"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." II Corinthians 3:18

It is for YOU and for ME to come to the understanding that so long as we are SELF-centered and FORM-conscious, that long are we but peacocks full of pride and self-righteousness (which is UN-righteousness).

Our orientation to life must be changed: our eyes must be plucked out and our hands chopped off IN ORDER THAT WE MAY ENTER INTO THE WHOLENESS OF LIFE! We must lose sight of all the things which are but TRANSIENT; we must cease from our madness to hoard up the goods which must perish; we must cease from our strutting to be seen by others; yes, better to bite off our tongue than that it should glorify the shadow and exalt the child; yes, better that. We should stop our ears than to lend them to a torrent of ballyhoo which is FLESH-centered.

(Can I bore through your shell?) Have you not seen the child ALWAYS WITH HIS DADDY, how he takes on the mannerisms and expressions of his father? THEREBY RECEIVE YOUR HINT. Your eye MUST BECOME SINGLE TO BEHOLD ONLY THE GREATNESS, THE BEAUTY and GLORY OF YOUR SPIRIT-FATHER – TO THE END THAT YOU MAY TAKE ON HIS MANNERISMS

* AND ENTER INTO HIS MODE OF THOUGHT AND FORM OF EXPRESSION! *

"Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not KNOWN ME, Philip? He who has seen Me HAS SEEN THE FATHER (His life FULLY GLORIFIED THE FATHER)...." John 14:9

And so I paraphrase – in a measure – His words: "Have you lived so long without coming to KNOW your Savior, `lover of power, show and entertainment' (the meaning of Philip)?" The true spirit-SON becomes the living image of his FATHER! And YOU think of yourself as A CHILD OF GOD, and A CO-HEIR with Jesus Christ!

Gems for Daily Living (continued tomorrow...)