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We cant leave them behind us. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on a mountain; and they see His glory, they have a Mountain-Top Experience. Have you been born again? Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way. He was the God-Man, Immanuel- God with us! Copyright www.personality-insights.com. 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? But those were all just moments. 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! We must take what weve learned and processed, allowing it to change us. Thats why he wanted to build dwellings or booths on top of Mt. 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. Our job is to share Gods reconciliation with them and bring them to the mountaintop for their own personal experience with God. But the Holy Spirit is not constrained to work through baptism only in the moment when it is administered. Thats when you see people all around you move forward as they listen to the call of their mountain top experience. This passage in Isaiah carries a prophetic word for Mountaintop Worship Center. 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! This reminds me of Church! I love life! Jesus does not fall to temptation but whips the Devil soundly on the mountain, and the Evil One slinks away, biding his time until he can harass Jesus again. This will make any chill session that much more enjoyable. 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 ). So what next? After his death, would come his resurrection and exaltation! The chosen son of God, the Savior of the world! Appropriately enough, both Moses and Elijah, the greatest lawgiver and the greatest prophet, show up to talk with Jesus. They allow us to listen to our Christian books while driving, working, or cooking dinner. 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. Salvation is not in a program, or a plan, but in a person-. Full kitchen, with cookware and dinnerware, dishwasher, microwave, stove/oven, full fridge, coffeemaker. If we stifle what weve seen and heard and done during those mountain top experiences, then we wont know how to carry them with us into the valley. Jesus transformationcalled a transfigurationwas even more dramatic. Baptism is NOT something we do. After a certain amount of time the caterpillar comes out of the cocoon a butterfly. If youve ever been to a mountaintop, then you are familiar with the feeling of dizziness. And the thought of spending an additional 40 days in the fog listening for the voice of God doesnt excite me either. Stick with that original version of your mountain-top experience--the way you have experienced God. Yet the valley has become a symbol of rough times and depression.I dont believe this should be true. God doesnt intend for us to live in a perpetual state of emotional highs when it comes to faith. Jesus death on the cross is the topic of conversation when you have a mountaintop experience! The transfiguration was a foreshadowing of that event, but Christs followers would not be able to clearly see that until after the resurrection. Nighttime temperatures drop wellbelow zero, the air is razor-thin, and killer storms can strike without warning. adj. Nebo, and God buried him in a grave known only to God. To save this word, you'll need to log in. 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. However, along the way there were broken relationships and many long hours of hard work and study. Gorgeous mountain views off the deck 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. Wood burning fireplace, gas grill, washer and dryer, central heat. You feel overcome by a greater awareness of Gods reality. Unfortunately, busy schedules can interfere with reading time. If youve ever been to a mountaintop, then you are familiar with the sensation of inexplicable awe. 1:17), the words of Scripture are words from God as carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. Mountains typically have steep slopes and are understood to be. Sleeps up to 6 (one queen bed, one double bed, and two twin beds). It is time to drop the negative connotation attached to valleys and embrace their true purpose. At those times, we receive revelation and teaching from God. the mighty apostle of Pentecost was a great leader in the early church, crucified upside down. For this reason, friends, its only fair to tell you that mountaintops can be dangerous places. But then, everything about Peters mountaintop experience changes. Husband of Orlena. We go down to the valley to meditate on our recent revelation, allowing us to learn from our mountaintop experiences. Tabor. But Jesus came and touched [the disciples], saying, 'Rise, and have no fear' (Matt. Peter, James, and John were caught in heavens high beams as they saw the glory of God shining through the humanity of Jesus. 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. It involves a series of visual maps which are designed to help us sort through the chapters of our life story and rediscover clues about those places in our life where God has been, and is continuing to work. , when Moses met with God on Mount Sinai he came down with the glory of God radiating off his face. Most of us have had some type of mountaintop experience during our lifetime. Moses had asked to see Gods glory, and only got to see the backside of God as he passed by. But dedication to Jesus is the key to blessings. Jesus skin and clothing no longer glowed. Address it with all of them, and make them aware of the pros and cons of the mountain top. They took my breath away from ground level and, when I climbed them, they whisked away any anxious thought Id ever have. They didnt last for years. 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. A variety of day trips, long weekends, and extended . Old truths and new stories of the Appalachian experience. 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. I call them mountain-top experiences! Those are great experiences that God has given to me, and I am thankful for them. But as Jesus and his inner circle stood on that mountain the Shekinah glory cloud overshadowed them. God knows how our brains work and how our individual personalities respond. BRICKS IN THE VALLEY Text: Matthew 17:1 - 9 We all know from the laws of gravity that what goes up must also come down. 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. But seriously Im glad to have an excuse for Joani to describe the stirrings of the Holy Spirit in her life. , and respond as he calls you to trust him for eternal life. 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. Personally, I find waiting very hard to do. 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. (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. Just as Christ shone before the disciples in radiant majesty (2 Pet. Have you ever witnessed an altar call? There are several reasons. So when it is too cold for an ice cream party, you can have a hot chocolate party instead! But never forget that it is a rhythmic, ordinary encounter with the Majestic Voice of God speaking in His Word. 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. They were catching a glimpse of the glory that God would reveal in Jesus Christ in the future. The believers present experience of hearing the Word of God parallels the experience of hearing the voice of God on the mountain. the law and the prophets. Metamorphosis- An outward change that comes from the inside. We long for the mountaintop. 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. In those moments, do we lose the passion and the awe we once felt on top of that mountain? It doesnt mean well have an answer to every question we faced on the mountain top. Here at Mountaintop Worship Center, we spend every Sunday and Wednesday on the mountaintop. The Rockies are a mountain chain / range in the western United States. 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. When the back doors of the church opened, and there. Moses was not left unchanged by his time with God. Some only lasted for mere minutes. But God also spoke, it was Gods voice. The word, . Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Then in Matthew 17, Jesus is once again climbing a mountaintradition says its Mt. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Jesus face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Through His Word, Jesus presents grace to frightened disciples on the mountain. , it was a manifestation of the presence of God, the form in which God revealed himself to Israel. Above: Muhammad, Buda, Knish, or any other name. Check out my Recommended Resources list. 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. By now, its a Christian clich: the mountaintop experience. -For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And you don't have to settle for regular milk! MTE's 4WD tag-along tours throughout the Victorian High Country and passenger tours around Walhalla became very popular . while Peter is still talking; God interrupts Peters speech. Some people need to journal each moment while still on the mountain. 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. Everything is tiny and nothing seems to matter when you are that far away from people. Upon returning from the top of Mt. The problem .read more (see Exodus 19)We need the mountaintop experiences to experience the glory of God and receive revelation. Jesus asked his disciples, who do the people say I am? So, over the past week I went searching for stories and quotes about Mountain top experiences, and I stumbled on this comment: "The Outing Club is hosting world traveler and Mount Everest Climber, Jeff . This looks differently for everyone, but its a step we cannot ignore. . If movies aren't your style or you need a quieter way to relax, pick up a good book. But as great as those experiences are, there not the greatest experiences of my life. If youve ever been to a mountaintop, then you are familiar with the idea of feeling miniscule. (. Branded DISC Profile Service Back Office Login (has a different login than this website). Copyright 2023 Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. When the Word is preached, the power and majesty of God are communicated to His people. When we read His Word, the Majestic Glory of God speaks through His Spirit. To get on higher ground, to climb above the mundane, and get in the place where the glory of God can touch our lives, and we can see JESUS as He is in glory and power, and hear God speak to our hearts. Moses is a prime example of this. It is a high point in your life when youre with Gods people and Jesus in his glory shows up! It was a great privilege to see Moses and Elijah, but Jesus was the son of God! He and his disciples went up this mountain to pray. But dont forget that six days prior, the disciples spent their own time in a theological fog, utterly confused about the proposed suffering and death of Jesus. The valley is not what you may think. Six days earlier Jesus had asked his disciples the question of the hour Who do you say that I am? WhenPeter answered, You are the Messiah, Son of the living God, Jesus was ecstatic, and on the spot named Peter the future head of the church. I found myself late every afternoon sitting and simply meditating on the mountains, remembering what it was like to be on top of them and giving thanks for their ancient and imposing beauty. 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. Mountaintop experiences are moments where people experience a dramatic expression of faith. Yet over time we go back to normal life. 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. I would classify Atlanta as a mountaintop experience. Sinai. Mountain top definition: the top of a natural upward projection of the earth's surface, higher and steeper than a. 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. V:35-And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, this is my beloved son: hear him. This is the walk Jesus makes of his life. David Briscoe is a content editor at Lifeway for Explore the Bible resources. Lastly, the best part is the toppings. Philippians 4:13. We also learn something about how things will be in the next life for the saved: When your body dies, you are not annihilated. Delivered to your inbox! n. The summit of a mountain. In the Old Testament, the mountains of Sinai and Zion are most significant. Still others need to spend time contemplating it all in the quiet of their own prayers. Herod asked about Jesus, who is this I hear such things about? 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. It was a Mountain top experience, as heaven came down on that mountain. You are not THE mountain of the Lord, but you are A mountain of the Lord. Soon, weekends can be filled with park trips and beach adventures, but for now, the weather is temperamental, so a movie night can suffice. Finally, its just Moses moving to the top of Mt. Most of us have had a similar experience, maybe not as intense, but a "mountain top" experience nonetheless. when we meet with Jesus, and he reveals himself to us. TheLordwill keepyour going out and your cominginfrom this time on and for evermore. I have ordered from them with great satisfaction for over 20 years. SEE IT FOR THE FATHOMLESS MYSTERY THAT IT IS. If the bible is any guide, theres no better place to meet the divine than on or around a mountain. What was the difference? After his death, would come his resurrection and exaltation! Youve never seen something so beautiful and peaceful. He who keeps Israelwill neither slumber nor sleep. A time when you just felt like Gods Spirit was all over you, and around you, and joy filled your heart, and you just felt like you were going to bust! 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. You feel overcome by a greater awareness of God's reality. Pastor James McDonald describes the biblical mountaintop experience as one that involves your mind, emotions, and will. These days weve been talking about the sacred rhythms of spiritual formation. Of course, except for Jesus, even people who undergo mountaintop transformations remain flawed. 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.. At first they were deathly afraid of what they had seenwho wouldnt be!? And it happened at the foot of Mt. Keep reading Matthew 17 and youll see that during their descent from the mountain the disciples have a frightening encounter with a demon from hell. the last of the apostles to die, he was exiled to the Isle of Patmos. Moses climbing Mt. To hear the voice of God is to be led to the mountaintop. -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. A sermon delivered by David Hughes, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, Nc., March 6, 2011. mountain noun [C] (VERY LARGE HILL) A2 a raised part of the earth's surface, much larger than a hill, the top of which might be covered in snow: The Matterhorn is one of the biggest mountains in Europe. Even so, flaws and all, God sends us from our mountaintops into the valleys below. What is your ultimate mountaintop experience? But then, out of nowhere, God's presence became real to them. Did you notice that Joani is in a waiting period after her time on the mountain? Horeb, which is described in the bible as the mountain of God. Later, Moses will climb Mt. The High Mountain became the Holy Mountain because he saw the glory of Jesus there! One trait that gets very little press is that mountain top experiences often involve waiting. When is the last time you had a mountain-top experience? 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. This works in making work more enjoyable too. Confront the Danger. Idioms: Click the link below to sign up for updates from Good Faith Media via our daily or weekly e-newsletters. Christianity is living a life of obedience to Jesus! This is what all our experiences, all our theology, all our work should come to; bring is to the place to see Jesus! Yes, I was on a literal mountaintop, but I am talking about a biblical mountaintop experience. With this idea, though, one final observation must be made. 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. 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. Jesus was God incognito, dressed in human flesh. Death moves our soul to another place, and that particular place is determined by what you do with Jesus in this life. and try to imagine what it was like went Jesus showed them His glory up on that mountain. 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. 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. Then, for another forty days he remained in the fiery cloud of Gods presence, receiving still more revelation from God. The law and prophets all meet in Jesus, they point to Jesus, and they preach Jesus. . This was the glory that Jesus had with his father before the world began. And if we keep moving upward an onward, we will eventually get to the peak or sum total of our own personal mountaintop experience! 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. That could prove dangerous and manipulative. DISC Certification, Speaker Boot Camp etc. There, Jesus face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light (Matt. What we should do is go back every now and then to the memories, the journal entries, the conversations. 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. Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Sinai. These moments can be truly genuine and beautiful. You are a stumbling block to me. Jesus recognized the voice of the Evil One again, this time speaking through Peter, and he told him to back off.