The Mountain Audio

Our Verse: Col 3:13 “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

This is a sad story about 2 good men- Adam and Will. Both served on church staff; both had public responsibilities. But there was a problem. There was a sense of mistrust between them, and probably a bit of envy. On a Sunday, in the middle of the service, the two men met at the back of the sanctuary. One made a rather pointed comment about the other. The second man didn't take it well. He made some pointed comments right back, loud enough that people in the sanctuary overheard. This led to a burning resentment between them; they barely spoke to one another in the following weeks. Both of them were mature Christians. Both of them knew the right thing to do. Neither one did it.
It took a long time, but finally they made peace. They didn't become friends, but they learned to live at peace with each another.

There's a good object lesson here for your 2018. Pride will often lead to conflict between fellow Christians and envy is often a component. Every follower of Jesus needs to be on guard against pride and envy. If we find ourselves wanting to be ahead or above another, or get their position, danger lies ahead. If you fall into the pride-envy trap, do your best to make peace with that other person. You may have to humble yourself before that person. You may not become lifelong pals, but you can make peace by not adding to the conflict.

We hope everything works out, but with humans, even Christians, it's not always possible. Here's the Apostle Paul in Romans, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” 12:18* That disclaimer “as far as it depends on you,” says that we have the responsibility to be the peacemaker no matter what.

Let's constantly ask God's help to forgive. It's our job and He will help us do it! Forgiveness is a must for a happy 2018!

*Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. NLT
*If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. NIV

Our Verses: Happy are the people whose God is the Lord. Psa 144. And Colossians 3:13- Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

We all want to be happy. We want peace, we want to be satisfied with life. Strangely, we're often unhappy. We learned last time the way to happiness is to point our lives towards our Creator- the source of happiness. Here's step two: Forgive those who hurt you.

Immediately, most of us will say, “But you just don't understand what they did to me, there is no way I can forgive”. I get it! With our own resources, it's hard to forgive. But here are Jesus' words, “...when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” Mark 11:25
Us first- forgive others the grudge we hold against them and then...our Father in heaven forgives our sins against others.

Here's the package: We trust God for strength to forgive others their bads, and God will forgive and forget the wrongs we have done. (and our “wrongs” are really bad!)

He wouldn't tell us to do this if we couldn't. Even better, He will empower us to forgive. What we can't do is supplied by Him, an ability to truly forgive others.

The Mountain team has experienced this and watched the "forgive process" in hundreds of people. You may not be able to forgive that person, but God can empower you to do it.

A prayer for all of us- Lord, You said, “Forgive”. Help me forgive those who have hurt me. In Jesus name. Amen”
A simple prayer, but one that gets us on the right track. Dump that baggage! When you forgive, you get forgiven, and... you open the door to a life of peace, satisfaction and true Happiness!

Join us next time for “Fight in the Sanctuary”.
Visit us at themountain.info, share this with a friend and join us again...on the Mountain!
For more about the "forgive process" click Prayer Series link above.

Our Verse: Mt 2:11 The wise men “entered the house...bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

We love getting presents! It says we are loved. It says we are special.

Ever wonder where this tradition comes from? Here it is: Long ago, in a tiny village, God our Creator, started the tradition of presents. He didn't bring them Himself, but instead sent 3 travelers to start our tradition; it's why we give presents today. God the Father loved his son and decided to give him presents. Jesus was precious to Him. Here's what He said later: “You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight.” Luke 3:22.

Now, if God gave presents to Jesus, shouldn't we give presents to those we love? Of Course!

It isn't the size or the cost of the gift that's important, it's the heart attitude. With our children and family members, we let them know that we love them, that they are special.

Take some time this Christmas season to slow down, to love your family and friends. Bless them with the most important gift of all- your love!

Christmas is a time to love, share and prepare. It's no accident that we celebrate Christmas at year-end. Make this a time to affirm your love, say it- “I Love You!”. Make a time of reflection together, thanking God for his blessing and protection this year. And finally make it a time of preparing. Preparing to make 2018 the best year ever.

If times are hard, ask God to be with you. Ask for His protection and help. He will bring you through the bad times. We have seen Him do it in our lives and in the lives of many others. He is faithful!

Many blessings on you and yours. May God grant you peace and time to love and be loved. Finally, God give you the best year ever in 2018!

Our Verse: John 1:14 “So the Word became human and made his home among us.”

We are all aware of the Christmas story, a miraculous event where a young virgin has a baby. We need the big story behind it all.

God, the Maker of all things, launched Himself onto the planet to meet with us. Every human is wired to want that meeting. At the beginning of earth, God designed people to look up to Him. Mankind made a terrible choice, they decided to ignore God, to go their own way. Right then God the Father made a plan to fix the world, to make a new meeting.

Here it is: God would become human-shaped, then, actually walk on the surface. More details- http://bit.ly/5JesusStories

So.. how did God land on earth? Here it is from an early Jesus follower, Luke:
Spoken to Mary:
“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.” 1:31
and...
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 1:35

God used a human receiver, Mary, for His arrival on earth. He placed a supernatural seed in her womb, no human intervention. That baby is holy- His name-The Son of God. Many skeptics reject the idea of this process, but it's easily possible for God.

God did this so Jesus would be fully God, He is... and fully human.. He came from the womb of Mary.

God walked the earth for 33 years. Jesus fulfilled the mission, the plan of God to meet with us.

When we recognize and accept God's plan to meet us, we get “Peace on earth, good will to men” Thank You God for sending Jesus.
PS Enjoy Christmas Church from anywhere! Click the Links!

Our Verse: Psalm 40:2 “..He brought me up out of a horrible pit.”

Not every Christmas is Merry. Many face this Christmas holiday with loss, separation and loneliness. Think of those who live on after a horrible tragedy. Think of those who have lost loved ones. Think of those far from home.

How can you have a good Christmas when times are bad?

Let's consider some possibilities.

If possible, try not to be alone during the holidays. Often, trouble and sadness tempt us to stay alone. We avoid being with others. The best tool to combat these feelings is to be with others. If you are deployed or on the job far from home, phone calls and online resources may be the best way.

Plan to connect, have face time or make a schedule with your loved ones far away or your fellow church members. Don't be afraid to ask. We are tempted to say or think, “Aw, I don't want to bother them...” Don't let that keep you from spending time with others. The hurting inside you- loneliness, guilt, regrets, anger and fear, will get worse by being alone. Joining with others may not solve all problems, but being together builds an environment, where healing and restoration are possible.

If you are totally alone- The Mountain team suggests you join Christians online who are worshiping and sharing together.

A great online resource is Awaken.Church. It's a warm, caring group of Jesus' followers. http://awaken.church

On the Mountain App homepage, is the “Ask” button. If you have a special need during the holidays, write us... we will do our best to help.

Here is our Christmas prayer if you are hurting or sad...
Father in heaven, bless our friends in this time of trouble. Bring them safely through the valley of the shadow of death and into Your light, Your safety. Protect them from evil with Your strength and fill the emptiness in their heart. Touch them deep inside with Your love, bring them safely through. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Our Verse: Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

You are home, there's money in the bank, everyone is healthy and safe. Things aren't perfect, but they are really good.

You are set to have a great Christmas. How can you make the best of this season? Not just for yourself, but for those in your life circle.

Here are some thoughts to give you and the family boost at Christmas:

Make Christmas a time of sharing and welcome. First make it a special time for your loved ones, bring them close, build memories, share the birthday of Jesus. It really is a birthday party for the ages! The special things you do for older family members and your children will build memories for the years to come. Read Jesus' birthday story in Matthew 1:18-24 and Luke 2:1-20. 2 men write God-inspired reports so you can know just how this once-ever event in human history came down.

Next bring others in to share The Best Birthday Party in history. Share your food and home with others that might be alone and need friends. What better way to celebrate the birth of One who loves every single person on earth?! It's the “goodwill toward men” part of the Christmas story!

You might consider putting up banners and sticky notes, outside and inside, sharing the words thousands of angels sang on Jesus' birthday: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

This is our prayer for you and yours: Bless our Mountain friends in the name of Jesus. Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the many good things You have given us, most of all, Your present to us- Jesus Your Son. Help us to copy You this December. You gave to the world, we will too! Amen.

Our Verse:1Tim 2:1 I urge you...pray for all people. Ask God to help them; speak up for them, and give thanks for them.

Yikes! The holidays are upon us! Soon it will be time to celebrate Christmas. Many will gather around the table and share good times. Others will find themselves alone and lonely. The question arises, “How can I best spend my Christmas in 2017?” Here's a little advice, no matter where you are or your situation.

First, whether you're happy or sad, surrounded with friends or alone and far away, start by talking to God. Ask Him to give you a good Christmas season. Ask this same thing for your relatives and friends. He makes a promise to you, “...Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

Second, set your expectations lower. High expectations will likely will lead to disappointment. Movies and TV reinforce this false idea- that everything must be perfect. Us imperfect people will be spending time with other imperfect people, family, friends, neighbors. Plan on giving kindness and grace to your Christmas companions.

As the Mountain team preps for the holidays, we are doing these things- praying and setting reasonable expectations. These 2 things give you the best chance (not a guarantee!) of having an enjoyable Christmas.

Here's our Christmas prayer for you and yours-
Father God, bless our Mountain listeners and their loved ones during this holiday. Bring them together with people who love them and people they can love. Bring peace on earth to us during this time. Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus! Amen!

In our companion episodes below, we address different life situations- the “bummer Christmas” and the “great Christmas” and how to make the best of either circumstance.

Our Verse: Rev 5:11 ...thousands and millions..they sang in a mighty chorus...

Now that we have discovered a bit about the book of Revelation, let's learn about the most amazing piece of choral music ever. Its described in chapter 5. Sometime in the future, the largest chorus in the history of the world will gather somewhere outside the earth. Remember, the Bible's final part, Revelation, “reveals” Jesus Christ. One of Jesus closest friends, John writes it out for us. He is lifted skyward from an island, Patmos, (near the southwest corner of Turkey) and transported into God's throne room. He sees and hears things that no other human being has ever seen or heard. One of the many things he experiences is a gigantic group of singers including strange creatures, earth animals and people. If you've experienced a large group of singers, you know it can shake your soul. It happened to John.

Here's his experience. The scene is amazing, he is in the presence of God, and describes the moment.
It is stunningly beautiful, involving God the Father, Jesus, the Lamb of God, and all kinds of unique creatures, human, animal and spirits, present before God. Bear in mind that John is limited by human words in describing heavenly things. Here's John:

Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing.”
And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb!”
And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.

We get a peek into the presence of God! One day we will join our voices with theirs and have the best choir in the history of the world! Get Ready!

Last episode we learned about everyone's post death experience. (Link below.) That episode explained the truth about a different life that happens after physical life here. So what happens when that life starts? Are there more details? There are. God tells us what comes next. It involves us and an amazing set of records.

There is a library in Heaven with many volumes.

First of all, there's God's Word- the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, it's there in Heaven, a record of God and mankind.
Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven. Psa 119:89 1 Pet 1:25 Isa 40:8
and Jesus said- Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear Mt 24:35

Also we have "The Books"- mentioned in Revelation 20 and 21– In them are recorded everyone's actions and thoughts from all history.

This means that everything you have ever done is recorded here. There are new entries in the millions every moment. Those who are not followers of Jesus will be judged by those records. (Remember the rich man who died in Luke 16? His actions are listed) All will answer for what they have done.

The apostle Peter says “They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”
Paul says “Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.”

But... there is something strange about these “Books”

While they constantly grow, they can also shrink! Every time a man or woman becomes a Jesus follower, all their prior actions and thoughts are deleted! The blood of Jesus shed on the cross is an amazing erasing agent- for sins! His death and your acceptance of his sacrifice for your sins deletes your complete record from the Books. They are expunged!
In the same moment your guilty charges are erased, your name is entered in the best book, the Lamb's Book of Life. All about that in Part 2 of Heaven's Library!