November 16th 2014
To Whom Are You Listening?
Mark 9:2-9 (NIV)
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" Suddenly, when they looked round, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Praying is a one-sided event. It is for you! God already knows everything about which you are praying! When God speaks, are you listening? Yes, I know many reading this right now are saying something like, “well I never heard God speak! It is true of me too; I have never audibly heard God speak to me. Does it make you wonder, if God has spoken to you but there are so many distractions that we just could not tune of the worldly distraction enough to hear Him!
In the selected verses, we read about Peter and how he was there and was listening, but somehow God felt He needed to get the attention of these three disciples, so that they knew He was also present there on that mountain. Peter was distracted by this great spectacle, and he just was so absorbed in the circumstances that he was too distracted to really get what had just happened. Notice the notation in these verses to help us the reader better understand how Peter, James and John were disturbed by what they saw. It says, “He (Peter) did not know what to say, they were so frightened.” However, also note is says, “They were so frightened.” So it wasn’t just Peter who was frightened but all three disciples.
The message God gave here could be emphasized to us also, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" Of course, we get to hear what Jesus said every time we read the red lettered verses in our Bibles. Do you avail yourself this daily method of hearing Jesus talk to you? There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan. (CS Lewis) So who has your attention most of the time, of course, it is our worldly responsibilities that occupy most of our time. Notice what CS Lewis said here about our daily compliance to listening, do you listen more to God or Satan?
In Revelation we are reminded that God is in charge of His Creation, however, we must choose to whom we will listen. To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. (Revelation 3:14) God is in charge of everything in this entire created cosmos. In 2 Corinthians Paul reminds us about the promises of God, and how these promises are fulfilled through Jesus. For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 1:20)
The next time you pray and say Amen, think about “The Amen.” As Amen means “so it will be!”
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Mark 9:2-9 (NIV)
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" Suddenly, when they looked round, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Praying is a one-sided event. It is for you! God already knows everything about which you are praying! When God speaks, are you listening? Yes, I know many reading this right now are saying something like, “well I never heard God speak! It is true of me too; I have never audibly heard God speak to me. Does it make you wonder, if God has spoken to you but there are so many distractions that we just could not tune of the worldly distraction enough to hear Him!
In the selected verses, we read about Peter and how he was there and was listening, but somehow God felt He needed to get the attention of these three disciples, so that they knew He was also present there on that mountain. Peter was distracted by this great spectacle, and he just was so absorbed in the circumstances that he was too distracted to really get what had just happened. Notice the notation in these verses to help us the reader better understand how Peter, James and John were disturbed by what they saw. It says, “He (Peter) did not know what to say, they were so frightened.” However, also note is says, “They were so frightened.” So it wasn’t just Peter who was frightened but all three disciples.
The message God gave here could be emphasized to us also, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" Of course, we get to hear what Jesus said every time we read the red lettered verses in our Bibles. Do you avail yourself this daily method of hearing Jesus talk to you? There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan. (CS Lewis) So who has your attention most of the time, of course, it is our worldly responsibilities that occupy most of our time. Notice what CS Lewis said here about our daily compliance to listening, do you listen more to God or Satan?
In Revelation we are reminded that God is in charge of His Creation, however, we must choose to whom we will listen. To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. (Revelation 3:14) God is in charge of everything in this entire created cosmos. In 2 Corinthians Paul reminds us about the promises of God, and how these promises are fulfilled through Jesus. For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 1:20)
The next time you pray and say Amen, think about “The Amen.” As Amen means “so it will be!”
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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