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<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>...it is not the dazzling moments of transfiguration that connect us to
God. It is the slow plodding - through the daily trenches of faithfulness that
truly connect us to God.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><A
href="http://www.sermonsuite.com/content.php?i=26119&key=rgFsdaack4sBde2o">http://www.sermonsuite.com/content.php?i=26119&key=rgFsdaack4sBde2o</A></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>Susan R. Andrews</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>- - - - -</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>[Henri] Nouwen goes on:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="PADDING-LEFT: 30px"><FONT size=4>In solitude we can grow old freely
without being preoccupied with our usefulness and we can offer a service which
we had not planned on. To the degree that we have lost our dependencies on this
world, whatever world means--father, mother, children, career, success or
rewards--we can form a community of faith in which there is little to defend but
much to share. Because as a community of faith, we take the world seriously but
never too seriously.</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><A
href="http://day1.org/2693-dont_just_do_somethingsit_there">http://day1.org/2693-dont_just_do_somethingsit_there</A></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>Timothy Smith, 2011</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>- - - - -</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>In a gospel apparently about the mystical dimension of religion, there is
a troubling, teeming undercurrent of turmoil, a struggle between piety and real
Christianity, a struggle between religion for real and religion for show. The
gospel shows us that Peter, in your name and mine, opted for piety. "Let's
settle down here, Jesus, and build three booths." </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>I'm not really sure, but I think what he had in mind was a
chancery, a seminary and a college. Peter, in other words, was opting for a
religion of temples, institutions and shrines.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><A
href="http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/chittister_3508.htm"><FONT
size=4>http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/chittister_3508.htm</FONT></A></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>Joan Chittister</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>- - - - -</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>We are, however, assured that the same God who entrusted our spiritual
ancestors with countless insights and who invited Jesus to share intimacy,
emboldens us now to seek his guidance in all the upsetting or opportune moments
in life. His grace provides our strongest credentials and we don’t want to make
a move without remembering whose we are because of Jesus’ death and resurrection
for us. His love holds us firm as we wonder how best to proceed and encourages
us to seek his will and way in the words of the Scripture. At times, our daily
routines may seem to make life perfunctory and plebian, but when we step back
from them to reflect and consider in prayer, we too may be overwhelmed by the
glory which can be seen as new perspectives or greater vision transfigure even
us.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><A
href="http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-7/050206-5-e.html">http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-7/050206-5-e.html</A></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>David Zersen, 2005</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>- - - - -</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4> The name of the mountaintop is not given but most scholars think
that it was Mount Tabor which is 1800 feet tall which is a tall mountain not far
from Nazareth. While on that mountain, the eyes of the disciples were dazzled
with visionary ecstasy. Jesus was transfigured before them. He was utterly
changed before their eyes. Transfigured. Transformed. The Greek word is
“metamorphosis.” “Meta” means change;<SPAN> </SPAN>“morphis” means form.
Jesus’ form was totally changed. … Like a cocoon is transfigured into a
butterfly. Like a flower bulb is transfigured into a lovely spring daffodil.
Where the human Jesus of Nazareth was transfigured into this divine Christ of
glory.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><A
href="http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_a_vision_on_a_mountaintop.htm"><FONT
size=4>http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_a_vision_on_a_mountaintop.htm</FONT></A></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>Edward F. Markquart</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>- - - - -</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>I like the quotation by Henry Drummond, the Scottish theologian when he
said, “God does not make the mountains in order to be inhabited. God does not
make the mountaintops for us to live on the mountaintops. It is not God’s desire
that we live on the mountaintops. We only ascend to the heights to catch a
broader vision of the earthly surroundings below. But we don’t live there. We
don’t tarry there. The streams begin in the uplands, but these streams descend
quickly to gladden the valleys below.” The streams start in the mountaintops,
but they come down to gladden the valleys below</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4><A
href="http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_a_mountains_valleys_and_plains.htm">http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_a_mountains_valleys_and_plains.htm</A></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT><FONT
size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>Edward F. Markquart</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>- - - - -</FONT></SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4></FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=2><FONT size=4>C.S. Lewis, the famous British author, says it happened to
him this way. One day he was driving from his house out into the country. When
he arrived at his destination, he got out, and he believed. He didn’t know
why.</FONT> </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4><A
href="http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_c_jcsuperman.htm">http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_c_jcsuperman.htm</A></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>
<DIV><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT><FONT
size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>Edward F. Markquart</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
size=4>- - - - -</FONT></SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Georgia,Times; FONT-SIZE: 16px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><FONT
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