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 mighty apostle of Pentecost was a great leader in the early church, crucified upside down. What matters most is that you end up standing on top of it all rather than being consumed by it! Mountain Top Experience's season generally runs from April through December each year. 1:18), so the believer does well to pay attention to the Words of the prophets (2 Pet. One moose, two moose. They didn't last for years. Tip: Re-evaluate your mountaintop experience. It is regularly updated with the latest 4WD developments, and with amusing anecdotes and stories . As I rest in the valley and meditate on my mountaintop experiences, please have Your Holy Spirit reveal to me what I need to know.Here in the valley, I will rest and feed on the goodness of Your Word. Believe: What Secret Does It Hold For You Today. The Mountaintop Experience. This is the walk Jesus makes of his life. You come down from the mountaintop ready for a changed life. If youve ever been to a mountaintop, then you are familiar with the feeling of dizziness. 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. Moses who represents those who die; and Elijah who represent those who are caught up and never die; will both see Jesus in his glory! Yet we can quickly walk down off the mountain and return to normal life in the valley. No one deserves worship but Jesus! 4. of or pertaining to mountains. Joe cartoons from the 80's that said, " Knowing is half the battle! Peter, James, and John thought that Elijahs appearance on the mountain with Jesus that day surely was a fulfillment of prophecy. This past week I attended a two day conference in Atlanta for facilitators of a program called Listen to Your Life. . TheLordwill keepyour going out and your cominginfrom this time on and for evermore. 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! Remember, Moses first met God at the burning bush on Mt. Nebo, and God buried him in a grave known only to God. After hearing those commandments, Moses came back down the mountain and reported to the Israelites all that God had said to him. Proclaiming the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. For Christians, it seems that anything from a relaxing woods retreat to a Mountain-Dew-induced sugar-high at a youth conference can gain the mountaintop moniker. And you will walk away changed!. Moses and Elijah had disappeared, the voice of the Father was silent, and the three disciples saw only Jesus! From this mountain-top experience, we learn the purpose of mountain-top experiences. died on Mt. It matters not that the mountain is composed of a lot of stuff. Became pastor of the church in Jerusalem, and was martyred for Preaching Jesus. But the Holy Spirit is not constrained to work through baptism only in the moment when it is administered. Well have a better understanding of how that intense moment can fit into our everyday. On one day, we drove to the top of the mountains on Trail Ridge Road that cuts right through Rocky Mountain National Park peaking at an elevation of 12,000 feet - a literal arctic tundra in northern Colorado. Carmel that Elijah staged his mesmerizing victory over 450 prophets of Baal when God breathed down fire from heaven at Elijahs request. It matters not that the mountain is composed of a lot of "stuff". My help comes from theLord,who made heaven and earth. from that experience knowing more about Jesus, more prepared to live and die for him! Afterwards, we go back into the valleys where we live our lives. CAMIER PTY LTD HISTORY. Finally, Jesus directed the three disciples not to tell others about their experience until after His resurrection. Even so, flaws and all, God sends us from our mountaintops into the valleys below. Delivered to your inbox! Jesus was the fulfillment of everything the Law and prophets pointed toward. The Holy Spirit really works through the sacrament of baptism. Shes still not sure whats she supposed to do with what shes learning, and now shes in her own personal waiting period trusting God to clarify her next move. Mountaintop experiences are moments where people experience a dramatic expression of faith. This is my favorite source for everything Christian. What matters most is that you end up standing on top of it all rather than being consumed by it! 1:17), the words of Scripture are words from God as carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. Now would be the time to get involved in a church or Bible study. They were catching a glimpse of the glory that God would reveal in Jesus Christ in the future. If the bible is any guide, theres no better place to meet the divine than on or around a mountain. 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. Jesus Christ, furthering His kingdom, and bringing glory to God through it all. 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. Old truths and new stories of the Appalachian experience. to what Jesus says in his word. We go down to the valley to meditate on our recent revelation, allowing us to learn from our mountaintop experiences. By now, its a Christian clich: the mountaintop experience. The relationships he had with family and friends had caused him both happiness and sorrow. We forget what God said to us when we approached the altar during that sermon. 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. Is what youre worried about really worth the worry? Psalm 90:2; Exodus 19:17-20; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Isaiah 52:7; Psalm 121:1-2; Isaiah 54:10. Youve never seen something so beautiful and peaceful. Jesus is the only one to ever walk this earth who was absolutely sinless and holy! God's benevolence stretches this description to the breaking point. Our future includes a great change- corruption-incorruption; mortal- immortal. Their dedication and devotion to Jesus brought special blessings into their lives. In any case, whenever something really wonderful happens to us, our excitement causes us to view it as one of lifes mountaintop experiences. Im guessing most of us have had at least one episode in our lives wed call a mountaintop experience. They knew a lot about Jesus; but on that mountaintop they. This meditation allows us to digest the revelation so we can be more effective ambassadors for Christ. Husband of Orlena. Valleys contain lakes and streams and are where rich grasses and varied types of trees grow.Therefore, ranchers take their cattle and sheep to the valley for the rich food. This was the glory of God that had been veiled by his human flesh shining through. 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. mountaintop [ moun-tn-top ] SHOW IPA noun the top or summit of a mountain. But God also spoke, it was Gods voice. encourage them and help them in the days ahead. Thousands of people would say the answer is to stand on the "roof of the world," the summit of Mount Everest. Copyright 2023 Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. about evangelism. In other words, the fulfillment of the Messiahs mission of salvation was nearer than the three disciplesknew. Some people need to journal each moment while still on the mountain. 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. If movies aren't your style or you need a quieter way to relax, pick up a good book. Thats why he wanted to build dwellings or booths on top of Mt. Three of Jesus disciples would no doubt put a different experience atop their list. You will recall that Moses had to return to Mt. The disciples needed to know who Jesus was because in the days ahead they would be discouraged, disillusioned as they saw Jesus suffer and die on the cross. Above: Muhammad, Buda, Knish, or any other name. And it happened at the foot of 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. Those are great experiences that God has given to me, and I am thankful for them. The way to cultivate a close relationship with Jesus is to spend time with him in prayer. 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). Sign in to comment to your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends. 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. Define mountaintop. 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. As Christians, when we know what we have, we never want to leave the mountain of God. When we read His Word, the Majestic Glory of God speaks through His Spirit. Apart from Jesus they fail miserably in dealing with the demon. David Briscoe is a content editor at Lifeway for Explore the Bible resources. But what, biblically speaking, is a mountaintop experience? The Cross was a great accomplishment; not an accident, tragedy, disaster! Just zoom out and think about your problems in the large scheme of things. Maybe thats why to this day so many Christian retreat centers are on top of or around mountains. This was the glory that Jesus had with his father before the world began. At the very least, tell a fellow Christian about your decision and ask for guidance. Most of us have had a similar experience, maybe not as intense, but a "mountain top" experience nonetheless. You might have been counting down the days until spring, but make the most of these chilly and cloudy days. 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. To hear the voice of God is to be led to the mountaintop. 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. There, for Peter, the mountain-hearing of the Fathers Majestic-Glory serves as the paradigm for the churchs engagement with the Word of God. Of course, except for Jesus, even people who undergo mountaintop transformations remain flawed. However, along the way there were broken relationships and many long hours of hard work and study. To grow and restore the family of Christ on the foundation of His Word and His promises. 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 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). Personally, I find waiting very hard to do. Living on a spiritual high all the time would make for an exhausting life, but there are lessons we can take from each moment and implant them into our routines. 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. 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. When the Word is preached, the power and majesty of God are communicated to His people. Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. V:31-Which he would accomplish at Jerusalem. 1. a natural elevation of land rising more or less abruptly to a summit, and attaining an altitude greater than that of a hill. God doesnt intend for us to live in a perpetual state of emotional highs when it comes to faith. The mountaintop transfiguration of Jesus Christ was certainly a transcendent visual experience for Peter, James, and John. Metamorphosis- An outward change that comes from the inside. He was the God-Man, Immanuel- God with us! Cable TV and high speed internet. At those times, we receive revelation and teaching from 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. Why not Isaiah and Jeremiah? Peter said it is good to be here. The mission field proves a common place where we experience God in new ways. The goal is "Living All Out For Jesus". Things may not be the way you want them to be right now, but as long as you do the next right thing and move in a positive direction, you will continue to learn and grow. By adding some whipped cream and a cinnamon stick, a regular cup of warm chocolate powder in milk becomes more like a dessert.