Signs on a Mountain Top

One of the Bible’s names for God is “El Shaddai” or “God of the Mountains”. Mountains are and always have been a special place to communicate with Heaven.

Abraham ascends Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son (Genesis 22). God reveals his name and to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 3). Moses later receives the Ten Commandments on that very spot (Exodus 31:18). Elijah returns to the same mountain to hear what God’s “still, small voice” has to say (I Kings 19:8).

Why is it important that you are with God and God alone on the mountain top? It's important because it's the place in which you can listen to the voice of the One who calls you beloved. To pray is to listen to the One who calls you "my beloved daughter," "my beloved son", "my beloved child". To pray is to let that voice speak to the center of your being, to your guts, and to let that voice resound in your whole being.

When Jesus brought Peter, James, and John with Him up a high mountain, His intent was not for them to see the countryside. He gave them a glimpse of who He really is. His face shone like the sun. (Matthew 17)

There are many mountain tops to choose from in Northern California. I was headed to Lake Tahoe...

It was only twenty minutes up the highway when my destination suddenly changed course. It was a feeling inside that told me, "No, you have to go this way."

This beautiful route along the Mormon Emigrant Trail and Hwy 88 through the El Dorado National forest was leading me to the serenity and seclusion of Silver Lake. The views are just incredible.

As I sang along to the worship and praise music on the radio, memories of rides through here returned to me. Memories of brothers who died while riding these mountain curves made my heart hurt. Visions of camping trips, groups of friends and family, and many fish stories came to mind. Those years were when I was either married or in a relationship with someone. This was my first time taking this route solo. It was nice to pull off the highway and drive down the dirt roads to grab some shots with my camera.

A sense of vulnerability came the further I drove into the more desolate places. I began to pray again..

While seeking my heart, I began to ask God why I was not yet in a relationship. Is there something for which I have not yet repented? I live a life of purity. Are there amends to be made? I know there must be some wreckage left behind from all my adulterous years. What is it, God? Am I afraid? Am I ready? Am I forgiven? Will there be restoration?

Right about that time, I saw another road that led down a steep slope into a mountain canyon. I thought I could get a few good shots down there, so I pulled off the highway.

There was a large wood sign at the start of this road. It was spray painted with the name of a business with an arrow pointing down the road. They were working down in the canyon. I knew the owner and he was someone I absolutely did not want to see.

My immediate reaction was to get out of there. It was like panic took over and I had to run. I never looked back. I just kept driving and praying. God, what was that about? Oh dear Lord, thank you for showing me that sign! Thank you for stopping me from driving down that road!

My dear friend, Becky, shared, "God will put you to the test when he wants to move you forward. Many things that you once believed were okay are suddenly not okay anymore. Convictions come and He says very plainly, you can't go that way anymore."

The name on the sign was someone I had an adulterous affair with many years ago. Back then, I pursued him and even hunted for him with hopes we would pick up where we left off. His wife swiftly intervened and we completely lost touch.

Chasing after sexual encounters for instant gratification gave me my next high. I was an addict but it was never an addiction to drugs or alcohol. None of these encounters bought me a true state of inner happiness or well-being. Contentment would last for a very short time. Once the 'high' would wear off, I had to seek out another. I did this over and over because it made me feel good about myself. That was until I eventually began hating myself for what I'd become and for the wreckage I left behind.

I eventually forgot all about him.

Until this day.

But what did I do? Or...I should say, what did God do? It is what He's BEEN doing in me for quite some time. Was that sign a test? Years back, I would have eagerly headed down that road. Or was it God's way of showing me the sanctification He has completed in my life? The Bible tells us that God wants to transform and sanctify us by the renewing of our minds. He wants to transform us into the express image of His Son Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I turned away. The reunion was unwelcomed. It was not a moment of temptation where God provided a way out. He has renewed my mind. Not only that, but He led me on this route to show me something...a glimpse of who He really is! Thank you, Lord!

It is the Holy Spirit who will really be the One to sanctify you and help you to become more holy in the eyes of the Lord.

However, you will still have to do your part. In being transformed by the renewing of your mind, you will have to be the one to attempt to “put on” the positive qualities that God will want to instill in your mind, and “put away” all of the negative qualities that He will not want operating in your mind.

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2

It takes much work with the Holy Spirit in order to be able to get God to move you into this deeper realm of sanctification. Those who are willing to let the Lord take this next extra step will find and obtain what everyone is really searching for and cannot find these days – an incredible sense of well-being.

This incredible sense of well-being can only be found in the process of allowing God to work His very divine nature into your own mindset. This revelation is invaluable to me and one way of living out my faith is remembering these moments of revelation and building my life upon them.

Don't you love how God gives us 'signs'? He actually gave me one written on a wooden sign along Hwy 88, just like in Bruce Almighty. This was pretty serious stuff. The person's name God wanted to bring to my attention was actually written on the sign.

Don't ever doubt if God is real...

God takes us places that we never dream of going to. Great things happen when we seek God first and put Him first. Our relationship with Him demands time invested with Him in solitude. It means more than a quick devotion or prayer each day. It means a heart to heart, away from the noise of the world, searching our heart before expecting or asking anything of Him; repenting, confessing, looking within, falling on our face, praising Him for his mercy and love.

Once we've done this, we are likely to look at what we want to ask for from a different perspective...in all humility.

It is then we can petition from a pure heart. It is then we can hear what we are meant to hear FROM the Lord. This day was about so many things as I worshiped along that drive, and listened for the Lord's voice.

Serious seekers will be diving into God and His Word to find out exactly what it is God wants to do with them, and then will only be too anxious to work with the Holy Spirit during this process – having no fear of doing it, and being willing to fully submit to the Lord with how He wants to handle all of it.

These verses in particular are giving you the “key” that will open up this door of sanctification to come into your life and change it forever.

1. ” … because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth … ” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)
   
   
2. “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)
   
   
3. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
   
   
4. ” … elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace be multiplied.” (1 Peter 1:2)
   
   
5. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)
   
   
6. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25)
   
   
7. “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever … ” (1 Peter 1:22)

We are blessed to be chosen and bring
Glory to the Lord when we respond...