Adirondack with magine!
02.01.2010
  
Adirondack Header with magine
Michael Fox CPCC,
founder of magine!,
is a professional
coach and trainer,
author and creative artist, whose work has been featured throughout
the world.

Michael is a
Certified Practitioner
of the
Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator.

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"From glory to glory"       
The apostle Paul, in terms of his occupation, was in tents.

The apostle Paul, in terms of his preoccupation--his ministry, was intense.

As a youth, as is true of most of us, Paul's intensity might show up as self-reliance, control, anger. As he matured, as is the hope of most of us, Paul's intensity was characterized by humility, surrender, love.

But...it didn't happen over one memorable weekend in the mountains.

Paul was transformed, by his own testimony, into the image of the Lord, "with ever-increasing glory [or, as one translation beautifully reads, "from glory to glory"], which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Paul's incremental stages of transformation are evident--evident in his attitude toward God, self, and others...In Galatians 2:6, written in AD 49, Paul--a Christian for some fourteen years--wrote of his fellow apostles with a rather dismissive air: "By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites." Six years later, he acknowledged, "I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I'm not even worthy to be called an apostle" (1 Corinthians 15:9). Five more years passed, and Paul declared, "I am the least deserving of all God's people" (Ephesians 3:8). And, finally, just two years before his martyrdom--after some thirty years of relationship and ministry--he confessed, "'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners'--and I am the worst of them all" (1 Timothy 1:15).

Incremental stages of transformation? Yes. But, glory? To some, his words may sound more like fear and self-loathing than what one might perceive as "glory."

In the first century, however, the Greeks used the word "glory" in much the same way the Jews employed the word "light." When Paul wrote of being transformed from "glory to glory"--from one level of glory to the next--he referred to his growing knowledge of and relationship with God. And with each incremental stage of illumination and transformation, the apostle trusted less in his own strength and wisdom.

Centuries later, the words of a beloved lyricist captured Paul's movement:

Oh, the bitter shame and sorrow,

That a time could ever be,

When I let the Savior's pity

Plead in vain, and proudly answered,

All of self, and none of Thee.

 

Yet He found me; I beheld Him

Bleeding on the cursed tree;

Heard Him pray, Forgive them, Father,

And my wistful heart said faintly,

Some of self, and some of Thee.

 

Day by day His tender mercy,

Healing, helping, full and free,

Sweet and strong, and ah! so patient,

Brought me lower while I whispered,

Less of self, and more of Thee.

 

Higher than the highest heavens,

Deeper than the deepest sea,

Lord, Thy love at last hath conquered;

Grant me now my heart's petition,

None of self, and all of Thee.

 

From glory to glory...


How might you characterize yourself today: as self-reliance, control, and anger; or as humility, surrender, and love? What's the self-knowing?

What's your desire, if any, to be transformed "from glory to glory"? How badly do you want it?

What do you need to get to the next stage? Just the next stage? Where will you find it?
Michael Fox
m�agine!

530/613.2774
407 Myrtle Drive
Farmerville, LA, USA 71241  
In addition to personal and professional coaching,
m�agine! specializes in spiritual transformation coaching,
employing its proprietary models
--Values, Vision, Voice
and Heart, Soul, Mind & Strength--

as well as
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator� curriculum
published by CPP, the People Development People.

Michael's books include
 
Complete in Christ,
Complete in Christ Spiritual Transformation Workbook,
and Biblio�files.

Coaching fees are based upon a sliding scale. Contact us for details.
For additional information, visit our website at maginethepossibilities.net.

Limited scholarships are available for spiritual transformation coaching.
On the flip side, if you are able, please inquire about opportunities
to fund scholarships for those who cannot afford coaching fees.

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