Exodus 33:11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. 

Exodus 34:29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary

Face:

means simply presence, as when it is recorded that Adam and Eve hid themselves from the “face [R.V., ‘presence’] of the Lord God” (Gen 3:8; Exd 33:14,15, where the same Hebrew word is rendered “presence”). The “light of God’s countenance” is his favour (Psa 44:3; Dan 9:17). “Face” signifies also anger, justice, severity (Gen 16:6,8; Exd 2:15; Psa 68:1; Rev 6:16). To “provoke God to his face” (Isa 65:3) is to sin against him openly.

The Jews prayed with their faces toward the temple and Jerusalem (1Ki 8:38,44,48; Dan 6:10). To “see God’s face” is to have access to him and to enjoy his favour (Psa 17:15; 27:8). This is the privilege of holy angels (Mat 18:10; Luk 1:19). The “face of Jesus Christ” (2Cr 4:6) is the office and person of Christ, the revealer of the glory of God (Jhn 1:14,18).

John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

John 5:44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Since I am writing to you, you cannot see my face. Faces carry messages that enhance our words,  carrying emotions that can go further than definitions or word choice can convey. It is my wish that my words should be enough to show you who I am, but I would rather do this face to face.

I cannot and so I am limited to hoping my words will be enough. Moses did not know his face shone but others could see it. You may not know your face has changed, but others can see it.

 John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Glory is His essence, His presence, full of grace and truth.

Colossians 1:27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

I can only see Christ in you when we are face to face. Until then I will write to you His Word.

Do we glorify God or self? He who steals God’s glory is a thief.

Was that too harsh?

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

If it made you angry, ask yourself why?

1 Corinthians 13:7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

The abiding love of God in our hearts will turn away wrath because anger cannot abide in a heart that belongs to God. That doesn’t stop the mind from forming resentments. The heart that belongs to God has been forgiven all things, the mind still remembers and is capable of resentment on its own.

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Paul of Tarsus often compared the Christian life to athletic analogies. Consider his “fight the fight,” or “run with patience,” or “wrestle not with flesh and blood” statements. His writings are peppered with references to the Greek games. It’s beneficial for the Bible student to understand this context. Ref. Dr. Mike Lester

Matthew 11:16-19 English Standard Version

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Jesus had that generation to contest with, we have ours today. The difference in us is not one of the mind but of the heart which now belongs to God. Context is everything because we are living in a world that brings about a new set of circumstances born of the old adversary.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Psalm 55:12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him.

I am your brother in Christ, do not hide your face from me. I am not the enemy.