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. To experience Christ in the midst of the Great Smoky Mountains. On one particular hike, the sun was setting, the warm air brushed against me, and the silence engulfed me. There are several reasons. We will recognize our loved ones and others in heaven. But as great as those experiences are, there not the greatest experiences of my life. If not, why not today? And you will walk away changed!. Most of us have had a similar experience, maybe not as intense, but a "mountain top" experience nonetheless. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. Thats why he wanted to build dwellings or booths on top of Mt. 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 saved are in glory, this life is one of suffering and humiliation for the saints. Though it had not been easy, it had all been well worth the journey to get to where he wanted to be in life. Tip: Re-evaluate your mountaintop experience. If youll notice, neither Moses nor Jesus retired on top of a mountain. Don't start to rationalize it, no matter how unbelievable it may sound to some. In any case, whenever something really wonderful happens to us, our excitement causes us to view it as one of lifes mountaintop experiences. They are solid and unmovable. Jesus is the light of the world, and when we get to heaven he will be the light. But Jesus saves the day, and then sends his disciples on deeper into the valley, urging them to have the kind of faith that can move mountains, because they were just on one. On the Mountain of Transfiguration it looks like things happen in a hurry. 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. When the back doors of the church opened, and there. Apart from Jesus they fail miserably in dealing with the demon. Joe cartoons from the 80's that said, " Knowing is half the battle! Is what youre worried about really worth the worry? For six days Moses lingered in the cloud of God at the top of the mountain. Mountaintop. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mountaintop. 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? This will make any chill session that much more enjoyable. 1:17), the words of Scripture are words from God as carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. The next time you have a mountain top experience, whether its at church, on the mission field or in the comfort of your room for not all experiences are charged with emotion know those moments arent wasted. This was the glory that Jesus had with his father before the world began. 1:16). Remember, it was on top of Mt. These moments can be truly genuine and beautiful. 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. We, of course, visited the ranger station and gift shop at the top, and chatted with one of the rangers about what short hikes we could do while we were at the top and about the recent snowstorm that made the road impassible. We forget what it felt like to trust God while on the mission field. Get our latest tips and leader helps with our free monthly e-newsletter. Dear Lord, I thank you for every mountaintop experience I have had and look forward to more of them. There is so much to be done here in the valley. Check out my Recommended Resources list. If movies aren't your style or you need a quieter way to relax, pick up a good book. But what, biblically speaking, is a mountaintop experience? Our job is to share Gods reconciliation with them and bring them to the mountaintop for their own personal experience with God. It was a great privilege to see Moses and Elijah, but Jesus was the son of God! , when Moses met with God on Mount Sinai he came down with the glory of God radiating off his face. Any place be it mountaintop, retreat center, or worship service, that can change you inside out should be considered dangerous. The Cross was a great accomplishment; not an accident, tragedy, disaster! By adding some whipped cream and a cinnamon stick, a regular cup of warm chocolate powder in milk becomes more like a dessert. And you don't have to settle for regular milk! Peter, James, and John climb up this high mountain with Jesus; probably Mount. 17:2). Yet, right after this, Christians often go back into the valley where they seem to dwell most of the time. What is it about mountains that invoke a spiritual or religious response from us as human beings? Father of 5 (David, Jenny, Elisha, Esther, Seth). We all need spiritual refreshing from the presence of the Lord; we need encouragement that can come only from being in the presence of Jesus. They are solid and unmovable. And as we immerse our lives in the majestic glory of the Word of God, we never need to. He will teach us about his ways so that we may walk in his paths. For instruction will go out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:2-3 CSB). Husband of Orlena. 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 Tabor. In the Bible, mountains are often the places where God encounters His people, changes their lives, and sends them back down to the world with a prophetic message. He and his disciples went up this mountain to pray. If you need it, they have it. Many of us have walked through our own mountain top experience. Full kitchen, with cookware and dinnerware, dishwasher, microwave, stove/oven, full fridge, coffeemaker. First things first, don't be afraid to talk openly about mountain top experiences with your students. There is a mountaintop experience all Christians seek. Jesus asked his disciples, who do you say that I am? I call them mountain-top experiences! There, Jesus face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light (Matt. 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. The glory of God shines the brightest with the topic of conversation is the redemptive work of Jesus Christ! 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. Moses and Elijah were known by Peter, James and John. Suddenly your problems dont seem like problems anymore. Sleeps up to 6 (one queen bed, one double bed, and two twin beds). I have placed you on the mountaintop for my glory in the last days.. Their eyes opened and they saw a whole new reality; the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Some only lasted for mere minutes. He has performed miracle after miracle and, in that mountaintop experience, my blinded eyes were healed. Since the first reported successful climb of that 29,000-foot peak in 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, more than four thousand different individuals have experienced the thrill. There is an actual valley connected to rough times and depression in Psalm 23, known as the shadow of death, that is outside of Jericho in Israel. A sermon delivered by David Hughes, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, Nc., March 6, 2011. With this idea, though, one final observation must be made. This meditation allows us to digest the revelation so we can be more effective ambassadors for Christ. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! The cloud alone would have been enough to confirm Gods presence and blessings on Jesus. Here is our startling recognition: the Christian's mountaintop experience is to come in contact with the Word of God. That night on the mount of Transfiguration, the glory of God that was within shined-forth through his humanity. 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. Running Together: Evening Worship at 5:00. 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. 17:7)." It is the most sacred spot on earth! Some people need to journal each moment while still on the mountain. Upon returning from the top of Mt. Yes it is, it is good to be in the presence of Jesus, it is good to be in good company, Moses, Elijah, James and John. For after the disciples fall in fear, the Divine Voice speaks again on the mountain. We cant disqualify a mountain top experience as just an emotional reaction. A true Spiritual mountain-top experience always revolves around JESUS! But Jesus explained that Elijah had already come in the ministry of John the Baptist. This past week we spent our vacation at the base of the Rocky Mountains and went into the National Park each day to climb this mountain or that mountain - all reasonable morning hikes. 4. of or pertaining to mountains. Jesus would rise in a glorified body, ascend to heaven and sit on the right hand of the throne of God. On the days when I find myself worrying about temporary issues I need to take a step back and look at life as if I was looking at the world from a mountaintop. Perhaps it was getting our drivers license at the age of sixteen. Sinai still a third time because he shattered the tablets bearing the Ten Commandments upon hearing that the Israelites had manufactured and worshiped a golden calf in his absence. Have you been born again? It is on the mountaintop we receive revelation from God, and it is where we often experience the tangible, felt presence of God. He talked about the struggles and challenges he had faced both personally and professionally. To save this word, you'll need to log in. I'm sure you have left over hot chocolate from November and December, so it's time to finish them off. Despite this uncertainty, the definition of a mountain is a landform that rises significantly above the surrounding landscape. 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. 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. First, unlike other benefactors, God is unwaveringly benevolent. Why Elijah and Moses? Peter, James, and John were caught in heavens high beams as they saw the glory of God shining through the humanity of Jesus. Taborthis time with his three closest disciples, Peter, James, and John. Prophecy is not about a happening, an event, is about a person. But, before we get into the prophetic message, lets look at the importance of the mountaintop experience.The mountaintop experience is something many Christians seek after. 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. Jesus is the only one to ever walk this earth who was absolutely sinless and holy! Thats because mountaintop experience is a figure of speech that comes right out of Holy Scripture. As for how this takes shape in the coming future, I dont really know and I am okay with that because I am very confident that my job is to be willing and available and He will open and close doors. If youve ever been to a mountaintop, then you are familiar with the sensation of inexplicable awe. Now this isnt to say drop everything you are doing in life because it doesnt matter. This mountaintop experience takes place during a time of prayer! The shekinah glory cloud was gone. To hear the voice of God in His Word is to be led to the mountaintop of glory and grace. Jesus skin and clothing no longer glowed. 17:4). (Mark 9:2-3 ESV) Jesus takes his inner circle to a mountain with him and they experience a "God thing." It was something unlike anything they had ever seen. They saw things they had never seen before, they were aware of things they were never aware of before, they were in the presence of God! They knew a lot about Jesus; but on that mountaintop they. In Exodus 24 God summoned Moses and a company of others to come back to the mountain. Remember, Moses first met God at the burning bush on Mt. 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. We cant leave them behind us. And if such an experience is to be sought after, how can the Christian be found on the mountaintop time and time again? Peter, James, and John were transformed by the transfigured Christ. for who he really is, in all of his love, grace and glory, it is a mountain-top experience! Thats almost seven weeks of sitting around in the fog! Our moments with God shouldnt remain hidden in the past. As the transfiguration reveals, the voice of Majestic Glory in the Word is a fearful thing. But the valley experience is just as important to our Christian walk. glory cloud Ezekiel saw rise from between the cherubim and move to the threshold of the Temple because of Israels apostasy and then slowly rising to be seen no more from the Mount of Olives. 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. At the very least, tell a fellow Christian about your decision and ask for guidance. You will recall that Moses had to return to Mt. 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. Believe: What Secret Does It Hold For You Today. Certainly, there is a rhythmic, ordinary nature to daily encounter with Gods Word. But heaven will be a place of glory! In. So when it is too cold for an ice cream party, you can have a hot chocolate party instead! as he calls you to leave bitterness behind, and to forgive and find joy. Most of us have had some type of mountaintop experience during our lifetime. Baptism is NOT something we do. We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us. There will be times of recognition, success, fun, laughter, happiness, financial success and many wonderful experiences together with family and friends. Even though winter is ending soon, it does not mean the cold is. But God never intended for us to live there. Yet over time we go back to normal life. Christianity is living a life of obedience to Jesus! The training notes 'Mountain-Top 4 Wheel Driving or reflections on over 40 years of mistakes in the Victorian high country' is a 44-page booklet covering 'Getting the Right Gear', 'Tackling Tough Trails' and 'Touring Tips'. Wood burning fireplace, gas grill, washer and dryer, central heat. , and respond as he calls you to trust him for eternal life. Some of us may prefer to not be confronted with such a frightening voice whenever our Bibles are opened. 1:17). My time in Dallas was informative and meaningful and challenging, but I would not say it was a mountaintop experience. 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? Dan Allender has written, God has crafted our character and gives us a role that will reveal something about Him that no-one elses story can reveal in quite the same way. I am excited to see How God can lead us to discover our unique stories and then become Holy Listeners for each other. To hear the voice of God is to be led to the mountaintop. The High Mountain became the Holy Mountain because he saw the glory of Jesus there! 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. Peter was hoping Jesus would settle in on the summit. 1. a natural elevation of land rising more or less abruptly to a summit, and attaining an altitude greater than that of a hill. 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. Soaking in the memory of what God revealed to us on the mountain will remind us of our purpose in the valley. That is what happens to Peter, James and John on that mountain. You learn something new about who God is. Don't be surprised if none of them want the spotl One goose, two geese. If there ever was a time for silence, this was it. There, for Peter, the mountain-hearing of the Fathers Majestic-Glory serves as the paradigm for the churchs engagement with the Word of God. It matters not that the mountain is composed of a lot of "stuff". Peter said it is good to be here. those moments in the Bible when God revealed Himself to people on a mountain. 17:5), and Peter and the disciples fall to their faces (17:6). Maybe the thinness of the air, the lack of oxygen, or the exhaustion when we finally reach the top? These days weve been talking about the sacred rhythms of spiritual formation. Stick with that original version of your mountain-top experience--the way you have experienced God. Heaven or Hell! 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). Jesus was the fulfillment of everything the Law and prophets pointed toward. There were many heartaches and tears shed over painful relationships with family members and close friends which were also part of the pile. Like if you take one step forward you will fall endlessly and helplessly. I would classify Atlanta as a mountaintop experience. 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. 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. Jesus dead on the Cross as the Lamb of God means Exodus, freedom from sins bondage to all who will apply the blood of Jesus to their heart in faith! Mountaintop experiences are moments where people experience a dramatic expression of faith. Would you pray and ask God to give you a mountaintop experience; when he does you will see his glory and worship him, understand his work and trust him, hear his word and obey him. I doubt any of us will go there. SEE IT FOR THE FATHOMLESS MYSTERY THAT IT IS. And I find myself squirming when I read that Moses spent six days engulfed in the clouds on the top of Mt. The problem .read more Im guessing most of us have had at least one episode in our lives wed call a mountaintop experience. The law and prophets all meet in Jesus, they point to Jesus, and they preach Jesus. The speaker concludes talking with an invitation to come to the altar and lay your burdens down at the feet of Jesus. Confront the Danger. And it happened at the foot of Mt. This works in making work more enjoyable too. In later reflection, Peter described what he heard as the Majestic Glory (2 Pet. It could have been graduating from college and then stepping into a dream job. They would come down that mountain knowing without a shadow of a doubt who Jesus Christ was! (see Exodus 19)We need the mountaintop experiences to experience the glory of God and receive revelation. 3:17). These men where dedicated and devoted to Jesus; these three men went on to be. You come down from the mountaintop ready for a changed life. Sinai again and again to commune with God and to better understand not just the essential laws for the life of the community, but the rhythms and cycles of what their covenantal life together will be like in the Promised Land. Click the link below to sign up for updates from Good Faith Media via our daily or weekly e-newsletters. Do what I have called you to do, and people will say, Let us go to Mountaintop Worship Center. God's benevolence stretches this description to the breaking point. One trait that gets very little press is that mountain top experiences often involve waiting.
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