Return To Your Mountain!

"Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again. My Savior and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember Your kindness," (Psalm 42: 5-6a)

God desires you and I to Return To Your Mountain, especially when we are facing problems and difficulties.

What will you do when you are facing crisis and problem? In our Church, we teach and encourage all of you to pray and fast. Today, there are many temptations, and yet many Christians neglected the 'Prayer Closets.' Instead of walking with God, we make ourselves entangle with the world's affairs.

Jesus, our great example, always go to the mountain and pray. He went into hills, the mountains, into the wilderness or other lonely places to pray. Sometimes in the early morning, sometimes in the late of night, or at any time He could (Matt 14:22-23; Mk 1:35; Lk 6:12; Lk 22:39-41). If Jesus needs to pray, how much more we, the human beings need to pray!

So often we give ourselves excuses not to. Or even comfort ourselves saying, "Tomorrow, yes, tomorrow, I will pray and seek God. For today I don't have time."

"I knelt to pray, but not for long, I had too much to do.
Must hurry off and get to work, For bills would soon be due.
And so I said a hurried prayer, Jumped up from off my knees.
My Christian duties now were done, My soul could be at ease.
All through the day I had no time, to speak a word a cheer;
No time to speak of Christ to friends, They'd laugh at me I feared.
No time, no time, too much to do, That was my constant cry;
No time to give to those in need - at last was time to die.
And when before the Lord I came, I stood with downcast eyes;
Within His hands He held a book - It was the "Book of Life."
God looked into His book and said, "Your name I cannot find,"
"I once was going to write it down, But never found the time."

What will the men of God do when they are in their lowest point of life?

1. Son of Korah, The Peace of God (Psalm 42: 5-6a)

He was once involved in the Tabernacle worship in Jerusalem. He was leading a procession with great joy, thanksgiving and celebration (Psalm 42: 4). Not sure why he is 'out' of that great team. Now, he is at the feet of the mountain! He missed the great time with God (v.1), and he felt heart breaking (v.1), discouraged, sad, and hopeless (v.5). No peace at all!

It's how we will feel if we are at the feet of the mountain. If we want a break through we must RETURN TO YOUR MOUNTAIN ng>!
Only at the mountain top we have joy, celebration and peace. Don't run away and keep yourself at the feet of the mountain, but claim all the way up to the top, and stay there. God will envelops you with His great presence.

2. Abraham, The Provision of God (Gen 22:13,14)

It was the hardest time for Abraham, as he needed to offer up Isaac before the Lord. Which father not feels the pain and agony to offer (kill) his own son? Though it is for God, but ... and ??? Though he struggled and heart broken, yet, he chose to obey - went up to the mountain!

At that mountain, it was where Abraham received the revelation of 'God is my Jehovah Jitre!' Do you want to receive from God? Whether it is revelation or any other things - RETURN TO YOUR MOUNTAIN!

#When William IV of England died, there was a young girl spending the night at the palace. They awakened her and told her that she was now the Queen of England. As soon as she heard the news she dropped on her knees and asked the Heavenly Father to help and guide her through all the years that were to follow. For sixty-four years this girl, who was Queen Victoria, reigned over the British Empire. England never made greater progress than during her reign. A prince of India asked her what was the secret of England's power, and for her answer she quietly picked up a Book from the table near by. "This is the secret," she said. The Book was God's Word, the Bible.#

#Five men were entrapped in a deserted zinc mine in Salem, Kentucky, by falling rocks. They had nothing to eat. They were in utter darkness. One of the men could have saved himself had he not run back to warn the others. When the emtombed men discovered that they could not escape, they began to pray and sing. Their prayer and praise service lasted for fifty-three hours! Then they were rescued. Later one of the men testified, "We lay there from Friday morning till Sunday morning. We prayed 'without ceasing.' When the rescuers reached us, we were still praying! When the men were brought up out of the mine, on the caps of each one were scrawled these words: "If we are dead when you find us, we are all saved!"#

3. Moses, The Power of God (Exo 3:1-5)

At that time, Moses was at his lowest point of life. A man with fear and was living in a defeated life - ran for his life from Pharaoh. It was at that mountain, his life took a turn.

At the mountain, not only he received revelation of who God is, also he was empowered to do the mighty work - Israel's deliverer. Brothers and sisters, if you want to receive God's power - RETURN TO YOUR MOUNTAIN.

#Last night I took a journey to a land across the sea; I did not go by boat or plane, I traveled on my knees. I saw so many people there in deepest depths of sin, but Jesus told me I should go, that there were souls to win. But I said, "Jesus, I cannot go and work with such as these." He answered quickly, "Yes, you can by traveling on your knees." He said, "You pray; I'll meet the need, you call and I will hear; be concerned about lost souls, of those both far and near." And so i tried it, knelt in prayer, gave up some hours of ease; I felt the Lord right by my side while traveling on my knees. As I prayed on and saw souls saved and twisted bodies healed, and saw God's workers' strength renewed while laboring on the field. I said, "Yes, Lord, I have a job, my desire Thy will to please; I can go and heed Thy call, by traveling on my knees."#

With that, whatever your needs may be, why not RETURN TO YOUR MOUNTAIN.

HEARTBEAT:

Luke 4: 18
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord's favor has come." [NLT](cf. Isaiah 61: 1-2)

Whenever I read this portion of Scripture, my heart always beat faster. I wonder why ... Am I too sensitive? Or may be I'm too carry away by it? Hm ... am I imagining too much?

I believe when Jesus quoted from Isaiah 61: 1-2, He was telling us that it was His heartbeat too. There was why He went around preaching, teaching, counseling, healing, setting people free, and performing all the signs and wonders. Why Jesus works so hard? - "Jesus, please take a rest. Why bother about the people? Well, everybody has a need, when you will get free from all these people's problems? You are Son of God, you don't have to do it yourself ..."

But let's us look beyond:

1. The Father's Promise - God, the Father spoke to Isaiah. He PROMISED to pour down His Spirit. It is not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God" (Zech 4:6) that we can do great exploits. The Church can't be the same as the Holy Spirit comes upon her. Look around to those 'hot & spicy' churches, don't they have one common thing? The Holy Spirit! The life and the fire of Spirit of God works strongly in the lives of His people, that bring forth many signs and wonders. If we believe, all things are possible (Mark 9:23)! Nothing can stop us to bring down heavens to earth.

2. The Believer's Call - No doubt God can performs great wonders, but God can't do it Himself. He needs PEOPLE like you and me. If God don't need us, He can bring us back to Him when we give our lives to Him. Why He puts us here on earth? We are to carry out what Jesus has left for us. Matt 28: 18-20 is the GREAT COMMISSION to ALL believers. Indeed it is our call. For we born for this great destiny!

3. The People's Outcry - Look around the world, there are so many are crying for answers. They are hurt, wounded, injured, and so on. The needs are endless. Why the Lord mentioned about those who are broken hearted? Why the captives? Why the oppressors? It is because they don't know how to live any more. Moreover, the world has rejected and thrown them away. They need helping hands - loving, compassionate, understanding, gentle and meek. Who they may find comfort and assurance?

4. The Hope of All Hopes - Thanks God for it is the time of REDEMPTION. Hope against all hopes, time for healing to the sicks, freedom to the bound, and the dead to rise ... The POTENTIAL for great transformation and explosion! Can you see the great works God has called us to do? Every time I pray, I can see such dynamic power of God is working and moving around the world in the days to come.

5. The Coming of Jesus - Obviously, through the happenings of the world, we are certain that our Lord Jesus is coming pretty soon. The world is experiencing the birth pains. It is the SEASON of the waiting of the great Rapture (coming of Christ for His saints. The LATTER RAIN shall be upon His people. As certain parts of the world are experiencing the revival, and souls are saved by hundreds, thousands and millions.

Brothers & sisters, do not let your lives and my life wasting away. Let's go forth and take possession of what the Lord has for us, and most important thing - for PEOPLE. Stop looking at our ownself. Stop complaining and get angry with others. Let's be the LIGHT and SALT to the hungry world. Amen!