“LORD, STIR US TO BELIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE!” That’s what I challenged our congregation on Sunday morning to pray for. Little do we know sometimes how difficult it is to believe that way ~ especially when we cannot see beyond our fingertips, so to speak! We feel like we’re in the dark. Nothing seems to be clear. We grope for something tangible and grasp at straws. Neither is the solution. There is only one way out … and that is to keep our eyes aligned with the Light. My heart goes out to the 33 Chilean miners who spent 69 days practically entombed a half mile under the earth in darkness. I simply cannot imagine the mental anguish they endured, the fears they felt and faced. There was the unknown … would they ever see daylight up above ever again? Would they ever have the opportunity to lay eyes on their loved ones yet again? I have a sense that being in what must have seemed like hell on earth had to pull at the very core of their being. They perhaps had never faced such odds, staring death in the face – well, what they could imagine it looked like in the darkness. I’ve not had the time to watch much of the television coverage of their ordeal and their rescue, only a few minutes at the point of near completion of the intense operation. But that’s all it took to sear their emotions upon my heart, and now it will spill over to this message. Sixty-nine days! Did you know that equals millions of thoughts!!! And being human, most of our thoughts are negative until we get control of them and turn them around. I wonder at what point these miners realized that their very survival depended upon the thoughts they would allow to fill their minds. I wonder how many knew Christ personally at the time of their entrapment – and how many came to know who He is while deep down in the earth! I wonder if there was at least one who knew Christ at the outset of this chilling occurrence. If there was, perhaps he was the strong one who became their link to hope. Perhaps he was their encourager, their inspiration, their stability in the swing of their emotions. Perhaps he stirred them to believe the impossible! Life had to take on a completely different perspective from a half mile down. What was important up on top, perhaps seemed of little or no significance trapped under the earth. Perhaps if truth be known, they saw more clearly in the dense darkness than they did in the skewed light above where too many voices shout out deception and lies and half-truths. Perhaps the knowledge that they could be facing their death at any moment, forced them to think about where they would be spending eternity. That question at least had to run through their minds at least once, if not over and over – until they could come up with an honest answer. Did the one – or more than one – who knew Christ find a ready-made mission field, ripe and ready to harvest? Did heaven rejoice because one or more saw the Light on one of those 69 days in darkness? Perhaps we’ll never know all the answers to the questions we have … we can only imagine what it must have been like. We can only imagine how these 33 lives have been impacted because of their ordeal. For some, nightmares might be a common occurrence. For others, peace will be theirs’ for the first time in their lives. No matter what we think or how we sum this all up … there is really no other option than to believe that these 33 were gifted with an incredible miracle of survival when all odds were against them! And if I had been one of those miners who was rescued, I would have realized long before my first glimpse of daylight … that THERE IS NO ONE ELSE LIKE YOU, GOD!!! No one! It was YOU who gave sanity … YOU who gave strength … YOU who gave peace … and YOU who gave hope! And it was YOU who put Your hand of favor upon that outstanding rescue operation from day one until the last miner was pulled to safety! All 33 lives could have been lost, yet God chose otherwise. I wonder what unique plans He has for these miners. I guess time will tell. And I have a feeling that throngs will be listening. My prayer is that God’s divine protection will be threaded through the stories that are told – and that multiplied scores who hear will be rescued from another very real darkness that seeks to blind the people of this day. Perhaps these 69 days were allowed so that these lives and others will be saved from utter darkness and destruction, having seen the Light! God specializes in the impossible, you know! His scripts are unforgettable, and they demand a conclusive review from each of us! What will yours be? Only you can write it!
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- WHAT FREEDOM WE HAVE as we come together to worship the one and only True God! What joy we experience as we praise our Father for who He is! What peace we receive as we lay it all down at the feet of Jesus! All of this was a part of our Sunday morning at Elevation North … and for the richness of our time shared together, we honor and glorify our Lord!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES to Chuck, who celebrated his birthday on Tuesday, October 12th! May you always know the fullness of God’s love for you, as well as His blessings and favor!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES to Chuck, who celebrated his birthday on Tuesday, October 12th! May you always know the fullness of God’s love for you, as well as His blessings and favor!
- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17TH: 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE, learning more about the 9th fingerprint of God: “He Prunes My Branches” – from John chapter 15. This is a powerful message and portion of scripture that will challenge and change you as you get a glimpse of it from God’s perspective! NEXT SUNDAY’S message will be on the 10th fingerprint of God: “Serve With Gladness … Leave His Fingerprints” – from Psalm 100:2. Plan to join us as we conclude this life-changing series of messages! Think of someone you could invite who would be blessed and encouraged by participating and being ministered to!
- THIS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20TH: 7:00-8:00 P.M. – “LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS” STUDY at Pastor Doug’s and Debbie’s home! We are having a great time in the Word, and want to invite YOU to come along with us on this enjoyable and informative study of God’s Word. This week we will be studying Genesis 1-3, “The Beginning of the Beginnings”! If you are new to the study, notebooks and pens are provided; just bring your Bible!
- FELLOWSHIP/FAMILY/FUN SCHEDULE is being planned for the remainder of this year and will be available in printed form very soon! We want YOU to be blessed as we grow together as a church, in Christ, and with each other!
- OCTOBER 22/23: IT IS FINALLY HERE!!! Eleven women will be attending the WOMEN OF FAITH CONFERENCE at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, being refreshed and renewed by God’s Spirit as He speaks through the messages and music and more! Be in prayer for our women, that God will fill them up as they experience this “Over the Top” theme! Any questions as you prepare to go? Check with Tina or Debbie!
- OCTOBER 22: GUYS, remember your STEAK-FRY w/Pastor Doug on Friday evening here at the house at 6:30 P.M. Plan on enjoying a great time together with your Pastor!
- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- THERE IS NO ONE ELSE LIKE OUR GOD! He proves Himself over and over! Allow Him to prove Himself to you this week, as we lift up those who are in need of healing … in need of direction and discernment … in need of provision … in need of peace! God has come through miraculously for so many, and now we need to be praying for Roger and Kay for healing of cancer, for unspoken requests, for our need for a church building to call home, for our students, for those in spiritual leadership, and for those who govern our states and nation! Lets thank God in advance for what He will do!
- REMEMBER . . . “Are you preparing for where God can use YOU this week?” Get ready, get set, & GO!
Serving Christ Joyfully . . .
Pastor Doug and Debbie
