A few days ago the Lord gave me a vision of a tall mountain, encircled by a road that led to the top. At the summit there was a gigantic cross. There was such power in the vision, and such significance in the cross. It's appearance on the mountain top was almost otherworldly.
There's also been a lot of talk about mountaintop experiences recently. From Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest to the Quickened Word, these mountain top encounters with God have been a common theme.
Then this morning, I was reading about Jesus's transfiguration beginning in Luke 9. He spent intimate time with His Father, and He was changed. He was changed through prayer! God chose to reveal His Glory, and the disciples saw Him as He really is (1 John 3:2).
And a few interesting things happened. These details tell us a lot about the nature of mountain top experiences with God.
1) The disciples got very sleepy. They were overwhelmed by the manifest presence of God, and it drained their strength. Similar things happened to Daniel when He encounters an angel (Daniel 8:18) . I had a dream once where the Love of God overcame me to the extent that I fell into a deep, spiritual sleep. You would think encountering God would give you strength and life, and it often does, but this passage describes a very different response. Our bodies are not capable of handling such a measure of God--after all, we're only jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7)!
2) The disciples wanted to stay on that mountain top forever. In fact, they seemed to want to live there with Elijah, Moses and Jesus. But that wasn't God's will! And it's often the same way today. God is pleased to reveal to us new things, and He is so pleased to show us His character in a new way. God wants to shower down His Love until we feel really, really good.
But there is also work to do. There are also things to get done--like ministering to others. We cannot spend all of our time alone and meditating for the sake of spreading the gospel! An exception here would be times of solitude and intercession, but usually we need to get out into the world and share Him with others. Like Chamber's devotional said, it's when in the valley that we have times of testing and character development. This life is a training grounds for our future in Heaven, after all--it wouldn't be complete without some problems to overcome.
3) The disciples were told not to tell their experience to others. This is sometimes the case--I believe that God wants to keep some things just between Him and us. Some things are just too precious to share. There is a sort of joy in keeping God encounters private. The joy of His knowing is always enough. Now, I share a lot on this blog, but there is also things that I do not. What I do share I write to build up the body.
Have you been on the mountaintop recently? If not, then ask in faith, and let Him take you there. If you have, praise God! I like to be there everyday. Why? Because Christ's Love compels us (2 Corinthians 5:14). The mountain top is where we get equipped. The mountain top is where we experience the hope of Glory. The mountain top is where we know God. We need these experiences to get us through tougher times. We need to be built up in our "most holy faith" (Jude 1:20), and then sow those seeds out into the world. Asking is receiving...so ask Him to come.
There's also been a lot of talk about mountaintop experiences recently. From Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest to the Quickened Word, these mountain top encounters with God have been a common theme.
Then this morning, I was reading about Jesus's transfiguration beginning in Luke 9. He spent intimate time with His Father, and He was changed. He was changed through prayer! God chose to reveal His Glory, and the disciples saw Him as He really is (1 John 3:2).
And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, that he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up into the mountain to pray.
And as he was praying, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became white and dazzling.
And behold, there talked with him two men, who were Moses and Elijah;
who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
Now Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
And it came to pass, as they were parting from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: not knowing what he said.
And while he said these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Son, my chosen: hear ye him.
And when the voice came, Jesus was found alone. And they held their peace, and told no man in those days any of the things which they had seen.
And a few interesting things happened. These details tell us a lot about the nature of mountain top experiences with God.
1) The disciples got very sleepy. They were overwhelmed by the manifest presence of God, and it drained their strength. Similar things happened to Daniel when He encounters an angel (Daniel 8:18) . I had a dream once where the Love of God overcame me to the extent that I fell into a deep, spiritual sleep. You would think encountering God would give you strength and life, and it often does, but this passage describes a very different response. Our bodies are not capable of handling such a measure of God--after all, we're only jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7)!
2) The disciples wanted to stay on that mountain top forever. In fact, they seemed to want to live there with Elijah, Moses and Jesus. But that wasn't God's will! And it's often the same way today. God is pleased to reveal to us new things, and He is so pleased to show us His character in a new way. God wants to shower down His Love until we feel really, really good.
But there is also work to do. There are also things to get done--like ministering to others. We cannot spend all of our time alone and meditating for the sake of spreading the gospel! An exception here would be times of solitude and intercession, but usually we need to get out into the world and share Him with others. Like Chamber's devotional said, it's when in the valley that we have times of testing and character development. This life is a training grounds for our future in Heaven, after all--it wouldn't be complete without some problems to overcome.
3) The disciples were told not to tell their experience to others. This is sometimes the case--I believe that God wants to keep some things just between Him and us. Some things are just too precious to share. There is a sort of joy in keeping God encounters private. The joy of His knowing is always enough. Now, I share a lot on this blog, but there is also things that I do not. What I do share I write to build up the body.
Have you been on the mountaintop recently? If not, then ask in faith, and let Him take you there. If you have, praise God! I like to be there everyday. Why? Because Christ's Love compels us (2 Corinthians 5:14). The mountain top is where we get equipped. The mountain top is where we experience the hope of Glory. The mountain top is where we know God. We need these experiences to get us through tougher times. We need to be built up in our "most holy faith" (Jude 1:20), and then sow those seeds out into the world. Asking is receiving...so ask Him to come.
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