SOMETIMES IT’S HARD TO WRAP MY MIND around the truth that God’s all-surpassing, incomparable power is within me. WITHIN me! No matter what my day is going to be like … no matter what I’m going to be facing … no matter how insufficient I might feel, I do have God’s all-surpassing, incomparable power right inside of me. I’m learning just a little more with each passing day to plug into that power and let a little more of it out into the world around me. You see, no matter what my body feels like, or how my emotions are taking my mind hostage, or what my circumstances are … I am carrying around this astounding, incredible power of God within ME … just little me! But when I access this power, I’m no longer weak … or tired … or lacking … or overcome by my circumstances! I COULD be – but I don’t HAVE to be. So I choose NOT to be! Now remember, it’s not MY power … it is GOD’S POWER within me! And that makes all the difference in the world; for there is a huge difference between God’s power and mine. Mine would wane and run out. I would grow weary in my own strength. I could be defeated just by giving in to my own limiting thoughts. Thinking I could do it all on my own, I would soon find out how little I can actually do on my own. And so, I must get back to what I know is true. I must depend on God’s power as if my very life depended on it. Because, it does! And because I feel like so many of God’s children – including you and me – just barely scratch the surface of accessing God’s all-surpassing power, my spirit is on fire that we MUST begin to tap into ALL that we can! I so wish I could explain adequately what God is laying on my heart … but I believe the only words that will convey the message like it needs to be said, come directly from God’s Word. So, listen to these down-to-earth words from II Corinthians chapter 5, beginning at verse 5: “Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, ‘Light up the darkness!’ and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful. If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power within us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us – trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, He does in us – He lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best! We’re not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, ‘I believe it, so I said it,’ we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” (through verse 18, The Message Bible) Last Sunday right after we made the last phone call to you, our church people, to cancel the morning service because of the severe winter storm, my husband and I bravely and carefully made our way slowly on the frontage road to the church to drop off some things. Dragging snow beneath the vehicle, we finally arrived, knowing we had made the right decision by canceling. We did what we needed to, and then we stood there in the silence and emptiness of the church. But it wasn’t empty. There were no worshippers there, but God was there. We could sense Him. So we just stopped and held hands and lifted up our voices in prayer. We told God how much we loved Him and we thanked Him for Elevation North and for each of you. We lifted YOU up in prayer before the Lord and asked Him to bless you and keep you. As we said, “Amen”, we knew He had heard and was answering. We gently closed the door and made our way back into the blowing snow, confident that the power of Jesus Christ will keep all of us here and now right where we are at – and until eternity, when He calls us home to be with Him forever! Precious people, may God’s love move us to use the amazing power that is ours through Christ! May we seek to please Him in everything we say and do, and may “His love have the first and last word in everything we do.” (from II Corinthians 5:14-15)
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES from all of us to: Johnny, who celebrated on February 19th … to Cherry, who celebrated on February 25th …and to Charlotte, who will celebrate on March 4th!
- LOVING BIRTHDAY WISHES to our daughter-in-love, Becky, who will be celebrating on March 4th ~ and to our grandson, Wade, who will celebrating his 17th birthday on March 7th! We love you both so very much and thank God for bringing you into our lives! You bring so much joy to us – each in your own way! May God bless you incredibly!!!
- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with Pastor Doug preaching the message he was planning for last Sunday before the weather cancellation: “God’s Extraordinary, Extravagant Love” from several scriptures in the Old and New Testament. This promises to be a power-packed service as we demonstrate God’s kind of love, reaching out to each other in love and in prayer! We encourage you to come and worship with us!
- WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2ND: 7:00-8:00 P.M. – “LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS” STUDY! You are invited to share this time of learning more from God’s Word with Pastor Doug and Debbie right in their home ~ they’ll be waiting for you! Be sure to bring your Bibles and a desire for more of what we can take in and in turn give out!
- NEXT SUNDAY: MARCH 6TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP & COMMUNION – as we turn our hearts to “The Sacrificial Love of Christ”. That love didn’t just occur on Calvary … it is still being experienced by millions today!
- 11:15 A.M. – POST-VALENTINE’S LUNCHEON CELEBRATION – postponed because of weather and repairs at Clinton Falls! Plan to bring assorted salads like we originally planned, and all of us will enjoy a delicious lunch of Baked Ham with all the trimmings, complete with Black Forest Cheesecake in an atmosphere of Valentine décor!
- IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE LUNCHEON, all RE: FUEL YOUTH are invited to attend a movie with Pastor Doug and Debbie! Be sure to invite some friends to join us for a great afternoon!
- BE SURE TO CHECK LAST WEEK’S BLOG for other future ministries and events coming up!
- WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2ND: 7:00-8:00 P.M. – “LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS” STUDY! You are invited to share this time of learning more from God’s Word with Pastor Doug and Debbie right in their home ~ they’ll be waiting for you! Be sure to bring your Bibles and a desire for more of what we can take in and in turn give out!
- NEXT SUNDAY: MARCH 6TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP & COMMUNION – as we turn our hearts to “The Sacrificial Love of Christ”. That love didn’t just occur on Calvary … it is still being experienced by millions today!
- 11:15 A.M. – POST-VALENTINE’S LUNCHEON CELEBRATION – postponed because of weather and repairs at Clinton Falls! Plan to bring assorted salads like we originally planned, and all of us will enjoy a delicious lunch of Baked Ham with all the trimmings, complete with Black Forest Cheesecake in an atmosphere of Valentine décor!
- IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE LUNCHEON, all RE: FUEL YOUTH are invited to attend a movie with Pastor Doug and Debbie! Be sure to invite some friends to join us for a great afternoon!
- BE SURE TO CHECK LAST WEEK’S BLOG for other future ministries and events coming up!
- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR OUR GOD? NO! A MILLION TIMES NO!!! This week, let’s be in special prayer for a very special, urgent, unspoken request! Let’s also lift up those who are in need of God’s healing touch, extra strength, financial resources, and direction and guidance. May we daily be in prayer for Lundstroms and Seykoras as they take the message of Christ to this nation and around the world. And may we be on our knees before God claiming His anointing and God-appointments for the coming week, that we might be His hand extended to those around us! Let’s make our lives count!
- REMEMBER . . . “Not a sigh is breathed, not a pain felt, not a grief pierces the soul, but the throb vibrates to the Father’s heart.” ~ Ellen G. White / “Remember you are very special to God as His precious child. He has promised to complete the good work He has begun in you.” ~ Gary Smalley
Serving Christ Joyfully . . .
Pastor Doug and Debbie
