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[ Silence ] [MUSIC] We are in your presence. Fill us with your power.

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Live inside of me. Welcome, Holy Spirit. We are in your presence. Fill us with your power.

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Live inside of me. You're the living water. ♪ Never dying fountain ♪ ♪ Comforter and counselor Lord ♪

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♪ Take complete control ♪ ♪ Welcome Holy Spirit ♪ We are in your presence. Fill us with your power.

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Live inside of me. You're the living water. ♪ Never-drying mountain ♪ ♪ Carve a tower and clouds her love ♪

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♪ Take complete control ♪ ♪ Of the holy spirit ♪ ♪ We are in your presence ♪ ♪ Fill us with your power ♪

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♪ Live inside of me ♪ ♪ Breathe inside of me ♪ live inside of me. Our scripture is found in the gospel according to

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Matthew, the 17th chapter, the first eight verses. Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun. and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with him.

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Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them. And from the cloud a voice said, "This is my son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.

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Listen to him." When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

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And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." The disciples asked him, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" He replied, "Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him, but they did

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to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands." When the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist, when they were come to the crowd, man came to them and knelt before him and said, "Lord, have

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mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. The subject, "From the Mountain to the Valley." The worship experience is a pilgrimage. It is a journey from the valley to the mountain,

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and then from the mountain back to the valley. We make this journey in our week. We spend, so to speak, six days in the week. We call sometimes the workaday world, and we come to the Lord's Day on Sunday.

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It's after six days that Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him, and they climb the mountain together. They ascend from the valley to a higher plane. The worship experience is ascending spiritual summits.

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Jesus takes three of his disciples, who are referred to often as being members of the inner circle. So the worship experience involves this pilgrimage with Jesus. The disciples make this journey from the valley to the mountain top with Jesus as their leader.

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Because of their close relationship to the Master, they are privileged to experience some things within that the other disciples did not experience. These three disciples have a closer walk with the Master, it seems. to the mountain within. They leave the valley and climb the mountain together with Jesus.

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Some scholars say that this was the Mount of Tabor. Others say that it was the Mount of Herman. But we can be sure that it is a high mountain that they climb. I got the privilege of being on top of Mount Tabor and whenever you're on top of a mountain, like other mountains, mountain gives you a different view. You are higher and you can look at the surrounding

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countryside. There is at the top of Mount Tabor a church that is called the Church of the Beatitudes. So if we were to ascend the mountain to worship, we must climb the mountain with Jesus. He must be our leader.

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And so there's no question about it, about mountains. We've got some mountains to climb. We have mountains to climb in our personal lives. We have mountains in our families.

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We have mountains in our community, in our nation, And in our world, we have some high mountains to climb. We have obstacles, we have difficulties, we have mountains to challenge us.

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Sometimes we refer to it as climbing up the rough side of the mountain. Life is an experience of climbing mountains, climbing mountains.

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Mount Everest is considered one of the highest, if not the highest mountain in the world. And the one who climbed, who set out to climb Mount Everest was asked a question, "Why do you want to climb that mountain?" And his answer was, "Because it's there."

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So we are challenged by the mountains. We want to climb them. And so they express not only the difficulties we may encounter, but the challenges we face in our religious experience.

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So if we would climb the mountain to highest human happiness, we must do that with Jesus. When you read the Beatitudes, you see the high standard that is set for us. And if we would attain into that standard, if we would climb it, we must do that with Jesus.

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And once we climb the mountain, or we begin to climb the mountain, we go to a higher altitude You're not down in the lowlands. You're not in what some people call the bottom. You're not living in the bottom, but you're climbing higher.

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I remember when we made a visit to Ethiopia, that this area where we were was an area that had a much higher altitude. And most of us found ourselves experiencing difficulty in breathing. It took several days for us to get together because we weren't used to living at that high altitude.

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A lot of us, if we would climb the mountain with Jesus, we'd find ourselves in a higher altitude because we have not been accustomed to living at that high altitude. So, Jesus leads us in our mountain climbing and the worship experience. We heard a few days ago about a man who was blind who climbed Mount Everest.

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He's written a book on that experience. Here in actual mountain climbing, as we know it, a blind man is able to climb this most difficult mountain, but he didn't do it alone. He had some others that were giving him some directions. And we need the master to give us direction, to lead us, if we would climb the mountains,

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has climbed that spiritual mountain for the worship experience, which we would all cherish. So, they go from one level to the other, higher and higher.

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It's sort of expressed in the language of the song we sing often. I want to scale the utmost height and catch a gleam of glory bright.

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a higher plane than I have found. Lord, place my feet on higher ground. That ought to be the aim, that ought to be the hope of every committed disciple of Jesus Christ.

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So from the top of the mountain, we receive a new view of the world. we receive a new spiritual perspective when we get to the top of the mountain.

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They're climbing with Jesus and on the mountaintop, they saw what they had never seen before. There they saw a different view of life and they have a new revelation of God.

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Jesus is transfigured in their midst. And they saw in him transition, they saw in him transformation, they saw a marvelous change.

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Jesus was transfigured before them on the mountaintop. So this radical transformation, this wonderful change which occurred before their eyes was a mountain top experience.

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When I was a boy, they would write articles regarding the worship service that occurred on that Sunday. The articles would appear in the newspaper, the weekly newspaper we had in the community.

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They'd often say that the spirit ran high. Reverend so and so preached and the spirit ran high. That was in most of the articles. the description of the analysis of the worship service.

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So here in this particular experience, we have before us a mountain top spiritual experience. I'm sure that this is something that these disciples remembered for the rest of their lives.

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They look back with a great deal of satisfaction for that time when they were up on that mountain with Jesus and he was transfigured before them. So those who would ascend the mount of transfiguration must make an exodus from the valley. You can't live in the valley and at the same

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time be on the mountain. They went with Jesus up the mountain and they saw him transfigured in that midst. They left the valley. Some people want to live in the valley in their thinking and then they want to act like they're on the mountain. But we must be with Jesus and follow him. These are disciples now. Disciples, those who are being taught by the master,

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who are being led by the Master, they follow Him up the mountain. So on that mountain, they see, as I said, the surrounding countryside. Jesus is transfigured. His face appears with the brightness of the noonday sun, his garments glisten with the whiteness of snow. Jesus is changed, he's transfigured before them and along with Jesus appear Moses and

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Elijah, the greatest of Old Testament prophets. Moses, who represents the law, Elijah, who represents the prophets. It seems that they got a furlough from eternity.

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And they appear on the mount with Jesus. If we would ascend the mount with Jesus, the resources of heaven are available to us. Now there are a possibility we would have never had

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this experience if they hadn't been with Jesus. And they were climbing the mountain there with him. If we ascend the mountain with Jesus, these resources of heaven are available to us

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And we ascend the mountain in the worship experience. No matter what may be the problem, no matter what may be the difficulties we encounter in the worship, you can ascend the mountain with Jesus.

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Oh, I know in many instances I have come to church you know, perplexed, sad and hard, Heaviness of spirit, but in the worship service, the heart is lifted and I go from the place

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with a different view of the situation. Been lifted up to higher ground and have a new revelation of who I am and what I can do with Jesus.

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So Paul had this kind of experience in the worship. He said, "I was caught up into the third heaven." He said, "Well, in the body, out of the body, "I don't quite know, but I know that I saw things

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"that it is impossible for a human being to utter." That was indeed a worship experience that he had. So if we would ascend the mount with Jesus, we will see impossible things.

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Impossible. These disciples saw Moses and Elijah. They'd been dead. At least they had disappeared from this earth.

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According to the Bible, they did not see death. Moses was buried by God himself. And the story is that we do not know where God buried him. He didn't see death.

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And have a place in the cemetery people could go to. Elijah went up in a fiery chariot. And he didn't see death, according to the scripture reference.

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So, they are now seeing those who were identified with the past. Peter, when this experience, it seems to have happened in the evening or at night, and in the midst of it,

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the disciples fell asleep. And when they woke up and saw what was happening, Peter says, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. I'd like to build three tabernacles, three booths,

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one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for you. And the voice thunder through the cloud, this meaning Jesus is my beloved son, hear ye him. So above all, Jesus is Lord, and he is the focus

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and he is the focus of our lives, and it is Jesus who leads us to the high plane of worship. It is with him that we make the exodus from the valley. It's with him that we engage in the journey to the mountain.

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It's a forever mystical experience. Worship is. You enter into a mystical experience in which you find yourself,

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the spirit of the eternal visits us and unites with our spirit. It's something that we know that we've had, somebody else may not understand it,

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but we know for ourselves that we've had a meaningful worship experience. It's not something that is mythical, it's real. It's not something that's magical, it's not trickery,

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but it's something that the spirit of God controls and directs. So they receive a vision, a vision of the journey which they engage.

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Jesus has said that he's going to Jerusalem. In fact, he has set his face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem. And now in this worship experience, they get a vision,

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a vision involving the suffering that is to take place, a vision involving the crucifixion, a vision involving the resurrection, all of this. They get a vision of what is to take place.

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So you see worship gives us a new vision of the world. When you really worship, you get a new vision of the world. You get a different vision of yourself when you worship. You get a new vision of God.

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So Jesus tells them after all of this is over, he tells them, "Tell the vision to no man." when you come here Sunday after Sunday and engage in a worship, public worship experience, we should leave here with a new vision of the grace and the mercy

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and the power of God in our lives, a new vision. And so they were they were prepared then to go from the mountain back to the valley. You don't stay on the mountain. Peter wanted to stay on the mountain, but

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they had to go back to the valley. There at the foot of the mountain there was some problem. There, there, there, there, there, there at the foot of the mountain there was a father who had brought his son to be cured by Jesus

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And the disciples that were left there the the the other disciples Non-disciples that the foot of the mountain were wrestling with that problem of this boy who had seizures and would cut himself

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And was seeking to destroy himself doing harm to himself at the foot of the mountain Oh so many problems we have at the foot of the mountain Time does not permit us to deal with all of the problems, but they're there! And those who go to the top of the mountain are to come to the valley.

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And there wrestle with the problems at the foot of the mountain. Jesus asks, "How long has the boy been like this?" And he asks, and the Father tells him, and Jesus cures the boy. There, the boy was filled with demons.

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We've got to fight with demons, my brothers and sisters, at the foot of the mountain. The demons are still with us, but those who have been grasped by the divine are able to conquer the demons. So Jesus casts out the demons and he turns the boy over to his father.

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And the disciples see this. been trying and couldn't. And they said, "Lord, how did you do it? We've been working with this boy all the time and we haven't had any success, but how did you do it?" And Jesus smiles and says to them, "This kind of power does not come except through prayer." And

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one in some documents and fasting, through fasting and prayer. Fasting and prayer, that's where the power is. And whenever you fast, if you've ever fast, you're not promoting yourself. You're not focusing on your own concerns. You know, some people are like our You know, some people are like our children.

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We used to drive on vacations, and the only places that they saw were filling stations, restrooms, and restaurants. Restrooms and restrooms.

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When are we gonna eat? - Yeah. - When are we gonna eat, daddy? When are we gonna eat?

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Well, when you fast, you put aside your personal concern. Now, worry about when the next meal is. And you are focusing on the eternal.

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He's the one, he's the object, he's the subject. And we focus on him. And through him we've received the strength to do miracles. Thanks be to God that he enables us, he strengthens us,

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He gives us the healing power to deal with the demons of this world. So I'm glad, I'm glad, I've had some very experiences, but I'm glad that God has permitted me to go to the mountain and to be with His Son, Jesus, and to bless our lives with His power.

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As we sing now the hymn of invitation, we extend the privilege to become a part of the family of God here at Ebenezer. The door of the church is open. You may come by letter, by Christian experience, or restoration. as we sing, "Leave it there, take your burden to the Lord." What is the hymn?

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What is the hymn that's listed? "Higher Ground." All right. "Higher Ground."

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[ Music ] I'm resting on the upward way, through heights and pain, in every day, still praying as I onward bow, for a land that we don't hire now.

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♪ Lord lift me up and let me stand ♪ ♪ I've made no heaven, state, or land ♪ ♪ No higher place than I have found ♪ ♪ A fantasy on higher ground ♪

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♪ My heart has no desire to stay ♪ When I shall rise and feel dismay, Though some may drown where these are bound, I'll never hate this higher ground.

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Lord lifts me up and lets me stand, While days on end of slavehood land ♪ I have found the higher place ♪ ♪ And I have found the memory of higher ground ♪

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♪ I long to stay in the heavenly realm ♪ ♪ Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ ♪ The song of saints on higher ground ♪

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♪ Forgive me, O God, that you said ♪ ♪ That we would never take a land ♪ ♪ But higher claim and higher vow ♪ ♪ God, have mercy on higher ground ♪

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I want to still be a boy and get to leap a glory bright. But still I'll pray till heaven I'm found. Lord, lead me on to higher ground. Lord, lift me up and measure me still.

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I've made from heaven's table, Lord, a higher plane than I have found, for at my feet on high you'll crown. Amen. Brother Blake Smith's funeral, the son of Brother Van Johnson and family,

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will be held on tomorrow at 11 o'clock. Today there will be the visitation

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from 4 to 6 p.m. at Phillips Shaw Upshaw Funeral Home. So Remember that from 4 to 6 is the visitation and

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Tomorrow at 11 o'clock at Fort Sam Houston will be the funeral at 1130 1130 the graveside

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Now if you don't know where that is, ask brother Richard He can give you the direction. Let's be prayerful for the family Would you bow your heads to lift up our hearts to you, oh God, and seek your direction as we go forth to the valley. Give us the strength we need to conquer the demons we encounter.

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Grace, mercy, peace be with you from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Amen, amen, amen. Amen. Amen.

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♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ [MUSIC] [ Silence ]