Mount of Transfiguration #3 Kathryn Kuhlman

I should like to have stood where John stood or James. Oh, what a glorious privilege was theirs. But remember, along with that wonderful experience that they had, that experience also carried with it a responsibility and an obligation. The greater the light that one receives, the greater is the responsibility. And so for a few minutes, we're going back again to the Mount of Transfiguration. And while you're relaxing, I want to read this portion of the Word of God. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter and James and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him. Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elijah. And while he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold a voice. out of the cloud which said this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased hear ye him and when the disciples heard it they fell on their face and were sore afraid and jesus came and touched them and said, Arise and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, say Jesus only. But a few minutes ago, Jesus seemed to be no longer just Jesus of Nazareth. Only a few minutes ago, the glory did shine from his countenance. His garment shone with the glory. The Bible describes it. as his raiment, white as the light. In that moment, the moment of his glory, he was no longer just the Jesus of Nazareth, but they beheld him as the very son of the living God. But now the glory was gone. But a few moments ago, Moses and Elijah were there. Only a few moments ago was heard the incoherent suggestion of Peter, Let us make your three tabernacles. But now all this has passed, and waiting in the quiet hush of the solemn morning hour upon the mount, we see what... follows the transfiguration. Moses and Elijah are gone. Gone also is the flashing glory of the Son of the Living God. The splendor of that night is gone. Silenced is the speech that fell upon the astonished ear of... Peter and James and John. Imagine for just a few minutes the disciples as they looked around them. The silence after the speech. Everything is relative. Everything. What could possibly follow? The voice of Almighty God. Do you realize that those three men actually, literally heard God speak? Oh, beloved, how often I try to visualize the face of Jesus. I have never looked... upon that wonderful face. I felt his presence. There are times when I have imagined that I have felt the touch of his nail -scarred hand. But I have never really looked upon his beautiful face. That is yet future. But I can imagine, can't I? I can... Dream a little, can't I? And alone very often. I have imagined exactly what Jesus will look like when I see him face to face. And then I have imagined what the actual voice of... God really sounds like. Some have likened his voice to thunder. No, beloved, I have never thought of the voice of God sounding like thunder. Not really. Because he's my Heavenly Father. I could never imagine the voice of my Heavenly... bother sounding like thunder. I have always imagined that if you would take all the beauty of all the musical instruments and combined the sound into just one beautiful sound. One of beauty. One of absolute authority. Combined with perfect love, tenderness, and compassion. You'd have the voice of my Heavenly Father. You would have the voice of God. And... bending there. These three men, Peter, James, and John, literally heard that voice as he spoke, saying, This is my beloved son. Hear ye him. And I believe that as God spoke, every... angel in God's great universe, did bend low and listen, even as Peter and James and John did listen. How often we've used the phrase, the silence was deafening. One could well use that phrase after God had spoken. The silence that followed was almost deafening. What could possibly follow after God had spoken? Imagine that silence. There was almost loneliness. after the celestial visitors had gone. All the glory for the moment. They had just beheld the glory of the Lord, Jesus, in his great majestic splendor. Standing on either side of him, the celestial visitors, Moses, Elijah. They recognized both. They knew it couldn't last. We talk about the blunder of Peter when he said, Let's keep it like this. This is so wonderful. Don't let's ever leave. And yet, I'm not so sure he blundered as much as we should really give him credit. It was the natural mind that knew that it couldn't last. And yet, Peter wanted it to always last. It was so marvelous. That is the reason he cried out, trying to hold on to something that he knew would pass, and he didn't want it to pass. He was trying to hold on to it just as long as he possibly could, and his only suggestion was, please, to make it last a little longer. Let's build three tabernacles here, one for Jesus and one for Moses and one for Elijah. He was trying to hold on to something that he knew couldn't always last. And now, the celestial visitors were gone. The loneliness of it all. When they opened their eyes, the usualness of everything was almost frightening. Lifting up their eyes, the scripture says, they saw no one save Jesus only. Beloved. You have in those two words God's perfect speech. Oh, sure. We had that sermon that Jesus preached, the sermon that was the masterpiece. No sermon has ever been able to compare with it. That was glorious as he spoke the truths from his own lips. and showed to man the way of life eternal. But in just two words, we have God's perfect speech. Jesus only. The center of all things. Suddenly they realized that they were in the very presence of one who could transmute the usual into the unusual. He takes the common places of life, splashes them into splendor. Oh, it's glorious. What makes the difference when a man or a woman comes and accepts the Christ as his personal savior? As you come, beloved, I'll tell you what makes the difference. Jesus. And when you come to him, come not seeking some emotional experience. Not that. That's the reason there are many women who have never had the glorious satisfying experience of really believing that they have been born again. It's because they have sought some great emotional experience. It isn't that at all. It's Jesus only. And he comes to abide within. There are those who sought that wonderful experience of sanctification. Beloved, do you want to know in a final analysis exactly what sanctification is? Nothing more or less than more of Jesus only. I believe in that wonderful experience of being filled with the Spirit when literally Actually, the physical body becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit. I believe that. He is with you, but he shall be in you. But, beloved, seek not some outward emotional manifestation. In the final analysis, it is... Deal more of Jesus only. Always remember, God's perfect speech is Jesus only. The center of all things. I promise you something. You'll never stumble. You'll never fall. You'll never go down in defeat. I promise you. As long as you keep your eyes on Jesus. In taking the lid off of my heart for just this moment, I will tell you a truth. The thing that has brought me through the years of labor. The long years of toil. Is the fact that I've kept my eyes on Jesus. Had I fixed my eyes on man. Had I fixed my eyes. on some human being. I would not be where I am today. I would have fallen a long time ago. Because I have learned with the years how really thick our human nature is. So thick. And the longer one lives, and the more intelligent one becomes the more one realizes how uncertain is man in his thinking in his values in his loves in his likes in his daily living Human nature is fickle. Jesus knew it. For Jesus knows you, he knows me better than we know ourselves. You'll have your heart broken. You'll become discouraged. You'll become disillusioned. If man is the center of your life, But I promise you something upon the authority of God's word. If you keep your eyes on Jesus, you'll never be disappointed. You'll never be disillusioned. You'll go right through this old life. And one day, you'll go all the way from earth to glory and stand in his marvelous presence. And look full into his wonderful face. The face that you see by faith this hour. And the greatest moment of your life will be that moment. The moment that was experienced by Peter and James and John. When looking up, they saw no man. Save Jesus only. Sure. I'll watch something. Something to me is very marvelous. How many days or perhaps a matter of a few weeks, I cannot tell you. But something happened. There was another experience prior to the experience that Peter had there on the Mount of Transfiguration. Enjoy it with me if you will, please. It's recorded in the 15th chapter of Matthew. Let me read just a very familiar portion of this word to you. And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship and to go before him. unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray. And when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves, for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit. And they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be a good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid. Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. What something that's very marvelous. As long as Peter had his eyes on Jesus, he walked safely. But the very second that he got his eyes on the boisterous sea. The very minute that he saw the wind of boisterous, he became afraid. The very second that he got his eyes on circumstances, on conditions around about him, he became filled with fear. He began to And the very second that fear filled his heart, he began to sink. And yet Jesus was there. He was right there. It depends on where you are looking. You're going to sink as sure as can be. There can be no victory if your eyes are on circumstances. See something. As surely as there is a mountaintop experience, you're going to have to come down from the mountain. And the higher the mountain, the longer will be the walk down. Oh, their experience was glorious as they stood there. But remember, they had to come down from the mountain. Be with me in our next heart -to -heart talk. God bless you.