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. Others need to share with a close friend a detailed description of all they experienced. In Exodus 24 God summoned Moses and a company of others to come back to the mountain. I wasnt so eager to leave the mountaintop. Through His Word, Jesus presents grace to frightened disciples on the mountain. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with (Jesus). Worrying about finances doesnt measure up to what really matters in life. When we read His Word, the Majestic Glory of God speaks through His Spirit. So what next? And we forget the promises we made to our Holy God in the midst of that mountain top experience. Any place be it mountaintop, retreat center, or worship service, that can change you inside out should be considered dangerous. Pastor at Columbus (IN) RP Church. Most of us have had a similar experience, maybe not as intense, but a "mountain top" experience nonetheless. 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. The Word communicated the fullness of the glory of God manifested to them. Jesus wants them to know that he is the King of glory, and one day he will wear the crown; but the cross would come before the crown. Jesus is greater than Moses, and Elijah! 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. We long for the mountaintop. 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. These men NEVER forgot what they saw that night. If youve ever been to a mountaintop, then you are familiar with the sensation of inexplicable awe. Yet, it seems that Peter actually does the opposite. Jesus is the light of the world, and when we get to heaven he will be the light. Once weve processed our mountain top experience, well be able to face the valley without resentment or guilt. Now that you have you hot chocolate, it is time to relax. But the Holy Spirit is not constrained to work through baptism only in the moment when it is administered. Husband of Orlena. On the Mountain of Transfiguration it looks like things happen in a hurry. Mountain top definition: the top of a natural upward projection of the earth's surface, higher and steeper than a. When I heard that story, I identified with it so very much. V:33-let us make here three tabernacles; one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. This one might seem obvious, but what if I told you that having a cup of hot cocoa is more than chocolate powder in warm milk? God knows how our brains work and how our individual personalities respond. Simon Peter and the brothers James and John accompanied Jesus one day up on a high mountain (Matt. . 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. Mountain Top TV No monthly fee. The term mountain top experience comes from those moments in the Bible when God revealed Himself to people on a mountain. Peter, James, and John were caught in heavens high beams as they saw the glory of God shining through the humanity of Jesus. 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). Ironically, the three disciples misunderstood nearly everything about that experience as it was occurring. For once weve faced them head on, then well have a better understanding of what to do next. However, along the way there were broken relationships and many long hours of hard work and study. The fascinating story behind many people's favori Can you handle the (barometric) pressure? For this reason, friends, its only fair to tell you that mountaintops can be dangerous places. One of the principles of listening to God speak through scripture is that you should notice what causes you to resist as well as resonate. Pastor James McDonald describes the biblical mountaintop experience as one that involves your mind, emotions, and will. Under his feet lay challenge after challenge that he had encountered along the way in his business and personal life. 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. 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. These three disciples are none as the inner circle; Jesus let them in on things the other disciples didnt get in on. What is your ultimate mountaintop experience? -They spoke about his decrease, which he would accomplish at Jerusalem, There on that high mountain with the representatives of the O.T. A true Spiritual mountain-top experience always revolves around JESUS! And I find myself squirming when I read that Moses spent six days engulfed in the clouds on the top of Mt. Became pastor of the church in Jerusalem, and was martyred for Preaching Jesus. 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. Yet, right after this, Christians often go back into the valley where they seem to dwell most of the time. Proclaiming the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Reflection and resources at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. 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. And the thought of spending an additional 40 days in the fog listening for the voice of God doesnt excite me either. Those who separate themselves to pray are the ones who see the Glory of Jesus! 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. They are solid and unmovable. Mountaintop. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mountaintop. They allow us to listen to our Christian books while driving, working, or cooking dinner. Finally, its just Moses moving to the top of Mt. Copyright www.personality-insights.com. You might have been counting down the days until spring, but make the most of these chilly and cloudy days. And you will walk away changed!. Heaven will not be a place of strangers. Apart from Jesus they fail miserably in dealing with the demon. Yet we can quickly walk down off the mountain and return to normal life in the valley. They were catching a glimpse of the glory that God would reveal in Jesus Christ in the future. You learn something new about who God is. 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. Lastly, the best part is the toppings. 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. 1. a natural elevation of land rising more or less abruptly to a summit, and attaining an altitude greater than that of a hill. Copyright 2023 Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. But what, biblically speaking, is a mountaintop experience? Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on a mountain; and they see His glory, they have a Mountain-Top Experience. Taborthis time with his three closest disciples, Peter, James, and John. The distinction between the two is clear (now). 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. Did you notice that Joani is in a waiting period after her time on the mountain? Challenging Standardized Test Words, Vol. Their eyes opened and they saw a whole new reality; the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. I have placed you on the mountaintop for my glory in the last days.. Dedication to the Lord still brings special blessings into our lives! Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. And suddenly, it appears like what we experienced was just an emotional reaction crafted by the situation at hand. On one particular hike, the sun was setting, the warm air brushed against me, and the silence engulfed me. It also known valleys are quiet places of rest and peace. Hermon. With this idea, though, one final observation must be made. But the valley experience is just as important to our Christian walk. 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. 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. Some people need to journal each moment while still on the mountain. It means when you worry, stress, or get angry, think about your struggles from a different perspective. And one day he would return with clouds of glory at his second coming. But Jesus came and touched [the disciples], saying, 'Rise, and have no fear' (Matt. Accessed 4 Mar. Howdoes that experience encourage you now? 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. Everything is tiny and nothing seems to matter when you are that far away from people. At the very least, tell a fellow Christian about your decision and ask for guidance. This will make any chill session that much more enjoyable. Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. And you don't have to settle for regular milk! 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. Branded DISC Profile Service Back Office Login (has a different login than this website). And then there was Jesus. 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. One trait that gets very little press is that mountain top experiences often involve waiting. 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. Youve never seen something so beautiful and peaceful. Just as the Majestic Glory spoke on the mountain (2 Pet. These men where dedicated and devoted to Jesus; these three men went on to be.
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