Messages from the Mountains

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good

news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim

salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” – Isaiah 52:7

I live amidst the mountains of Colorado. When I look at them I am always in awe of God’s majesty. I am also reminded that mountains were one of Jesus’ favorite places. He went to the mountainside to pray (Luke 6:12), and to appoint the twelve disciples and send them out to preach (Mark 3:14). In the Bible we also read about the mountains of Ararat - the place where the ark came to rest (Genesis 8:4), Mt. Sinai where Moses was given the tablets of stone - the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24), Mt. Zion (the mountain of the Lord), and the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.

God can deliver a sermon from any mountain He chooses. This past weekend God spoke to me from Walton’s Mountain. You might be laughing, but it’s true. Sunday I watched a “Walton’s marathon” and was caught up in stories about family values, watching out for your neighbor, living within your means, priorities, morals, responsibilities, encouragement, and simple faith. It was refreshing, a nice change from the crime series, and reality TV shows that are produced now-a-days.

Here are some thoughts that were inspired by Walton’s mountain:

#1 – Have you ever had a time when you felt you could not pray? Maybe you felt like there was no one listening? Sometimes we are only listening for God to give us the answers we want to hear. Many times those are the ONLY answers we are listening for, but God may be answering us in other ways – with answers we do not want to hear, or he may be asking us to wait... for answers spoken in His timing. It is in those times we need to be strong in our faith.

#2 – Have you ever felt like running away, like you’re looking for something but you don’t even know what you’ve lost? Are the problems and demands of everyday life closing in on you? Do you need space – room to breathe? We all need time for ourselves, time to refresh, time with God, time to do the things we enjoy - things that make us who we are.

#3 – Have you ever had to complete a huge project all by yourself? Did you grow weary or experience feelings of anger and self-pity? Whether it’s a family, a small group, a congregation, or a community working together we need to remember that many hands lighten the load.

#4 – Have you ever had to stand up for your family name, your race, or defend your religious beliefs ... or stood by someone else as they defended their rights, points of view, or beliefs? Would you be willing to suffer or die for what you believe is true? Would you have stood up for Jesus in biblical times, or denied Him three times like Peter?

Today I re-read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12). Jesus taught about the goodness of living in the kingdom of God, the subjects that lived there, and the blessings of God’s people. The people of God’s kingdom were described as the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, peacemakers, and those who are persecuted because of righteousness. The blessings Jesus promised for the people of God’s kingdom were those of being comforted, inheriting the earth, shown mercy, seeing God, being called the children of God, and best of all, theirs would be the kingdom of heaven.

I think each of us can find a bit of ourselves in the descriptions of the people of God’s kingdom. And as God’s people, we enjoy His blessings here on earth tand look forward to the greatest fulfillment of His blessings in our eternal life.

Lessons from the mountains taught me two things ... first, God’s word is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And second, the lessons from Walton’s mountain weren’t really that different from the teachings of Jesus.’  So, where will you hear God’s voice today?

Peace and Love, Donna Weaver

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,

and all these things will be given to you as well.” - Matthew 6:33

The Reality of POVERTY

“Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity

within thy palaces.” – Psalms 122:7

The lack of basic daily necessities is usually associated with third world countries and not very often with America, the land of opportunity. Unfortunately, it is a reality in our world today, because along with opportunity comes a desire for more possessions, more money, more status, more, and more, and more. Hebrews 13:5 says, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and learn to be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you.'" We are living in a material world – that fact has been stated over and over again, but now it’s time to address one of the results that can come from our greed, our love of money, our need for more ... the reality of poverty.

Poverty can be defined as the condition of a person who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Sometimes this is based on a” socially acceptable” level of resources or income as determined by a specific community or society. There is also “absolute poverty, better known as destitution, which refers to being unable to afford basic human needs, such as food, clean water, shelter, clothing, health care, and education. In our world there are many people in varying levels of poverty.

Due to some changes going on at work, my hours have recently been cut back. It has made a huge financial impact on my budget, but I try to remember that I am still blessed. After all, there are many others that have so much less than me. It is one thing to write about my blessings, but a totally different matter trying to live with daily financial concerns. The way we re-act or deal with our financial difficulties can make us poor in spirit. So I ask myself – “Is it possible to find peace, joy, and hope in poverty?”

No matter what our financial situation may be, if our finances are controlling us, we need to take it to the Lord in prayer. Matthew 7:7 reminds us to “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” God wants to be involved in every part of our life – even our finances.

PEACE in poverty: Financial poverty brings with it worries about paying bills, making ends meet, and providing basic necessities (food, shelter, clothing). Along with poverty comes worry about the things we have and those we don’t have. Poverty can wear down our spirits and stress can take away our peace. Our worry and stress can only be taken away by Christ.... by finding peace of mind in His promises.

JOY in poverty: When we have the desire for possessions and the love of money filling our heart, there is no room for God to fill our heart with joy. When we seek God more than material things, He can replace our sorrows and burdens with joy. All we need to do is pray, spend time in His presence, praise Him for being with us, and thank Him for providing our daily bread.

HOPE in poverty: Financial burdens are one of the biggest causes for loss of hope in our world today. Everyone is talking about money, or should I say the lack of it. The government is having problems, states have been impacted by natural disasters, and many countries have been impacted with illness and lack of necessities such as water and food. How can we look forward to a promise for a brighter tomorrow when we have no hope for today? Our hope is in the Lord, the same One who brings us peace and fills our hearts with joy.

What the Bible tells us:

Scripture reassures us that even during economic hardship God will be with us. Psalms 35:27 states the Lord takes pleasure in the prosperity of His people. Here are some other Bible verses to remind us that God did not make us (or bring us this far) just to leave us where we are...

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).

“Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5)

“For I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances may be. I know now how to live when things are difficult and I know how to live when things are prosperous. In general and in particular I have learned the secret of eating well or going hungry of facing either plenty of poverty. I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me” (Philippians 4:11-13)

“Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have” (Hebrews 13:5)

The reality of our earthly treasures and financial burdens owning us is not a new concept... Jesus asked the disciples to give up everything to follow Him. The answer to our financial worries, doubts, stress, and fears can be found in Christ alone.

Just as we share our faith and hope in Christ, we need to share our prayer concerns. So, I ask you to keep me in your prayers, and I will do the same for you. If you have prayer requests that you would like to share, please add them to the comment section or send me an email at - donna_a_weaver@hotmail.com. Don’t miss the final segment in my series on materialism – Friday’s BLOG will explore steps we can take for “Financial Peace.”

May you have a week filled with peace, joy, and hope.
Blessings, Donna Weaver

“For He Himself is our peace.”

– Ephesians 2:14