2nd Purpose for a mountain-top experiences is that you will: 2. Worrying about finances doesnt measure up to what really matters in life. The glory cloud was the sign of Gods approval on the work that Jesus Christ had come to do; to die on the cross as a sacrifice for mans sin, and be raised from the dead the third day. This works in making work more enjoyable too. Moses was reflecting the glory of God because he had been in the presence of God; that is something we all should do! No wonder Peter fell to his face. To experience Christ in the midst of the Great Smoky Mountains. But as Jesus and his inner circle stood on that mountain the Shekinah glory cloud overshadowed them. Husband of Orlena. Those are great experiences that God has given to me, and I am thankful for them. We wont be able to implant every detail of the mountain top into the valley, but we cant waste those moments. 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. A variety of day trips, long weekends, and extended . But then, everything about Peters mountaintop experience changes. Enjoy the teamwork of tackling 4WD challenges, being part of caring community and learning about history and nature as we travel. 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. top maun-tn-tp Synonyms of mountaintop : the summit of a mountain Example Sentences Recent Examples on the Web Barkley spent his final four seasons with the Rockets, but the team's big threecomprised of him, as well as Olajuwon and Clyde Drexlerwas never able to get them back to the NBA mountaintop. Mountains are a symbol of steadfastness. When it happens, they become excited and zealous for God. My help comes from theLord,who made heaven and earth. This Lent, follow something deeper than identity revisiting them will prove a way to spur us on as we continue to live changed. There is a mountaintop experience all Christians seek. There closeness to Jesus is connected to Prayer! In. It could have been graduating from college and then stepping into a dream job. God doesnt intend for us to live in a perpetual state of emotional highs when it comes to faith. , it was a manifestation of the presence of God, the form in which God revealed himself to Israel. That had to be a long six days. Salvation is not in a program, or a plan, but in a person-. Still, nearly a thousand people everyyear train vigorously, pay steep fees, and make the trip to south Asia for the opportunityto enjoy an ultimate mountaintop experience. While such fear is proper, it may and must be accompanied by hearing the other mountain-voice of the transfiguration. While we face the last couple of weeks of winter there are many things you need to do. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with (Jesus). This doesnt mean attempting to recreate our mountain top experience. There is so much to be done here in the valley. What an amazing sight! Personally, I find waiting very hard to do. 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. Both had been shown Gods glory on those mountains. 5. living, growing, or located in the mountains. But Jesus came and touched [the disciples], saying, 'Rise, and have no fear' (Matt. The term mountain top experience comes from those moments in the Bible when God revealed Himself to people on a mountain. The voice of the father, encouraged Jesus in his preparation for the cross. 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. The distinction between the two is clear (now). At least, that pattern held true for the likes of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. Recently, when I was complaining to a friend about waiting for God to do something, this spiritually wise person noted that God almost never hurries. Because whatever happens, God has it all in control. Do what I have called you to do, and people will say, Let us go to Mountaintop Worship Center. Sinai. Copyright www.personality-insights.com. The mountaintop experience enables the believer to remain stable when they reach low points in their life. Jesus is the. He neither deserves the honor or respect that entails. They took my breath away from ground level and, when I climbed them, they whisked away any anxious thought Id ever have. This past summer I worked every day in a place surrounded by mountains. 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. The shekinah glory cloud was gone. The Holy Spirit really works through the sacrament of baptism. I have established you on the mountaintop. Most of us have had a similar experience, maybe not as intense, but a "mountain top" experience nonetheless. Certainly, there is a rhythmic, ordinary nature to daily encounter with Gods Word. Copyright 2023 Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. Waiting feels like a waste of my time. The one time I climbed a mountain of any size, I was amazed at how long I enjoyed spending time just looking at the view in the distance, enjoying the air, and experiencing the warm sun. -In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. Yet over time we go back to normal life. Apart from Jesus they fail miserably in dealing with the demon. Now this isnt to say drop everything you are doing in life because it doesnt matter. It so happens that I know of somebody thats had a mountaintop experience just this past week. 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. Jesus would die on the Cross, be buried in a borrowed tomb, and rise again three days later. In Exodus 24 God summoned Moses and a company of others to come back to the mountain. Life is a continually ascending and descending in our religious experiences. When Jesus entered this world, he came as a man, he was born in a stable, wore peasant clothing, and worked as a carpenter in a small town. The problem .read more Howdoes that experience encourage you now? Is what youre worried about really worth the worry? We dont know the name of the mountain or its heightthe tallest peak in the region was less than ten thousand feet highbut we know this eventbecame the trios ultimate mountaintop experience. The mission field proves a common place where we experience God in new ways. Ron & Andrea Camier established Mountain-Top Experience in 1998 following Ron's retrenchment from brown coal research and development engineering due to the privatisation of the power industry. A good book on a rainy day or with calming music is a wonderful way to take a break from the responsibilities of life and escape into another world. Tip: Re-evaluate your mountaintop experience. Then, only Moses and his associate, Joshua moved further up the mountain. Both these men had talked with God on mountaintops before. Jesus gives us his word that we might obey it, put it to practice in our lives, and live it out every day! Frankly, I cant imagine being stuck in a dense mountain fog for six days with absolutely nothing to do but look at the fog! Notice, too, that mountaintops offer a perfect setting for life-changing transformation. You respond in Worship, praise, awe, thanksgiving, tears, and joy!! The sum total of the Christian life is listening to and doing what Jesus says. Sermon: Mountain Top Experiences - Desperate Preacher Became pastor of the church in Jerusalem, and was martyred for Preaching Jesus. And it happened at the foot of Mt. My belief is the valley is as good as the mountaintop and just as important to our spiritual growth. Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Mountaintop Experience - Good Faith Media If not, why not today? The speaker concludes talking with an invitation to come to the altar and lay your burdens down at the feet of Jesus. He has performed miracle after miracle and, in that mountaintop experience, my blinded eyes were healed. Yet we can quickly walk down off the mountain and return to normal life in the valley. Built a tabernacle of PRAISE for Jesus alone in your heart! If youve ever been to a mountaintop, then you are familiar with the feeling of dizziness. The people live in the valleys. while Peter is still talking; God interrupts Peters speech. Tip: Re-evaluate your mountaintop experience. - Insights 1:16). I walked down that mountain with a fresh, new fear for the Lord and new readiness to serve Him and only Him. Mountains have a logical religious symbolism for Jewish and Christian cultures since they are "closer to God" who dwells in the heavens (as in the sky). Moses and Elijah were known by Peter, James and John. about evangelism. Now would be the time to get involved in a church or Bible study. They didn't last for years. Delivered to your inbox! Mountain Top Experience will be re-opening on June 1, 2023. Today would Suddenly your problems dont seem like problems anymore. We stayed just outside the park, in full view of the snow-topped mountain range. Three of Jesus disciples would no doubt put a different experience atop their list. . 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. Don't be surprised if none of them want the spotl One goose, two geese. Upon returning from the top of Mt. When is the last time you had a mountain-top experience? They would come down that mountain knowing without a shadow of a doubt who Jesus Christ was! Theres only one tabernacle where God dwells, Jesus Christ! (. The question is, will you enter into that change as you walk down the mountain into the valley? The sun shall not strike you byday,nor the moon by night. Moses is a prime example of this. every Bible should be bound and shoe leather. It was a great privilege to see Moses and Elijah, but Jesus was the son of God! 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. The sum total of all of the things he had done and experienced in life had brought him to the place where he stood at that moment in time. to love God more than anything else, and love your neighbor as yourself. Pastor at Columbus (IN) RP Church. We cant leave them behind us. This is my favorite source for everything Christian. Build a pillow fort on your bed in any clear space using four chairs, an abundance of blankets and all the pillows you can find. I commit myself to daily sharing with others good things You have done for me. 6. resembling or suggesting a mountain, as in size. Full kitchen, with cookware and dinnerware, dishwasher, microwave, stove/oven, full fridge, coffeemaker. We will recognize our loved ones and others in heaven. The Mountaintop Experience | A Bold Christian But what, biblically speaking, is a mountaintop experience? We see Him working and moving throughout the lives of the people there, and we come home with a new vigor to live life differently, more passionately. What is Your Mountain Top Experience? - Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Mountains typically have steep slopes and are understood to be. Upon seeing Jesus shining as the sun, Peter offers a surprisingly casual and perhaps clueless initial response. 2023. Some of us may prefer to not be confronted with such a frightening voice whenever our Bibles are opened. That thought even reminds me of a song that was once sung by a group that was known as Blood, Sweat and Tears entitled "Spinning Wheel". Next came the same audible voice from heaven that had spoken previously at Jesus baptism (Matt. These men where dedicated and devoted to Jesus; these three men went on to be. And eventually Peter would deny the very one who changed his life. They didnt last for years. 1:16), so the Word is as a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts (2 Pet. Telling the stories from our mountain tops with others, sharing the insights we have learned and intentionally seeking out stories from others about their time on the mountain. Learn a new word every day. This is the walk Jesus makes of his life. Once weve processed our mountain top experience, well be able to face the valley without resentment or guilt. Old truths and new stories of the Appalachian experience. But God never intended for us to live there. Jesus would rise in a glorified body, ascend to heaven and sit on the right hand of the throne of God. We cant disqualify a mountain top experience as just an emotional reaction. In those moments, do we lose the passion and the awe we once felt on top of that mountain? First, unlike other benefactors, God is unwaveringly benevolent. We are to listen to no voice that contradicts his voice, his word! Moses was not left unchanged by his time with God. After surviving his 40 day and night fast, Jesus climbs down one mountain only to go up another, where he delivers the greatest sermon of all time, the Sermon on the Mount.. Jesus visage became as bright as the sun even as the long-dead Old Testament heroes Moses (representing the law) and Elijah (representing the prophets) appeared and talked with Jesus. To grow and restore the family of Christ on the foundation of His Word and His promises. Jesus would rise in a glorified body, ascend to heaven and sit on the right hand of the throne of God. The Cross was a great accomplishment; not an accident, tragedy, disaster! These moments can be truly genuine and beautiful. So what next? Above: Muhammad, Buda, Knish, or any other name. Recommended ResourcesEasy Bible Study Method, Bold LivingFaithSpiritual GrowthDevotions, I am an author, blogger, Bible teacher, and preacher. Jesus climbing to the top of a mountain not to receive, but to give a new interpretation and understanding of those laws shaping our communal life together as Christians through the Sermon on the Mount. Wrapping up in a warm blanket with a hot drink and some calming music is one of the best ways to spend and indoor kind of day. As a result, God often reveals himself on a mountaintop in the text. How can we reach this mountaintop?. Though it had not been easy, it had all been well worth the journey to get to where he wanted to be in life. Any place be it mountaintop, retreat center, or worship service, that can change you inside out should be considered dangerous. We forget what God said to us when we approached the altar during that sermon. . But Jesus was not reflecting the glory of God; He was shining out the glory of God from within. If you need it, they have it. 1:19). Jesus transformationcalled a transfigurationwas even more dramatic. V:33-let us make here three tabernacles; one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. As Christians, we long for experiences of the transcendent that we believe will forever change our perspective on life. What was the difference? And I find myself squirming when I read that Moses spent six days engulfed in the clouds on the top of Mt. Jesus is the light of the world, and when we get to heaven he will be the light. How to Use the Mountain Top Experience in the Valley I'm sure you have left over hot chocolate from November and December, so it's time to finish them off. But the ecstasy was short-lived because when Jesus predicted his suffering and death on a cross, Peter reacted so negatively to this unexpected news that Jesus said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan! These three disciples are none as the inner circle; Jesus let them in on things the other disciples didnt get in on. Even though winter is ending soon, it does not mean the cold is.
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