What Are We Thinking?

Here's a peek at some thoughts from inside Echo...

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

  

  A remembrance and a looking forward to the Wedding Feast!
  
• Echo Detroit
  

  

  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...
  

  

  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...
  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...
  

  

  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!
  

  

  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
  

  

  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)
  

  

  '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
  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!
  

  

  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
  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
  

  

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

  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Prov 28
  A rich man is wise in his own eyes {11}, but true knowledge maintains order {2}.
  
• Prov 25
  A wise man's rebuke to a listening ear is like fine gold {12}.
  That's it.
  
• Proverbs 24
  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
  "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
  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
  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
  A fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook {V4}, the ears of the wise seek out, and the cocerning acquires knowledge {V15}.
  

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