Sermon Central
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Coming To The Hill Of God
Contributed by Rodolfo Rivera on Jul 12, 2012 (message contributor)
Summary: Being in the hill of God gives us clear vision, moves us into action and brings us safety
ASCENDING TO THE HILL OF GOD
3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false. [a]
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
INTRODUCTION:
HILL – refers to the mountain of the LORD, MT ZION, which is literally speaking to the mountain area on and around which the city of Jerusalem was built.
Psalms 2:6 … I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill."
Jer 31:6… There will be a day when watchmen cry out on the hills of Ephraim, 'Come, let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God.
Joel 2:1 …Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill.
Zec 8:3… This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain."
***ZION symbolically refers to the city of Jerusalem…. but it was specifically indicated as well as the site where the Solomon’s temple was built.
*** ZION, THE HILL OF GOD, THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD….
-is refers to GOD’s dwelling place.
-it is the worship site of GOD’s people … as in
***Psalms 48:1… Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.
***Psalms 99:9 …Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.
*** ASCENDING TO THE HILL OF THE LORD IS COMING TO HIS DWELING PLACE…
****ASCENDING TO THE HILL OF THE LORD IS COMING TO HIS HOLY PLACE…
*** ASCENDING TO THE HILL OF THE LORD IS COMING TO HIS PLACE OF WORSHIP….
*** ASCENDING TO THE HILL OF THE LORD IS COMING TO HIS HOLY PRESENCE…
*** ASCENDING TO THE HILL OF THE LORD IS COMING TO HIS THRONE… TO HIS KINGDOM… TO HIS AUTHORITY…
--- AND WHEN AUTHORITY IS IN GOD’S HANDS…. HIS WILL, HIS DESIRE, HIS POWER…. IS THE ONE IN CONTROL….
***Lord’s Prayer….
Matt 6:9-10…"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
*** IN HEAVEN GOD IS IN CONTROL…. HIS WILL, HIS DESIRE IS BEING FOLLOWED….
*** IN EARTH…. As we ascend to His mountain… God expects from us that our desire, our will, are left behind but HIS WILL, HIS AUTHORITY, is being observe.
BEING IN THE DWELING PLACE OF GOD, BEING IN THE HILL OF GOD, BEING IN THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD…. BEING IN HIS PRESENCE….
I. GIVES YOU A CLEAR VISIBILITY (VISION)
A. TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS….
- Being in the top of the HILL, you can see clearly your surroundings.
- We can see what is beyond the rocks.
- We can see what is beyond the trees.
- We can see what is beyond mountains.
- Your VISION IS NOT LIMITED ON WHAT IS NEAR TO YOU, BUT YOU CAN ABLE TO SEE WHAT ARE BEYOND!
*** IF WE ARE ON THE HILL… WE ARE NOT ONLY NEARSIGHTED…. BUT WE ARE FARSIGHTED EITHER.
*** Do you want to have clear vision, visibility in your surroundings? ASCEND TO THE HILL!
ILLUSTRATION: TELL THE EXPERIENCE COMING UP THE HILL IN EDINBURGH…
- as we going up…. The flag in the top of the hill is getting bigger…. And the things down, the van, cars, even people are getting smaller….
- That’s it! The more we are in the presence of God, the bigger He becoming into our lives, and the smaller the things become our cares, our desires, the worldly things. Because our focus is change to heavenly things!
*** CLEAR VISIBILITY TO … OUR SURROUNDINGS.
B. TO OUR ENEMIES…
- If you are in battle… the best place to look where, and when your enemies coming is go up to most high place possible. The higher you are, the sooner you can see if there are some enemies coming.
- Since you have noticed it while it is quite far…. You have time to prepare necessary defense… or you have might change your direction not to meet the enemy.
*** 1 Peter 5:8…Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
***Eph 6:12 … For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
