ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

CRAZY IN LOVE!  I’ve heard it said that God is crazy in love with us … and I really do believe that!  One hundred percent!  But I’m writing today with a heart that is crazy in love with my Lord!  Yes, I did say just that - and I did mean it - one hundred percent!  After all, is that not the kind of relationship that our God planned for us to have with Him when He created us?  We were created for fellowship with the God of the universe … so I believe we were meant to share a mutual love (though ours is lacking in several capacities, compared to His!).  We do not usually fellowship with people we don’t love, right?  We prefer not to be around people we aren’t in love with, unless God ignites His love within us for those who are unlovely and unloved.  That’s just how we are.  But I fear that we miss out on such an incredible love with our Lord because we do not see it as a love relationship.  More often than not, we call ourselves by His Name and we call ourselves His children.  And that’s where we leave it.  We forget the part where He calls us His bride!  That means He is our Bridegroom!  So why are we not in love?  Why don’t we tell Him – or if we do, why not all the time?  He should be the first One on our minds when we awake in the morning.  His Name should be the last on our lips when we go to sleep at night.  Our awareness of His closeness should take our breath away and excite us at the wonder of His precious, priceless love.  Just barely scratching the surface of understanding Who He is and Who He wants to be in us - should revive every fiber of our being as we burst into praise and adoration.  Over and over and over we should not just whisper, but s-h-o-u-t“, I love You … I love You … I love You, my Lord and Savior!”  If our heart is truly in love with Him, the words won’t stop there … they will roll off our tongue and out of our heart in an endless stream of love-song lyrics.  “How I love You!  I love living in Your presence – I never want there to be a moment when I don’t feel Your closeness and Your arms around Me!  You are my Everything … my Breath, my Life, my Joy, my Hope, my Strength!  I love being with You; I love sitting at Your feet – and sometimes on Your lap!  I love that I can tell you anything and everything … and You love me still!  Better than that, I love that You know everything about me, I mean everything … and You are still crazy in love with me!  My weaknesses, my lack, my failures, my sins.  Still you’re crazy about me!  How could I be in my right mind – and NOT be crazy in love with You, my Jesus?!  You amaze me, and I love You.  You laid Your very life down for me, and I love You with all that I am – but I want that “all” to be more than it is.  I don’t ever want to be satisfied that I love You enough, or as pure and fully as You deserve … but I will live in the contentment of knowing that You accept me and my crazy love – just as I am. I know You see me through the blood of Jesus, and You see all that You know I can be!  You understand the deepest desires of my heart, and because You do, You know that more than anything I desire our love relationship to be fiery in fervor and undying in devotion.  You deserve no less from me, my Lord!  And You deserve no less from any of Your children – for we ARE Your Bride!  God has not brought us this far through all the tears and trials and sometimes torture – to live a status-quo relationship with Him!  He invites us to a crazy, faith-filled, trust-all, adventurous, supernatural, passionate love relationship with Him!  Will you say “yes”?

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES are in order for Lafawn, Alex, and Austin, who ALL celebrate on Sunday, July 8^th!

SUN, JUL 08:  10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE, w/message by Pastor D:  “Spiritual Gifts God Loves to Give!”

SUN, JUL 08:   11:15 A.M. – KINGDOM CONNECTION CLASSES, & PUPPET MINISTRY w/the Graffs!

SUN, JUL 15:  10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE / 11:15 A.M. – KINDGOM CONNECTION classes & puppets!

FRI,  JUL 20:    7:00 P.M. -  LADIES’ NIGHT OUT at the church!  Please bring a “white elephant” gift and a snack to share!  There will be updated information about Women of Faith, and also discussion on Ladies Bible Study plans!

PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . . Verla, Cherry & Johnny, Tarike, Daouda, families traveling, our nation, & for God’s hand to be upon the ministries of Seykoras, Lundstroms, and Elevation North – that Christ might be lifted up!

REMEMBER . . . Like David, let’s say, “In the morning I will sing of your love …” and “It is good to … proclaim Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night …”.  (Psalm 59:16 and 92:2)

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

 

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