Saturday, July 18, 2015

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!


BELOVED OF GOD!  Yes, that’s YOU!  Do we not all long to be called “beloved?”  Especially by God?!  The early morning sunshine has broken through the darkness and I love that it radiates the promise of all that this new day will hold!  There is not even a speck of darkness anywhere because the light of the sun has caused it to be nonexistent.  Darkness has fled … and is no more.  Likewise, for us as the family of Elevation North, this Sunday dedication of the church building God has brought us to – has broken through the past years of journeying through place after place after place as we sought a permanent place to worship!  While each location brought with it brushstrokes of shadowed greys on the canvas of our church, each time God reminded us that we were His beloved and He boldly dashed strokes of yellows and golds here and there, lighting up the way for where He wanted us next!  And today, our past challenges have fled.  They remain no more.  We have taken each step … by faith … when we could barely see the way.  And God shed just enough Sonshine day by day for us to see this day revealed … by faith!  So here we are!  And we are raising our hands in gratitude for all God has done.  But more than that, here we stand raising our hands to Him in expectation and with willing hearts to be a part of all He has yet to do in us and through the ministry of Elevation North! 

As we stand on this new threshold and look out from this vantage point, we can only see dimly into the future.  That limited view could leave us at a disadvantage if we did not seek to see through God’s eyes.  We need to KNOW where we are going from this point forward, you know.  We cannot rest on this victory God has blessed us with.  It must be a springboard to the plans HE has for us.  If you were to answer the question, “What do you see still needing to be done here at Elevation North so that God’s Spirit might be fully unleashed in our midst?” – what would YOU say?  How would YOU respond? 

Often churches and people attempt to create as many high-energy, flashy, attention-grabbing, professional ministry programs as they can.  Sure, people will come for a while.  Sure, people will be entertained.  And yes, people will most likely hear what makes them feel good.  For a little while.  And then people get bored with all the hype that in the end leaves them feeling rather empty.  So they go on a hunt once more for a church that will meet all of their needs and wants.  Is this the church God wants us to be?

An extended family member who loves and serves the Lord, posted this the other day and I think he hit the nail square on the head, so I’d love to share it with you:  “Are you in a ministry role?  Do you feel as if you constantly have to work harder to impress people and to have your ministry grow?  Have you really let go and handed the ministry over to God, allowing Him to work in your life?  Give it over to Him.  It won’t be easy, but only God can allow it to thrive.  Spend time alone with Him, give Him your burdens, and He will give you rest.” 

Wise words.  So from this day forward we encourage each of you, along with us … because together WE are the CHURCH … to let go of “us” with God’s help!  We cannot carry out God’s perfect plan when we get in the way.  And believe me, we do that just as much as you do!  We need to give Him permission to carve on us a bit – or a lot.  So God, we invite you to carve away ALL of us that does NOT look like You – that does NOT act like You.  Only then can we be in tune to hear what Your Spirit is saying to us.  When we die to ourselves fully and receive and live in the knowledge that we are truly God’s beloved, only then can we really live and breathe and move forward as His Church.  What, oh what, will God do with a church who is totally devoted to Him?  Who truly longs for His way more than ours?  Who speaks the Name of Jesus as naturally as breathing?  Who shares the love of Christ more passionately than we share anything else?  Who cries out to Him on behalf of the hurting, the lost, and the persecuted?  What will God be able to do in us and through us, dear church? 

The cry of my husband’s heart and mine as we shepherd this flock that God has given us is that we want ALL that God wants for Elevation North … nothing more and nothing less.  ALL of it!  And we believe that this will happen because of God’s people being on their knees, asking for God to search our hearts and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, so that He can use us any way He wants to!  Someone has said, “Unless we learn to pray, we never do battle for God.”  We are BELOVED and BLESSED, church!  And privileged to pray!  “How vast are the possibilities of prayer!  How wide its reach!  What great things are accomplished by this divine means of grace!  It lays its hand on Almighty God and moves Him to do what He would not otherwise do if prayer was not offered.  It brings things to pass which would never otherwise occur.” ~ E.M. Bounds

REMEMBER . . .

“Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your Name.”

 ~ Psalm 86:11 

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .        

Pastor Doug and Debbie                      

                       

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