Fine Art in the Heart

THE PRIZE OF LIFE

“I REALLY LIKE this article! The imagery is warming to my heart. I like seeing in my mind Him walking the halls of my heart, opening each door that may have been barred and scarred with wounds, and seeing his redeeming portrait there!” B., TX

What know I of Christ? What pictures of Him do I possess in the gallery of my heart? Who is He to me? Who do I say that He is? What impressions of Him remain of all the preaching I have heard? Of the Scripture I have studied? Do I know Him in various aspects of His attributes, or, have I not retained that which I have been privileged to hear?

“Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” Luke 8:18

Is there not the imminent danger of losing that which I do not retain of the knowledge of God which I have heard?

“That I may know him.” Philippians 3:10

Knowing God. Is this not that for which we have been created and apprehended? Is this not what that great apostle sought so fervently after?

“That I may know him…Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus (to know Him)…but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (to know Him). Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you…let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me (as I seek to Know Christ more)…” Philippians 3:10-17

Jesus Christ is the Perfect, Permanent, Portrait of God.

Does the image of our LORD Jesus Christ appear upon the walls of your heart? If so, to what degree might that be?

There are deceptive extra-biblical writings that are designed to mislead (Colossians 2:8-10). It’s important to read God’s Word, literal Word, the King James Bible, for ourselves. That’s when all the deception was vanquished for me – that’s when all the false imagery and notions and philosophies begin to be cut away from your heart and mind and when the true image of our God begins to emerge, to be etched upon the canvass of our hearts (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21, etc.). God’s Word cannot and will not begin to get into me until I get into it. The pure portrait of who He is can only begin to be brushed upon the table of our hearts as we diligently, faithfully, daily ingest His words.

The incorruptible seed which is His Word, is encoded with His nature, which is etched upon the table of the seekers heart as it sprouts forth life. The image of God is inherent in His Word, which was granted us that we might know Him. (1 Pet. 1:23; Rom. 1:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3-4; John 5:39,20:31…) Truly this is the ‘prize of life’ – to know Him. (John 17:3; Phil. 3:10)

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“The seed is the word of God.” Luke 8:11

Remember that the seed is powerless to produce unless it is sown. Until it is buried in the ground, a seed will not begin to germinate and sprout forth. So it is with the Word, which, according to Christ, is the “seed.” Until it is planted in the soil of one’s heart, it will not begin to germinate and bring forth a root, then fruit, even the image of God.

Is your heart being cultivated by the Holy Spirit and your own will, to see and receive Christ, the Prize of life? Is the seed, the Word, being planted into your heart on a daily basis to bring forth the revelation of Christ in your heart? Can one expect a crop unless his heart is receiving the seed? Are we praying that Christ would be revealed to us?

PICTURES IN THE HEART

But oh, what a picture gallery is the hungry, godly heart which owns a growing collection of Messianic portraits upon its garnished walls. At its corridor (entrance) there is the Christ of redemption, then as you go in further, there is the Christ of provision, the Christ of healing and comfort and love and chastening and grace and deliverance and mercy and justice and peace and forgiveness… Surely, this is the true treasure of life – to see Christ in all of His diverse attributes, now and eternal.

Surely there are a multitude of attributes He possesses. There are four Gospels not one. Four human scribes who penned His glory, each from a different direction. Christ is the Theme of all of holy Scripture. Over forty men, who wrote the Scriptures under God’s inspiration, saw the Multi-faceted Diamond (Messiah) from different angles, yet it sparkled from each nonetheless. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4)

He is our all in all. He is every single thing we will ever need Him to be – Savior, Mender of our broken hearts, Healer, Deliverer, Protector, Counselor, Guide, etc… As He told Pharaoh, king of Egypt, so is He today – “I am that I am.” He is the Author and Finisher (Completer) of the faith He has begun in us. He is all we will ever need and much more. Do we see Him as such?

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is (whatever you need), and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

Oh that another portrait would be hung upon the open and waiting walls of this heart, as I seek His face. Oh that I would see my infinite Master in a fresh new way – a new attribute – that I might understand and know Him, so that this life might be filled with portraits of the Savior – that I might worship as Moses, with new pictures and purpose. Is this not why I am alive – to know Him and His ways? How can I possibly be perfectly pleasing to Him if I do not see Him for who He is?

NEW PICTURES FOR MOSES

Moses so desperately cried out to see His glory – to see the Lord in a new measure of His glory. Exodus 33:13,18… “Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people…And he said, I beseech thee,show me thy glory.” Because He sought God, Moses was told by the Lord: “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest…And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken (asked): for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.” Exodus 33:14,17

Then God told Moses to stand upon a rock because He was going to reveal Himself to Moses in a new way (Exodus 33:18-23). The Lord showed Moses His “back parts.” v23 At this unveiling Moses worshipped in a whole new way. “Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.” Exodus 34:8

According to God’s prescription, the Bible, turning to the Lord, like Moses did, is the key to seeing Him in a fresh, new way:

“Nevertheless when it (the heart) shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.” 2 Corinthians 3:16

Now there was a new picture in Moses’ heart gallery of divine art. He knew God in yet more of His infinite characteristics, and could from there forward reflect upon Him in light of those ways. Here is what the eternal God revealed to Moses in His visitation:

Exodus 34:5-7 “And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”

Israel had just rebelled in worshipping a golden calf and needed God’s mercy. (Exodus 32)

In what new ways did Moses now see God for who He is? Here is what God’s revelation to Moses included:

According to Exodus 34:5-7, God Is:

· Merciful
· Gracious
· Longsuffering
· Abundant in goodness
· Abundant in truth
· Keeping mercy
· Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin
· Will by no means clear the guilty
· Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children

WILL GOD ADD HIS ART TO THE GALLERY OF MY HEART?

Does not the New Testament disclose to us that we are “partakers of the divine nature” through the “exceeding great and precious promises” of Holy Scripture? 2 Peter 1:4 The message conveyed here seems to indicate that the power and Word of God privilege us to have a deposit of “the divine nature” in our redeemed souls. Could this also reveal that we are then blessed to see a touch of His “divine nature” this side of Heaven?

He is ever so present in that heart with which He has been continually invited to commune. That heart which cries out to know Him and to see His holiness. His love can be found in that heart where He has been faithfully sought after. Your Creator has given you a promise – He promised that He will reveal Himself to you, if you will fervently seek Him:

“If thou seek him, he will be found of thee.” 1 Chronicles 28:9

His presence abides in that heart which He has transformed into His resting place. He is the Treasure, the Pearl of Great Price, permanently fixed within the heart which seeks His face. (Ps 101:6; Is. 66:2)

We can be filled with who He is. For God has promised:

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6

“They” are those who “hunger and thirst” after Him – to know Him. Like Moses, when we desire and behold Him, we are changed into His image, even the image of Christ to which we have been predestined to be conformed:

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

Like Moses, when we “behold” and see His “glory” in a new way, we are “changed…from glory to glory.”

TREASURE IN THE HEART

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7

Is it time for you to pray like Moses prayed…”Show me thy glory.” Exodus 33:18?

PRAYER: LORD, please help me to know you more today. Help me to enter into a place with You that I have never been. LORD, make me holy as You are holy. Please draw me Father as I seek Your face with a whole heart. Show me Yourself that I may know and love Thee more. In Jesus’ name, amen.

For a topical study of deeper proportions on this subject, see The Blood of Jesus.

If you truly desire to know more about how to really know the LORD, go here okay:  Born Again: What is It?

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