Create with Joy: Insider Information

 Here is one of my works in progress.

So excited to see what's going to appear from 

this mish mash of colors!

 " Give and it will be given to you- good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will they pour into your lap. For with the yardstick you use for measuring, it in turn will be measured to you." Luke 6:38

It is not right to give because we expect something in return. But in the 6th chapter of Luke, Jesus does promise that whatever measure we use in giving, it will be used to measure what is given back to us. Should we not test God about this?

I personally know a man, who because of some difficulty with finances, wanted to go abroad to see if he would fare better there. His wife, who did not want to live in another country, suggested he tithe. "Try it! Test the Lord!" she said. He did, and now he has a very successful practice. He receives over and above what he needs. I have found that whatever I give to the Lord, comes back to me a hundredfold. Whether it be my time, my talents, my money or my resources. God has been extraordinarily generous with me.

 In our business, I readily acknowledge that even after 48 years, we still have little idea of how to run it professionally. But God is faithful. We try to do it according to His principles. We work hard, help others, pay our taxes, give our tithes, and pray, pray, pray. God rewards us with a good margin of profit! Thank You Lord! Your Word is true!!

 "And He was transfigured before them..." Mark 9:2-4

Everybody gets excited about insider information, be it about stocks, or someone getting engaged, or having a baby! That's why there are TV shows, magazines, websites devoted to inside information. When Jesus is transfigured on top of a mountain, only Peter, James and John are with Him. Only these three get to share in Jesus' huge revelation. And now, with Matthew, Mark and Luke writing about this "inside information", we get to know about it as well.

The three disciples watched in awe as Jesus' appearance changed. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became whiter than white. If that wasn't enough, Elijah and Moses appeared. A cloud came over them all. Can you imagine what the disciples must have been experiencing by this time?

In the Old Testament God manifested Himself to the travelling Israelites with a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. He could not show Himself to them. He was too too inscrutable, too too awe-inspiring, magnificent...I doubt there are any words to capture what our God is. Our minds cannot wrap around the idea of God, much less describe Him. But God wanted us to know Him. And so, He said to the 3 disciples, in a voice that came out from the cloud, "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON. LISTEN TO HIM." Can God be any clearer than that?

In Matthew 17, we see that Jesus touches the terrified disciples, who had fallen face down on the ground, and said, "Don't be afraid." The insider information the disciples received is that they saw a glimpse of the glory of Jesus, and they saw how men like Moses and Elijah would share in that glory. And that even if God is terrifying and unapproachable, we who will one day have to face Him before His throne, need not be afraid, IF we are with Jesus. IF we listen to Jesus.

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