10 things you need to know about Jesus' Transfiguration

Jesus appeared to three of his disciples in the mysterious event known as the Transfiguration. What was happening here? What did it mean? Here are 10 things you need to know!

The Gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Lent commemorates the mysterious event known as the Transfiguration.
This event is hard to understand. Why did it happen? What did it mean?
Here are 10 things you need to know.

1. What does the word "transfiguration" mean?

The word "transfiguration" comes from the Latin roots trans- ("across") and figura ("form, shape"). It thus signifies a change of form or appearance.
This is what happened to Jesus in the event known as the Transfiguration: His appearance changed and became glorious.
Before looking at the Transfiguration itself, it's important that we look at what happened immediately before it in Luke's Gospel.

2. What happened right before the Transfiguration?

In Luke 9:27, at the end of a speech to the twelve apostles, Jesus adds, enigmatically:

"There are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."

This has often been taken as a prophecy that the end of the world would occur before the first generation of Christians died out.
The phrase "kingdom of God" can also refer to other things, though, including the Church--the outward expression of God's invisible kingdom.
The kingdom is embodied in Christ himself and thus might be "seen" if Christ were to manifest it in an unusual way, even in his own earthly life.

3. Did such a manifestation occur?

Yes, and it is the very next thing that Luke relates: the Transfiguration.
Pope Benedict states that it has been . . .

. . . convincingly argued that the placing of this saying immediately before the Transfiguration clearly relates it to this event.

Some—that is to say, the three disciples who accompany Jesus up the mountain—are promised that they will personally witness the coming of the Kingdom of God 'in power.'

On the mountain the three of them see the glory of God’s Kingdom shining out of Jesus. On the mountain they are overshadowed by God’s holy cloud. On the mountain—in the conversation of the transfigured Jesus with the Law and the Prophets—they realize that the true Feast of Tabernacles has come. On the mountain they learn that Jesus himself is the living Torah, the complete Word of God. On the mountain they see the 'power' (dynamis) of the Kingdom that is coming in Christ" (Jesus of Nazareth, vol. 1, p. 317).

We thus may have the key to understanding Jesus' mysterious statement just before the Transfiguration. He wasn't talking about the end of the world. He was talking about this.
In fact, Luke notes that the Transfiguration took place "about eight days after these sayings," thus stressing its proximity to them and suggesting that it was the fulfillment of this  saying, concerning the fact that some of them would see the kingdom of God. Mark gives a different number of days, saying it was "after six days" (Mk. 9:2), but these both approximate a week.

4. Who witnessed the Transfiguration?

The three who are privileged to witness the event are Peter, James, and John, the three core disciples. (Andrew was not there or not included.)
The fact that Jesus only allowed three of his disciples to witness the event may have sparked the discussion which swiftly ensued about which of the disciples was the greatest (Luke 9:46).

5. Where did the Transfiguration take place?

Luke states that Jesus took the three "on the mountain to pray."
This mountain is often thought to be Mt. Tabor in Israel, but none of the gospels identify it precisely.
 (though be aware that the gospels do not actually say which mountain it was).

6. Why did the Transfiguration take place?

The Catechism explains it this way:

Christ’s Transfiguration aims at strengthening the apostles’ faith in anticipation of his Passion: the ascent onto the 'high mountain' prepares for the ascent to Calvary.

Christ, Head of the Church, manifests what his Body contains and radiates in the sacraments: 'the hope of glory' [CCC 568].

7. What does Luke--in particular--tell us about this event?

Luke mentions several details about the event that the other evangelists do not:

• He notes that this happened while Jesus was praying.
• He mentions that Peter and his companions "were heavy with sleep, and when they wakened they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him."
• He mentions that Peter made his suggestion to put up booths as Moses and Elijah were departing.

8. Why do Moses and Elijah appear on the mountain?

Moses and Elijah represent the two principal components of the Old Testament: the Law and the Prophets.
Moses was the giver of the Law, and Elijah was considered the greatest of the prophets.
The fact that these two figures "spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem" illustrates that the Law and the Prophets point forward to the Messiah and his sufferings.
This foreshadows Jesus' own explanation, on the road to Emmaus, of the Scriptures pointing to himself (cf. Lk. 24:27, 32).

9. Why was Peter's suggestion misguided?
The fact that Peter's suggestion occurs when Moses and Elijah are preparing to depart reveals a desire to prolong the experience of glory. This means Peter is focusing on the wrong thing.
The experience of the Transfiguration is meant to point forward to the sufferings Jesus is about to experience. It is meant to strengthen the disciples faith, revealing to them in a powerful way the divine hand that is at work in the events Jesus will undergo. This is why Moses and Elijah have been speaking "about his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem."
Peter misses the point and wants to stay on the mountain, contrary to the message the two heavenly visitors have been expounding.
As a seeming rebuke of this, a theophany occurs: "A cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!'"

10. What can we learn from this event?

The Transfiguration was a special event in which God allowed certain apostles to have a privileged spiritual experience that was meant to strengthen their faith for the challenges they would later endure. But it was only a temporary event. It was not meant to be permanent.
In the same way, at certain times in this life, God may give certain members of the faithful (not all of the faithful, all the time), special experiences of his grace that strengthen their faith.
We should welcome these experiences for the graces they are, but we should not expect them to continue indefinitely, nor should we be afraid or resentful when they cease.
They may have been meant only as momentary glimpses of the joy of heaven to sustain us as we face the challenges of this life, to help strengthen us on the road that will--ultimately--bring us into the infinite and endless joy of heaven.
 

Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-jesus-transfiguration#ixzz33DLGYKRX

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-jesus-transfiguration

Earnest Pugh Issues Challenge: So You Think You Can Dance

Psalm 150:4 admonishes us to “praise Him with the timbrel and dance”, and Earnest Pugh has made it his business to bring life to this scripture with the July 8th release of the Top Ten Praise Breaks.Top Ten Praise Breaks
Pugh offered this explanation, “at my live recording for the “A Worshipper’s Perspective” CD in 2006 that I saw the power of God move. I literally had to ask people to take their seats because we knew the cameras were rolling and we wanted to be out of that building at a certain time but it was as though the Holy Spirit refused to leave the room. My music director looked at me and said, `Let God have his way…’ Needless to say the praise break was the highlight of the recording and set the tone for the rest of the recording. From that day forth I vowed to always pause for the cause and render a praise break.”
“This CD will give musicians and worship leaders a tool that can be used when their services shift from worship to praise or vice versa,” says EPM Music Group President Keith Williams. “The CD will showcase a variety of approaches to the praise break from the West Coast style to the East Coast vibe.”

Source

Divyne – All I See [prod by Frank Edwards] Divyne

Divyne

Rocktown Records first lady Divine drops a new single titled ”All I See”, produced, mixed and mastered by Frank Edwards.

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Music Video: Life Through Colors – ‘I Rise’ [Official Video]

Image source(http://gospelcentric.net/site/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/I-Rise.jpg)



Montgomery, Ala.– Christian hip-hop artists Life Through Colors has released the official video for the song “I Rise” from the “Aftermath” album.
“Have you ever felt like giving up, but then something inside of you told you that you can make it,” asked Rockette, group member. “Listen to this track. God gave this to us and we’re delivering the message.”
The song, currently on YouTube and the group’s website http://lifethroughcolors.com, has been steadily gaining views since its release.
“There’s nothing wrong with small beginning,” said T. Pope, group member. “Even the Bible talks about small beginnings.”
T. Pope, Rockette and Jimbo the Jet, all members of the group, have been pushing the video heavily through social media.
“We’re trying to send out positive messages, trying to be an inspiration to somebody,” said T. Pope. “God is for us all. Keep pushing and keep praying.”


Watch Video via this youtube link Life Through Colors – ‘I Rise’ 

Source: http://gospelcentric.net/site/music-video-life-through-colors-i-rise-official-video/

Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo’s two sons to wed this year

 

Two of the sons of the founder of Kingsway International Christian Centre, KICC, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo are getting married this year. According to their father,Tobi and Tomi Ashimolowo, who live abroad, will wed before the year runs, but he didn’t disclose when exactly.

“Let me use the opportunity of this interview to announce that my two boys will be getting married this   year’ Pastor Ashimolowo said in a recent interview “I don’t want to put out the date yet, but they will be getting married in England.

source ~ LIB

Keys to Worship That Bring Heaven Down

Worshiping our Savior, Jesus Christ, is fundamental to living a faith-filled, Spirit-led Christian life. There are multiple worship methods, plans and styles that vary among cultures and geographic boundaries.

The Lord enjoys the diversity of sincere worship when expressed through His Spirit and in truth. Worship should be a way of life, with many facets of expression.
Some worship leaders declare that a certain defining style of worship is the only correct way to worship the Lord, but that is a narrow view of His inexhaustible riches. Music and song are ways we can praise God's name, but the Word says we can worship God with feasting (Ps. 22:29) and with sacrifices and offerings (Is. 19:21), among other means.

Regardless of the method, the act of worship must be in spirit and truth—from our rational consciousness and consistent with the rest of our lives (John 4:24). We don't have to be great singers or musicians to worship God. But we do need to be in a personal relationship with Him and live with the truth of His greatness reflecting through all we are becoming and all we do.

I have lived under the weight of many unhealthy labels in my life. But I have a longing in me for the King of heaven to label me, along with Mary of Bethany, as an "extravagant worshipper" (John 12:3).

Extravagant worship is not achieved by taking shortcuts. I have tried shortcuts to worship, and I have tried to do things my way, but I ended up frustrated and farther away from my goal.

Worship involves the giving of ourselves totally to the Lord. It is neither a ritualistic activity nor a musical emotion. It reflects the selfless generosity of Christ.
Worship is a movement of our hearts, our thoughts, and our wills toward God's heart, thoughts, and will. To practice extravagant worship, you'll need to get good at saying, "I lay down my life."

Sacrificial Worship Pleases God
In the Old Testament, Noah was an extravagant worshiper. Genesis 8:20-21 tells about his building an altar to the Lord after the flood and sacrificing offerings on it.
Noah had just witnessed the drowning of all mankind save him and his family. Yet he was still obedient to God's instruction to offer a sacrifice of praise when they were on dry land again.
When the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma of Noah's sacrifice, He gave us a covenant promise that He would not ever destroy all living creatures again because of one man who offered extravagant, over generous worship in obedience to God's command. Noah lived through extreme circumstances, but he still praised God in the midst of them.
Likewise, when God tested Abraham, He said, "'Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about'" (Gen. 22:2).
Abraham built the altar and then bound his son and laid him on it. But when he took up his knife to slay his precious boy, "The angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, 'Abraham! Abraham!'
"'Here I am,' he replied.
"'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said. 'Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son'" (vv. 11-12).
Abraham was excessive in his act of worship. He was prepared to give to the Lord the thing he loved the most.
David wanted to offer a sacrifice to the Lord to stop a plague on the Lord's people. So he asked Araunah to sell him a place on his threshing floor to build an altar (1 Chr. 21:18-22).
Araunah wanted to give the area and livestock needed for David's sacrifice at no charge. But David said, "'No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing'" (vv. 23-24).
When Paul and Silas were in jail, even though they had been flogged for preaching the gospel and now had their feet in stocks, they prayed and sang to God. Suddenly, while they were worshiping, a violent earthquake opened all the doors of the prison.
Thinking his prisoners had escaped, the jailer was so distraught that he was about to kill himself, but Paul and Silas stopped him and led him to salvation before they were released. God supernaturally delivered them from that prison (Acts 16:23-39).
Throughout the Bible, whenever someone demonstrated extravagant worship, God reacted with extravagant blessing. What makes worship extravagant? It must cost us something.
Worship is an act of obedient faith, even when circumstances offer opportunities to fear. It is also a life of extravagant love for God. Worship, love and obedience are tied together.
As you seek first the kingdom of God and obey the Spirit of God, He calls you on to a deeper knowledge of Himself. The first commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind (John 14:21-24; Matt. 22:37).
David prayed, "Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name" (Ps. 86:11). Make this your prayer as you serve God passionately with your life. This will cause the blessings of heaven to pour out upon your world.

Love Expresses Worship 
To be a worshipper is to fall in love with God, the Author of love, and accept the love He has for you. God gave you His Word as a living love letter that contains everything you will ever need to get through this life and beyond.
His love is at work within us, filling us to the measure with the fullness of God. If we could understand even an inkling of this love Christ has for us, our hearts would be full of extravagant worship for the One who loves us so much.
The many songs I've written to express my love for God don't come close to what I'm trying to say. But I can demonstrate my love for God by living out my part of the Great Commission and bringing the Author of love to our love-starved planet. I can determine to love others as He loves.
When I was saved I cried and cried in the presence of God. Tears of gratitude flowed easily as He restored my heart and filled me with His unconditional love. Now all I want to do is sing of His awesome, healing love forever.
One of the biggest challenges in life for the mind and soul is simply to accept God's love for you as a gift. It is the greatest absolute in your life.
John 3:16 states, "For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (AMP). Because His love is in our hearts, we have the power to love others (1 John 4:7-13).
Loving others is an act of worship toward the Author of love. But until you know through personal experience who God is, you will never know the depth of His love for you. And until you know that you are loved, you can never love others as you love yourself (Matt. 22:39).

Know Your Worth to God 
Many people, including myself, have battled with insecurity, inadequacy and intimidation. It is difficult to carry the weight of inferiority into our time of worship.
Worship is a time to focus on who God is. It is a time to enjoy the awesome authority and anointing that He puts on His people who come into His presence with praise. Sometimes the enemy works very hard to keep us from worshiping freely, but sometimes we simply lack discipline in our thought life.
If we read the Word and keep God's truth in our hearts, we will focus our attention on His greatness and on the value that He places on us. God sees all our inadequacies through the blood of Christ. Because of Jesus, our heavenly Father sees us just as He sees His Son--beautiful and perfect.
God looks at us just as a loving parent looks at his children. My three daughters could be naughty, but I look at them, and I think they are perfect.
Unapologetically, I think they are magnificent. That is the heart of a parent. How much more does God look at us and say, "Oh, they are My precious, beloved children."
When you understand who you are in Christ, a rest enters your soul that cannot coexist with striving and struggling. Just as darkness cannot coexist with light, striving for approval does not coexist with confidence in His grace. And who you are in Christ matters more than what you do.
I was the girl "least likely to succeed." But my future has never relied on anyone else's opinion of my ability.
I'm a testimony of God's grace. The very least we can do is give God our lives and let Him show us the great things He can do through our yielded hearts and hands.
We have been created with the divine purpose of having Jesus as the center of our existence. We were created to worship Him in all we do (Heb. 10:19-23).
Through worship we put Christ as the chief cornerstone of our lives, and the power we have access to in His presence is real. He longs for us to draw closer to Him.
God has cleansed our hearts and made them pure so that we can stand in His presence. We can continue to praise our mighty Lord--to sing, clap, dance, celebrate, get soaked in His presence and be overwhelmed by His grace.

Offer Him Your Heart 
One thing that can stop us from being truthful worshippers is feeling as if we have nothing to offer to God. Feeling empty-handed with nothing to contribute to the relationship with God can stop us from plunging boldly into worship.
God says, "I don't need your talent. I don't need your gift. I don't want all the stuff that you can do. I just want you. I want your heart."
God doesn't want what you are going to be or what you would like to be. He wants all that you are today.
When we worship Him, He is exalted, and our problems shrivel in His presence. Everything about us—the good, the bad and the ugly—is decreased as we focus on Him.
Offer yourself to God in worship. Let that explosion of faith force you to praise His name and offer your attention to bless Him. Through your worship, love and obedience, you will bless God because He looks past all the stuff of life and looks straight at the heart.

10 Men Christian Women Should Never Marry

Don't be impatient when choosing a helpmate. God has the right one for you. 

My wife and I raised four daughters—without shotguns in the house!—and three of them have already married. We love our sons-in-law, and it’s obvious God handpicked each of them to match our daughters’ temperaments and personality.
I have always believed God is in the matchmaking business. If He can do it for my daughters, He can do it for you.
Today I have several single female friends who would very much like to find the right guy. Some tell me the pickings are slim at their church, so they have ventured into the world of online dating. Others have thrown up their hands in despair, wondering if there are any decent Christian guys left anywhere. They’ve begun to wonder if they should lower their standards in order to find a mate.

My advice stands: Don't settle for less than God's best. Too many Christian women today have ended up with an Ishmael because impatience pushed them into an unhappy marriage. Please take my fatherly advice: You are much better off single than with the wrong guy!

Speaking of “wrong guys,” here are the top 10 men you should avoid when looking for a husband:

1. The unbeliever. Please write 2 Corinthians 6:14 on a Post-it note and tack it on your computer at work. It says, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (NASB). This is not an outdated religious rule. It is the Word of God for you today.
Don’t allow a man’s charm, looks or financial success (or his willingness to go to church with you) push you to compromise what you know is right. “Missionary dating” is never a wise strategy. If the guy is not a born-again Christian, scratch him off your list. He’s not right for you. I’ve yet to meet a Christian woman who didn’t regret marrying an unbeliever.

2. The liar. If you discover that the man you are dating has lied to you about his past or that he’s always covering his tracks to hide his secrets from you, run for the nearest exit. Marriage must be built on a foundation of trust. If he can’t be truthful, break up now before he bamboozles you with an even bigger deception.

3. The playboy. I wish I could say that if you meet a nice guy at church, you can assume he’s living in sexual purity. But that’s not the case today. I’ve heard horror stories about single guys who serve on the worship team on Sunday but act like Casanovas during the week. If you marry a guy who was sleeping around before your wedding, you can be sure he will be sleeping around after your wedding.

4. The deadbeat. There are many solid Christian men who experienced marital failure years ago. Since their divorce, they have experienced the Holy Spirit’s restoration, and now they want to remarry. Second marriages can be very happy. But if you find out that the man you are dating hasn’t been caring for his children from a previous marriage, you have just exposed a fatal flaw. Any man who will not pay for his past mistakes or support children from a previous marriage is not going to treat you responsibly.

5. The addict. Churchgoing men who have addictions to alcohol or drugs have learned to hide their problems—but you don’t want to wait until your honeymoon to find out that he’s a boozer. Never marry a man who refuses to get help for his addiction. Insist that he get professional help and walk away. And don’t get into a codependent relationship in which he claims he needs you to stay sober. You can’t fix him.

6. The bum. I have a female friend who realized after she married her boyfriend that he had no plans to find steady work. He had devised a great strategy: He stayed home all day and played video games while his professional wife worked and paid all the bills. The apostle Paul told the Thessalonians, “If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either” (2 Thess. 3:10). The same rule applies here: If a man is not willing to work, he doesn’t deserve to marry you.

7. The narcissist. I sincerely hope you can find a guy who is handsome. But be careful: If your boyfriend spends six hours a day at the gym and regularly posts closeups of his biceps on Facebook, you have a problem. Do not fall for a self-absorbed guy. He might be cute, but a man who is infatuated with his appearance and his own needs will never be able to love you sacrificially, like Christ loves the church (Eph. 5:25). The man who is always looking at himself in the mirror will never notice you.

8. The abuser. Men with abusive tendencies can’t control their anger when it boils over. If the guy you are dating has a tendency to fly off the handle, either at you or others, don’t be tempted to rationalize his behavior. He has a problem, and if you marry him you will have to navigate his minefield every day to avoid triggering another outburst. Angry men hurt women—verbally and sometimes physically. Find a man who is gentle.

9. The man-child. Call me old-fashioned, but I’m suspicious of a guy who still lives with his parents at age 35. If his mother is still doing his cooking, cleaning and ironing at that age, you can be sure he’s stuck in an emotional time warp. You are asking for trouble if you think you can be a wife to a guy who hasn’t grown up. Back away and, as a friend, encourage him to find a mentor who can help him mature.

10. The control freak. Some Christian guys today believe marriage is about male superiority. They may quote Scripture and sound super-spiritual, but behind the façade of husbandly authority is deep insecurity and pride that can morph into spiritual abuse. First Peter 3:7 commands husbands to treat their wives as equals. If the man you are dating talks down to you, makes demeaning comments about women or seems to squelch your spiritual gifts, back away now. He is on a power trip. Women who marry religious control freaks often end up in a nightmare of depression.

If you are a woman of God, don’t sell your spiritual birthright by marrying a guy who doesn’t deserve you. Your smartest decision in life is to wait for a man who is sold out to Jesus.