SCRIPTURE:
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them." (Mark 9:2, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself what were the actions of Jesus in v.2?
1. After six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him.
2. Jesus led them up a high mountain.
3. Jesus led them up to a place where they were all alone.

Interpretations:
I asked myself what is the significance of Jesus 'led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone?'
Jesus could have taken the three disciples anywhere at this point but Jesus led them up a high mountain to be alone with them and reveal things to them privately. Jesus wanted to spend quality time alone with them where they could experience things they otherwise would not have experienced such as the transfiguration.

Implications:
As I thought about this verse, it made me realize that Jesus wants to spend quality time with me alone to reveal things to me that He won't reveal in a public setting. At other times, He will reveal things in a small group setting. For that to happen, I need to find that solitary time with Jesus each and every day.

HOW GOSPEL GIVES ME TESTIMONY REGARDING A.L.O.N.E:
There was a time when I was in deep turmoil and pain, laying my requests before Jesus in agony. As I prayed to Jesus and slept, I dreamed about a white figure whose clothes became dazzling white who was walking up a mountain side. As the figure was reaching the top, I realized it was Jesus in my dream. When I woke up, the words, "Don't be afraid, just believe." kept coming to me. I felt Jesus was addressing the situation I was going through. When I woke up, I asked myself why would Jesus go up the mountainside and it occurred to me that Jesus would do that to be alone with the Father in prayer. So, I felt that I should spend a lot of time with Jesus getting to know Him, be led by Him, and be taught by Him in my solitary time alone with Jesus. Because of that, I decided to spend 33 days to read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation to understand the heart of God and what He wants me to do. In my time alone with the Lord, one verse stood out which I felt is what Jesus wanted me to do with my life: "But life is worth nothing unless I use it to do the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus, the work of telling others about God's mighty goodness and love." from Acts 20:24. It has been my signature verse since. Just as Jesus spent small group time with Peter, James, and John alone, where they learned from Him alone, I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for providing a small group setting for me to be alone with them and learn from Jesus. This has happened a lot as I get to spend time with Pastor Hugo, Edwin & Marie, and my mommy from whom I learn a lot about Jesus and His ways for my own life too. Thank you Jesus. You too can learn from Jesus as you remember the importance of spending time with Jesus alone. Later, you should supplement that with a small group community, and large group should be a celebration of what happened in our own time with the Lord and in the small group setting.

I ask you now dear friend who do you spend time alone with?
Dear friend, those who are in love will always look for and find time to spend time alone with the ones they love. They will not use excuses but will make hard decisions even if it is likened to climbing a mountain just to have that solitary time with the one they love. That means it won't always be easy and tough decisions would have to be made such as maybe going on a retreat alone, etc to get away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds. Jesus had a reason to take Peter, James, and John alone with Him up the mountain after 6 days. 

We do find time to spend alone with those we love here on earth and yet how much time do we spend alone with Jesus everyday?

I hear a lot of people share that they cannot find time to read their Bible and pray alone with Jesus because of their hectic schedules.

But, I want to encourage you to know that you can find that time if you really want to and your love for Jesus becomes so paramount that you are willing to sacrifice sleep, fun, work, etc to be alone with Jesus. I speak from experience because when I had to be at work by 7:00 a.m., I set my alarm for 4:00 a.m., just so I can have time alone with Jesus.

But many, many times, I am tempted to do things my own way which is what Satan loves for me to do. Even today, I thought about all the things I needed to do and did not want to spend that extra time thanking Jesus for the things He did for me yesterday but I made a choice to do that to thank Jesus for all He has done for me. I love Jesus and want to show it by my actions. Spending time alone with Jesus learning from Him and sharing my life with Jesus is only a small step to show my love to Jesus and does not stop there. Help me Jesus!

Time alone with Jesus is so important and cannot be compared with spending time in church or even small group. Those are great supplements but our individual relationship with Jesus grows more and more, including feeling loved and loving Jesus as we make time alone with Jesus. Time alone is paramount.

Friend, I know there will always be excuses you and I can find for not spending time alone with Jesus. I don't want to spend time with Jesus out of guilt but because I love Jesus and am excited to know that when I spend time with Jesus, He will reveal things to me that can be so exciting even if at times they seem apprehensive to me.

Jesus loves you so much that He waits to spend time with you. That is so exciting to know friend. I know what became so exciting for me was when I read 'My Heart Christ's Home' more than 33 times and realized that Jesus waits in the Living Room of my heart everyday to spend time with me.  Even when I am rushing out the door, Jesus is waiting and hoping that I would find time for Him. Jesus waits for you too. When you love someone, you will make that time special. I want my time with Jesus to be special and I know Jesus will make it special when it is done out of love instead of obligation.

You too can find that special time with Jesus alone. I know you can! 

May you find that special time alone with Jesus knowing always Lord offers nurturing emancipation!

"Always Lord Offers Nurturing Emancipation!" (A.L.O.N.E)/"Who do you spend time A.L.O.N.E with?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, when we love someone, we will make time to spend alone with them. Oh Lord, thank you for the time you took to spend time alone with the Father on the mountain side many times. You also took Peter, James, and John to spend time with the Father alone but only after you spend solitary time alone in different situations. Oh Lord, please do help us never to substitute small group or even large group time such as going to church to replace our daily solitary time with you that you want to spend alone with us. It means a lot that you want to spend time alone with me and that you can reveal things to me in that time that would not have happened if I did not have that time. Thanks for loving us so much that you always offer nurturing emancipation. I wait on you Lord. Help me to always learn from you, being guided by you, led by you, and taught by you. Thanks so much Jesus! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Lord Jesus, You are my all in all. You are my Prince of Peace, Rock, Savior, and Friend. You are my Holy Father guiding me through to live a life of righteousness, holy righteousness. Oh God, I need you more than ever. I need to feel your hands around me holding me tight. I need your love to surround me so that you can glow in my life. Help me please Jesus. I desire in your presence. Thank you for guiding me to live a life of righteousness. Oh God you love me more than ever. You hear my voice when I cry out to you. When I seek your face, you fill me up. You are my all in all. Thank you Jesus so much for your help no matter what I face, your grace is available and you take my case. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN! (Most of the prayer is from a vineyard song called “All in All”)

You don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and give you peace to LIVE out your actions.

How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?

One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo SHARED this example one Sunday at the RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:

If you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no peace.

But  as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.

Yes, friend God is aLIVE and wants to bring a transformation in your life through the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and LIVE with us.

Yes, friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE & LIVING GRACE.

When we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive us and RESTORE us to Him and we will find peace in Him.

^"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

Come to Jesus as you are and pray this prayer to accept Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior. He will transform your life around! Praise the Lord! You don't have to have all the answers! You can come as you are!

If you want to be a soldier in the Lord's army, you can become it right now. Now is the time of Salvation! You do not have to wait but can pray this prayer and give your life to Christ to serve Him daily! There is no draft but coming to Christ is voluntary. He loves you so much and wants you to come to Him! He will take care of you, guiding you and leading you!

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I love you. Thank you for loving me so much and thank you for choosing the cross to die for me. You became the Son of Man and lived here on earth. Then you humbled yourself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. You died on the cross so that I can be covered in your blood and cleansed by your blood as I acknowledge that I need you and cannot enter Heaven without you being my pathway. So, Jesus I confess all my sins to you and all the ways I have tried to get into Heaven when you already provided the means and the Way. Thank you for all that you have done for me. "The cross is the place, a wonderful place where accused and condemned find mercy and grace. Thank you Jesus, it is at the cross where the wrongs we have done and the wrongs done to us were nailed at the cross. Thank you Jesus, at the cross you died for our sins and at the cross you gave your life for us." I thank you for that and thank you for coming back to life to save us. Thank you Jesus for being there for me! Thank you for loving me. I love you Jesus! Please take me as I am and make my life into something that you will be proud of. I surrender my life to you and need your help to live for you. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me and I can never repay you. I want to live for you and need your help. Help me Jesus please. I thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. Whatever your will give me the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you Jesus! I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior! In Your Name I Pray precious Jesus! Amen!