Mountains

Impossible Mountains

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

And he dreamed and behold there was a ladder set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. Genesis 28:12 ESV

If you or a loved one have been living in long term care throughout this pandemic it might seem like a long climb up some impossible mountains from in front of you today to get back to normal. Today let’s look at someone in the Bible who also had a long way to climb. Jacob had lied to his father, tricked his bother into giving up his inheritance and was in the process of running for his life. The first night of his journey Jacob found himself out in the wilderness, without even a tent for shelter. He was so tired that he lay down with his head on a rock and fell fast asleep. That night God sent Jacob an intriguing dream. In spite of being totally undeserving of mercy God chose to show Himself to Jacob standing at the top of a staircase or a ladder to Heaven. I always thought this was a pretty neat story but never got the part about what it had to do with me.

Did you know that the Bible is just like Jacob’s ladder? It is an amazing book! First it reaches from Heaven all the way to earth. It is the only thing we can hold in our hands and know that it came from God. Second, just like the ladder in Jacob’s dream, God is standing at the top of it telling us of His loving plan for our lives. Like Jacob, even when it seems as if we are left alone God comes and reminds us that He is with us. Last of all our ladder is filled with angels. Some are climbing up carrying our prayers to God and others are coming down with God’s answers when we are in trouble. Most of all we have the Bible; which is God’s message that we can trust Him with our lives. It reminds us that there is nowhere we can go that His grace towards us through Jesus Christ cannot reach and that H e will help us to climb impossible mountains- even in long term care!

Got Mountains?

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Have you got mountains in your life that you don’t know what to do about? Though they were usually too ashamed to talk to Jesus about their issues the disciples often faced that too. The great news for us is that these totally ordinary guys who also had to pay their taxes figure out where their next meal was coming from and who even argued about who was the most important were loved by Jesus Christ. He didn’t get fed up with them and go out looking for more spiritual disciples.

Instead in answer to their fears and doubts He said something like; “Hey guys why don’t we go for a hike up this mountain today?” As they trudged up the steep winding path towards the summit suddenly Jesus turned around and they saw that His clothing began to shine brighter than anything they had ever seen on earth.

And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. Mark 9:2-3

Then a strange series of events took place beginning with the appearance of Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus; and just when they thought it couldn’t get any weirder a shining cloud surrounded them and a voice spoke to them from heaven. As Peter recounted many years later; that was an experience that forever changed their lives. Though they had faithfully been following Jesus for a couple of years and had witnessed miracles and listened to His teachings they all still had questions and doubts just like we do. But God in His mercy called them up the mountain to see who Jesus really was and He is calling us  this morning too. He is waiting to show us great and mighty things that we don’t know anything about (see Jeremiah 33:3) There is still hope and we can still praise Him. This is a new day and as the sun rises today we need to remind ourselves that God is still in control and that if we will look to Him He will give us a hope that will change us forever.

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When the Mountain Moves

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ … Mark 11:23 NKJV

Have you ever tried working up enough faith to move a mountain? I sometimes wonder if I could even move a pebble but maybe we’re missing the point of mountain moving. Jesus never did miracles just to put on a show. He calmed storms, multiplied bread or healed the sick to meet a need. If we are called to move mountains with our faith then it must also be for some good reason.

Can you imagine people waking up asking, “Where in the world did that mountain go that was here yesterday. The answer is in Zechariah

‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ” Zechariah 4:7

By God’s word the mountain moves so that we can walk across the plain with God’s love to a new destination of Grace.