comforter.

Matthew 6:9-14
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us each day our daily bread.

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Keep your hand to the plow.  Stay on the journey & God will forever richly reward you.

Matthew 6:33
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

- brother Jeff

 

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The Bible: our lifeline to God!

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His Only begotten Son (Jesus) that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

1 John 5:1-20  
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. 9 We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God (Jesus) has this testimony in his heart. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God (Jesus) so that you may know that you have eternal life. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true - even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.