Jesus

I don't know about you, but I am really digging into the Word.  This time around the Holy Spirit is telling me there is no time to mess around.  It's time to be serious about learning the Word, devoting real time to it, studying it, praying for understanding, never to let anything discourage me and never giving up on it.  This is the time to join with friends and spiritual colleagues in reading and talking about the Word.  It's time to ask questions and throw out all of the misconceptions that we've been taught.  "Only You can prevent forest fires!" LOL That relates somehow...but if it doesn't make sense-it felt like the right time to say it :)

PRAYER: There is none like You, no one loves me the way that You do.  I can search through all eternity LORD, and find, there is none like You.  How true these lyrics are.  There is no other God in this universe for me.  You are all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient.  GREAT is my God!  And I thank You for always having me on Your mind.  You teach me the true meaning of love, patience and understanding.  You teach me forgiveness and acceptance.  You teach me how to appreciate me and all that You have created in me.  You have begun a good wok in me, and You will carry it on to completion.  Everything You create is good; therefore I am good because of the blood of Jesus.  Thank You Jesus, Your sacrifice should never be taken lightly or be forgotten.  Thank You for showing us how to be fully human and rely totally on the Spirit of God.  What Would Jesus Do? He would always turn to the Father.  You are a mighty Savior.  In Your name I pray, amen.

MATTHEW 17: 1-13

THE TRANSFIGURATION: part 1

PLEASE READ THE VERSES DIRECTLY FROM THE BIBLE: 

These verses may be broken up to discuss each point.

(v. 1-13) After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

There is a lot going on in these first 13 verses of chapter 17.  First, the transfiguration-it was a vision, a brief glimpse of the true glory of the King.  This was a special revelation of Jesus' divinity  to Peter, James and John; and it was God's divine affirmation of everything Jesus had done and was about to do.

Moses and Elijah were the two greatest prophets in the Old Testament.  Moses represents the law, or old covenant.  Elijah represents the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah.  Moses' and Elijah's presence with Jesus before Peter, John and James; confirmed Jesus' messianic mission; to fulfill God's law and the words of God's prophets.