MEMORISE: For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth
eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with
him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit
of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57:15.
READ: 1 KINGS 18:17–19
17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy
father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD,
and thou hast followed Baalim.
19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel,
and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of
the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 28: 1 – 30: 17; PSALM 35.
Though mountains are usually regarded as symbols of problems,
obstacles and obstructions to progress, they can also be a place for
great achievements. Elijah set the stage for an explosive encounter with
top agents of the devil on Mount Carmel. He brought down revival and
God was glorified on this mountain. A mountain can have good or positive
uses. In Exodus 17:10–13, Moses demonstrated that a mountain can be
a suitable place to direct battles. As you get on the mountain with
God, every battle of life confronting you shall be crushed just as the
Amalekites were routed and crushed before Israel while Moses was on the
mountain. The mountain top is a place of loneliness, because when you
really want to be intimate with God, it can only be you and God alone.
The glory that accompanies being with God however makes it worth the
price. With glory from the mountain top, your next contact with men in
troubling situations is bound to deliver a solution. The episode
described in Matthew 14:22 –32 clearly reveals that Jesus Christ was
able to bring respite to the disciples’ nasty experience of being tossed
about by a terrible storm on the Sea of Galilee after spending some
time with His father on the mountain.
The most important thing about the mountain top is that it is a place
of answered prayers. Miracles happen there, as well as incredible
things that would build the faith of unbelievers and bring down revival
among the people of God. The unrepentant enemies of God meet their
waterloo on the mountain, just like it happened in the case of Elijah (1Kings18:36–40). It should be realised however, that before these
wonderful experiences can occur, there must be preparation in terms of
separation, and a decision to serve God and Him alone is a necessity.
Getting to the mountain top is by divine selection; Jesus took only
three out of twelve disciples along with Him to the Mount of
Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1– 2). Jesus led the three of them,
thus showing that God would lead anyone up there who is meek, humble,
gentle and peaceful (Psalm 25:9, Isaiah 57:15). Note also that He
led them; He did not carry them, meaning that such individuals must be
willing to pay the price, because climbing requires effort. As you
desire the mountain top experience, may the grace to pay the price be
given to you in Jesus’ Name. Finally, remember that you must have clean
hands and a pure heart to access the mountain top of God (Psalm 24:3 –
4). There is no room for fraudulent and dishonest imaginations at the
mountain top.
PRAYER POINT:
Pray that God will grant you the essential qualities required for mountain top experiences.
AUTHOR: Pst. E . A ADEBOYE.
No comments:
Post a Comment