There is a mountaintop experience all Christians seek. Have you been born again? (see Exodus 19) Unfortunately, busy schedules can interfere with reading time. In other words, the fulfillment of the Messiahs mission of salvation was nearer than the three disciplesknew. Worrying about finances doesnt measure up to what really matters in life. Moses climbing Mt. So what next? The "deeper something" comes when one takes the divine voice as a motivation to trust in God during the hardships on the journey. The heap on which he stood consisted of all the experiences and obstacles that he had faced on his journey through life. revisiting them will prove a way to spur us on as we continue to live changed. They were the Lords closes friends, they were with him when he raised Jarius daughter from the dead, and they would be with him in the garden of Gethsemane. Baptism is NOT something we do. Frankly, I cant imagine being stuck in a dense mountain fog for six days with absolutely nothing to do but look at the fog! What we should do is go back every now and then to the memories, the journal entries, the conversations. The relationships he had with family and friends had caused him both happiness and sorrow. Recommended ResourcesEasy Bible Study Method, Bold LivingFaithSpiritual GrowthDevotions, I am an author, blogger, Bible teacher, and preacher. , it was a manifestation of the presence of God, the form in which God revealed himself to Israel. Our God is an awesome God, and He loves to come to us in ways He knows will change us. for who he really is, in all of his love, grace and glory, it is a mountain-top experience! We also learn something about how things will be in the next life for the saved: When your body dies, you are not annihilated. Husband of Orlena. In the last days the mountain of the Lords house will be established at the top of the mountains and will be raised above the hills. 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36) and is alluded to in Johns Gospel (John 1:14) as well as in 2 Peter 1:16-18 underscores that Peter, James, and John never forgot their trip with Jesus up on the mountain. Now, as we review Exodus 24 and Matthew 17, I want us to notice certain traits of mountaintop experiences. These days weve been talking about the sacred rhythms of spiritual formation. Mountaintop. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mountaintop. But as Jesus might say, We cant work effectively for God in the valley until we have been transformed spiritually with God on the mountain. V:33-let us make here three tabernacles; one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Yes, he would soon be nailed to a cross. The problem .read more This past summer I worked every day in a place surrounded by mountains. We go down to the valley to meditate on our recent revelation, allowing us to learn from our mountaintop experiences. Time to forget about any work you have to do, and treat the weekend as a weekend. The Danger of the Mountain Top Experience - Youth Ministry Soaking in the memory of what God revealed to us on the mountain will remind us of our purpose in the valley. He has performed miracle after miracle and, in that mountaintop experience, my blinded eyes were healed. Taborthis time with his three closest disciples, Peter, James, and John. 1:18), so the believer does well to pay attention to the Words of the prophets (2 Pet. To answer this question, it seems wisest to evaluate the mountaintop experience par excellence of Scripture, the transfiguration of Jesus Christ (see Matthew 17:1-3, Mark 9:2-13, Luke 9:28-36, 2 Peter 1:16-21). But then, everything about Peters mountaintop experience changes. Those are great experiences that God has given to me, and I am thankful for them. They didnt last for years. Moses and Elijah had disappeared, the voice of the Father was silent, and the three disciples saw only Jesus! Howdoes that experience encourage you now? This past week I attended a two day conference in Atlanta for facilitators of a program called Listen to Your Life. Mountaintop Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster How to Use the Mountain Top Experience in the Valley Yet the valley has become a symbol of rough times and depression.I dont believe this should be true. Carmel that Elijah staged his mesmerizing victory over 450 prophets of Baal when God breathed down fire from heaven at Elijahs request. I have had my fair share of mountain top experiences, both literal and spiritual. That is the reality of the experience of this thing we call life. Mountain Top TV No monthly fee. How can we reach this mountaintop?. It had been six hundred years since anyone in Israel had seen the Shekinah glory cloud. This is my favorite source for everything Christian. died on Mt. The words of Psalm 121 came to my mind each afternoon gazing upon the mountains, and they are what I expect will be transporting me back there over the next several months. To save this word, you'll need to log in. As he stood there looking out over his life and all of his accomplishments, he looked down and realized that the mountaintop was not at all what he thought it would be. So many of us begin to desire to leave God's mountaintop through lax engagement with God's Word because the experience feels so ordinary. Jesus is dazzling glory is talking to Moses who had been dead over fourteen hundred years and to Elijah who had been gone about nine hundred. Yet over time we go back to normal life. , when Moses met with God on Mount Sinai he came down with the glory of God radiating off his face. No one deserves worship but Jesus! When I heard that story, I identified with it so very much. Consider how Peter engages this question in 2 Peter 1:16-21. Thats when you see people all around you move forward as they listen to the call of their mountain top experience. For that reason, even people who follow God to the mountaintop will likely find themselves waiting patiently and praying for Gods guidance for their next move. And as we immerse our lives in the majestic glory of the Word of God, we never need to. Mountain top removal means a coal mining operation that will remove an entire coal seam or seams running through the upper fraction of a mountain, ridge, or hill by removing all of the overburden and creating a level plateau with no highwalls remaining instead of restoring to approximate original contour, and is capable of supporting postmining All rights reserved. They knew a lot about Jesus; but on that mountaintop they. This is the walk Jesus makes of his life. Thanksgiving Pancake Breakfast & Goodbye to Jack Liskey! 4. of or pertaining to mountains. The other gospel writers say his raiment was white as snow, as no washer on earth could make them. -For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. What is your ultimate mountaintop experience? White in the Bible speaks of purity, absolute holiness. But as great as it will be to see our loved ones, the main person we will want to see will be JESUS! It is interesting to imagine what it would be like to staff other peoples mountain top experiences. II. That had to be a long six days. In Atlanta, as we met and talked and worshipped, I had a strong sense of energy and enthusiasm and knew clearly that God was saying to me, The time is right and you are ready to begin this work of listening. Whereas before, Listen to My Life sounded really interested and well-done, this time it felt truly life giving. -They spoke about his decrease, which he would accomplish at Jerusalem, There on that high mountain with the representatives of the O.T. However, there will be times of hard work, traffic jams, taxes, wasted time, frustrating situations, wrecked dreams, lost money, broken relationships and the list of challenges that we face at some point in our lifetime could go on and on. Jesus would rise in a glorified body, ascend to heaven and sit on the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Peter, James, and John thought that Elijahs appearance on the mountain with Jesus that day surely was a fulfillment of prophecy. Peter a man who always had something to say when nothing should be said; said: V:33-Jesus, master, it is good for us to be here. My time in Dallas was informative and meaningful and challenging, but I would not say it was a mountaintop experience. These guys had seen Jesus on multiple occasions, do amazing things, but they had NEVER seen him like they are going to see him on that mountain. Like the testing of Abraham (Genesis 22:1-19), the receiving of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19-20:21) and, of course, the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13). Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! And appropriately enough, a bright cloud overshadows them, and from the cloud a voice said, This is my Son, the Beloved; with whom I am well pleased; listen to him! As great as Moses and Elijah were, Jesus was and is greater still. First things first, don't be afraid to talk openly about mountain top experiences with your students. My purpose is to lead believers into a deeper relationship with God, resulting in them becoming A Bold Christian. Believe: What Secret Does It Hold For You Today. Pastor James McDonald describes the biblical mountaintop experience as one that involves your mind, emotions, and will. But our mountaintop moments are not designed by God just to give us warm fuzzies at high altitudesthey are designed to go fill us with the Spirit of God that we have the courage and strength to do the work of the kingdom in the valley. That is how we need to look at our daily issues. There closeness to Jesus is connected to Prayer! The Israelites were deeply moved by what Moses reported, and promised to obey all that they had heard. Mark 9:2-3 - The Mountain Top Experience | Daily Devotionals Pastor at Columbus (IN) RP Church. For after the disciples fall in fear, the Divine Voice speaks again on the mountain. Old truths and new stories of the Appalachian experience. Thats why he wanted to build dwellings or booths on top of Mt. Herod asked about Jesus, who is this I hear such things about? Thats because mountaintop experience is a figure of speech that comes right out of Holy Scripture. This unmediated view of the living God happened once, and only once in the Old Testament. But God never intended for us to live there. Do what I have called you to do, and people will say, Let us go to Mountaintop Worship Center. Because whatever happens, God has it all in control. A glorious, spiritual experience where you were alone with Jesus and your soul was lifted above this old world, and you got a taste of heaven. 4WD Adventures - Mountain-Top Experience But never forget that it is a rhythmic, ordinary encounter with the Majestic Voice of God speaking in His Word. Lead me to those where the harvest is ready, for I am Your willing laborer.In Jesus name I pray, Amen. We learned this word in school, a caterpillar goes through metamorphosis, that caterpillar wraps a cocoon around itself and goes through the process of change. Grab a blanket and a glass of hot chocolate, and do these five warm indoor activities for those rainy winter days. Tip: Re-evaluate your mountaintop experience. When the Bible says that Jesus was transfigured, it means that He became on the outside what He was on the inside. Idioms: If youve ever been to a mountaintop, then you are familiar with the feeling of dizziness. As we walked onto a short trail through the snow and frozen ground, Owen remarked that it must be a strange job to drive to the top of a mountain and talk with thousands of visitors who pass through the center every day - like an environmental guru waiting at the peak for travelers to come seeking knowledge and insight. The saved are in glory, this life is one of suffering and humiliation for the saints. Sinai with Joshua and Owen during our last days in Egypt, watching the sun rise over the vast chains of mountains in the desert there, and experience a diverse and international group of pilgrims praying their unique prayers at the top. 3. a huge amount: a mountain of mail. Granted, Jesus did some of his best work on and around water, but he was a mountain man, too. Peter, James, and John were caught in heavens high beams as they saw the glory of God shining through the humanity of Jesus. For six days Peter and the other 11 disciples have their heads spinning by the prediciton that Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, would die on a cross. Joe cartoons from the 80's that said, " Knowing is half the battle! When the Word is preached, the power and majesty of God are communicated to His people. -The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamb is the light thereof. At first they were deathly afraid of what they had seenwho wouldnt be!? Jesus would rise in a glorified body, ascend to heaven and sit on the right hand of the throne of God. Now suddenly, Jesus invites Peter, James, and John for an evening hike up Mt. A Mountain-Top Experience - Faithlife Sermons V:29-his arraignment was white and glistening. The person and name of Jesus is a name that is above every name! Moses and company obeyed, hiking to the foot of the mountain where an astonishing thing happened: they saw the God of Israel, and they lived to talk about it! It is part of your sacred story and it will be a tremendous source of comfort and strength to you when you have to face the dark valley. The greatest experiences of my life have been the times when God moved in power, and make himself none to me through his word and by his Spirit; making Jesus real to my heart! 2023. And you will walk away changed!. However, the truth of the matter is simply this: the mountain really is made out of a lot of stuff (both good and bad). there is only one way to be saved and that is through. They witnessed Jesus transfigurationa majestic visualization of the Lords divine nature as well as His approaching death and resurrection. With this idea, though, one final observation must be made. For once weve faced them head on, then well have a better understanding of what to do next. Questions for further thought: Where and when have you been overwhelmed by a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done for you on the cross? Do you understand that Jesus came to this earth, lived a sinless life; and took your sin, and died in your place that you might experience forgiveness and salvation? If you have Netflix or Hulu, the possibilities of movies are endless. Appropriately enough, both Moses and Elijah, the greatest lawgiver and the greatest prophet, show up to talk with Jesus. Then, for another forty days he remained in the fiery cloud of Gods presence, receiving still more revelation from God. Horeb, Elijah stood in the mouth of a cave and heard God speak not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but in the sounds of silence. Above: Muhammad, Buda, Knish, or any other name. Confront the Danger. And so: Often, 2 Peter 1:16-21 is presented with the idea that Peter contrasts the visual mountain experience with the Word-based experience of heeding the prophetic word more fully confirmed (2 Pet. the mighty apostle of Pentecost was a great leader in the early church, crucified upside down. Then in Matthew 17, Jesus is once again climbing a mountaintradition says it's Mt. All nations will stream to it, and many peoples will come and say, Come, lets go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. Our moments with God shouldnt remain hidden in the past. God truly does reveal Himself to us in different ways, some more intense than others. It is always dangerous to say something when you dont know what to say! V:30-31-And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. Ironically, the three disciples misunderstood nearly everything about that experience as it was occurring. - the law and the, Prophets; the son of God and the three great apostles of the church they are talking about the Cross! Send us feedback. Through His Word, Jesus presents grace to frightened disciples on the mountain. When you looked at Jesus he was a common, ordinary Jew-, YET Jesus Christ was much more than a common man when he walked on this earth. Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. David Benner says, Our challenge is to unmask the divine in the natural and name the presence of God in our lives. The second part of Listen to Your Life is just as important and that is developing the gift of listening to each others stories. Both these men had talked with God on mountaintops before. We recognize that many of us will not have the privilege to live our lives on the top of a mountain, whether literally or figuratively. Mountain Top Experience will be re-opening on June 1, 2023. Today would And if weve implanted them in some way in our present, then revisiting them will prove a way to spur us on as we continue to live changed. Suddenly your problems dont seem like problems anymore. Mountain top definition: the top of a natural upward projection of the earth's surface, higher and steeper than a. Top selling author and speaker, Robert Rohm Ph.D. is founder of Personality Insights Inc. and The Robert Rohm Co. As you will see, Dr. Rohm specializes in helping people better understand themselves and others. Both had been shown Gods glory on those mountains. The transfiguration was a foreshadowing of that event, but Christs followers would not be able to clearly see that until after the resurrection. One trait that gets very little press is that mountain top experiences often involve waiting. (. A Mountain Top Experience This is such an awesome piece of Scripture that describes the imagery of a future time when "the mountain of the LORD" and "the house of the God of Jacob" will be a holy place for all the diverse people groups from every nation and of every ethnicity, worshipping God and learning the ways of His wisdom - Amen! Soon, weekends can be filled with park trips and beach adventures, but for now, the weather is temperamental, so a movie night can suffice. Under his feet lay challenge after challenge that he had encountered along the way in his business and personal life. At least, that pattern held true for the likes of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. The cloud alone would have been enough to confirm Gods presence and blessings on Jesus. Sinai. Then later, on the top of Mt. Sinai a third time to get a new copy of the commandments we read in Exodus 34 that Moses face was shining so brightly with the spirit of God that he had to veil his face when he was around people. Scripture gives us stories of literal mountain top experiences that color our expectations for what it means to encounter the divine - Abraham and Isaac climbing together in an act of extreme devotion to God and experiencing the mercy of God at its apex. Waiting feels like a waste of my time. If you keep striving and climbing you will eventually get on top of it and you will have a life that is helpful to you, profitable to your family and a good influence on your friends. God, unlike Peter knew exactly what he was talking about. Then, only Moses and his associate, Joshua moved further up the mountain. And eventually Peter would deny the very one who changed his life. When it happens, they become excited and zealous for God. Peter said it is good to be here. Moses is a prime example of this. The Cross was a great accomplishment; not an accident, tragedy, disaster! But the Holy Spirit is not constrained to work through baptism only in the moment when it is administered. There we can change the world and share Gods love and faithfulness that is as stolid as the mountains.We come down from the mountaintop because very few people are there. We must take what weve learned and processed, allowing it to change us. Upon seeing Jesus shining as the sun, Peter offers a surprisingly casual and perhaps clueless initial response. Delivered to your inbox! At those times, we receive revelation and teaching from God. Romances and horrors are great genres to cozy up to in the dark. Mountains are a symbol of steadfastness. We stayed just outside the park, in full view of the snow-topped mountain range. 17:5), and Peter and the disciples fall to their faces (17:6). My greatest insight from a week of mountain climbing came from the time spent at the bottom of the mountains. Now for the Lords prophetic word: This is what the Lord is saying to the people of Mountaintop Worship Center. Now, even though Joanis Listen to Your Life conference in Atlanta took place in the suburbs rather than on top of nearby Stone Mountain (which is where, by the way, I proposed to Joani), she still refers to the conference as a mountaintop experience. It also known valleys are quiet places of rest and peace. The mountaintop experience enables the believer to remain stable when they reach low points in their life. God knows how our brains work and how our individual personalities respond. Personally, I find waiting very hard to do. The glory of God shines the brightest with the topic of conversation is the redemptive work of Jesus Christ! So where one person might be on their knees in tears over an experience with God, another might simply acknowledge the fact that theyve learned something new about God. SEE IT FOR THE FATHOMLESS MYSTERY THAT IT IS. Of all the things the apostles witnessed, none was more spectacular and the vision of the glorified Christ on top on the Mount of Transfiguration. If youve ever been to a mountaintop, then you are familiar with the sensation of inexplicable awe. Even so, flaws and all, God sends us from our mountaintops into the valleys below. Notice, too, that mountaintops offer a perfect setting for life-changing transformation. Together they represent the entire O.T. We forget what it felt like to trust God while on the mission field. Copyright 2023, Good Faith Media | Site by, Lincoln Lessons: Real Church, Real Theology, New GFM Podcast on Race, Religion and Politics Drops in, Five Things to Listen for in Raceless Gospel Podcast. It matters not that the mountain is composed of a lot of stuff. Others need to share with a close friend a detailed description of all they experienced. Yet, it seems that Peter actually does the opposite. Just as Christ shone before the disciples in radiant majesty (2 Pet. Tag-along Tours run for past customers by the MTE club enable you to travel in your own 4WD vehicle, but with the confidence of knowing you are being looked after. But sitting each day in the shadow of the mountains made me wonder how we can find better ways to continue to connect with and draw inspiration from those brief moments when we have been on the mountain - meditating on the scripture or hymns that remind us of our mountain top experiences, bringing images back with us from our spiritual mountain tops and keeping them in places that call to mind our moments on the mountain. CAMIER PTY LTD HISTORY. Peter was hoping Jesus would settle in on the summit. As a result, God often reveals himself on a mountaintop in the text. The term "mountain top experience" comes from those moments in the Bible when God revealed Himself to people on a mountain. He has it all in control. It is time to drop the negative connotation attached to valleys and embrace their true purpose. And that moment made such an impression on Peter that years later he would refer to it in one of his New Testament letters as proof positive that that he didnt make up the gospel, but was an eyewitness to the very power and majesty of Jesus that changed his life forever. Life is a continually ascending and descending in our religious experiences. A MOUNTAIN TOP EXPERIENCE | FaithWriters Cable TV and high speed internet. God doesnt intend for us to live in a perpetual state of emotional highs when it comes to faith. It so happens that I know of somebody thats had a mountaintop experience just this past week. Most of us have had some type of mountaintop experience during our lifetime. On the Mountain of Transfiguration it looks like things happen in a hurry. Climbing the mountain we now claim as Mt. The way to cultivate a close relationship with Jesus is to spend time with him in prayer.
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