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,
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
