There are many well known, infamous people today. We hear of them from varying sources, and at all decibals of volume. We hear the constant barrage of names, identities, and personalities that fill the headlines and the airwaves.
With many of them, the mentioning of their names is followed by the sorted and twisted details of their lives. And our "sin-crazed," sin-hungry society is gobbling up the stories like candy. When their names are mentioned, most people know who is being referred to. They don’t know the person personally, but they know the person by the persons actions and activities.
Many of these people have been the source of great pain, regret, and utter embarrassment to the various people which surround them in life. And their lives have also provided Satan with another way to distract people’s attention from the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ! People are running to the tabloids for the latest dose of gossip. *EVEN MANY CHRISTIANS have put down their Bibles in order to be informed of the latest sinful occurrences.
But the enemy does not have to use sinful men to distract people’s hearts and minds from the Gospel, or from God in general. He will even use the "success" of men, even men of God.... He will use anything he can to pull people away from God. It is a great caution and warning to all ministers! Satan will use the "success" of a preacher who is experiencing a move of God in his or her ministry, to get people misfocused on the "delivery man," instead of on the "Bread of Life" Himself!
Many Christians have sadly repeated the plight of the believers at Ephesus, whom we’re told in Revelation 2, "left their first love." Other prblems that existed in the seven churches there are existent and evident in our churches today. They have let down the standards, allowed and embraced false teachings, and they had a name that they lived, but they were dead. These and other signs we see in the Church today!
And the only remedy for such things is a genuine move of God! I believe that much of the Church itself needs a revelation of Jesus Christ. We need to be reminded of Who He is, what He did, what He said, and what our respect and response to Him must be! In many places the Church itself has lost its reverence for Christ. Many people go through their daily routines and never give Him a passing thought!
Our lives need to be consumed with and wrapped up in Jesus! What we need is a "mountain top experience." We need to stand along side of these three disciples - Peter, James, and John - and come to the knowledge that was imparted to them. We need this "inside look" into Who Jesus really is!
The Bible says, "Jesus took them up and was transfigured before them..." He was changed in form, being arrayed in the glory and splendor of God. We need to see the glory again. We need the glory of God to shine again! In 2 Corinthians 3:18, we are told that as we behold the glory of God, we are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory. By experiencing the glory of God, we are changed into the image of Christ.
We’ve tried to counsel, rehabilitate, and have offered all kinds of schemes and devices to get people changed. But what we need is have a revelation of Jesus Christ! A revelation of Him will transform a person, a family, a marriage, and even a CHURCH! If your church needs to be changed, focus on revealing Jesus Christ! Seeing Him will transform the lives of those that behold Him!
The Glory will change the crack addict, the junkie, the pusher, the pimp, the prostitute - and it will transform the believer into an ever increasing image of Jesus Christ! Husbands, wives, and kids need to see it! Our government needs to see it. Our nation needs to see it! And we, the Church, really need to see it! preachers need to see it, teachers need to see it. We all need to see the glory of God - God in His holiness and splendor!
That’s the answer to the dilemmas facing the world and the Church. It’s not our preaching, our shouting, our dancing, or shouting that will win this world’s attention! We need a supernatural manifestation of the Power and Presence of Almighty God!
WE NEED TO SEE THE GLORY!
The Bible says that as Jesus was transfigured, that, "there appeared Moses and Elijah talking with him." Listen: There will be some great men to come out of the glory of the Lord. As men behold the glory, they are changed into the same image. *And the truth is, WE NEED SOME GODLY MEN WITH THE GLORY OF THE LORD ON THEM!
But we can’t celebrate the men who have the glory of God on them. While we may respect them, our reverence is to be reserved for the God of all glory! And there are other religions that are trying to compete with the glory of Jesus Christ, and raise other people up on the same level as Jesus. They are even exalting men ABOVE Jesus!
Bhudda, Harry Kerishna, Sung Yung Moon, Mohammed, The Pope, and so on. We can even try to make icons out of our Christian leaders. Peter wanted to build tabernacles for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.
But "while he yet spake," a cloud overshadowed them, and out of the cloud, a voice spoke, saying, "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED; HEAR YE HIM." And when the cloud was rolled away, there was nobody there but Jesus!
Friend, hear me today: When the cloud of time rolls away, Mohammed will be gone; Bhudda will be gone; kings and princes will be gone; political figures will be gone; rock stars and country music stars will be gone; movie stars will be gone!
When the cloud of time rolls away, all other public figures will be gone! There will be nobody left besides Jesus! Who should we trust in? Who can we count on? Who should we regard as the most important figure in our lives, then? Who should you surrender your life to today? Who should you sell out to today?
I will tell you: NOBODY BUT JESUS!
