Did you know, according to the Bible, acting a certain way could alter your physical appearance? If your face is downcast and showing your age, then you have the power to brighten it right up!
If you put this principle into action, you will bring glory to God because you will be reflecting His glory.
The idea of a spiritual facelift came to me from meditating on the following Scripture:
“Who is like a wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the harshness of his face is softened” (Eccl. 8:1).
Wow, do you mean that becoming wiser will make your face shine? Yes, and that is not the only place the Bible states that fact.
Daniel 12:3 says: “Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who turn the many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.”
I am aware of two examples in the Bible of people who shined physically. The first is Moses. Do you remember how Moses’ face shone after he came down from the mountain after God gave Him the 10 commandments (Ex. 34:29)? Not only had He been in God’s presence (who is the source of wisdom itself), but He also had God’s law in his hands—written wisdom.
Matthew 17:1-2 tells us that Jesus’ face shone: “After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother and brought them up to a high mountain alone, and was transfigured before them. His face shone as the sun, and His garments became white as the light.”
This shining did not come from grease, but from God’s glory. I believe that God wants each of us to be shining examples of His glory! That is why He gave us His word to live by.
Deuteronomy 4:6 says this about God’s Word: “Therefore, keep and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations which shall hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'”
Does that sound good to you? It does to me! God’s people were not meant to fit into this world, but to stand out—in a good way.
If you need a spiritual facelift, then think about the wisdom God has already given you. Are you walking in it?
2 Timothy 3:6-7 gives us a warning that we would all do well to heed. Paul was talking about false prophets:
“For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
God wants His people free, untangled from the yoke of sin’s bondage. We live in freedom when we live according to God’s truth! Don’t be like the virgins in the parable Jesus told in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (see Matt. 25:1-13).
Recall that both groups had lamps (the containers for light), but only the wise had oil with them (the fuel for light). The foolish did not. Symbolically, oil represents the Holy Spirit. Jesus sent Him to us to guide those who believe in Him in the ways of wisdom. In addition, oil is associated with joy (see Is. 61:3).
Consider what God has already spoken to you about what you ought or ought not be doing. Write that down. Think about how you can put it into practice in your daily life. Then, look for opportunities daily to do so.
This is what Joshua 1:8 is all about:
“This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth. Meditate on it day and night so that you may act carefully according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way successful, and you will be wise.”
You don’t just read the Bible to heap up knowledge; you ‘observe to do’ so that you can put what you learned into practice. That is when knowledge becomes wisdom! The path of wisdom may not always be easy, but the rewards are worth it!
Take God at His Word and put this principle to work. Proverbs 19:8 promises:
“He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will find good.”
After a period of time of wise living, watch your face start to shine. The oil of joy will be inside of you. Plus, you will feel better about yourself, which will reflect outwardly so that others can see it!
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16).”
Once 240 pounds and a size 22, Kimberly Taylor can testify of God’s healing power to end binge eating. She is an author and the creator of the Christian weight loss website takebackyourtemple.com. Visit today for inspirational health and weight loss tips
For the original article, visit takebackyourtemple.com.
Abby Trivett 
James Lasher 
Charisma Staff