by Darrell McClaren
One of the greatest blessings for the saints of God is that God has promised to lead, guide and direct our path by the power of the Holy Spirit. The path God gives to you is a needed assistance toward direction. He calls it the ‘way’. This path seldom seems any different than others you have traveled. It is not designed to impress you because it always mingles its way through the problems and pain that you experience.
God chose and set a path for Moses and His children by taking them through the desert wilderness to their promised land. God sent Moses and the children of Israel to the Red Sea and then turned them toward the wilderness of sin! The terrain of their journey dictated the strength that would be required of them to stay on their path. As the desert wilderness pressed upon them, murmuring and complaining was birthed. It is in cased within the guidance of God to always test our hearts as we journey with Him. Within our experiences from God, there is consistently woven the reminder of where we have come from. Sin and its vices are always present around us as we travel the path set before us. The sins of murmuring echoed in Moses’ mind causing his vision to be dimmed.
Moses was accustomed to the desert, but now he carried the weight of the children of Israel upon his shoulders. The song of his surroundings was nothing but verses about death and the struggles for shelter and food. What was this path, given to him by God, about? It had no resemblance of the ‘way’. The desire of God was to elevate Moses to a higher realm so his entire perspective would be changed. Mt. Sinai cast a shadow upon Moses as he heard the words of God saying, ‘Moses, come up to the top of the mount!’ To be elevated, Moses had to determine that he was willing to put forth the greatest amount of strength to come up to the high place of God.
For most people, their path consists of different elevations somewhere along the way. There is a Mt. Sinai near your desert experiences. God will meet you at your lowest desert place and will speak and manifest Himself. But this is not your residence. He loves you and will come to you, but the ultimate heart of God is to draw you to Mt. Sinai where He is. We are to walk and live with Him in heavenly places. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. God drew Moses to His high place and answered his questions by a voice.
I have experienced my burning bush and many times God has met me where I was. Visions were cast, hopes and dreams energized, but oh how the terrain of your journey drags your visions-casting down! Is there anyone who at times hears the cry of God from the high places, ‘Come up my child to the top’? We have a tendency to climb up in the spirit realm and when we are satisfied we then return to the world we know so well. The command of God to Moses was ‘away, get thee down and thou shall come up’ and to bring others with you as well. The high place Moses was in was filled with smoke and God had descended in fire. Oh, for the man or woman that will respond to the cry from on high and sacrifices to live a life of dedication and surrender unto the Most High God! Great will be the reward for those who, with God’s strength, elevate themselves to the high places of God. I believe the glory and fire of God was transforming Moses. I believe in the high places of God! Secretly you will be transformed as God’s words radically change your perspective. The freshness of the high elevations of the Spirit brings expansion to your understanding. Your eyes catch a glimpse of your true reality and the opportunity of gaining the promises set before you. When you answer the call to His high places, it builds determination and strength to continue the vision birthed in you.
The ministry faces great challenges in this 21st century. Are we to live in the past and wander through the wilderness dreaming? Are we to compromise with our congregations and feed them the foods that they still recall from their slave days to bring them contentment? Can there be ministers that will hear the cry from the high places of God? Have we had an encounter with God before and do we have faith to believe God will meet us again? Do we accept the responsibility of God’s people to be our life’s calling? Without taking responsibility, few will be willing to pay the price of climbing the high places and spending time with God. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit has to say! I believe history can repeat itself! The time of waiting is over and the command of God has already been spoken. His voice echoes throughout the world, ‘Come up to the high places!’ The call has been given and God is waiting for a servant to answer. I am reminded of the words of John the Baptist concerning Christ, ‘are you the one, or should I look for another?’ I wonder if God ever says that about us? God is asking, are you the one that I can depend upon to seek me and to come up to my high places or should I look for another? Only you hold the answer!
Pastor Darrell McClaren is the Senior Pastor of Harvest Time Assembly in Asheville, NC. His history is rich in experience, as he was privileged at just 12 years of age to hold Rev. A.A. Allen’s briefcase and take part in his ministry during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. At that time, he witnessed some of the greatest miracles he’s ever seen.After 24 years as an itinerant evangelist, Pastor Darrell was called to assume the pastorate in his hometown of Asheville, NC. He currently resides there with his wife Sandy, taking an active role in reaching the local community and growing Harvest Time Assembly into a proactive body of believers.
