I know You are near...

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!

xo

New LIfe at Echo Lake Orion

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! :)

Church service Sunday June 14th.

...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

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

"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

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

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

More pics to come but here are just a few.

Passover

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

Jeff & Isabella

Beauty from the Backside...

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

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...

"...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

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

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

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/.

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?

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)

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...