ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

SOMETIMES MY HEART NEARLY BURSTS because I am a child of the Living God!  If I had the time I could write a book telling the world of the amazing journey it has been to call God “my Daddy!”  Every single occurrence in my life has been orchestrated by the God of the universe and yet He has been so approachable and so kind and loving that I have never had a doubt that He was also “my Daddy!”  Is it disrespectful to think of the Lord God of Israel as “our Daddy”?  No … on the contrary, His Word itself tells us this:  “ … those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by him, we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”  (Romans 8:14-16)  That makes Him “our Daddy.”  For those who have a close relationship to God, this phrase is expressive of their love and adoration and close connection and intimacy.  But for those who do not have this “Daddy/child” relationship, it is no wonder that they often feel distant from God, even disconnected – or they act as if they are “scared” of Him.  That’s so sad – because God wants to be approachable.  He wants us to show reverence and to honor His divinity, because after all, He is God!  But He does not want His supernatural nature to keep us at arm’s length or to frighten us off!  The relationship He has ordained for us is far beyond our comprehension and wildest imagination!  There are people who shiver and shake in the presence of presidents and world leaders - and these same people faint at the sight of a rock star or sports star.  And they don’t even know them personally!  How I love that we can know our God personally and so intimately that it becomes as natural as breathing to call Him, “Daddy!”  To try to grasp that He loved us so very much that He would even think of sending His only Son as the sacrifice for our sins, much less carry it out – is nearly impossible for our human minds.  And to pay such a great price only reinforces all the more what a great love He truly has for us!  When someone loves with such a perfect and magnificent love even though they know all our sins and failures and limitations – even our worst ugliness; that is a love that compels us to look beyond the love to the Lover … the Lover of our souls!  How can we not be in love with Him?  How can we not tell Him a million times a day that we love Him?  How can we not make Him a part of absolutely everything we think or say or do?  He already knows what we will think and say and do – but He wants us to make Him the biggest part of it as we plan to live out our next breath, our next hour, or day.  He came so we wouldn’t have to do things on our own.  Even His Name states that “He is WITH us!”  Emmanuel – means “God with us!”  Because we are bought with His blood, we are His!  Wouldn’t you love to know that you can have Him with you in every delightful and joyous celebration?  Wouldn’t you love to know that He is with you as you walk into the toughest circumstances and struggles?  Wouldn’t you love to know that in our deepest sadnesses and hurts, He is already there, waiting to put His arm around our shoulders and walk us through those crushing times?  Perhaps you already know this.  I hope so!  But, do you believe it?  What would happen to your life and how you are living it, if you were able to “see and feel and know and believe” that there is nothing you will ever encounter in any 24-hour period for the rest of your life – that God is not there … for YOU!  He’s got your back!  It says, also in His Word, “What, then, shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us, who can be against us?” These words in Romans 8:31, spill over into the verses that follow, and remind us that the same God who did not spare His Son for us, graciously gives us all things and intercedes for us!  We are told that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.  We just have to be convinced of that, dear ones!  We are on an amazing life-journey, from birth to eternity, and God wants us to live it filled with as much of His presence and power as we choose to invite and receive from Him.  How many days will you struggle through by yourself?  Better yet, how many days will you be convinced that God has your life in His control and that He and you can handle whatever comes your way?  All you have to do is call out to “your Daddy!”  He is listening and more than ready to live out your everyday life with you in supernatural ways!  That’s what I choose!  Will you join me?  You have a special invitation – from me, and more importantly, from God, “our Daddy!”  I hope you see Him that way today!  It will make your heart nearly burst!  With JOY!

REMEMBER . . .

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,

neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God

that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

~ Romans 8:37-39   

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie