Mountain Top Experiences - Part III

Mountain
     Top
     Experiences

      Matthew 4:1-11



 
     We have been to Ararat - the mount of new beginning and sacrifice...and to the "rock" at Horeb to be refreshed form our wanderings in the desert of "Sin" and are now satisfied with drinking His Word and following His man....Now let us climb on to the next....

     In Deut. 34: 1-4, after being in the plains of Moab, God takes Moses up to Mount Nebo - the mountain of vision - the mount of "seeing"...to show him all the land of "...Gilead, unto Dan."  The Lord goes on to show Moses all that he had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and lets Moses know that his seed will inherit the land, yet he ( Moses ) would not be entering the land.


     What a sad day in Moses' life.  Here is a man of God, chosen of God, to lead the children of Israel out of captivity, thru deserts, showing them God's miraculous power of the Holy Spirit.  Moses however had made one crucial mistake that keeps him from being allowed into the promised lands.  Remember back in Numbers 20:11..."he smote the "rock" twice:..."  Now look at Deut. 32:4..."He ( God ) is the Rock,..."  For all who believe in the triune God-head, we know that God incarnate Jesus Christ "suffered once" ( 1 Peter 3:18 ).  You see, the rock that Moses smote "twice" represented Christ suffering ( water came out of the "rock"/water and blood flowed from the side of Christ ( the rock ).  


     It is very important to note here that the only thing Moses "lost" was the promise ( reward ) of leading the children of Israel "into" the promise land, however, he does not "lose" his salvation and standing with God Almighty.  Amen!  Many "Christians" today live ruined lives because they have no security in their salvation.  May I now give just one verse to help settle your fears...( John 17:12..."those that thou gavest me "I" have kept, and NONE are lost,..."  Now, may I ask, do you believe the very Word of God that you put your trust in ( Prov. 30:5 ).  Out of love for you, I must say, that if you do not believe the Word of God and take Him at that Word, then many will question your salvation.  My friends if we are going to "believe" God's Word, let's believe ALL of His word and rest in it. ( 2 Tim. 3:16; ALL ).  


     You see, it's not about you at all, it's about Him..."I" have kept"...if you are depending on yourself my friend, you are depending on your good works and that will get you nowhere.

     In closing let us ask ourselves:     What "sin" is keeping us from claiming the promises of God?

2 Peter 1:4..."Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped ( notice the word escape is in the PAST tense ) the corruption that is in the world through lust."


Prov. 29:18a..."Where there is no vision, the people perish."

Hoping that today finds you "In His Grace"