1 SAMUEL 16: 7 (JOHN 7: 24; JAMES 2: 1-5)...
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, beyond human discernment. And God does not favour our children according to our fond partiality, but often most honours and blesses those who have been least regarded. David at length was pitched upon. He was the youngest of the sons of Jesse; his name signifies Beloved; he was a type of God's beloved Son. It should seem, David was least set by of all the sons of Jesse. But the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. His anointing was not an empty ceremony, a Divine power went with that instituted sign; he found himself advanced in wisdom and courage, with all the qualifications of a prince, though not advanced in his outward circumstances. This would satisfy him that his election was of God. The best evidence of our being predestinated to the kingdom of glory, is, our being sealed with the Spirit of promise, and experience of a work of grace in our hearts.
ISAIAH 53: 1-3...
1+++Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2+++For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
3+++He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.…
No where in all the Old Testament is it so plainly and fully prophesied, that Christ ought to suffer, and then to enter into his glory, as in this chapter. But to this day few discern, or will acknowledge, that Divine power which goes with the word.
The authentic and most important report of salvation for sinners, through the Son of God, is disregarded. The low condition he submitted to, and his appearance in the world, were not agreeable to the ideas the Jews had formed of the Messiah. It was expected that he should come in pomp; instead of that, he grew up as a plant, silently, and insensibly. He had nothing of the glory which one might have thought to meet with him. His whole life was not only humble as to outward condition, but also sorrowful. Being made sin for us, he underwent the sentence sin had exposed us to. Carnal hearts see nothing in the Lord Jesus to desire an interest in him. Alas! by how many is he still despised in his people, and rejected as to his doctrine and authority!
1 CORINTHIANS 1: 27-29...
27+++But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
28+++God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,
29+++so that no one may boast before him.
In this world today, there is CONSTANT reference to looks, physical attributes, or lack of them, and on it goes all the way through to humans being overly impressed, and inclined by what is SEEN, all of which is SURFACE, which ultimately, is superficial!!!
There are a WHOLE lot of people being bullied by others for their looks, or lack of them, and their overall appearance, which is just wrong! It is getting to the point that one has to wonder what ever happened to respect, regard, and consideration of other people's feelings?!!
A number of the people putting others down, have no room to talk, and certainly, have no right to hurt someone based on their shallow opinion of another persons appearance! HAS anyone taught the generations of this time ANY manners, etiquette, compassion, and other characteristics of decent behaviour? WHAT happened that there is SO much bashing, insulting, and otherwise negatively mean people? It is really disturbing, because it will probably lead to even worse in their offspring!!!
*GOD* MADE each of us UNIQUE, and with HIS own design, and while we have plastic surgery, and other means to alter what HE has made, it can't be changed that dramatically, except for the blunders of going under the knife, which has been increasing all over the board, just look at some of the icons who are now scarred for the rest of their days!!!
Vanity, as well as attraction to all that glitters, IS a trap, and in which is an underlying current which leads to more errs, problems, and troubles! Inside vanity, and attraction lies lust, greed, gluttony, pride, wrath, anger, envy, and even sloth! The desires towards outward beauty CREATES all sorts of traps, and IN each of these, exist MORE!!!
Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? HOW many people DON'T understand the message in this fairy tale line! HOW many people believe the lies, and enticements of this world! HOW many people are willing to forego TRUE beauty for false, empty beauty! HOW many would die to be beautiful in the eyes of the world! HOW foolish it all is, and yet, beauty makes money hand over fist throughout societies, from seemingly innocent ways, all the way through to human trafficking, hard core porn, and even worse, into which far TOO many bite into, and fight to justify! It is NOT difficult to understand WHY the throat of deception is opened wide to receive the great numbers, but it IS preventable, and WITHIN our power to resist, and overcome, THANKS BE TO THE LORD *GOD* WHO TEACHES, and SHOWS US THE WAY!!!
There IS a well-spring of TRUE beauty found in most people, but it will never be found or tapped into IF one is captivated by the falsehoods of this world, because their intent is focused upon what can be seen, heard, and touched; they are confused about HOW the intangible becomes MORE tangible than anything of this world, and lasts forever, while all of this world IS corruptible, and WILL fade, and vanish, forevermore!!!
It is astounding that SO many ARE fooled by the traps of the world, and deny THE TRUTHS of ETERNITY! Just as people are SO used to accepting, and existing in the negative that they find it VERY difficult to grasp, and accept the POSITIVE, so are they accustomed to, even willing to, fall into the traps of this time, for the appeasement, profits, and pleasures of this moment, NOT giving thought to the FACT that ALL of us age, and things change, NOR do they consider their very souls!!!
Just as beauty is merely skin deep, so are the things of this world which entice us, and the hubbub therein! It IS all elementary, but we are SO sure of our intelligence, of our footing, of our worth, that we are blinded, oh we are blinded, as the enemy of LIFE works his dangers, which isn't too difficult for him because TOO many PLACE themselves right into his wicked ways!!!
REV. LWINSOR © 2015
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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