Moutain-top experiences
Mountains often had a significant role in God’s dealings with His people. In the English language we have the expression “a Mountain Top Experience”. This expression has originated from the Bible because of the experiences God gave His people on various “Mountain Tops”. So the phrase has come to mean a moment of transcendence – or epiphany. An experience of significant revelation given by God.
It was on the Mountains of Ararat that Noah’s ark came to rest after the Flood (see Genesis 8:4). God made a covenant with Noah there.
On one of the mountains in the region of Moriah God asked Abraham to make a sacrifice of his only son Isaac and God provided the Ram as a substitute (see Gen 22:2). Later Solomon would build the temple on Mount Moriah – the place where substitutionary sacrifices would be offered until Jesus came. See 2 Chronicles 3:1.
On Mount Sinai (also known as Mt. Horeb) God revealed Himself to Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 19:16-20:12).
On Mt. Carmel Elijah challenged the false prophets of Baal to a contest to see which God would answer by fire. Of course it was the Lord who demonstrated His power that day (see 1 Kings 18). And after the great contest when Elijah ran for his life he travelled to Mt. Horeb and God met with him there in the “still small voice” (KJV) or “gentle whisper” (NIV) see 1 Kings 19.
There are some other important Mountains mentioned in the Bible too.
Jesus himself was transfigured on a Mountain (see Mark 9:2). And taught His disciples on the Mount of Olives (see Matthew 24:3).
And of Course Mount Zion – the place where King David built his city (later called Jerusalem). Where God is said to dwell (Isaiah 8:18). Mt Zion figuratively points forward to the new heaven and new earth where all true believers will one day be welcomed into God’s dwelling place forever. See Hebrews 12:22 and Revelation 14:1.
God gives the “mountain-top experience” in order to sustain us as we go down into the valley! His revelation is always intended to help us to journey with Him more closely for the road ahead.
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FAQs
Who is Christ?
Who/What is God?
Why do we need Jesus between us and God?
What is salvation?
If you’ve ever wondered what the bible says about these questions then look below!
Who is Christ?
Christ means anointed one – (it is the Greek word with the same meaning as Messiah). The New Testament reveals that Jesus is the Christ as it says in Acts 2:36 God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Jesus was “anointed” for the specific purpose of dying for the sins of the world in order that we might be able to have a restored relationship with God.
What or Who is God?
The Bible says God is the creator and ruler of the world (see Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.), The Bible says He is gracious, compassionate, patient, loving, faithful but that He also punishes sin (see Exodus 34:6-7).
God is trinity – one God in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit (see Galatians 4:6 God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father”).
We learn from the Bible that God seeks to enter into relationship with all people through Jesus Christ (see John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life).
Why do we need Jesus between us and God?
We need Jesus because without him we are enemies of God. The Bible says God is angry with us for our rebellion (see John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him). But Jesus turns aside God’s anger at us by taking the punishment for our sins in our place. See 1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
It is only through Jesus that God can be at peace with us (see 2 Corinthians 5:19 God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them)
What is salvation?
Salvation means being forgiven by God and reconciled to Him. We can be saved from God’s righteous anger against our sinfulness through Jesus (see Ephesians 2:4-5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.)
So the salvation of God through Jesus saves us from God’s anger and eternal punishment of us for our sins and enables us to be made new.
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Baptism
Water baptism is commanded by Jesus for all believers. When a believer repents of their sins and chooses to trust in Christ – that is an inward and invisible work of the Holy Spirit. But baptism is an obedient act on the part of the believer expressing full cooperation with God’s work of grace.
In John’s gospel we learn that that Jesus himself baptised people (Jn 3:22), His disciples baptised people (Jn 4:2) and in Matthew’s gospel we read Jesus’ instructions to His disciples to continue to baptise those who have repented and trusted in Jesus (Mt 28:19: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (NIV)).
The apostle Peter treated Baptism as the outward sign of the inward act of repentance (see Acts 2:38-41: 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (NIV)
However Baptism does not have power to save – it just makes the believer wet! But Baptism does represent what has happened in the believers heart & spirit – they have died to their old way of life (represented by going under the water) and they have been raised to new life as God’s Holy Spirit has come into them by faith in Christ (symbolised by the baptised person being raised out of the water again!).
Often, as people are obedient to Jesus words to “be baptised”, they find a deeper, richer confidence in their new life with Christ that simply wasn’t there before. That is a natural result of obeying the Lord!
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Prayer for Christmas Day
Father God
Thank you for the joy of Christmas morning,
The excitement of the children,
The early presents we’ve already opened
Friends and family with us
A time of love
A time to celebrate the love you’ve shown us by giving us Jesus!
So we thank you that we can come to church this morning and think about your love.
The love that made Jesus leave Heaven and come to earth;
To be born in a animals manger
To be found by the shepherds
To be worshipped by the wise men
Lord Jesus
You loved us so much you gave yourself to us.
You came and lived among us
You welcomed all who came to you with an open heart
So Lord Jesus we remember that today is all about you.
Because you came.
Father God
As we give and receive gifts please help us to be really thankful for all that you’ve given to us in this world.
For our families and homes,
For our friends and our neighbours.
For all the good things we’ve been given.
We think about some of the people in the world who have so little and we know we are very blessed here.
Help us remember that every present we receive today is a sign of love.
When we are given things today please help us remember the greatest gift ever given.
Given because you loved us enough to pay for our sins
Given so that we could be made right with you and be with you in
Heaven
Given because of your Great Love
Lord Jesus – please help us be thankful this morning and praise you for all you’ve given to us.
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.
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Fire in Banstead
The Fire at Waitrose Banstead Surrey
This last weekend Waitrose in Banstead went up in flames. The fire started at about 8.45pm on Friday night and was first noticed by a CCTV operator who notified the authorities. Staff and customers were quickly evacuated and there were no casualties.
Shortly after the Fire Service arrived, there was a large explosion and the windows at the front of the store were blown out. The force of this blast was felt a considerable distance away and was significant enough to shatter the windows of the shops on the opposite side of the High Street. The fire then spread quickly and was fanned by high winds. Fire-crews worked through Friday night and Saturday morning to extinguish the blaze but the store was described as a “Total Loss” by Assistant chief fire officer Peter Guest.
During Friday night Banstead Baptist Church was opened as an emergency evacuation centre as the risk of the fire spreading to homes near Waitrose put residents lives in danger. Some 60 to 80 local residents and a number of their dogs sought refuge in the church and were served with hot drinks and refreshments. Later the local authority set up emergency dormitories in the Day Centre in the Horseshoe and bussed over these residents.
The church remained open through Friday night and all day Saturday and was staffed by a team of volunteers who served the emergency services with hot drinks.
Cllr Mrs Joan Spiers, Leader of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, said in a statement:
“I would like to thank the emergency services for their handling of the incident and Waitrose for the speedy evacuation of customers from their store.” “Special thanks must go to the volunteers from the Baptist Church who took such good care of the fire service, police and others assisting with the incident”
In the aftermath of the incident roads including the High Street itself were closed until 4.30pm Saturday so inevitably this has made a huge impact on the residents of Banstead. For many in the community there is a real sense of loss. Waitrose was a place where friends would meet each other shopping. For some elderly residents shopping at Waitrose had almost become a social event as check-out staff knew customers on a personal level.
And it is that sense of loss that we find so hard in our modern world. For those who had passed by or had actually been in store earlier that evening we are shocked that a few hours later it was destroyed. We like things to go on as they are. We hate to see the damaged ruin of a place we have fond memories of.
It will be sometime before the fire is investigated and the process of rebuilding can commence. In the meantime we should take stock and remember that the Bible describes a fire that is to come that will make this look like a small spark. 2 Peter 3:12 describes the Day of the Lord in the following terms: That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. (NIV)
As we consider the fire in Banstead this weekend we are grateful to God that there were no casualties and that everyone was accounted for. My heart’s desire is that all who we know and love will take refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ to save them from the fire to come.
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A Week in Delhi
Some of you have been asking about the week I spent in Delhi so I thought I’d share my reflections on that amazing city!
Old Delhi
Looking back on the week I spent in Delhi I am grateful to God for so many things. For safety, for the team’s good health for the opportunities we had to meet and share with people and for all the things that He has taught me!
For those of you who have been to Delhi you will understand just how tiring it is simply to move about in the city. The numbers of people, the hair-raising taxi journeys, the heat and smells not to mention the constant traffic noise, beeping horns and wandering cows! But it wasn’t just physical tiredness that hit me during the week; it is a spiritually and emotionally hard place to be as well.
I heard testimonies of Hindu conversions causing real tension in families. I learnt about the persecution many Christians in India continue to face – especially in the state of Orissa where 63 churches were burnt to the ground on Christmas Eve 2007.
I saw slum villages and what appeared to be slum cities. The people who have been living in the slums for some time are used to being moved on. The government has bulldozed vast areas to make way for urban development.
In one area called Sangam Vihar (India’s largest slum) the population has grown to 400,000 (by conservative estimates) so that the government are unwilling to interfere as any interference would have political consequences with these numbers involved. The people here have no drainage systems and only a few have electricity connections. It is typical for there to be around five or six people in one house!
However the government has recently provided running water and has made up the main road into the sector. It seems as though this unauthorised area is here to stay. So the houses are turning from mud to brick and more permanent places are being built.
It was a great privilege to work with the Delhi Bible Fellowship (DBF) and see so much of what the group is involved in. The leadership of DBF are an excellent team of around twenty pastors with a good number of assistants and trainees. Most are of Indian Origin. Serving with them are a missionary couple from the UK, who run an English Speaking congregation made up of well educated professional people. This congregation helps to fund some of the other DBF churches for Hindu speaking people that meet in the less affluent areas.
During the week I had a number of opportunities to share with English speaking Christians. On the Sunday night the pastor of the English speaking congregation was ill so I and another of the mission team stepped in to lead and speak at the evening meeting! I also had the chance to speak to the staff team of a primary school in Gautam Puri slum. It was my first opportunity to speak through a translator!
Phil sharing with the teachers of Grace & Glory school
In the past I’ve been a little reticent when it comes to World Mission. But this week my eyes have been opened to the fact that gospel work is essentially the same regardless of a nation’s culture. The same gospel message is being preached, the same Holy Spirit is working through the Word to change people into the children of God. Those who are responding are coming to the same faith in Jesus that is shared by believers all over the world. It was so encouraging to see God at work in a totally different culture!
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My story
I was born into a loving Christian family in the late 1970’s. My Mum and Dad already had two children aged 11 & 12. Thankfully, for me, my parents took the words of Psalm 127:3 seriously: Children are a blessing and a gift from the LORD. (CEV) So they went through the sleepless nights and nappy stage one more time!
I was a happy child. I loved to play outside and enjoyed a good deal of freedom – I think being the third child my parents had relaxed a bit by the time I came along. I enjoyed cycling but when I was nine I managed to break my jaw and a couple of front teeth when the front wheel came off my bike as I was cycling fast downhill.
I was given metal plates to wear over my teeth and they were tied together with strong elastic bands while my jaw bone healed. I remember having to drink liquidised food through a straw which made it difficult at my sister’s wedding – shortly after my accident!
It didn’t stop me though and I was soon back on my bike!
I enjoyed school and went to Banstead primary then on to middle school. I also loved church and my parents would take me along every Sunday morning. I had a number of good friends at the church and life was very stable.
But when I was 12 years old I was in for some bad news. I’d been unwell for a few months and we’d all been concerned about it. I was feeling tired all the time, my glands were swollen and I had bouts of vertigo. Our family doctor was a bit puzzled to say the least and at first he thought I might have glandular fever.
But as the weeks went on it became clear there was another explanation. My parents realised I seemed to have a problem with my stomach and couldn’t suck my tummy in. They took me back to the doctor who sent me straight for a biopsy.
The news was hard to take. Cancer of the liver – the tumour was as large as a melon and growing fast. It was too big to operate on. So I’d need chemotherapy to reduce the size … then an operation … radiotherapy to follow … I had no idea what the next 18 months would hold.
At the Royal Marsden
Suffice it to say the treatment was incredibly hard. Chemotherapy works by killing fast growing cells. Unfortunately cancer cells are not the only fast growing cells the body has. White blood cells that fight infection and hair cells are both fast growing like cancer cells. So my hair fell out a few weeks after my first course of the drugs and my white blood cell count went down.
During the treatment at The Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey, I had to be kept in isolation a number of times due to the risk of infection and I was near to death on two occasions. I can remember the frantic activity of nurses and doctors around my bed, the awareness of something serious going on and the strange dreamlike state that accompanies morphine. The operation that followed at Kings College Hospital in London was 8 hrs long and the radiotherapy in the following weeks made me very nauseous.
Yet during those eighteen months a transformation was happening inside me. I was changing from a thirteen year old carefree boy into a young man who had stared death in the face. It made me grow up fast. Yes I struggled with why it was happening to me. I even blamed God for a little while. And nothing will take away the memory of the young children on my ward who died. But what kept me going was a profound sense that God knew me, understood my pain, and was with me through it all.
Even though I had put my faith in Jesus Christ at the age of 5 I had never really understood that He was personally concerned for me. But as the church gathered to pray for me and God answered their prayers I began to realise that His love is bigger than this world’s suffering.
That’s the reason He came into this world in the first place. In love He came to take the mess and the pain that our wrongdoing has caused and to bear the punishment we deserve so that we can look Him in the eye again knowing His forgiveness and incredible love.
So by the time I was all clear from cancer my knowledge of God’s love in Jesus was backed up by real experience of His love in my life. It’s one thing to know in your head that your sins are forgiven but quite another to know Jesus love in your heart filling every part of you and carrying you through the hardships this world can bring.
Now I’ve been clear of cancer for many years. My liver has recovered well. I have been blessed with a family of my own and I’m walking with Jesus everyday. I’ve had ups and downs as everybody does but I’ve grown in love for the Lord Jesus in response to His continuing love for me.
When I stare death in the face again I know He’ll carry me safely through.
To find out more about the Christian Faith and the Love of the Lord Jesus Christ please check out Crosscheck – an interactive presentation of the good news in Jesus.
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Our man in Delhi…
I’m preparing to travel to New Delhi (the capital of India) to spend a week visiting the Delhi Bible Fellowship with three other students from the Cornhill Training Course.
The Delhi Bible Fellowship (DBF) – was founded in 1969 by TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission). In the last 39 years DBF have expanded to thirteen congregations meeting in Delhi and in Gurgaon – a rapidly growing city to the South West of New Delhi.
I’ll be spending most of my time with DBF leaders attending church activities but the visit will include some opportunities to see the work in some of the slum areas of Delhi.
It’s over 4,000 miles away but the chance to see what God is doing among the people in Delhi was too good to miss!
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BeaconLight have published their first book!
Truth Direct – 16 Essential Bible Studies: designed to help the reader to understand the core truths revealed in the bible by God – about God, our world and ourselves.
To order a print copy please visit http://www.lulu.com/content/1962528 you only have to pay printing and postage BeaconLight do not make a profit from the sale of the book.
To download the free pdf visit http://www.beaconlight.co.uk/courses/TruthDirect
This book will be a valuable tool for pastors, small group leaders and new and experienced Christians.
Please use it and pass on the word!
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