“AWAKE! ARISE!
SHINE! ~ in 2-0-1-9!” With the New
Year just around the corner, this is the theme God has placed in our hearts as
we look forward to what God has in store for all who are His people. It is our heart’s cry as we echo what we feel
He is saying to us individually, and to us as His church here at Elevation
North! With the birthing of this new
year, we do not want to be found sleeping and slacking and looking like we’ve
lost our spiritual luster. We want to
leap forth in obedience to what God is stirring into action amongst His children! He is doing more than just encouraging us; He
is urging us and prodding us to make HIM known right where we are. Today.
There is no more waiting around for the perfect time. No more excuses about waiting for a more
convenient time. No, a thousand times
NO! God is pushing us into our
destiny! It is TIME to become engaged in
the battle for souls for His Kingdom!
Time for us to become the victors in the daily battles that come at us
like a deluge! Time for us to awaken and
draw a line in the sand, to take a stand on our feet because of what is in our
souls, and to live out our faith in Christ with such authenticity and joy that
God’s love will shine through us, radiating the beauty and truth and power of
who we are stepping up to be IN CHRIST! The Holy Spirit empowers us when we depend on
Him … but that power never gets put to use if we just sit on it. It is when we move out of our comfort zone
and into God’s battle zone that the Holy Spirit activates all that we need to
make the needed difference in our world around us. When we do our part … God does His! The world sees enough darkness daily to last
a life-time – but that dose goes on day after day. What this world needs to see is JESUS for
real – shining through His people who dare take a stand and who are willing to
make a lasting, godly mark on our culture, whatever the cost might be! As the clock ticks down on 2018 and strikes
up the first few seconds of 2019, that calendar transition is going to happen,
no matter what. And so is the hideous
plan of the enemy to deepen the darkness and spew more evil than ever before .
. . UNLESS we AWAKE! ARISE! and SHINE!
NOW!! What do you say? Are YOU willing to be counted on God’s
side? Are you ready to do whatever it
takes to deepen your faith and be drawn closer to the God who already loves you
so much that He cannot love you any more?
Are you moving even now to join up along side wherever God is
working? Just let Him know you are ready
to sign up and get your assignment. He
will not only show you what that is … but He will train you, lead you, and
transform you into the hero of faith that you’ve always longed to be! Not in a prideful sort of way, but in a
faithful servant sort of way that God can call on to use at any given time!!
Today my heart is nearly bursting with the anticipation of what
God already knows about 2019 that we do not know! Are there things that we would rather not know ahead of time? Of course, and that is exactly why God only
reveals things to us in His timing, which is impeccably perfect! And then, there are the things that we all
too often only dream of, rather than believe for. Because these things will only come to pass
through God’s supernatural ways, we tend to shy away from them, thinking that
we will only be disappointed if they do not happen. But look!
Our Father God is looking at us with His eyes of love and saying, “O you
of little faith, why are you so afraid?”
“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 8:26 and Matthew 14:31) You see, when God tells us something, He
means it. If He did not intend to keep
His Word and His promises, He would not have spoken them to us! Our God is GOD … over all, above all … and He
cannot lie. He never has and He never
will! So in all actuality, whatever all
occurs in 2019, we have no need to fear or doubt that God will keep us, even
when He stretches us to step out in faith in new places and situations we’ve
never been before. May we embrace the
birth of this New Year with hearts ready to receive ALL that God has in store
for us as He desires to use us for HIS glory!
Dear ones, do not hold back! AWAKE! ARISE!
SHINE! Open your eyes, your
heart, and your life to see all that God will do in you and through you … in
2019!
REMEMBER . . .
"Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you and His glory appears over you.
See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you and His glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light, and kings to
the brightness of your dawn.”
~ Isaiah
60:1-3
Joyfully Serving Christ . . .
Pastor Doug and Debbie
