Trying To Avoid The Mountains?

QUIT AVOIDING THE MOUNTAINS!

DO WE UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF MOUNTAINS?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I. ABRAHAM HAD A NEPHEW THAT DID NOT LIKE MOUNTAINS.

GOD COMMANDED LOT TO FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS. LOT HAD EVERY EXCUSE IN THE BOOK TO AVOID HIS MOUNTAIN CLIMB.

A. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU!

This plan may not be an easy, downhill journey.

The stronger your faith, the steeper the hill will be to test it.

Genesis 19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:

19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: 20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.

B. I call Lot poor Lot.

Lot found himself at many cross roads, and then he made the POOR choices.

Poor choices have terrible consequences.

Lot chose Sodom and Gomorrah. He pitched his tent the wrong way.

C. Lot’s wife, daughters, and grandchildren will pay because Lot does not want to CLIMB MOUNTAINS.

D. Have you ever heard:

Behind every good man is a surprised mother in law?

E. MOUNTAINS CAN PLAY A BIG ROLE IN GOD’S PURPOSE IN LIFE.

If we ever move toward total understanding of our fellow man and a good understanding of God --- we must learn to climb mountains.

F. WE NEED A HEALTHY UNDERSTANDING OF MOUNTAINS.

KJV

Psalm 121:1 A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

NIV

Psalm 121:1 A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills -- where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

G. DEFINE:

MOUNTAIN

A land mass that projects conspicuously above the surrounding area.

A mountain is higher or bigger than a hill.

A great mass

A vast number or big quantity

Anything that hard to approach or climb

To arise, to ascend

To increase rapidly

H. The difference between a mountain and a molehill is:

HOW MUCH DIRT IS THROWN.

I. If you throw mud, you are the one losing ground.

J. I heard that a hundred years ago, when the master builder was looking for wood to build a fine violin he wanted wood from trees that grew on the side of a mountain. These trees knew a more harsh climate and

had weathered more terrible storms. Thus the wood made better violins.

Better violins meant better sounds and more money for the craftsmen.

II. HOW SHALL WE APPROACH MOUNTAINS?

Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and

it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

III. MOUNT OF GOD: MOUNT SINAI OR HOREB --- DESOLATION.

WE MUST ALL CLIMB THIS MOUNTAIN.

Psalm 68:8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

A. SINAI --- a mountain district

Mount Sinai was reached three months after the Exodus

B. There is about a 2 1/2 mile desert before you reach Mt. Sinai.

There was a cliff area high above the ground that was used as an altar.

C. MOSES FIRST ASCENSION OF MT SINAI WAS TO MEET GOD.

HERE ON THIS MOUNTAIN GOD GAVE MOSES THE FIRST COVANENT. (Exodus 19)

D. God appeared on the mountain and gave the TEN COMMANDMENTS.

GOD ALSO PROMISED HIS PEOPLE A GREAT CONQUEST AND VICTORY FROM THIS MOUNTAIN.

E. BLOOD WAS SPRINKLED ON THIS MOUNTAIN.

(Exodus 24:6-8)

F. The blood became the offering system.

G. God gave VISIONS TO THE LEADERSHIP AT THIS MOUNTAIN.

(Exodus 24:9-11)

H. While Moses ascended the mountain a second time, God appeared on the mountain and gave the TEN COMMANDMENTS.

I. Moses came down the mountain to find sin and idolatry, and God’s departure from the people.

J. ON MOSES THIRD ASCENT GOD’S PRESENCE IS RESTORED AND GOD GIVES MOSES A NEW VISION AND THE SECOND TABLET OF THE LAW.