Truth for Life - September 10, 2017
September 10
Communion with God on the Mountain
And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. - Mark 3:13
Here was sovereignty. Impatient spirits may fret and fume because they are not called to the highest places in ministry; but, reader, learn to rejoice that Jesus calls those He desires. If He leaves me as a doorkeeper in His house, I will cheerfully bless Him for His grace in allowing me to do anything in His service. The call of Christ's servants comes from above. Jesus stands on the mountain, forever above the world in holiness, zeal, love, and power. Those whom He calls must go up the mountain to Him; they must seek to rise to His level by living in constant communion with Him. They may not be able to achieve classic honors or attain scholastic eminence, but they must, like Moses, go up to the mountain of God and experience intimate communion with the unseen God if they are ever to be fit to proclaim the Gospel of peace.
Jesus went away to hold high fellowship with the Father, and we must enter into the same divine companionship if we want to bless our fellowmen. No wonder that the apostles were clothed with power when they came down fresh from the mountain where Jesus was. This morning we must endeavor to ascend the mount of communion, so that we may be ordained to the lifework for which we are set apart. Let us not see the face of man today until we have met with Jesus. Time spent with Him is time well spent. We will cast out devils and work wonders if we go down into the world clothed with that divine energy that only Christ can give. It is no use going to the Lord's battle until we are armed with heavenly weapons. We must see Jesus; this is essential. At the mercy-seat we will linger until He makes Himself known to us and until we can truthfully say, "We were with Him on the Holy Mountain."
Family Bible reading plan
verse 1 2 Samuel 4, 5
verse 2 1 Corinthians 15
From the Resurrection to His Return: Living Faithfully in the Last Days
By D.A. Carson
Commonly, when the Bible speaks about the ‘last days’, it refers to the entire period between Christ’s first coming and His second. The idea is that the coming of Christ is so world transforming, now that the kingdom has already dawned, that the old world is petering out; it is coming to an end. So, according to Scripture, what are the characteristics of these ‘last days’ and how are we to view the world in light of this.
Author D.A. Carson and professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School helps us better understand the world around us in these terms and gives practical instruction for how we are to live our lives surrounding by a culture increasingly resistant to living within the sovereignty of God’s Will.
Click here to learn more about Truth For Life
From Morning & Evening revised and edited by Alistair Begg copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.
