Saturday, August 26, 2017

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!


LOVE!  I really love how God has been showing Himself lately.  For all the world to see.  Me included.  This past Monday, though, He really showed up in a spectacular way!  While many in the masses had planned to view a solar eclipse either in totality or partial totality – they missed the memo that God was showing up and putting His glory on display!  Their intent was to travel miles and miles to take in at the most, less than 3 minutes at its peak, an event that they equated with Mother Earth, or science, or rare happenstance.  They desired to be present at the best cross-roads appearance of solar and lunar objects in the sky in a dazzling, blinding line-up that will never again happen in just that same way during their life-time.  But what really happened here in America as that solar eclipse sped across a curved path o’er our nation?  While I was not able to witness the best view since our spot on the map held us to a partial eclipse shrouded in clouds and overcast skies, I was gripped by the varied responses around our country as to what they experienced.  And, by those around the world – since we now can all see the same thing at the same time, in real time!  Emotions ran high, and at the moment that everyone had waited for … there were gasps, screams, cheers, whistles, high fives, pure silence, and tears.  The day-time skies hit the off-switch.  And darkness covered the earth and reigned. 

A friend who had traveled from Minnesota to Alliance, Nebraska called to give me a view through her eyes.  She shared that the transformation from daylight to the darkness of the totality of the eclipse was breathtaking and mesmerizing.  As she peered into the dark sky, the sun turned pure black with only the skinny, sizzling ring of the sun’s fiery glow bordering it.  It was like time stopped.  She did not want to move or let anything distract her from drinking in every second of the unbelievably spectacular sight.  As she gazed upward, the darkness chilled the air to the point that she slowly and silently reached for her sweater to warm her shivering arms.  Looking through the protective glasses and staring upward, she told me that the black, light-ringed circle looked so very black that it gave the appearance of being a circular portal that one could walk right through and into heaven.  She had taken one photo before totality began, and it was such a far cry from the first-hand view available to all who watched, she never touched her phone camera again.  She knew she would remember … always!  The sight was forever etched in her mind’s eye.  And the sense of something too amazing for words taking place caused goose-bumps to race up and down her arms time and time again.  Why?  Why were some people moved to tears?  Well, simply put, because it was much more than just a total solar eclipse.  God showed up on the stage of the heavens to declare His latest display of handiwork, and He wanted everyone to see … this amazing sign, this incredible wonder. It wasn’t Mother Earth.  It was Father God.  It wasn’t mere science.  It was supernatural.  And it definitely was not happenstance.  It was planned down to split-second perfection for the unforgettable, center-stage performance He intended it to be!  And I believe this event is the “opener” for even greater things to come in this present season that we are living in.  Get ready, people, and be waiting and watching.  And get engaged in what God is doing!  He is definitely up to something. 

LOVE!  I really love how God has been showing Himself lately.  For all of us to see.  Me included.  God showed up at Elevation North last Sunday morning – (you know, we specifically invite Him … and He always shows up!) - and that carried over into someone asking to meet with us later in the evening.  The individual spoke a word to us that he felt God wanted him to share.  He stated, “I know you both have been in ministry a long time, and I know you know how to love.  I see you sharing and giving love.”  But he went on to declare and encourage us “to love, really love, like God is calling you two to love in these days.”  You know, that truly resonated in our hearts, because we can speak the most powerful messages from God’s Word to those around us – in the church and outside the church.  But without the love of God, those words fall on deaf ears.  Words spoken with the love of Christ opens the ears and hearts of people needing to hear His magnificent offer of a life forever with Him!  This August 21st, 2017 … we stood gazing up into the sky at heavenly objects.  Some day, yet unknown, people will once again stand gazing up into the sky when the trumpet sounds and we see our Lord Jesus Christ come breaking through the clouds to meet us in the air!  If we are His child, we will live with Him forever in our new heavenly home.  And if we are not His child, our screams will echo with all the others when the tortures of a living hell reaches our senses – and there will no longer be one more opportunity to say “yes” to the offer that Jesus made us when He gave His very life for us.  Please, please, because I love you and I care … if you have not yet said “yes” to Jesus – TODAY IS THE DAY!  Please say “yes” today, right now!  We want to spend all of Eternity with you ~ in the presence of our Lord God!  (Acts 1:1, I Thess. 4:16-17, Mark 13:32-33)

REMEMBER . . .

“When we stand before God one day, I don’t think He’s going to pat us on the back
for how well we debated fellow Christians on ‘theology.’ 
But rather, He’ll vigorously embrace us for how well we loved our enemies, forgave one another,
served those less fortunate and shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost.”

(taken from #myopinion  #GoodNewsFeed) 

Joyfully Serving Christ . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie



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