Echo One - Michigan

Show Me Your Glory!

2012-02-11T16:06:00.000-05:00

Today’s key verse: Exodus 40:34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Context:

“Then” follows a long section, going back to Exodus 34 describing the building of the tabernacle, a big tent for the glory, the presence of God in the midst of His people. One part I love in this section is 36:1-7…

Exodus 36:1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded." 2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 3 They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done." 6 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.

Can you imagine a church sending out a letter saying, “PLEASE don’t send us anything, we have more than enough and in fact, it’s way too much”…? Right…

We learn in these chapters that God provided a PLAN for the tabernacle, and then He provided the SKILLS and the MATERIALS for building that tabernacle. All that was left was for the people to obey, and once they did, we see this here in verse 34 of the final chapter of Exodus:

“Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”
The glory of the LORD… what must that have been like? KIVOD means “weightiness” or “value”… but practically speaking, what does that mean? We know from the next couple of verses that Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because of this glory… This “glory” must be something tangible, or at least perceivable, with human senses. It had an appearance…
Exodus 24:16-17 and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain
A little time after the glory appeared on Mount Sinai, Moses actually asked to see God’s glory…
Exodus 33:18-19 Then Moses said, “Now show me Your glory”

Why would Moses ask God to show him His glory? Here was a man who knew God better than anyone, and was still not satisfied… he wanted more, he wanted to know God even more, to see even more of Him. He was a God junkie! Oh that we would be like that! This is the kind of heart God is seeking… and He responds to Moses’ request… what does He do? First, He tells Moses that He’s going to show him His goodness, His compassion, and His sovereignty over that goodness and compassion…

Exodus 33:19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

So He promises Moses that He will do it, then, after Moses has followed the Lord’s commands, the Lord does what He promised:

Exodus 34:5 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."

Here’s the point I’m getting to here: Moses cried out to know God more, and God responded with greater revelation of Himself. Moses sought God, God responded. Simple. God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Do you believe? Do you believe that He exists? Do you believe that he rewards you if you earnestly seek Him? If you believe that, then are you earnestly seeking Him? Not just casually throwing your requests His way, maybe He’ll answer, maybe not… but earnestly seeking Him, in Spirit and in Truth?

You see, the faith of Moses, and of Abraham, of David, of all the “friends of God” that we know about in the Bible… this faith goes beyond asking Him for this or that, or trusting Him for healing for ourselves or others… I believe we can and ought to ask Him for these things, but I also believe that we have an opportunity to walk even more closely with Him, in His very glory, when we really grasp that He’s given us everything we need to do His will, and then, embracing that provision, we start walking in confident obedience to His calling.

We have everything we need to do His will. We really do.

Last night, writing this sermon, I kept feeling like I didn’t have enough time, and I was bemoaning the fact that I hadn’t spent the time earlier in the week, then recalling that I was booked solid all week long, and felt like I just didn’t have the time I needed to do this… but that’s really not true. The time I had last night was plenty (I’m writing this by faith!) and the other need I was worrying about, the need for rest, was also taken care of… I got plenty of rest, too, and I awakened refreshed and at peace, everything in order, no gaps… full of confidence, not in myself or in this little sermon, but in God… I know He’s given me everything I need to do His will, and I must… WE must… not give in to the lie that says we don’t have enough.

He’s given us everything we need. There’s a freedom and a peace and a rest that comes when we walk in that truth, when we’re not constantly looking at our needs and wondering how God is going to meet them, going from drama to drama like we talked about last week… No, I believe we can walk in the peace and freedom that David expressed in the 23rd Psalm: Adonai roi lo eksar … say that a few times, let it become a part of your heart, and your mind. It means this: The LORD is my shepherd, I do not lack.
You might say, “Oh but I have real needs, real lack!” Sure, I know that. But do you have what you need to live a Godly life? If you think about it, you’ll realize you do. I KNOW that you do because I know His Word is true, and His Word says this:
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (NEW MEMORY VERSE!)
Do you see that? HIS power is available to us, we have EVERYTHING we need, and what we need comes through our KNOWLEDGE… of whom? Of God Himself, and He has CALLED each of us, and just as He showed Moses, it’s by His GLORY which is connected with His GOODNESS.
We have everything we need.
Here’s another:
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Let’s not forget Matt 6:25-31 (have someone read)
And one more:
Matthew 7:11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
And on and on… We have enough. We have everything we need. The question is, will we now obey?

Let’s go back to Exodus 39 and 40…

Remember, He provided more than enough skill and material for the tabernacle, and those who had the skill did everything, “just as the LORD commanded.” You’ll find that statement over and over throughout chapters 39 and 40…
Ex 39-40: “Just as the LORD had commanded”… 39:1,5,7,21,26,29,31,43, 40:19,21,23,25,27,29,32
Then in 39:43, Moses gives the kind of blessing that I think is the only GOOD sort of human approval that we can hope for:
Exodus 39:43 Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.
Moses blessed them for obedience! Oh that we would all be so obedient, and so blessed! That we also might hear those words: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
He’s given us everything we need to accomplish this, to do His will… All that is left for us to do, if we want to live in light of His glory, is to obey, as good and faithful servants, to walk in obedience to God’s plan with God’s provision (whether skills or material goods or both).

So my question for you to consider, right now and during this coming week, is this: what has He commanded you? What plans is He stirring in your heart? If His plan for you isn’t very clear, maybe you can consider this: what gifts has He given you? What talents, what material gifts has He given you? He stirred the hearts of the people to give abundantly to the work of the Tabernacle… I believe He can stir your heart as well.

Let’s spend some time in listening prayer, and I encourage you to listen for that stirring. What gift do you have? What skill? What idea? What plan? Listen, and if you hear something or remember something or see something, WRITE IT DOWN, however weird or even boring it may sound.

Listening Prayer

Did you hear anything? If not, don’t lose heart; keep asking Him, keep listening. If you did hear something, be sure you write it down, and remind yourself. Share it with your family here, too… maybe today after service, maybe during testimony time next week… If we share these visions, we can help each other walk in them, and we can experience His glory together, and indeed glorify Him together.

Let us pray…

From Drama to Drama, or from Glory to Glory?

2012-01-24T04:49:00.000-05:00

Music, Testimony & Announcements (Fridays @ LOHOP, Feb 20th starting weekly study on "Resurrection Life"), Offering, Prayer, Shema

Memory verses:
2 Tim 3:16, Add Romans 8:28 from our Bible study on Wednesday.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Today’s passage: Exodus 2:23-25 (we’ll pick up some other verses in the context of the story of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, plus we’ll end up in the New Testament quite a bit.)
Exodus 2:23 Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. 24 So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.

Questioning the Text (A little detour for Bible study training)

Sometime after I started walking with the Lord, and started attending this church, Pastor Manny sat down with me and the Bible and encouraged me to do a couple of things as I read. These things have been solid, trustworthy tools for me, and they have stayed with me to this day, even after I’ve forgotten some of the first-class tools I gained while in seminary! You want to know what these tools are?

First, he encouraged me to memorize Scripture, and because I’ve tasted the fruit of this time and again, I so appreciate Bible Quiz and I would encourage ANY believer to take up the discipline of Scripture memorization. It’s also why we’ve started memorizing verses together!

The second thing Manny encouraged me to do was to ask questions while I read. I love this, because with God while we’re consuming His Word, we can be like that annoying kid who’s always asking Why… why did this or that happen? What made that person ask that way? What does this or that mean? A lot of times you can get your answers for these kinds of questions from the context, or from other areas of Scripture, or from commentary or other Bible teachers. As you get into the habit of asking, and finding the answers, the questions start to get a little deeper or more complicated, like, Why was this or that detail included at this point in the story? Or, What does this mean for me today?

The whole counsel of Scripture is an important framework for answering these questions; but just as when the prophets of old received dreams and visions from God but didn’t understand them, sometimes special insight can be gained through prayer. The Lord can unlock something for you and give you a glimpse of His heart. Now, while what you hear may challenge you to reconsider what you thought you knew about God, what you learn ought never to outright contradict any portion of the Word. In fact, it will usually illuminate other passages for you, and pull things together that you hadn’t seen together before, and connect things in a way that truly helps you to live in the truth.
I’m telling you this to suggest ways for to approach the Word. You may recall that we just spent a year doing this, asking questions of what we read, and then putting some answers together as a church. Just so you know, this is how most of my messages come together, and today’s message is no exception.

Let’s read the passage again:

Exodus 2:23 Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. 24 So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.

So what do you suppose is my question? Here it is: Why did God wait until the people cried out? Why did He wait until their suffering drove them to cry out for help, to GROAN? If you know the story leading up to this you might know why I would ask this. You see, back in Gen 15:13-16 we heard God say to Abraham that He had a plan to bring his descendants out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery, and bring them to the land He had promise them. Let’s read it:

Genesis 15:13 Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."

Ok, so I can see here that God wanted to wait for the sin of the Amorites to reach its full measure… that’s another intriguing subject we won’t get into today. But God said only 400 years… later, in Exodus 12:40-41, we learn that Israel was actually enslaved 430 years. Why would God leave them there in Egypt one minute longer than 400 years? Why would He wait until the peopled GROANED in the midst of their struggle?

As I prayed, and considered other Scripture passages, and pondered our own life experiences, I found it actually made a lot of sense, and, as so often happens in these little question-and-answer journeys, I came away with more peace about things than I had had before, and more love in my heart, toward God and toward others, and more joy about just about everything going on around me.

Spiritual Fruit

More peace. More love. More joy. Sounds like spiritual fruit, doesn’t it? Cool! One third of ECHO’s mission statement is to equip the saints to harvest spiritual fruit in their lives, and here’s evidence that our study of the Word can do exactly that! Here’s what’s even cooler… there’s other fruit the Lord wants to produce in us… Remember the fruits?

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Using KJV here because NIV is a little weak on this; what does yours say? Probably “Patience” which while we know it’s difficult, it doesn’t quite sound like “Longsuffering” does it? “Looooongsuffering…” now that doesn’t sound nice at all! But it gives us insight into how this spiritual fruit is developed. Think about it… how do you become longsuffering? By suffering long!

Struggle Triggers Growth

I want to give you an illustration here from biology, specifically from human physiology. The human body never ceases to amaze me, the brilliance with which God designed us… truly, we can say along with the Psalmist that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made!” When Jeanita and I were at the hospital last Sunday, Shayla’s eye doctor met with us; he let us know he is a born-again Christian and blessed our socks off with encouraging words and assurance that God is great! He also explained in detail the issue with Shayla’s eyes. She has what’s called “Retinopathy of Prematurity” which comes from the blood vessels in the eyes not developing completely. This is basically what you’ll read if you look up ROP on the internet or wherever. What isn’t usually included in the description is why these vessels stop developing in premature babies; this doctor explained why, and because I’m just that sort of person, I went out and studies some medical websites to confirm it and try to understand it a little better.

The reason the vessels stop developing has to do with why they develop in the first place. This is kinda neat… growth doesn’t just HAPPEN, it really doesn’t just follow some DNA plan that is set when we’re conceived. Something has to trigger it… There are a few things that trigger the body to grow new blood vessels, and the biggest and most common trigger is the lack of oxygen. A baby receives oxygen from her mother in the womb, but it’s not as much oxygen as when she’s out in our atmosphere. When there’s a low supply of oxygen, the body grows new blood vessels to take advantage of whatever oxygen is available. The vessels branch out across the eye while the baby is in the womb in search of oxygen, and when the baby is born, the growing stops because POOF! All KINDS of oxygen is now available.

Do you see where this is going?

There’s more to ROP than I can get into right now, including an understanding that we can’t be growing ALL the time… cancer cells are cells that don’t quite get that, and that’s a whole other issue. For today, I want to camp out on this knowledge of how growth is triggered.

As I studied this process (known by many as “angiogenesis” in case you care), I learned that growth is triggered by this lack of oxygen, but also by something called “blood flow shear stress.” I was like, you have GOT to be kidding. It’s so funny, because these medical writers are going on casually throwing these terms around, like lack and stress, and I’m sitting here going, “OH MY GOD! This is SO COOL!”

You mean stress causes growth? Huh!! Well, think about it… For most of us, in order for us to change something about ourselves, the pain of staying the same has to become greater than the pain of changing. We don’t change our behaviors, even some pretty unhealthy behaviors, because in some way, that behavior works for us, it gets us what we need (or what we think we need). It’s when our behavior STOPS working for us, or when it causes too much pain in some other way, that we can be motivated to change. Lack of something needed, or some form of stress, causes us to grow and to change.

This is not just true in medical science and in psychology, but wouldn’t you know it, it was a true principal in the Bible long before science or psychology figured it out! There are LOTS of places we find this principal of suffering producing fruit; I’m going to share a few:

Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Sure, some of our suffering is due to our own foolishness, but we see here that when we stray off the path, even the discipline we experience produces good stuff. How about our memory verse:

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

And elsewhere in Romans:

Romans 5:3-4 …we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Rejoice in sufferings? Yep. It’s possible to do that. It’s possible to find joy, right there in the midst of your suffering, and Paul says it’s because we know that suffering will ultimately produce hope! How is that? I have a few ideas, and I believe that the knowledge of God’s bigger picture can change our perspective on suffering. Here are some truths we can hold onto when we’re suffering:

1. the suffering is temporary (God has a plan, just as we saw in the Exodus story, He had a plan all along and He explained this plan to Moses);

2. the suffering doesn’t mean that you are alone (we saw this also in the Exodus story… we read:
So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.
Just as God heard the sons of Israel, He hears our cry, He sees, He knows, and in Ex 3:16 we see this precious statement:
Ex 3:16 “I am indeed concerned about you!”
Literal translation is “Visiting I have visited”…
Truly, even if you feel alone, the suffering does NOT mean that you are alone, He has not abandoned you.

So… the suffering is temporary, it doesn’t mean that you are alone, and finally,

3. as we see in our bodies, souls, and in the spiritual teaching in the New Testament, the suffering produces something, for your benefit and for the benefit of others.

Remember another little tidbit from Paul about the benefit your suffering brings to others:

2 Corinthians 1:6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

He equips you to harvest spiritual fruit, not only in your life, but in the lives of others. That’s ministry, folks!

Now, for some of you, godly fruitfulness isn’t enough to get excited about… if that’s you, I have one sidenote for you: there is a REWARD for suffering!

Hebrews 6:12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience (LONGSUFFERING) inherit what has been promised.

Just as the Lord promised an inheritance to the sons of Israel, He has made inheritance promises to us as well.

Now, I’ve just laid on you A LOT of information. If all of that was not enough for you to be able to agree that suffering, even YOUR suffering, can have a purpose, perhaps it will be enough for you to recall the suffering of the One who paid for your sin.

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

When we’re suffering, when we’re being insulted, we can recall Jesus’ example and maybe find courage to follow it:

1 Peter 2:23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

Perhaps it will be enough for you to know that the apostle Paul, whom we know also suffered for the gospel, rejoiced in his sufferings, and saw in them something that drew him into a sweet fellowship with Christ:

Philippians 3:10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

I could keep going. I really could. That’s the danger in following some of these questions, we find so many threads of truth in the Word that, woven together, provide for us a shelter, a covering to protect us and keep us warm as we walk in this cold world.

Final Caution: SHEMA!

Now. Some may still be sitting there thinking, “yeah, well, you don’t know what it’s like to deal with the suffering I’m going through; it’s easy for you to quote the Bible and say, Rejoice! Have hope!” Well, you may be right about that. There’s a lot I haven’t experienced, and it really is pretty easy for me to stand here and tell you all of this. But that doesn’t mean that what I’m saying isn’t true, and YOU KNOW IT. And this assurance we find in the Word is not false comfort, it’s TRUE comfort, and life and peace.

Take care that you don’t fall into the same trap the people in Israel did, when Moses shared with them words from God that were intended to encourage and to give hope, to turn their focus away from their struggle and toward the goodness of the living God. We’re going to finish with one more little section from Exodus: 6:1-9

Exodus 6:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country." 2 God also said to Moses, "I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.'" 9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.

“They did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.”

Ugh. What good thing might God say to you today, if instead of focusing on the drama going on in your life, you decide to listen, to SHEMA, to pay attention in the midst of your suffering? Will you surrender to despair, or will you let hope rise up in you? Will you deny God’s goodness, or will you acknowledge His ever-present help in your time of trouble?

Here’s a statement I wrote in my journal this week: “Will you keep going from drama to drama, or will you go from glory to glory?”

Let us pray…

Closing Prayer, Benediction

AMEN!

2012-01-19T05:48:00.002-05:00

January 15th, 2012 “AMEN!”

Music, Testimonies & Announcements, Offering

Prayer & Shema

“AMEN!” Amen indeed!… this is generally what we say at the end of our prayer and at the end of a message that we agree with… AMEN! Jesus sometimes BEGAN His messages that way, tho: “Amen Amen I say to you…” He would say. What does “Amen” mean? (ask) Often translated at “Truly, truly” or “verily verily”… it is a Hebrew term, from AMAN which means to make stable or establish with certainty, to make firm, to make or to declare to be solid and believable, trustworthy. From it comes the word “EMET” which means that which is TRUE. When Jesus started a statement with “Amen, Amen” He was saying “listen up, this is something you can stand on, something you can build on, something firm, solid, foundational” Of course, being Himself “the Truth” it’s not like everything else He said wasn’t true; but sometimes He made a point of highlighting a particular teaching to be remembered and built upon. He also told His disciples, if your remember, that if we hold to His teaching, that would mark us as His disciples, and that we would know the… what? The TRUTH, and the truth would set us free. If we hold to His teaching… what teaching? Where is it found? Right here, in the Word… this is why the emphasis on the Word in the churches… we talked about that a couple weeks ago, and we also memorized a verse together, didn’t we? Do you remember it? Where was it? (ask) 2 Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness…” Very good.
The Scripture is our all-sufficient source of Truth from God. In the Scripture we find story after story of people clinging to untruth, making decisions based on fear that is rooted in lies, and then experiencing the consequences of rejecting the Truth. We’re going to look at one of these stories today, hopefully letting it be a cautionary tale for us so that we can walk with God and with each other in the Truth that brings freedom. Sound good? Okay, let’s go!
Text: Genesis 33:1-17 (read) Sounds like a wonderful family reunion, doesn’t it? This is sometimes referred to as the “reconciliation of Jacob and Esau”… and if you know what had gone on before, it seems like a happy ending to a difficult story. What had happened up to this point? If you’ve been reading along, you’ll remember that the last time these brothers were together, Esau was threatening to kill Jacob for not only taking His birthright but also the blessing that their father Isaac intended to give to Esau. If you don’t know the story, GO BACK AND READ IT! It will help you make sense of much of the rest of the Bible, including the New Testament.
Ok, so Jacob had left his family and gone back to the land where his grandfather Abraham has grown up, and there he found a wife… two wives, actually, plus two maids, who altogether gave him 13 children. That’s a whole other series of family issues that you should read about more than once… if nothing else it should give you comfort about your own dysfunctional family! But here in Genesis 33, Jacob is on his way back to Canaan, where his father and his brother live, and it’s been over 20 years. God had told Jacob to go back to Canaan, so he went, but not without a whole lot of fear. In Genesis 32:11 we read of Jacob’s prayer asking God to protect him: “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me, the mothers with the children” I love verse 12 here, too, because Jacob gets his courage to go forward from the Truth, from what God had told him: “For Thou didst say, ‘I will surely prosper you, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’” Very useful illustration for us, when we’re in the midst of fear; bring up what you KNOW, the Truth, and ride that truth right into the face of what you fear.
Ok, so good one on Jacob there, but let’s consider that fear for a moment. Some say “time heals all wounds” but I’m not so sure that’s true… and it certainly doesn’t seem to be the case here as Jacob hasn’t forgotten that Esau wanted to kill him, and he certainly didn’t seem to expect Esau to have forgotten what had happened. You see, for issues that have not been resolved, for wounds that haven’t healed, time stands still. Most of us are carrying around these issues from years ago, and we tell ourselves, “Oh, I’m over that, it was so long ago…” but if we let God show us the truth of the matter, we’ll find that we’re NOT over it, we still carry bitterness and fear, pain and anger from past disappointments, and shame over things we’ve done to hurt others… and those unresolved issues won’t just go away. Let’s go back to the text and see the evidence of this…
Gen 33:14-17… Jacob says “I will proceed at my leisure… until I come to my lord at Seir” (which is where Esau now lived, an area southeast of the Dead Sea and of Israel that became known as Edom). So Jacob says--or at least lets it seem like--he’s planning to following along after Esau. But what does he actually do? V: 17 tells us he headed to Succoth… which we suppose is near Shechem… which is northwest of the Dead Sea, some distance from Esau and his family. Hm. What’s up with that, I wonder?
Well. Maybe God had told him to go there… but we only know for sure in Gen 31:3 that God said: “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” At any rate, if God had told him to head for Shechem, why did he give Esau the idea that he would come to Seir? Why didn’t he just say, “No, my brother, my God and your God has told me to go to Shechem, and so it’s off to Shechem I go!” Or, if God hadn’t told him to go to Shechem, perhaps he could have said “No, my brother, I’ve got my heart set on this other area up here” for whatever reason…
Does it matter? Isn’t this just a little white lie, not a big deal, a little “social lie” that we do to keep the peace, to smooth things over? Am I making a big deal out of nothing here? I really don’t think so, and here’s why… we know from later passages that the relationship was NOT good between Jacob’s family and Esau’s family… we see them burying Isaac together later on in Genesis 35, but every other encounter between Jacob (now known as Israel) and Esau (now known as Edom) shows that hostility continued between them… sometimes violent, as when the Amalekites (Amalek was Esau’s grandson Gen 36:12) attacked the Israelites when they came out of Egypt years later (Ex 17), sometimes a little more subtly but still clearly threatening, as when Edomites refused to let Israel pass through their land even when they offered to pay (Num 20).
I think it does matter, how we reconcile with each other over issues that come up… and you know those issues will come up, we step on each other, sometimes by mistake sometimes not so much. I think that, even if for the moment is feels like we’ve done well by “smoothing things over” with some evasive little lies, I think that there will be consequences of those little lies, and we end up enslaved and troubled by the barrier that remains. I believe God is not pleased with this half-baked reconciliation, not so much because He’s just this judging God who just hates lies as a matter of principal, but I believe He hates deceitfulness because it ensnares His people, it keeps us in bondage, and it makes fellowship difficult and troublesome, between us and Him and between us and each other.
This truth goes all the way back to the garden of Eden, in Genesis 3… another must-read story! Remember how the enemy, whom Jesus called the “father of lies,” lied to Adam and Eve, and how their response to his lies was to first break God’s command, and to then hide from God and try to deceive Him! This damaged their relationship with God, and resulted in their exile from the garden.
There’s good news though! Thank God for the Gospel, the Good News! Recall that, even though they were exiled from the garden, fellowship with God was still possible. This is important… even though there were consequences of their sin, all was not lost, and fellowship with God was still possible for them. This is important for us today because it’s true for us today: even though we make mistakes, even though we fall short, we still have fellowship with God, and we can still have fellowship with each other.
Let me say that again another way, because I believe this is His Word for us right now, today… The Lord wants to set some of us free with this truth today: even if there is a falling-out, even if there has been a breaking of trust, a disappointment, a hurt… all is not lost, there may be consequences, but reconciliation is available. Keep in mind this reconciliation doesn’t mean saying what the other person did was right, just as it doesn’t mean saying that what YOU did was right; it also doesn’t mean that you have to live next door to the other person and be best friends with them… God had a different destiny for Jacob and it didn’t involve him living with Esau… but even if God doesn’t necessarily require us to be super close to each other, I do know that His requires us to be honest with one another.
How do I know that? Glad you asked. Turn to Eph 4:25, and we’re going to conclude once we’ve looked at this passage.
Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.

In context He is describing who we OUGHT to be, setting aside the old way of our fathers, including the way of Jacob and many of the others described in Scripture. Instead of hiding in falseness, he says to “speak truth” to each other.
Do any of you have a text where “Speak truth each one with his neighbor” is in all caps? What does that mean? OT reference here is Zechariah 8:16, where God is describing what He wants for His “City of Truth” (Zech 8:1).
Even though the story of God’s people, in the Scripture and right here with the church of today, even though our story is full of examples of people lying to each other, I believe God is still giving us a vision of this “City of Truth,” He is calling us up into that vision, to BE that City of Truth, where we won’t hide behind social pleasantness and “little white lies” but where we’ll go ahead and let there be awkwardness as we try to be honest with each other. Echo, let’s refuse to be satisfied to live in the self-protective shadows of half-truths, and instead live in the light, as He is in the light.
How do we do that? We start with ourselves, our own relationships, those people in our lives that we haven’t been able to reconcile with. Let the Lord shed His light on the situation, and be open to acting on what He shows you. Sometimes it’s out of our power to reconcile, but most of us can admit that we are partly responsible… and we fail to truly reconcile for various reasons: we don’t want to acknowledge where we were wrong, we don’t want to let the other person or people off the hook, we just don’t like them and how they live… whatever. Sometimes we have trouble getting over how others have lied to us or disappointed us… we know Father’s heart on that matter: all sin is sin against God, so we can decide to not take it personally, we can forgive and we can get over it.
As we spend a little time now in silence, reflect on these things and let the Lord illuminate them for you. Let Him show you where the lie is, and let Him show you the truth, and let Him give you the grace to walk in the truth.
[2-3 minutes silence, followed by song]
Jesus said in John 3:21 that those who live by the truth come into the light so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been done by God. Not only does God show you the truth of anything wrong in your life, but He shows you that He is greater than the wrong, and that He loves you and WILL do great things through you. Get into the Word, pray and listen for Father’s voice… this is how we cultivate relationship with Him and each other, this is how we harvest spiritual fruit in ourselves and in each other, and this is how we overcome the works of the enemy in our lives, in our church, and in the world.
And all who would be set free by receive THAT truth, please indicate so by saying “AMEN!”

Closing Prayer: Let’s pray…

Benediction

What's so great about the Bible?

2012-01-01T16:19:00.000-05:00

Welcome to 2012, Echo! Below is the first sermon of the year, a preparation for our "through the Bible" following the "Our Daily Bread" plan. Enjoy!

January 1, 2012 “What’s so GREAT about the Bible?”

2012 Reading Schedule introduction: We’re following the Our Daily Bread (odb.org) Bible in a Year schedule. Sermons will be based on prior week’s and/or next week’s reading. If you’ve done the reading and receive some useful insight, each week we’ll give space for one person to share, just before the sermon. Reading suggestion: if you “fall off” read a little each day until the next book starts, then jump in on that day again. Listening to the reading is fine, great to do when driving; I know some can take in and process more through listening, and that’s no problem!

Bible Offering: You may remember that I mentioned taking up an offering for Bibles at Christmas, but I realized I wanted to spend more time preparing you for this, because I believe it’s important enough. We’ll be doing some of that today, and I expect we’ll take up the offering on February 12th, which happens to be the day we’ll be holding an all-church business meeting… we’ll be sharing the finances and accomplishments over the past year and plans for the coming year. That’ll be after the church service that day, and lunch will be included.

Persecuted DVD (From Assemblies of God site: biblealliance.org)

What’s so great about the Bible that these people hunger for it so much? That people will die for it?

The rest of the DVD describes some of the experiences of our brothers and sisters around the world, those who suffer and die horribly for their faith; some are imprisoned just for owning Bible. Their stories may seem far away and feel unrelated to our experience here in America, but these are real, current stories. There really are many believers in the world who, because they won’t reject Christ, are forced to watch their spouses and children being tortured and killed before they themselves are killed.

Why? Why would they hold tighter to Jesus and His Word than to their own flesh and blood?

We know there is a great reward for those who hold to the Word of God and who refuse to deny the name of Christ. We read about it in Rev 3, where the church of Philadelpia is commended for their faith:

Revelation 3:8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

So ok, it makes sense that the reward can be a good motivator… but is that enough? Will it be enough for you when you are forced to choose between your family and your God? Well, to be honest, we don’t know that all of us will have to face that exact choice. The bait, the temptation to deny Christ, is different depending on the culture and on what’s important to us… For many, it doesn’t take the threat of death to cause them to abandon their faith. Will the promise of reward be enough for you when you’re faced with these circumstances…

Will the promise of reward be enough, when the world is in your face and you are being ridiculed for your faith, told that it’s foolish, questioned about your behavior since becoming a Christian, where maybe you’ve stumbled repeatedly and continued in weaknesses that you’ve had since long before you accepted Christ?

Will the promise of reward be enough when you’re asked about God’s provision when you’ve been stuck in poverty, or when you’re asked about God’s healing when you or your loved ones have been struck with chronic illness?

How about that “freedom” Jesus promised, when you’re still imprisoned by bitterness and hurts, by broken relationships and the consequences of decisions made years ago, especially those decisions made by others that continue to affect you?

Will the promise of reward keep you? Maybe it will, maybe that will be enough for you… but I’m not so sure it will keep me, since I know how well the promise of a healthier life motivates me to exercise and eat better!

I believe that what will keep you and me is bigger than the promise of reward. You see, that promise is only a part of something much, much bigger, and that something is Truth… and particularly, the truth of the Word of God, absorbed into our daily lives and walked out day by day.

What will keep us? Knowledge of, commitment to, and trust in Jesus’ teaching, found in the Bible. Here’s what Jesus said His own teaching would do for us if we hold to it:

John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Hold to His teaching… “Continue in my word” NASB has it… “Meno” = abide, remain, stay, dwell in His Word. This involves continual contact, presence, exposure to the mind of Christ we find in the Bible. Romans 12:2 says to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” and I tell you, it WORKS. Being in the Word will transform how you see and think about things. This isn’t something magical or supernatural, really, because if you spend time immersed in anything you will be transformed by it, your thoughts, your worldview WILL begin to conform, or at least become desensitized to it. Ex. Profanity in movies, violence (ex. On 9/11 a 10yrold boy I knew was watching the live news footage of reporters at the Pentagon and said, “hey wouldn’t it be cool if they had a plane come crashing down behind them?”)

Being immersed in the truth of the Word produces something different in us. Knowing God’s truth sets us free in such a way that the enemy’s attempts to get you to deny your faith won’t work. The enemy will try to play on your insecurities… but the truth is, your security comes from God, not from your own greatness. The enemy will try to play on your fear of loss, loss of loved ones, loss of possessions… but the truth is, all of it belongs to God. (“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep in order to gain what he cannot lose”) Many believing parents I know speak of surrendering loved ones to God, but in reality they are just acknowledging that they never belonged to them in the first place. The enemy will try to play on your dread of loss of reputation, of being seen as a fool… but the truth is, the only approval that is worth anything comes from God, and the enemy cannot tarnish your reputation before God.

All of this truth is found in God’s Word, and this is why the Bible has been central to our faith since the very beginning, even before the whole Bible was finished being written! What do I mean by that? I mean that when the first apostles were writing the words that would later become part of our New Testament, they were quite aware of the true source and power of God’s written Word, which, for them in that day, contained pretty much what we call the Old Testament.

For example, here’s Paul writing to a younger disciple, his own “son in the faith” by the name of Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:15-17 …from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work

Here’s Peter’s take on how we got the Scripture:

2 Peter 1:20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

They also recognized that what they were preaching was also the Word of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

These, and many other passages, are what really made me start to pursue a more reverential study of God’s Word… I’ve shared my testimony before, of how I was saved sitting alone at home and fell in love with God while reading the Bible. I don’t always share that from that point forward I had a tremendous hunger and sensitivity to the Word, and it was at that point that I heard my pastor say that the Bible is a human book of wisdom about God. RED FLAG! You see, because I had been spending time in the Word, seeing with eyes of faith that God had opened up, this sort of statement didn’t fly with me. I already knew that this was not what the Word said about itself. If she’d said it a few months earlier, I might not have thought anything of it. But from that point on, even though I deeply respected that pastor on many levels, I held her teaching of the Bible pretty lightly. She and I met and she confirmed that, not only had I understood her correctly, but she believes and teaches that Jesus Christ is not the only means of salvation. She understood when I told her believed differently, that Jesus is the ONLY way, and she understood when I left that fellowship a few months later, with a nice farewell dinner and kind words.

Side note: No matter how young you feel in your faith, if there’s something I say, or anyone else here says, that doesn’t seem to ring true with you and what you understand of the Word… don’t be afraid to bring it up. It might have been a misunderstanding, it might have been something carelessly or unclearly stated, but it just might have been error. I admit that I get careless or lazy sometimes and mix Scriptures, use them out of context, confuse them with things I’ve read elsewhere. Please, PLEASE allow yourself that boldness, for the sake of us all. BUT… Please also take the time to bring your question later, so there can be thoughtful discussion. If there was something unclear, it can be clarified not only then but before the congregation at the appropriate time. I’ve done that before, when I’ve shared something and then realized later that I had messed up… I don’t at all mind correcting that.

Ok, back to today’s message… I shared with you just a couple of passages that describe how the apostles saw Scripture, both the Old Testament and the words they were preaching and teaching, and eventually writing. There are whole shelves of books on this topic, like this one here (Norman Geisler’s Systematic Theology), and most of them start with those passages, especially 2 Peter 1:20-21 and 2 Tim 3:16.

From p 229: “The Bible claims to be a book from God, a message with divine authority. Indeed, the biblical writers say they were moved by the Holy Spirit to utter His very words—that their message came by revelation so that what they wrote was breathed out (inspired) by God Himself”

He goes on to discuss 2 Peter 1:20-21 and 2 Tim 3:16, and then a whole bunch of other passages. This is some pretty important foundation for us as believers. In fact, you may or may not know that the #1 foundational doctrine in the statement of fundamental truths for our denomination, the Assemblies of God, says NOTHING about speaking in tongues... Nope, the very first statement is this:

1. The Scriptures Inspired
The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).

And there you see the verses I read earlier. In fact, before even getting into the fundamental truths, our Constitution states that “the Bible is our all-sufficient rule for faith and practice.” All of the doctrines that follow flow from a shared understanding of that Bible, and form a “basis of fellowship among us.”

We'll touch on these doctrines as we study the Word together, but if you’d like to go deeper, especially into a better understanding of the inspiration of Scripture, there are several ways to go. You could borrow some of the texts I collected while in seminary. I have these great little “Know Your Bible” booklets too, and I highly recommend that you take one to read along with as you come to each chapter through the year. You could also start with the fundamental truths booklet from the AG, and study out the verses yourself. In fact, I recommend that, and maybe even memorizing one of the scriptures so that you always have that answer ready… 2 Timothy 3:16 is an easy address to remember:

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Wondering if the part you’re reading came from God? “All Scripture is God-Breathed” Feel like you need to be taught? Rebuked? Corrected? Trained in righteousness? The Scripture is the place for you. Note this isn’t emphasizing the Bible’s usefulness for correcting others, but for your own equipping! See what it says next:

17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Remember what the name of our church stands for? “ECHO: Equipping the church to Cultivate, Harvest, and Overcome.” If equipping is our primary task here, do you see why the emphasis on the Word? Reading it aloud to each other, quoting it in our prayers and in our songs, exploring how it fits together, within itself and within our daily lives… all of these are opportunities for the Word to do just what it says it does: equips us for service.

The Word equips us to walk in power… to overcome every obstacle, not always because the obstacle is removed, but because the truth has set us free, free from the trap that the obstacles are intended to set for us. The enemy loves to get us in a corner, where we only see limited options and none of them GOOD options. What I say next might upset you, but I hope you’ll take it for what it’s worth: almost every issue that is brought to me can be resolved with a perspective shift. The issue may seem to be about health, or about money, or about a relationship, or about, about, about…about all of these things, or other things, or whatever… but I’ve seen things turn around, for me and for some of you, too, when truth is introduced… our perspective changes, and the chains fall off… the enemy’s attempt to shame us or terrify us is exposed, and things don’t look so big anymore. You see, the circumstances are the circumstances… we all got ‘em, some folks seem to have more of ‘em than others, and some folks seem to cause a lot of ‘em for others! But all of these things are being used to shape us, to test and refine our faith, so that we can stand in the end, so that we can truly hold to Jesus’ teaching. When we grasp His teaching, when we see what He’s doing in our lives, when we turn the corner and see that light of truth, WHOA! Everything looks different!

Now, don’t get me wrong, if we can help ease the pain of circumstances for each other, absolutely, I believe we should try to do that as much as possible… it’s hard to know when the pain is a necessary pain for someone else, so I try to err on the side of easing pain when I can. But more than that, I believe we should, as much as possible, encourage each other in the truth, the truth of the Word, to counter the enemy’s lies and half-truths and crafty little insinuations… I said this to someone this week, and I’ll say it to you all right now: I love you and I HATE to see you suffer, but you want to know what I hate even more? I hate to see you give up, to see the enemy convince you that his stinking lies are the truth. This ought not be, and it doesn’t HAVE to be… We can and we must find encouragement in the Word, for ourselves and for each other, in order to counter the filthy lie with the pure truth. This truth, tested and proven in our lives as we walk through and digest the Bible together, this truth becomes our true food and true drink… this is what those persecuted Christians find so great about the Bible that it’s worth dying for, and, I believe, it will be enough for you, too, to make you stand in the face of persecution.

Let’s pray.

The Miracle of Giving Thanks

2010-11-21T20:04:00.002-05:00

Some requested that I post the message that I shared at the Oxford-Orion Community Thanksgiving Service tonight... Here it is!

The Miracle of Giving Thanks

One day a year, a great number of Americans sit down to a meal and, before eating, they offer thanks to God… thanks for their provision, thanks for their health, thanks for friends and family, and for many other blessings. Whether or not your family is in the habit of giving thanks before every meal, Thanksgiving is one occasion when most families in our culture are sure to say some sort of formal grace. In this time when so many of our denominational barriers are being broken down through community celebrations like this one and through ministries like Love INC, I thought it was fitting to share with you some examples of how grace before meals is “done” across the body of Christ.

Popular in Ecumenical settings: God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen.

The variation I knew growing up: God is great, God is good, thank You for this tasty food (rhyming with good… parents took a dim view of this, I think because our giggles spoiled the solemnity).

? Good food, good meat, good God, let’s eat!

Echo. Thank you God for food…Amen!

Common Protestant grace: Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen.

Anglican. Bless, O Father, thy gifts to our use and us to thy service; for Christ’s sake. Amen.

Common in religious schools in the UK. For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen.

Eastern Orthodox. O Christ God, bless the food and drink of thy servants, for holy art thou, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Wesleyan. Be present at our table Lord. Be here and everywhere adored. These mercies bless and grant that we -- may feast in fellowship with thee. Amen

Catholic. In the name… Let us pray. Bless us, O Lord, and these, thy/your gifts, which we are about to receive from thy/your bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

One final blessing…

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haOlam, haMotzi lechem min haAretz

Pentecostal praying in tongues?? Well, sort of… it’s a known tongue though, and here is the translation...Blessed are You O Lord Our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. Where is the blessing from? To best of our ability to know, this is quite likely the very Hebrew blessing spoken by Jesus before He broke five small loaves of bread and distributed them to 5,000 men on a hill in Galilee, thus performing the only miracle, apart from the resurrection, that is recorded in all four of the gospels.

Each gospel includes the fact that Jesus blessed or gave thanks for the bread before distributing it, and John even repeats this detail in 6:23 ("near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks") It seems there is something significant in this giving of thanks, something about this giving of thanks that was essential in the production of this tremendous abundance of life-giving bread.

So I wondered: If the giving of thanks was part of the miracle, in what way was it so? Was it the fact that Jesus prayed before the meal?

As it happens, prayer before meals was a well-established Jewish practice in Jesus' day, but it’s interesting to note that it is not commanded in the Bible Jesus knew (the OT). What is commanded is a blessing after the meal. We see this in Deuteronomy 8:10: "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied and shalt bless the Lord thy God for the goodly land which he has given thee." To this day, observant Jews fulfill this commandment by giving thanks after they eat. Both the Catholic and Orthodox practices also echo this Jewish fulfillment of the law, the Catholic blessing reading this way: “We give thee thanks, Almighty God, for all thy benefits, and for the poor souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, may they rest in peace. Amen.”

If the commandment is only to bless after a meal, how is it that grace before meals has taken such a place in our religion? Well, we know that the Jewish tradition came about because the Jewish sages before Jesus had established practices that enabled the Jew to go beyond the letter of the Law to express greater piety than was required. If it was required to express gratitude to God after a meal, to do so before the meal was a special, voluntary way to show love for God. As we see elsewhere in Scripture, we know that Jesus kept the commandment to pray after meals, but His example of grace before meals is more often seen in Scripture, just as we see in this story. Thus it makes sense that we would continue the tradition of grace before meals today.

But the fact that we pray before a meal seldom accompanies the sort of miracle we saw with the multiplication of the bread and fish.

So I considered, perhaps there is significance in the prayer itself. The prayer Jesus most likely prayed had already been established by Jewish tradition, so there was nothing earthshattering or magical in the words themselves. But there is something in this blessing that can instruct us today. Note that this blessing is not on the food, nor is it on the people. Some English translations indicate that the Lord broke the bread and blessed "it" but in fact that "it" is not in the Greek text. So who is the object of the blessing? Listen again…

"Blessed are YOU, O Lord our God, King of the Universe..."

As in the commandment in Deut 8 instructed, it is God who is blessed, not the food. The focus is on God Himself, not on us and not on what we have or what we lack. Let us learn from this a key to living an abundant life in Christ, and that key is having a singular focus on God. Let our focus be not on our circumstances, our own strengths, or our own shortcomings, but on our God, our Good Shepherd who IS king of the universe, able to provide for every need, and not only able, but WILLING, for it is His good pleasure to give to His children, not only what we need, but exceedingly abundantly beyond our need. Amen?

The very words used by the gospel writers when telling this story point to our need for a singular focus on God...

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all use a word from which we get the word "eulogy" which means, literally, to speak good words. Jesus took the bread... these 5 small loaves, clearly not enough to feed 5000 men...he took what was available, looked to heaven, and spoke good words about God. We can learn a lot here, as we consider what we have and what we seem to lack. Isn't it true that God is good, ALL the time? Can we not find GOOD words to say in any circumstance? Let us take care with our words, for we know that just as a small flame can set a forest ablaze, so the tongue, such a little part of the body, can bring much pain and destruction when it is not disciplined. "Life and death are in the power of the tongue" wrote King Solomon. We also know that in order to discipline the tongue, we must discipline the heart, because as Jesus told us, "the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart." Let us set our hearts on Christ, and like Paul, may we learn the secret of contentment in any situation... the secret that in Christ is found all the strength and all the grace we need for all things.

Now, in the fourth gospel, we read in 6:11 that “Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish “ … When John says Jesus “gave thanks” he doesn’t use “eulogeo” but instead he uses a word from which we get "eucharist" and, incidentally, from which we derive the term “saying grace.” “Charis” means grace, that is, something given as a gift, and to say grace, to practice a “eucharist” is literally to give a good response for a gift, for a grace, something undeserved. Simply put, it means to give thanks or to be thankful, and thus our Holy Communion is truly a "Eucharist" when we partake with gratitude the precious, unearned and undeserved gift of God, the Body of Christ broken for us, that we might have life.

Of course, this heart of gratitude ought to extend from that Communion to all circumstances, as Paul exhorts us to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus. Did you hear that? Giving thanks is God's will for us, not just because He "wills" to have people to tell Him how great He is, but because He knows what this heart of continual gratitude will yield... an abundant life, one that cannot help but overflow with richness to others, so that, like the disciples on that hill so long ago, instead of stretching too little among too many people, instead of hoarding what little blessing we have, instead of feeling like people are going to empty us of whatever we have… instead of lives of poverty, we find ourselves living lives of abundance, even collecting leftovers to sustain us far beyond what we thought we could endure.

What is this Miracle of Giving Thanks? Simply this: that even in our poverty... whether material or spiritual... even in our poverty, we find abundant life when we bless God in all things, when we gratefully pour out good words from a good heart, good not because of our own works, but because of the precious gift of God, Christ in us, the bread of life.

Thank You God, for this Food... Amen!

Fabrication of new Bathroom Stall's for Echo's Men's room!

2010-10-18T08:20:00.001-04:00

New Stalls for the Men's Bathroom at Echo!

2010-10-18T08:10:00.011-04:00

Garrett is fabricating the new Men's Bathroom stall's for church in our Garage! Sunday afternoon we drove to Jackson, MI and Garrett hauled them down a few flight of stairs in an old factory, to bring them home and make them fit in the men's bathroom at Echo! We are grateful that God has fit this into our budget and made it possible to happen before our open house in November! Thank you Father for Craig's list!!!

"God put it into my heart to..."

2010-09-01T15:33:00.003-04:00

Ever heard anyone say something like this? Ever said it yourself?

Some would raise their eyebrows at this, doubting that God interacts with us in this way. Isn't it enough that God revealed Himself to us in His Word?

Well, certainly. What we find in Scripture is plenty, especially when we read...

"So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles..." (Neh 7:5) Nehemiah, a reverent, God-fearing man, referred to this special revelation almost casually.

"The Holy Spirit said..." (Acts 13:2) People (not just apostles) of the early church were gathered, and the Holy Spirit gave them direction.

"What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?" (Deut 4:7)
Indeed... it is His nearness to His faithful ones that marks them... us...setting us apart in the world.

Now, we must take care of course that not every whim of ours is attributed to God in order for our desires to seem holy. When we looked at this Sunday, Karen pointed out the attitude and behavior of the believers in Acts 13:2. "And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said..." When we also consider Nehemiah's consistent attitude of worship, we can see that, truly, according to His Word, He draws near to those who draw near to Him.

The conclusion I draw from all this? If we are living lives of worship and reverence, drawing near to Him, He WILL draw near to us, and there will be times when He WILL put things on our hearts to do and say. Now, I admit, that's a pretty big IF, and there are many who DON'T live this way and claim to hear from God. We need not fear them. But when we ask Him for wisdom (read that somewhere too), ought we not expect to hear from Him?

Is the Word living or active TODAY, or isn't it?

2 Kings 13:20-21 Salvation: A Happy Accident

2010-07-10T08:59:00.002-04:00

"Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the bands of the Moabites would invade the land in the spring of the year. As they were burying a man, behold, they saw a marauding band; and they cast the man into the grave of Elisha. And when the man touched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood up on his feet."

Well, now, what a lucky fellow, wouldn't you say? Talk about being in the right place at the right time! And it wasn't even his doing... this poor dead man was being buried by others, and not very carefully, at that. In their haste to avoid the marauding Moabites, these men halted their arduous task of preparing a proper burial for their countryman, and, seeing a handy tomb nearby, likely thought, "Well, neither of these fellows will know any better." So, into Elisha's tomb you go, old friend.

Let's pause here to consider... have you, through no action of your own, ever had your destination changed, and not for the better (as far as you can tell)? Has anyone ever treated you hastily out of their own need for a speedy getaway? Before you rise up indignant at the memory, consider the results for this dead man...

Through no choice of his own, and not even the purpose of any man, this man was rescued from the grave. God alone could orchestrate this scenario, and it is for our benefit today as we read it.

It is written, in fact, that we may be saved. Indeed, even into the tomb Elisha's name continues to stand: God saves.

Who saves? God saves. When we believe that, we are believing in this name, Elisha, which in essence is the same as the name of Jesus.

We may say that we chose Christ, that we walked into salvation with eyes open and, seeing the wisdom of His Way, we embraced Him wholeheartedly. If we say this, however, we are fooling ourselves. Jesus told us that, if we claim to see while in the darkness, our sin remains. Who, if convinced he can see, will go to the doctor for a solution? Likewise, who, if convinced he can choose the right way, will depend on the Shepherd to save his soul from the grave?

Let's face it. Any who are saved are saved by a happy "accident" crafted by the One who formed us in the womb. Any who come in contact with the life-giving Body of Christ may be revived. What remains for us is this: once revived, will you do as the once-dead man did next? Read it again...

What did he do? He "stood to his feet."

Have you found yourself in a place not of your choosing? Have you been cast away by those more concerned about their own safety? Perhaps this is your "happy accident" moment, right here, right now. Perhaps, as you touch the life in His Word, you are being revived even now. Will you stay in the grave, or will you stand to your feet?

Life is waiting.

2 Kings 6:1-7 Salvation in Elisha

2010-07-04T19:05:00.004-04:00

A little logic puzzle for you: Elijah is to John, as Elisha is to .......

Did you say Jesus? Indeed, it is not just an interesing coincidence that Elisha's name has the same meaning as Jesus' name. It's the only name by which men are saved, for in fact both names mean "God/YHWH is Salvation."

Think about it. We know John made way for the Christ (John 3:30), but we don't often recall that long before John, Elijah made way for the figure of Christ we find in Elisha.

If you've been following along with Elisha's story, you ought to have found his miracles quite familiar. Multiplying food (2 Kg 4 and John 6), raising the dead (2 Kg 4 and Mark 5), opening the eyes of the spiritually blind and closing the eyes of those who see (2 Kg 6 and John 9), to name just a few.

Today I want to take a brief look at one miracle in this week's reading that, on the surface, doesn't seem to pre-figure Christ at all.

2 Kings 6:1-7
Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too limited for us. Please let us go to the Jordan, and each of us take from there a beam, and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live." So he said, "Go." Then one said, "Please be willing to go with your servants." And he answered, "I shall go." So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Alas, my master! For it was borrowed." Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float. And he said, "Take it up for yourself." So he put out his hand and took it.

There are several pictures of Christ I see here in Elisha, but for now I'm going to consider just two points:

1) No job is too small for His care (blessing children, paying taxes). I have known some to say "Oh, I won't bother God for that, I'm ok, I can handle it...He has bigger issues to deal with."

If this is you, my friend, you may not realize it, but that is pride cloaked in false humility... and a resistance to the Lord who wants to enter into every detail of your life. You know very well that it's in the details of your daily life that you fall to the temptation of anxiety and, if you're not careful, bitterness and then strife. You don't have to be given to this bondage; He truly has made a way out of this temptation:

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

2) Non-formuleic and unpredictable means (sometimes completely supernatural, sometimes uses props... spit (3x), a fish with a coin)

Elisha seems to favor the use of seemingly random props. He used music, a new jar of salt, grain, jars to collect oil, and here a stick and also the hand of the one who lost the axe head the first place.

One lesson to draw from this is that we don't have to limit His means of healing. If we expect Him to behave a certain way and he doesn't (but does something else we're not looking for), we may fall to the temptation of taking offense, leading to ungodly anger and hardness of heart, resisting His commands... like Naaman, for example. Remember him?

When Naaman the leper came to Elisha for healing, what did he expect? Here, check it out:
2 Kings 5:11 ..."Behold, I thought, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and cure the leper.'

But what did Elisha actually do? Well, nothing... he didn't even go out to meet the fellow; instead, he sent his servant to tell him to dip in the Jordan 7 times (that should sound familiar too, btw).

But because Elisha didn't do what Naaman expected, what was Naaman's first response? Let's look at the beginning of verse 11...

"But Naaman was furious and went away."

Fortunately for Naaman, his servants were bold enough and wise enough to steer him back to do what Elisha had said.

When you ask Him for your healing, and you should, His means of healing might surprise you. And if you ask a man of God to pray for you, do not take offense if that individual doesn't do what you expect... and if he asks you to do something you feel is beneath you... uh, just do it, ok? That man of God, if he truly is one, will have sought the Father on your behalf and will be instructing you according to Gods' wisdom, not man's, not even his own wisdom. Who are you to turn your nose up at that? Why not rather obey the instruction with joy and be grateful that you weren't required to fast forty days in the wilderness!

Elisha, true to his name and like the Christ he foreshadowed, preached salvation in his deeds... pointing to the Father who sets captives free from sickness and anxiety, and even death. The God of Elisha is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and longs to set you free as well. You may find your way to pray in your time of need, but will you then listen to what He says... will you SH'MA??

"Except the LORD build the house..."

2010-05-13T14:58:00.006-04:00

29 April 2010

Blessings, beloved friends and family of Echo Christian Fellowship! Most of you know about our building project here in Lake Orion. It’s been a long road, with more miles to go, but we’ve finally come to a place where we must ask for help! Read on to see how His story is unfolding…

It started with an unseasonably warm day in January or February of 2009, when melted snow got trapped and caused some damage to the walls. As we began repairs we found… eww, bats!!! We didn’t mind them so much as their, uh, way of tithing :-/ We were going to try to clean out the guano ourselves, but wisdom prevailed and we looked into having the job done professionally. The cost? MUCH more than we could come up with! So now what? We told the Lord, “If You want us to have a building, You’re going to have to do something!”

Well, as it turns out, our insurance policy covers bat removal! Go figure!

So the bats were evicted and the sanctuary was cleaned, and with the water-damage claim we had enough for a desperately-needed roof! Tim Fix and his crew did a beautiful job!

But the project was far from over. With the ceiling exposed, we were able to see a number of broken trusses! Doh! Add to that the crazily leaning walls that had never been right since a roof collapse years ago… and the engineer from the insurance company just shook his head, saying, “Tear it down!”

Yikes!

When I heard that, though, something in me leapt for joy. There is something spiritually exciting about the idea of tearing down old walls to rebuild on a solid foundation, don’t you think? Amy King and I stayed up late that night at camp, all excited as He stirred in us the words of Isaiah the prophet:

"Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.” Is 58:12

Our response: “AWESOME!” So…”

THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN!”

We were all quite happy to see those old walls go down to make way for the new!

We even had Tim tear down the mold-factory, that scary old hallway and storage room between the two sides of the building.

Yay!!!

The new walls went up quickly, including new siding, additional windows, and a BEAUTIFUL new interior!

Jeff really likes the “echo” in the new room.

That was last fall … and here we are, more than six months later… still meeting in the fellowship hall!!

Huh?

Well, many of you know that as Tim was finishing up the work in the sanctuary, he discovered some issues in and under the floor… water damage, more mold, and oh look, broken-up asbestos tile, too! Oh my!

Apparently when the Spirit was whispering to us about foundations, He meant He wanted us to LITERALLY go down to the foundation, not just the floor! Well, OK, GOD! And so the work continues…

We believe this next phase is critical for us as a body, physically and spiritually. Many of you have prayed for us and encouraged us in the past. Now, more than ever, we ask you to cover us in prayer as the ground is exposed, and, spiritually, our fellowship is more vulnerable than it’s ever been.

And yes, we also need money! After paying for everything in the pictures above, our insurance company is covering nearly the entire floor project. They are not able to accept responsibility for all of the floor damage, so now, at long last, we are appealing to you for help for the remaining $5,000.

We do not plan to begin work until we have enough in the bank to cover the entire project. We feel strongly about not incurring any new debt, and we have been working hard to pay off our current debt. As we take this step of faith in asking for help, casting a net on “the other side of the boat,” we believe He will provide not only for the floor, but also for other areas that need attention. And guess what? Once funds are in the bank for the other projects, we can get nearly-free labor in 2011 from an Assemblies of God group called Mission America Placement Service (MAPS). Neat, huh?

There’s one more thing I’d like to share. Last summer, I was reading from the story of Elisha…

Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful." He said, "Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it." So they brought it to him. He went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'I have purified (healed) these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.'" So the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
2 Kings 2:19-22

My eyes were drawn to the words I’ve underlined above, and I heard Him speak into my heart: “The spiritual water of Lake Orion is bad, and My ministry here has not been as fruitful as I desire. I will pour out salt from new jars to heal these waters, and the land will bring forth much fruit.”

I believe Echo is to be one of these “new jars,” sharing in this pouring out. I also believe our natural “re-birth” in this location is a picture of the spiritual revival that He is getting ready to release here.

The journey continues. Are you with us?

2010 Seder at Echo Christian Fellowship

2010-04-01T21:42:00.001-04:00

A remembrance and a looking forward to the Wedding Feast!

Echo Detroit

2010-01-30T20:48:00.000-05:00

We met Abram today and learned about God's covenant with him...especially about Him blessing those who bless His children. We practiced blessing His children by blessing each other! Precious...

There is a river...

2010-01-14T09:57:00.001-05:00

I drive by this 'hidden' river on my way to Toni's, and it delights me so much, that I now look forward to that part of the drive and I find myself singing...'there is a river whose streams make glad the city of our God...'
May His hidden river flowing thru His scattered saints delight and refresh you as you pass thru this life, and may you experience His delight in you as you pursue Him.

Do nothing from selfishness...

2010-01-09T20:19:00.003-05:00

Selfishness = eritheia from eritheuo ("to work as a day-laborer")... apparently day-laborers were so stereotyped as self-seeking that the verb associated with day-laboring came to serve as the verb for being self-seeking, or more accurately, "demeaning themselves for gain"... serving for purpose of meeting personal, momentary needs or desires.

Well, now, that certainly fits my behavior quite often! All day long I choose behavior that serves my personal, momentary desires. Sure, I also do things to serve others, and sometimes I serve others and myself at the same time. But all of us struggle with this, I suppose... dcTalk sings it well: "The disease of self runs through my blood, it's a cancer fatal to my soul. Every attempt on my behalf has failed to bring this sickness under control. Tell me, what's going on inside of me? I despise my own behaviour..."

But the song goes on ...

"This only serves to confirm my suspicions that I'm still a man in need of a Saviour!"

Well, sure! That's the point, right? We still need Him.

But, also happily, I see something else in Paul's admonition in Philippians 2:3:

"Do nothing from selfishness" he says... the comfort I drew from this today was that, even though we have this "disease of self" we can choose something... we can choose to "do nothing" from that sickness... we can choose to not let the sickness dictate our behavior. We aren't bound to the selfishness, thank God.

I also appreciate that Paul (the kind fellow) gives a suggestion for making alternative behavior choices...

"With humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves."

The way to denying self is in choosing humility, that is, lowering yourself to bless another person.

So.... let's do that, okay?

Great is the mystery...

2009-12-25T12:24:00.001-05:00

the mystery of godliness...God manifested in the flesh.

Hm... To pursue godliness, then, must not mean to try our very hardest to be good, but rather to be His dwelling place, His manifestation. Will you join me in THIS pursuit of godliness, opening the door of your heart in hope and faith, and most of all, love...so that He may come in, not just to visit, but to stay... No need to clean up first!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

2009-12-25T12:22:00.001-05:00

20 Dec 2009 Echo Detroit celebrated Jesus' birthday...each offered a prayer (a birthday wish for Jesus) as a candle was lit.

A house for Jesus

2009-12-25T12:21:00.001-05:00

20 Dec 2009 Echo Detroit made a house as a birthday gift for Jesus! Everyone took part in forming the house...and we rededicated ourselves as gifts to Him...His dwelling place, His Body.
Later on, the house was eaten! A sweet communion if ever I heard of one!

FWD:FWD:Jesus Walk (Fenton)

2009-12-20T21:27:00.001-05:00

'Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her from the Lord'
oh Lord, i believe, i believe! Though many look on and say, eh, maybe she didn't REALLY hear Him... Still, my Lord, i believe!

Stuck

2009-11-28T13:15:00.004-05:00

Ever feel... stuck?

Sometimes we find ourselves stuck, stuck living with the consequences of someone else’s choices, or our own bad choices from years ago, choices we’ve apologized for and repented of, but we’re still stuck, stuck in a situation where it looks like we just have to accept that we’re limited in our ability to reach God, to serve Him, to be useful or fruitful. Sometimes we are stuck… and being stuck like that… well, it just sucks.

But even if the circumstances we’re stuck in just don’t seem fair, God has a plan, He really does. And if you're feeling stuck, I hope you will find encouragement in the story of Jael in Judges 4.

Here was a woman stuck, stuck in a tent living with a man who had separated himself, not only from his own tribe, but also the tribes of Israel, and instead had aligned himself with the enemies of the people of God. But God had a plan, and it involved the very circumstances she was stuck in... Because she was living on the outskirts, and because her husband had made peace with Israel's enemy, Jael was in the perfect position to lure the enemy in and kill him, ensuring victory for Israel.

She was in the right place at the right time with the right tools and circumstances, but knowing how we humans are, I'm guessing she didn't wake up that day thinking she was perfectly placed for God's plan, and that she was on the verge of performing a task that would gain her a lofty status along with all the other great heroes of Israel.

So, where are you stuck today? What are your circumstances? Look around you... you may be in the right place at the right time, on the verge of a tremendous victory for God's glory.

I hope you are encouraged, as I am, to "stick" it out today, to know there's a bigger picture and to value our circumstances a little differently.

Happy November morning, Lake Orion!

2009-11-07T07:26:00.001-05:00

Sitting outside for a bit...in my jacket, yes, but sipping strong black coffee and watching the sun rise over the lake. Full DayLight is coming, church... Are you eagerly looking forward to His coming?

Echo's Dual Vision

2009-11-01T18:37:00.001-05:00

Today we heard again about the dual vision here at Echo Lake Orion... Here's an excerpt from the sermon...

"Echo Lake Orion will be a place for training home fellowship leaders, and it will be a place for gathering the home fellowships together during various festivals throughout the year. Each home fellowship will have it’s own focus, a “dual vision” that holds to the first vision of multiplication, but that seeks to accomplish it by way of a secondary vision that is unique to that body. At Echo Lake Orion, He’s shown us our secondary vision is to be a place for raising up children’s ministers and child ministers. He is sending us children from this community so that they might be equipped and sent out as leaders in their generation. We’ve heard from Him for years that this place is a “seedbed” for leadership, a place to temporarily plant many little seeds which will eventually take root in a vast, unknowable number of locations."

Shabbat Shalom

2009-10-23T20:01:00.001-04:00

May you be filled with the warm light of His peace as you rest tonight, safe... in the fold, in the Kingdom, in His arms... You are loved!

Faith Scrapbooking Event

2009-09-02T12:23:00.009-04:00

Jennifer Schulz of Creative memories held a scrapbooking event at Echo Lake Orion where she taught us easy way to incorporate our Faith into our love of scrapbooking! We had a great morning and Maddie was the only one who completed her book, pictures and all!

Echo Lake Orion 2009 Garage Sale

2009-09-02T12:12:00.010-04:00

Every year Echo Lake Orion does a garage sale and all the monies go to the Problem Pregnancy Center of Oxford, MI.

Prov 28

2009-08-28T16:42:00.001-04:00

A rich man is wise in his own eyes {11}, but true knowledge maintains order {2}.

Prov 25

2009-08-25T21:18:00.001-04:00

A wise man's rebuke to a listening ear is like fine gold {12}.
That's it.

Proverbs 24

2009-08-24T21:41:00.002-04:00

In this chapter wisdom builds up a house and knowledge fills its rooms {3-4}. Wisdom is too high for a fool, but is sweet to th soul {7&14}. the wise have great power, but knowledge increses stength even more {5}.

Qaveh el-Adonai

2009-08-22T21:52:00.002-04:00

"Be strong" and "take courage" He says...

But why, Beloved? What is it that will require such strength, such courage, such faith?

"Qaveh el-Adonai"... wait on Me... that will require all the courage you can muster, dear one!

When everything around you says "No"... ah, wait, I have already said "YES" and what I've said "YES" to will come to pass. Let not your heart be troubled, or fearful... believe, have peace... I AM coming... and before I do that, you WILL bear fruit for Me, you will no longer be called "BARREN" and you will rejoice, you will sing to Me and offer shouts of joy.

But for now, Wait... be poised, be ready... Wait!

Ani l'Dodi... v'Dodi li! AMEN!

L'David HaShem Ori

2009-08-20T22:32:00.003-04:00

YHWH is my light.... (Ps 27:1)

The verb form of light (OWR) is to be or become bright... it occurs in 1 Sam 14:27, when Jonathan eats honey and his eyes are "brightened."

As we partake of the sweetness of His Word, may our eyes be brightened as our souls are refreshed by Him alone...

Ani l'Dodi...

Prov 20

2009-08-20T21:33:00.002-04:00

The wise are not lead astray by wine, and beer {1}.
The wise king spreads out the wicked {26}, for lips that speak knowledge are a rare gem {15}.

Proverbs 18

2009-08-18T22:37:00.002-04:00

A fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook {V4}, the ears of the wise seek out, and the cocerning acquires knowledge {V15}.

Proverbs 14

2009-08-14T22:01:00.002-04:00

a mocker can't attain wisdom but to a diserner it comes easily, for fools don't give though to there ways. A wise man builds up and his wealth is his crown, a king likes wise servents so please the lord. you will not find knowledge from a fools lips, but th prudent are crowned with knowledge.

Proverbs 13

2009-08-13T20:54:00.002-04:00

In verse 1 a wise son accepts his father's instruction, for a wise man's teachings are the fountain of life [14]. Wisdom is taking advise from others [10]. A carful man acts out of knowledge [16].

Proverbs 12

2009-08-12T21:12:00.002-04:00

This chapter says that the love of discipline is the love of knowledge [V1], and that a crafty man keeps it to himself [V23]. The tounges of the wise are healers [V18], and a man is praised for his wisdom [V8], for he listens to advise [V15].

Proverbs Ch 10

2009-08-10T22:58:00.002-04:00

This chapter expains wise sons are obedient [V1], prepared [V5], and that they store up knowledge [V14]. this chapteralso says that wisdom comes frm the lips of richousness [V31].

Proverbs Ch 9

2009-08-09T20:32:00.002-04:00

Wisdom is illistarted as a woman preparinga meal for the commoners in this ch .
Wise means to be knowledgable, but not knowing everything . Knowledge being the opposie of folly . and we are reminded that the begining of wisom is the fear of the lord in verse 10. and also that it is rewarding .

Proverbs Ch 8

2009-08-08T21:09:00.003-04:00

Wisdom in this ch is illistrated as a woman (V1), she is said to be more precious than rubies (V11), for she has attained geat knowledge (V12) (which is more valuable than gold (V10)). This chapter also says that it is wise to listen (V33).

Proverbs Ch 6

2009-08-06T21:45:00.003-04:00

There was only one word symbolizing wisdom was wise in verse four, describing an ant's life.

Proverbs Ch4

2009-08-04T21:51:00.004-04:00

Wisdom- To understand (V13), Thought through (V19)

Knowledge- Of the spirit? (V20)

Wise- High and mighty (V7)

Proverbs Ch.1

2009-08-01T20:44:00.003-04:00

Wisdom- A fool's enemy (V7), A womanwho calls out to the people on the streets (V20)

Wise- One who knows much (V5), Complex (V6)

Knowledge- First learned from parents (V8), A fool's enemy (V22), Starts with the fear of the LORD (V29)

Love and Keep

2009-07-28T07:52:00.003-04:00

In Dt 7:7-8 the LORD says that He chose and set His love upon the nation of Israel because He LOVED them and KEPT the oath He swore to their forefathers. (We have the same oath because we share in the relationship with Abraham as our spiritual father) He set His love upon us, you & me because he LOVES us and KEEPS the same oath with us!!

In verse 9 He tells them (& us) to know therefore:

that the LORD, ADONAI, YHWH is God
and He keeps His covenant...

with those who LOVE Him and KEEP His commandments.

It's conditional, we must LOVE & KEEP His commandments....

Keeps struck me when I read through about 2 weeks ago preparing my mind for my next Kid's Church lesson. The Hebrew word is shamar which means to hedge in protect, preserve, to watch, keep safe. Its what Adam was placed in the garden to do cultivate & KEEP it.

For a long time now we have focused on loving. We undertand how to fullfill His Law-by loving Him and His people. Dt 6:5 and Lev 19:18

I believe He is giving us a warning/reminder to keep, protect and guard His Law as we get ready to take our next step Echo. How will we guard this precious Law? How will we ensure we keep watch over it and preserve it for ourselves, each other and the generations to come?

There are many instructions about how to KEEP/SHAMAR His Law/Words in the book of Deuteronomy.

Take note as we are finishing the last book of Torah, how will we (ECF) KEEP?

Proverbs 27:5

2009-07-27T21:24:00.002-04:00

Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Proverbs 27:5

Better to critize thn to not love.

love~ an emotion of stong affection toward someone or something.

Proverbs 26:4-5

2009-07-26T21:32:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 23:23

2009-07-23T21:26:00.002-04:00

Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding.
Proverbs 23:23

Knowledge is most valuable only a fool would throw it away.

Buy~ to gain for a cost

Proverbs 21:3

2009-07-21T21:11:00.002-04:00

To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Provers 21:3

To do the right thing is better than to do the wrong thing and ask for forgiveness.

Just~ To be fair

Proverbs 20:13

2009-07-20T21:53:00.002-04:00

Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.
Proverbs 20:13

The lazy man is a poor man but he who seeks shall find all he looks for.

poor~ to be in need of richs.

Proverbs 18:4

2009-07-18T23:53:00.002-04:00

The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
Proverbs 18:4

Deep waters can contain life but can also cause death, a brook is hard to drown in and doesn't contian any harmful creatures.

Bubbling~ To flow, pour out, or bubble up

Proverbs 17:13

2009-07-17T17:41:00.001-04:00

If a man pays back evil for good,evil will never leave his house.
Proverbs 17:13

If you respond to good with evil evil will haunt you.

Proverbs 16:8

2009-07-16T21:18:00.001-04:00

Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.
Proverbs 16:8

its better to earn a small amount of money than steal large amounts

Empty Grave

2009-07-16T16:14:00.012-04:00

We went for a walk, the Lord and I...
and I feared...
I feared He was going to show me my sin

He turned to me, knowing my heart...
and He said...
"Yes, I am going to show you your sin."

I sighed, resigned, willing and desiring to go with Him anywhere...
but dreading...
already coming up with apologies and justifications

Then there was shame for my justification...
and for my fear...
Round and round I went like this

Before long I shook myself...
or maybe He shook me...
I noticed we had stopped walking

I looked up and saw the dark place of death...
and I braced myself...
for the stench and the discomfort

He reached out His hand...
and I took it...
and He led me inside

We saw...
nothing...
the grave was empty

(Inspired while driving and singing along with Nicole C Mullen's "My Redeemer Lives" and wrote during Bible study at Echo Fenton that night...)

Proverbs 14:15

2009-07-14T20:49:00.002-04:00

A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.
Proverbs 14:15

A candle seems like a bright light to he who has never seen a chandelier.

Proverbs 13:8

2009-07-13T21:24:00.002-04:00

A man's riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.
Proverbs 13:8

A wealthy man may have riches that can be stolen, buta poor man has nothing to take.

Echo's Edah

2009-07-12T21:23:00.001-04:00

Today the kids learned about Moses' heart for his 'edah' (congregation) even when he learned that he wasn't going into the Promised Land. The kids put together hearts each containing the names of people in Echo Michigan and Arizona, so they could remember to have hearts for their edah, too! Each adult also received a heart and a list...here's my list, and a beautiful list it is!

Prov. 11:21

2009-07-11T21:10:00.002-04:00

Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.
Proverbs 11:21

well, thats it its pretty hard to make it any more simple.

Proverbs 10:1

2009-07-10T21:46:00.002-04:00

The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
Proverbs 10:1

Usualy I give my interpretation down here but today i was wondering if any of you understand why the father gets the joy and the mother carries the burden?

Proverbs 9:8

2009-07-09T21:30:00.002-04:00

Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
Proverbs 9:8

If you correct a simple man he will reject you, but if you correct a wise man he will love you.

Proverbs 8:19

2009-07-08T20:39:00.001-04:00

My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.
Proverbs 8:19

Wisdom is more valuable than any substance.

Proverbs 8:19

2009-07-08T20:39:00.000-04:00

My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.
Proverbs 8:19

Wisdom is more valuable than any substance.

Proverbs 7:27

2009-07-07T20:56:00.001-04:00

Her house is a highway tobthe grave leading down to the chambers of death.
Proverbs 7:27

An adultress will lead you to hell, so be carful to not stray from the path of the pure.

A Time to Tear Down, and a Time to Build Up

2009-07-07T18:50:00.003-04:00

A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up.
Ecc 3:3

Tear down = PARATZ... the basis for the name Perez, son of Judah... so named because he caused a breach (made an opening, broke out) for himself by pushing past his twin brother Zerah during birth (Gen 38:29).

So I said, "Okay Lord, I understand, I know there is a time for causing breaches, for making an opening in the walls. What then?" Hm. I was there with Perez already, so I decided to go ahead and look beyond him, to see what comes after him, this "breach..."

We know that Perez' great-great grandson was Nahshon...Aaron's brother-in-law, btw (Ex 6:23), and a mighty leader of the tribe of Judah during the exodus. Beyond that we know of Boaz and David, and of course Jesus Himself. But let's go back to what came right after Perez... the tearing down/breaking out...

Hezron ("Chetzrown") is Perez' son, and his name (from CHATZER = enclosure) means "enclosed" or "surrounded by a wall."

Now, back to Ecclesiastes... "A time to tear down, and a time to build up..."

Build up = BANA... "build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue" and "build a house." A time to make an opening (PARATZ) by removing walls, and a time to surround with walls by building up (BANA).

Oh Lord, Master Builder and Source of Wisdom... Echo's hands are Yours... as She refuses to use them to cover Herself and build Herself up, may She trust You to cover Her well, to surround Her with YOUR walls.

Amen, and amen!

Proverbs 6

2009-07-06T20:06:00.002-04:00

There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

Prov 6:16-19

There are seven things the lord hates: a proud look, lying, the hands that kill the innocent, a mind thatthinks of evil plots, feet that go quickly to evil, a witness who tells lie after lie, and those who make trouble among friends.

2009-07-02T20:43:00.002-04:00

He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

Proverbs 2:7-8

This Proverb explaines that if you ar ready to follow god the his isready to lead you and protect you.

Proverbs 1:22

2009-07-01T18:22:00.003-04:00

"How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers deligt in mockery and fools hate knowledge?"

Proverbs 1:22 NIV

This Proverb asks how long the people of the world will resort to evil and worldly ways. And how long will those who refuse to accept him will wait to understand the truth.

My Father's House (Psalm 45:10-11)

2009-07-01T15:45:00.003-04:00

From the "Writing" Workshop at CFO 2009...

Welcome to my father's house
this is where i learned to hide my tears
there's danger in the light
but comfort when i'm covered by my fears
it may not be the best of homes
but you see it's all i've known
welcome to my father's house

"Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear:
Forget your people and your father's house...
then the King will desire your beauty."

Welcome to my Father's house
this is where i learned to cry my tears
there's danger in the light
but comfort when I bring to Him my fears
this is indeed the best of homes
and i'm forgetting all i'd known
welcome to my Father's house

"Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him."

I know You are near...

2009-06-22T19:53:00.004-04:00

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.
Psalm 145:18

Truth... emet which is from aman (believe/confirm). To call upon Him in truth is to call upon Him with a confirmable faith, rooted perhaps in an unearthly place, but rooted in a place nevertheless quite real... quite TRUE. It is TRUE that He is near...

Is this a relative truth, though? We hear some say that truth is relative, as in, "your religion is true for you, but not for me..." Well, before I open up an apologetical can of worms, I'm going to say that in a sense, yes, "YHWH is near" is a relative truth!

Huh?

Sure, there are those for whom "YHWH is near" is not truth... and lest such "free" beings consider themselves a happy lot, let us remember this:

For, behold, those who are far from You will perish

Psalm 73:27

...and lest those who consider themselves to be near Him turn up their noses in arrogance, let us remember this:

Then the Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote, Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed." Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the LORD, And whose deeds are done in a dark place, And they say, "Who sees us?" or "Who knows us?"

Isaiah 29:13-15

Oh wretched soul, take care that you fail not to pray, to call on Him, and when you do, let it be in truth and in faith. Pray believing, He says. Do not harden your heart, He says, for Today is the day of repentance... anything can happen between now and the Day of Rest which is yet to come. See to it that none of you misses it... if it means being as a little child ALL the time, depending on Him completely, well, so much the better...

Father, Precious Lord, take my little hand in Yours. This world is too big for me, YHWH, but in truth I know You are near... and GREAT are You in me!

New LIfe at Echo Lake Orion

2009-06-15T12:09:00.003-04:00

Even with all the work being done on our building inside and out. God has found a place for new life to begin! Did you anyone else notice? Before long I bet there are new babies occupying that nest! :)

2009-06-15T09:49:00.002-04:00

Church service Sunday June 14th.

2009-06-15T09:01:00.004-04:00

...after this, the LORD (played by Jeff) came and said: "Aaron, Miriam, Moses, come near, I want to talk to you, I want to be close to you." So they did.

Then the LORD spoke to Aaron: "Aaron, my son, give me a hug!" Alas, Aaron tried but only bounced back because he was puffed up with too much boasting about himself.

Next the LORD spoke to Miriam: "Miriam, my daughter, come near and give me a hug!" Alas, Miriam could not because her boasting made her too big to hug.

Finally, the LORD spoke to Moses: "Moses, my faithful servant, come give me a hug!" And Moses ran and jumped into the LORD's arms, hugging Him tightly, and the LORD was able to surround Moses completely with His love.

May you have ears to hear what the Spirit of the LORD is saying to the church...

Questions for You

2009-06-14T19:07:00.005-04:00

Oh Papa... Beloved... Lord... please bear with me in Your grace and compassion, as I in my weakness and silliness have a few questions for You:

Did we worship You today?
Did Your Word go forth today?
Did Your people learn something about loving today?
Did we touch Your heart today?
Did we sh'ma You today?
(...and did You sh'ma us?)
Did we ECHO You today?

Have I a "right" to know? No, of course not. But still, I ask, and I ECHO my brother David, who cried out to You, who called on the Name of YHWH, saying...

SH'MA, O YHWH

when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me.

Ps 27:7

I will wait on You, Adonai, my Shepherd and Father.

Love,

Your little Echo...

Psalm 51'd

2009-06-03T16:35:00.002-04:00

"Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions."

O Beloved... how can I ask this of You? How can I plead with You to deal with me not according to my sin and weakness, but according to Your lovingkindness and compassion... when it is in this very area that I have sinned! Indeed, I have dealt with others according to their sin, to their weakness. Oh, wretched me...

"Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin."

Oh, can it be? Could I really walk free from this blot? Especially since...

"...I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me. "

Sometimes it's hard to imagine being anything other than wretched... especially now that I see the truth... it's not just sin against my brothers and sisters...

"Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge."

Is there any hope, when....

"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me."

Ah, well, there is one thing we have going for us now...honest confession...

"Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom."

Oh! I remember brother James' words... "confess your sins that you may be healed"... And look here... now I gain boldness to say to You:

"Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. "

There's light ahead... I'm starting to believe that I may again hear something other than the enemy's accusing voice... and feel something other than the sting of Your rebuke...

"Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice."

And oh! That I might be able to walk with You again, believing that You really aren't even thinking of my sin at all...

"Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities."

Oh, I hear You whisper again: "To the pure in heart all things are pure." Would you really refer to me that way again? "Sure!"

"Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me."

Steadfast! Yeah!!!

"Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me."

Haaa!!! It already seems almost silly to think I started this whole thing feeling like You had taken Your Spirit...

"Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit."

Your joy is my strength! You delight... in me! Ha!

"Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You."

Oh, would You be so kind as to allow me to see others turn to You?? To see them take up Your joy?? May we sing the rest together...

"Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar."

Oh, dear One... All along, all I could ever offer You was a broken heart, broken with the things that have always broken Your own heart. Here is my weakness, made strong in You. Here are my feeble wings... I'd rather soar under Yours! xo

Shabbat shalom fellow followers of the Way...

Echo Lake Orion Church at Addison Oaks

2009-05-29T01:12:00.012-04:00

Sunday May 24th Echo Lake Orion held their Sunday Service at Addison Oaks Campground. Several other campers joined us for a wonderful time of Worship! It was good to worship Him in the great outdoors!

She's the One for Me

2009-05-09T18:14:00.004-04:00

Last night's Shabbat date was spent at the Chrysler Christian Leaders fellowship at Pat's... Oh, fellowshipping with Him and others who are Bride-minded is a singularly exquisite experience!

After Debbie Brown performed "The Samaritan Woman" we heard a song from Laura Woodley, titled "Into the Light" and oh, the tears...

You saw me broken...battered...filthy...shattered...wicked...lying...failing...trying...angry...jealous...prideful...selfish...wander...lustful...striving...worshipping idols

You said:
I want her
I love her
She's the one for me
I choose her
I know her
My blood has made her clean
She is my true love

Really? Oh, yes, You saw us and adored us before we knew You, and even now, when we know You and STILL pursue filling elsewhere...

"I want her...She's the one for Me"
That's what spoke to me the most... earlier in the week I was pondering the transformation that comes over a woman who knows she is found appealing by the man she loves. You and I spoke of such things in the context of desire, and filling, and what exactly this HUNGER is... but I didn't quite pick up on Your adoration until last night. And the little affirmations this morning, through just the right voices at the just the right time... Oh, You've really got a thing for us, don't You?

Go ahead, Bride, Sabbath Queen... blush, glow, smile in spite of Yourself. You are HOT!

Joey's Bar Mitvah

2009-04-27T13:02:00.009-04:00

More pics to come but here are just a few.

Passover

2009-04-14T14:55:00.004-04:00

Here are a few of the pictures - blogger really reduces the quality/size of pictures once you upload them, so if you want any to save/print, I'd recommend getting in touch with either me or Rochelle. I'd be happy to send over the files, I just didn't want to clog up the entire congregation's inboxes!

Picture's from our Seder

2009-04-12T15:44:00.012-04:00

Jeff & Isabella

Beauty from the Backside...

2009-04-05T19:20:00.006-04:00

Okay, I know that title could be taken the wrong way, so stay with me here...

Sometimes the glory of something... can be seen from the backside. I know I've pursued His face, His beauty, and I expect it to be this ecstatic experience... but it's often when I'm feeling my worst, my least lovely and least able to recognize beauty, that He offers a glimpse, a little peek into eternity, and it's actually not until later that the vision takes my breath away.

Like right now, after a long, full day, and I am just now really beholding His beauty as I remember His light shining through Echo's frail little Body this morning... delicate petals, hanging in there, pursuing Him together, laughing together, delighting in eachother in the RIGHT NOW. Maybe there are concerns about this or that, people sick, money needed, work to do, scary things ahead, but right now, there is the simple enjoyment of being FAMILY. We KNOW we're there together now, and for the moment, for this fleeting moment, that feels really good. And it's truly beautiful...

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, Aaron's beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. "
Psa 133:1-2

Ah, you see that! THIS is ordination, folks! It's precious oil on our Shepherd-Priest-King's head, and He smiles...

Looking forward to dwelling with you in unity as we celebrate the family Seder this Thursday, Echo L.O.! You are LOVED...

Make a comfy place

2009-03-31T11:46:00.005-04:00

This morning the Lord asked me if I would like to dwell in cramped quarters. Odd I thought "what does He mean?" I answered "uh no Lord why?"

Then He explained with a picture of a Lazy Boy!!

It was as if He was telling me to set aside more room in my heart for the Holy Spirit to really get comfy. He lead me to examine how much of my heart I really offer to Him. He showed me there's more room in there and that I struggle to give it all over.

He gave me this picture imprinted in my mind of the Holy Spirit lounging, arms stretched out wide and feet propped. No ordinary folding chair will do. If I want all He has, I need to give Him enough room in me to reside in comfort. OK maybe it's a really natural way of looking at it but hey it works for me!

Besides every good host knows if you want to keep company then you need to make them feel comfortable and welcome. I'm aiming for not only a big chair but that He kick off His shoes and stick around in jammies and slippers too!

I challenge you to see if you have a folding chair, a Lazy Boy or anything in between. Is there more room?

I bet there is He's pretty big you know!

I am praying for a whole lot of Lazy Boys at Echo!

Smells like HOLY Spirit...

2009-03-28T13:07:00.006-04:00

"...an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD"
Lev 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9, 12; 3:5, 16; 4:31... etc

Sometimes when we approach a passage for study and teaching, a certain word or phrase shines so brightly for us that we can't help but key in on it. This week's portion, Lev 1:1-6:7, contained such a phrase for me, as you can see above. Tomorrow morning, Echo's kids will explore what it means to offer God a "soothing aroma" sacrifice today, particularly in light of Christ's fulfillment of the blood atonement for sin. I'm really looking forward to teaching that lesson!

Right now, however, I'm pondering the phrase itself... "soothing aroma." For you Hebrew fans, it's reyach nichoach... the first time we see it in Scripture is in Genesis 8:21, when Noah offers a sacrifice from among the animals on the ark after the flood.

Did you pick up on that? God had just saved these animals from the flood. What was Noah thinking? It ocurred to me that this sacrifice was no ordinary "hey thanks for saving me, God" sacrifice.

First, of course, let's note that there were 7 pairs of each clean animal, compared with the 2 pairs of each unclean animal. It seems God had provided extra animals for a purpose. Did He tell Noah to offer them? I don't know. But I wonder... when we're given extra of anything... money, time, etc... what do we do with it? I know what I typically do... I cry "BONUS!" and delight myself in the treat. I'm being challenged right now by Noah's sacrifice... to examine the "extras" in my life for perhaps a purpose other than my own pleasure.

Huh. That's a fresh revelation, folks... I wasn't planning to type that at all.

Sweet! Talk about bonuses...

Okay, here's where I was heading before that Holy Spirit sidetrack. Noah's sacrifice was made in faith... and I daresay, in hope and love as well. Faith, that God would multiply the remaining animals... hope, that the sacrifice would please Him... and love, that highest love, laying down your life for our Best Friend.

Eh, there it is again... laying down my own life, my own pleasure... Okay, Lord, I give up, I'm not going to try to make the point I was going to make when I started this post! Here You go, it's all Yours...

When we lay our own pleasure down for His, He is delighted, and it's a pleasing aroma for Him. The joy we experience is richer, deeper. It's different to be sure... it never will be that delight that we tend to pursue here in the natural... it's an acquired taste.

Look again at the Hebrew for a moment... reyach nichoach...

Reyach: scent, fragrance, from RUACH ... breath, spirit.

Ah... BREATH. This aroma is something He breathes in. God inhales? Apparently so. He inhales the scent of our burning flesh, our lives pressed (but not crushed), our bodies as living sacrifices. And what does this do for Him? It's a reyach nichoach...

Nichoach: soothing, restfulness, from the same as Noah's name. It delights Him, it is soothing, evoking restfulness for Him.

Dare I go here? Eh, sure, let's go, permission or no from any human readers, if there are any...

He rests in US, in our sacrifice, the sacrifice that follows Christ's example. He rests on the seventh Day, after Man's day is set aside. HIS rest, the rest we long to enter, is found in our laying down our lives, wrapping up OUR day, our "me" time.

"Take my yoke upon you... and you will find rest for your souls..."

Rest... ah, we know another Hebrew word for that don't we? Sure...

SHABBAT.... SHABBAT SHALOM, dear Echo. Cling to His hand, pursue His terribly beautiful face, and may you find yourself surrounded by His fire as He finds you an acceptible, yet living, sacrifice...

Inhale. Exhale. Breathe, Papa... breathe us in, breathe in us...

Echo's Tabernacle

2009-03-15T14:03:00.007-04:00

We've been studying the instructions for the tabernacle of the Lord, and this week the kid's church added the "glory".. the pillar of fire over the tent! Wow!!

Our building... and our fleshly "tents"... are temporary, just as this model of the tabernacle will some day be put aside. In the meantime, though, the Lord is pleased to let His glory to rest on us, and to let His treasure fill these earthen vessels...

We love You Lord, oh, teach us how to love...

Beyond the Veil

2009-03-14T20:25:00.006-04:00

Daphne and I are doing something "wrong" here at the Wall in Jerusalem... we have turned our backs to the sacred place. The women behind us, when they were done praying, would back away from the wall until they got to a point (never figured out what that point was) where they felt they weren't disrespecting the place by showing it their backside.

It took me a while to pick a picture for this entry... I wanted something that depicted the veil and the glory that fades vs the glory that doesn't fade. Paul says the servants of the gospel have unveiled faces (1 Cor 3:13) and that the glory on these faces doesn't fade like that of Moses. So, why this picture?

Well, the glory that faded is pictured behind us... the temple, the physical place of worship that was destroyed, not by human hands, ultimately, but by God's hand. The glory of the Law is tremendous indeed, worthy of awe and fear, because that glory, the glory of God as a consuming fire... has the power to kill.

But this new glory Paul speaks of... ah, well, that glory brings LIFE... does it still consume? You betcha. But because of our High Priest who entered the Holy of Holies "once for all" the veil has been torn, and we can walk unashamed, unafraid... certain of His resurrection power, and secure that His glory rests on us for all eternity. Moses exemplified insecurity, and ultimately, a faith based on sight. We walk with a greater glory, thanks be to God, and this treasure in earthen vessels is meant to SHINE!

So SHINE, Echo... He is in your midst, and He adores you. Shine, like a child whose Daddy loves her and delights in her little dance. Shine, like a young woman who for the first time realizes the one she has a secret crush on... likes her too. Shine, like a Bride on that Glorious Day... and someday, may you also shine with His Seed in you, as a woman with child, and then, as a new mother...

Ah, beautiful, beautiful...

Shabbat Shalom

Shabbat Shalom

2009-02-28T09:28:00.002-05:00

May His glory rest on you as you rest in Him this Shabbat...

Art used by Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992. To order prints visit her "Revelation Illustrated" site, http://revelationillustrated.com/.

2009-02-24T08:31:00.003-05:00

Lately my prayer time has changed dramatically. I have a new hunger to know God and to experience Him in a way that I can't seem to obtain. It's as if there is an invisible ceiling I can't seem to get through. I am always thinking about the Law and the Spirit.

Psalm 119:34 has been a daily prayer of mine,
"Give me understanding and I shall keep the law with all my heart."

I know the law is LOVE...
Love God and love people, Dt 6:4-5 and Lev 19:18. I know the law is to be upon my heart. I understand all of this in my head yet I find myself fighting to do it every day. I pray as our pastor does regularly that He teach us to love.

I am learning and growing everyday and looking back I can see the work that has been done. Thank God for what He has finished! There is soo much more that needs to be done. I know that the work He has began in me will be brought to completion (Phil 1:6).

I can't do this He has to with the fullness of Spirit. I am little in strength.

I don't know if this year's Pentacost will mark me will an infilling and baptism of Spirit. I can't bear to focus on that today. I must admit it's because I don't want to be disappointed if it doesn't happen this year. I sooth myself by asking and answering these questions...

Ques- "Do I trust God to do all things in His perfect time?"
Ans- "Yes!"
Ques- "If He doens't ever decide to fill me with all of His Spirit will I turn back?"
Ans- "NO!"
Ques- "Tomorrow after tomorrow will I still choose Him?"
Ans- "Yes!"
Ques- "Why?"
Ans- "because He alone is YHWH!"

This year I am going to focus my fast on being holy as He is holy...

For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am holy.
Lev 11:44

After He uttered the Law to Israel He told them His desire was to make them His own...

'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'
Ex 19:5-6

I am asking Him to set me apart for holiness everyday. I am choosing to be set apart. As I prepare for this year' fast I will ask how I can I be set apart and holy? I will try to replace the common unholy things of my life with His Law. I will look for opportunities to love Him and His people.

I stand in my own way, there is no invisible ceiling, only myself. My common unholy ways are disguised as an invisible ceiling. Jesus made the way and removed the barriers. I need to press in to Him with or without a fullness of Spirit so that His prayer to the Father may be answered in me...

that they may all be one; even as You, Father, {are} in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, John 17:21

I now understand why the desert experience is essential to growth before the promise land. There is nothing to turn to in the desert but the Great Shepherd alone. The focus is on Him and provision from His hand is the only thing that sustains life. We don't live in the desert, our lives are full of all the world has to offer and we lose sight of Him. Can we live in the world and yet live the lives of those who are in the desert? I aim to try! I am preparing for a desert walk. Anyone want to come along?

Whatcha Buildin?

2009-02-21T19:45:00.006-05:00

According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15

Where some may see a serious warning, do you see a glorious gospel? I'm not talking about the Gospel, the Good News of salvation through Christ, but the good news of the life that is promised beyond salvation...

There's more folks. There's meaning in what we do now, and in what we choose to build with. Are you building with wood, hay, straw? That is, are you building with natural, temporal things like your own will and personal strength? Then I suppose this ought to be a passage of warning. But if you are dying daily for the sake of your treasure, Who is in heaven... that is, if you are building with Faith, Hope, and most of all, Love (by which we lay down our lives)... If you are building with eternal materials, then like Job, you can look forward with confidence, saying...

"Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God" Job 19:26

What is that greatest treasure? The very presence of God. Pursue Him with all your heart, little echo. Great is your reward in heaven... His Face, and in His Hand you will be a crown of beauty...
You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, And a royal diadem in the hand of your God. Isaiah 62:3

Shabbat Shalom, little bride...

Beholding Beauty (Echo Women's Retreat 2009)

2009-02-14T16:27:00.005-05:00

One thing I ask of the LORD, that I may seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD... Ps 27:4

One thing... Oh Father, may You be the only One I seek, may my desire and delight be found in You first and only.

I ask... Oh Father, I know that this can only come from You... increase my hunger for You, draw me close to You, turn me that I may turn.

Dwell in the house... Oh Father, may I be Your house, Your dwelling place, a place for Your light and Your glory to rest, and a place of shalom and beauty for Your people.

All the days of my life... Oh Father, I now know that I need not wait for some far-off day and time, I can pursue Your presence NOW, and so I do, with all my heart (that is, all that I can give right now! Oh, help me to give You more!)

To behold the beauty of the LORD... To see (behold) and to declare (BEHOLD!) and to be (be holding) Your beauty, in the world, and among my precious brothers... and my sweet, sweet sisters...

Wait for it...

2009-02-07T15:34:00.003-05:00

Ever get dry? Is the water ever scarce and bitter? Ever start to doubt your path a little bit, wondering if you should go back to where you were before, where at least you weren't starving in the desert? Ever wonder, "Is God with me or not?"

Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters. Exodus 15:27

Just beyond Meribah, where the Israelites tested the LORD, grumbling about the water... just beyond the place of scarcity and bitterness was a place of abundance and fruitfulness.

Next time we're tempted to grumble, dearest family... let's look up and look ahead... let's remember that He has a TOV KASHAV... a GOOD PLAN, not just for us and our individual little lives, but for the whole Body. Let's remember WHY we are not to be grumblers...

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life... Philippians 2:14-16

Let's stand out, showing those in the darkness what extravagant love is... and one way we do this is by refraining from complaining. Complaining is speaking death... let's not do that, okay? Instead, let's speak life to those around us, and let's speak life ALL the time, especially within the Body of Christ.

So what if the water is bitter right now... there is hope... Elim is just ahead... The question isn't, "Is God with me or not?" but rather, "Do I trust Him or don't I?"

Rest in His peace, Echo... that is, Shabbat Shalom!

Water pipe repair Feb. 25th 2009

2009-01-29T21:46:00.022-05:00

3 hours later the job is down! PTL!

2009-01-23T18:38:00.002-05:00

Ps 46:10 "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Cease striving...

Cease trying to force decisions. You AREN'T stuck, you're just being still for a moment. It won't kill ya... well, maybe it'll kill some of that prideful, independent attitude of yours, the one that says "I am fully capable of making my own decisions, thank You very much. You may comfort me when I'm hurting, but don't mess with my daily life choices. I've got those covered."

Cease trying to be religious. Superstition is unbecoming one who serves a living God. But wait, if you aren't really interested in SERVING Me and Shama'ing MY voice--if you're just interested in belonging to a moderately respectable little club--then go right ahead, follow your superstition. It might give you a little comfort for now.

Cease trying to prove anything. I know your heart. Be Tammim. If the world doesn't get it, SO WHAT? They didn't get Me either. Get over it and just BE LOVE.

Cease trying to protect yourself. Am I not your refuge?

Hey you. Yeah you. I'm right over here. Are you weary? Are you heavy-laden? C'mon, sit with Me a little while. Maybe even a whole Day. Become My help-meet, and you will find rest for your soul.

I love you.

Shabbat Shalom, Princess...

2009-01-22T09:25:00.006-05:00

Ok I admit Iv'e said it already but for some reason my thoughts continually return to the Inauguration.

In that one hour I felt heavy grief, fear, hope, trust, renewed faith and comfort that comes only through His Words.

Parts of the speeches emphasized the religious diversity of American citizens. I understand that freedom of religion is a constitutional right. That's not what stirs me.

Maybe I'm overly sensitive however, I felt that it was implied that it doesn't matter which god you serve because all beliefs are equal in the eyes of this our nation founded in liberty for all. This ideology is troubling to me. I admit I don't discriminate against any one's right to serve their Asherah or Baal. Far be it for me to take religious freedom from anyone. This country promises it and God Himself gives free will to all mankind.

What troubles me is the notion that all these beliefs and their gods are equal.

All men are created equal yes.

I am equal with my fellow citizens but my God, He's not equal to my fellow citizens' gods.

My God is way bigger! He's El Elyon !

It's my God who created us equal! The gods made by man are not equal to my God!

I wanted to share the simple words that He spoke to comfort me. They resignate in my soul and in my heart each time I feel uneasy thoughts and emotions about these implications of our fellow citizens' gods being equal to YHWH...
(I do love it that He reminds me over and over and over, I often need that)

Shema Israel Adonai (YHWH) Eloheinu Adonai (YHWH) Echad.

Hear O Israel the Lord (He-Who-Is) our God, is one Lord (He-Who-Is).

AMAN (I believe it's true), THANK YOU YHWH, Our God the One Who Is.

2009-01-20T12:04:00.002-05:00

Hear, O Israel,(and United States of America)!
The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!

God has a TOV KASHAV!

Ir David

2009-01-16T19:01:00.007-05:00

That is... The City of David...

The story of the City of David began over 3,000 years ago, when King David left the city of Hebron for a small hilltop city known as Jerusalem, establishing it as the unified capital of the tribes of Israel. Years later, David's son, King Solomon, built the First Temple next to the City of David on top of Mount Moriah, the site of the binding of Isaac, and with it, this hilltop became one of the most important sites in the world. (From the http://www.cityofdavid.org.il/ website)

In case you didn't catch it, the City of David is the original Jerusalem... a "baby Jerusalem" if you will. The city before it became The City.

Standing outside this city a couple of years ago, I must say, the actual site is, shall we say... not so impressive. Especially after spending 9 days looking at old cities, it really just looked like another old city. Sorry, it's just not my thing ;-) Now, don't get me wrong; I was all kinds of properly reverent regarding the historical significance, etc, but looking around I had pretty much the same sense I had on the whole trip: "He ain't here" (well, at least not in any way that He isn't with me all the time!)

But as we listened to the lecture on the City of David, I looked over at my new friend Renae, and over her head, way up in the sky, was a sweet little sight that made me smile:

Look closely... do you see the tiny rainbow? :) Today, as I ponder "baby" Echo, and how singularly unspectacular we kind of are (again, don't get me wrong, you all know I ADORE this little body!)... I ponder that little rainbow over little old Ir David, and I remember God's promise... of a New and Glorious City-to-Come... and a New Day, a Shabbat for us to enter, and a New Name that will rest as a gentle blessing on the heads of those who "have a little power, and have kept (His) word, and have not denied His name." (Rev 3:8-12)
Stand firm, little Echo. Remember His promises, keep His Word, persevere, and do not give in to the temptation to deny His name...
And this weekend, may you Shabbat in Shalom. You are loved.

SHHH-MMM-AAAHH!!!

2009-01-12T18:47:00.010-05:00

This Sunday, I think I laughed the most I've ever laughed in a church service. Thanks, Echoes, for following me in that kooky exercise where each of us made ridiculous sounds until the plan was revealed, and with some timing and restraint applied, the noise turned into something meaningful... SH-MM-AH ZZ-RR-AH-EL (the final sound left for God Himself to add, just as He will in the end crown His Son's Bride).

Praying and laughing together... eating YUMMY pudding from kids church (the "good plan" recipe using ingredients that by themselves aren't all that yummy) ...hanging out together after service, chatting...

...while Matt and Joey do their Bible thang...

As for me, I was in my own little zone after service, keeping my body busy so that I wouldn't be distracted from the state of continuous prayer and preparing my heart for Echo Detroit.

Ah, Echo Detroit...

The kids enjoyed kids church SOOO much! We learned about the star the wisemen followed, and we made gifts to give the Baby King. Tiarra offered Him Love, and AndreYa gave Him her heart. Aubrie and Lucy were more practical, figuring He'd need a house and baby food. Andre wanted to give Him a hug, and I, well, I gave Him a ring...

It was a precious foundation, this first meeting. I look forward to sharing more news as He continues to work in this "hidden" church...

Echoes everywhere.... good-night-I-love-you-God-bless-you-sweet-dreams!

Shabbat Shalom Lecha Dodi

2009-01-09T17:37:00.011-05:00

"Shabbat Shalom Lecha Dodi" that is, Sabbath peace to You, my Beloved.

All over the world, people are welcoming the "Sabbath Bride," a mystical personification of the Sabbath. This notion of a Sabbath Bride or Queen has deep roots in the Scriptural understanding of this lovely Day that our Lord looks forward to with intense delight.

He longs for the Wedding Feast, and the Day in which the Bridegroom whispers to His Bride, "Come, lie down with me in Rest." And She responds, "Willingly, my Beloved!"

May we also call His Sabbath a delight, as we look forward to His Coming. And until then, may our relationship with the Father continue to blossom...

Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Thru the storm, through the night, lead me on to the Light
Take my hand, Precious Lord, lead me home.

Ah Precious Lord, I know how prone I am to wander, to skip ahead, or to lag behind. Hold my hand, Dear Papa... let me walk with You. And please don't let go of my hand.

Until all this is sorted out, and we behold the Beloved face to face... Let us greet each Sabbath with faith, hope, and love... Faith that He has paid our Bride-price, hope in His return, and Love... Love for Him first, above and before anyone or anything else.

Erchamcha, Adonai... (I love You Lord) and Shabbat Shalom to YOU, my Beloved!

Oh... heh heh... and to you too, all you Echoes near and far. You are loved.

Christmas Eve Traditions

2008-12-28T22:41:00.019-05:00

	Ahh... the Ufolla family Christmas Eve tradition, new jammies.
	Every year before leaving for service we open one gift on Christmas eve, always our new Christmas jammies.
	This year ECF did not hold Christmas service. We were challenged to do Christmas differently. Specifically, we were challenged to go out and be a part of the larger household of faith. I wasn't sure how to do it, no I didn't want to do it! Bob knew how and he didn't even realize he was doing it or was supposed to. Allow me to explain...
	While shopping for our jammies Bob suggested including Rochelle in our family tradition ...
	He Enjoyed picking out just the right shirt for our wise pastor. It's an inside joke I will share only upon request.
	It's official she's now a fully integrated part of the Ufolla clan. She has completed the Christmas Eve rite of passage and received her goofy jammies to prove it (she bears the mark of Hello Kitty along with Kaitlin and myself).
	The boys sport their new jammie shirts. Hello Kitty just didn't seem appropriate so...
	Game on, Wii jammies for the boys.
	Rochelle sports her new mop slippers and ponders the experience. A few days later... Bob and Rochelle were discussing the jammies and Bob made a statement about the shirt he got for "HIS" pastor!!

Hmm "HIS" pastor!

Yup, Christmas Eve this year was different and made a mark on more than those who gathered together in the different church buildings for services. God used my husband to show me how to be a part of the larger household of faith. It's as simple as including someone into to your Family. You know God can and will use anyone to teach us. In the process I believe He's doing more than just teaching me, why else would Bob claim anyone as "HIS" pastor?

Christmas Service w/o expectations!

2008-12-28T19:14:00.011-05:00

Jeff, Eli, AndreYa (back to camera), Joey, Isaac, Aubrey, Zeke

Jeff, Isabella, Joey, Zeke

Bob, Jeff, Isabella

AndreYa (back to camera), Jeff, Eli, Joey, Isaac, Isabella/Amy, Zeke

Isabella

Zeke, Aubrey

Jeff, Eli, AndreYa

Joey, Andre Jr, Zeke, Aubrey

Rochelle, Tiarra, AndreYa, Aubrey, Andre Jr, Andre Sr, Antonio, Jeanita, Joey

AndreYa, Andre Jr, Jeanita, Kaitlin, Isabella, Joey

Shalom...

2008-12-27T16:26:00.003-05:00

May His light shine brightly for you... this Shabbat, this season, this year...

may you be encouraged as you refuse to kindle your own fires... may His presence engulf you and may you find rest in Him.

Shabbat Shalom, Echo!

Looks like church to me!

2008-12-22T19:51:00.005-05:00

Yep, sure looks like church to me! No, not because there are pews lined up so people can look at the backs of each other's heads... in fact, I'm not even talking about the layout of the room. Do you see the Church in this picture? Sure, it's the PEOPLE, working together (and bumping heads just a little bit) as they figure out what "church" will look like in the fellowship hall. Best part for me? They started doing it without my help.
In the foreground, Karen wisely stays out of traffic and busies herself putting together gifts for the mentally ill at the group home we visited later that day. The cookies on the plate were made by kids church (Eli, Zeke, & Leyton) for us to take along.

And I? Well, I just stood back with a goofy smile on my face.

After a lovely lunch with Karen and James, and the beautiful visit to the group home, and a little downtime at Ufollas, and then a houseful of kids and adults celebrating some King birthdays (even Bob showed up to smirk and serve cake)... after all this, I called my mom as I often do to keep me awake on the long drive home to Fenton. My first words to her were...

"Can I just say, I go to the BEST CHURCH EVER!"

Alright, maybe the rest of you Echoes didn't feel what happened in the Spirit this weekend. That's okay... it should be apparent to you before long that we really are becoming a Body.

HIS Body. And His pleasure is tickling me.

He likes having a Body you see... ;-)

Echoes...

2008-12-15T18:23:00.005-05:00

Well! It's been a while since there's been an entry that reflects life at Echo... So...

Echo continues to "become" a family, as folks have reached out to help not only families in our community (through the Problem Pregnancy Center in Oxford), but also one of our own in financial need. When I sent out an email to the Body to let them know of the need, imagine my intense joy to discover that at least two people were already "on the job!"

Echo Fenton has met twice, and the joy over the Word is such a delight. It's easy for us to grow apathetic, thinking everyone already knows "all that" in the Bible, but guess what... there are many in the Body who hunger for the Word, and who really do want to know. Oh "mature" Christians, please don't get so satisfied or complacent that you forget the sharp hunger for the presence of God... that "first love" that delighted you so... hanging out with younger Christians can sometimes help to re-ignite that passion.

Speaking of young and hungry... Echo Detroit is set to launch January 11, and actually earlier as I and some as-yet-undetermined number of Echo-Lake-Orions share Christmas dinner with Jeanita, Danette, Michael, and the 19 children that will make up this little home fellowship! Please keep praying for Danette and her 10 children, who are currently living in a shelter in Detroit. Even more, please pray they are awakened to their hunger for God.

What else is going on? Jeff's 2nd sermon is coming up this week, the women's retreat at Echo Grove is just around the corner in February, and we look forward to Seder 2009... which will be somewhere...and Shirley Carpenter's visit during Pentecost.

We lost heat in the building this week and spent service in the fellowship hall. I'm going to send out an email to the Body asking for a vote about whether to keep meeting in the fellowship hall during the winter to save on the heating bill. [I confess I SO ENJOY that environment, MUCH more than the sanctuary with the traditional people-in-the-pews-looking-like-they're-watching-TV arrangement. :) But that's just my opinion...]

And speaking of TV, the March 5 (2009) episode of "Ask the Pastor" on TCT-Detroit should be...uh... interesting. There will be a brand new pastor on the panel that week... I had never watched the show, but now I'm excited about the ministry that goes on. As mentioned above, people really are hungry for the Word, and the calls that come in to that show just break your heart with how much people really do want to know Him and serve Him better. As I like to say, "I don't have a lot of wisdom, but I know Someone who does..." I pray His wisdom will flow through His servants on that show... and that He will use this newbie to contribute somewhat to that river.

Oh Echo... may you find your purpose in His Word coming to life in you, birthing Life... may living water flow through you... may you desire His presence more than any worldly pleasure, while each worldly pleasure you do taste will be infused with His presence.

You really are never alone, you know.

2008-12-12T17:08:00.001-05:00

shalomy shabbot to you courtesy of echo west!

2008-12-11T17:26:00.002-05:00

Jacob's Ladder?
The sunset tonight reminded me of the ladder Jacob dreamt about early in this week's reading. Ever pondered the significance of this image? I have been this week and i dare you to dig a little with me! There is much to be found i assure you...

Some suggested starting points... Look at the cross refs, look up the use of ladder elsewhere, think about gates (Jacob calls it the gate of heaven), and try to answer the question "why would angels need a ladder?"