Matthew 17:5

"A bright cloud enveloped them [Peter, James, John, and Jesus,] and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen..."

Inspirational illustration of Matthew 17:5 -- A bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

'Jesus is my beloved Son. What he says not only pleases me, but it is my fullest truth.' Phil Ware reminds us that God said almost exactly the same words to his Son twice, yet he spoke the first time to affirm his Son and the second time to let us know we must listen to the Son.

Have you seen or heard any attaways lately? Phil Ware reminds us of the importance of affirmation by talking about a nearly extinct species of blessings called an attaway or attaboy or attagirl.

"As [Peter, James, and John] watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light...."

Can you really accept that God views you as He does? Phil Ware describes a dream a friend had about Phil's dad -- and he shares how hard it is for him to accept that God feels that way about him, too.

Can you be as faithful at the foot of the mountain as you are at the summit? We can't always be on the mountain top, sometimes we face the valleys and must be faithful at the foot of the mountain.