ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”   Hebrews 10:22

3 - EDITOR's CORNER  

  Recently, I was able to view the presentation of SEABISCUIT.  This film is much more than just about a horse race and racing.  The performance deals with struggles, companionship, trust, faith, endurance, opportunity, second chances, and friendship.  As the credits roll through the screen, with the music tugging at your emotions, witnessing the drama feeling as though you are part of the events them self, the realization sinks in passionately deep, much like a submarine settling down to rest in the depth of the ocean floor, that we all need friends.  We all need each other.  We all need to work with each other, helping each other to succeed in life.

  This fourth person, a famous horse jockey in real life, appeared to be a foe to the young man who was separated from his parents. Both of these men raced against each other at various tracks, betting each one could make it to the finish line before the other.  The young man always lost.  This battle between the two even cost the young fellow first place when he allowed his emotions to get the best of him instead of using good judgment.

  As the show progressed near the end, the young man was sadly injured, and not able to race.  At the request of the young man, the (famous) jockey ran the young man’s horse in an important race.  They became friends, close friends, best of friends… and when the “final” race came, and the young man had the grand opportunity to ride once again, and in this race he found himself competing against his new found friend.

  The tension grew, the drama was intense, and the race began. Through out the course of the track the horse and his young rider struggled, falling further and further behind the pack, till finally they were hopelessly in last place, with no sight of finish line.  The race looked desperately lost, until the young man’s friend looked back, allowed his horse to slow and run beside his young friend, and caringly encouraged him asking him how he was doing.  You see, when the young man couldn’t race due to his injuries, he taught the (famous) jockey how to win the race on his horse.  The key to winning was actually in having the horse slow down near the final stretch allowing the horse to look eye to eye with the competing horse.  At this point, the horse would gain much courage, strength, and energy, and was able to make that final stretch and win the race.  The young man’s friend knew this, and allowed his friends horse to see eye to eye with his horse, bringing the greatly needed encouragement to both the horse and rider.  Then the friend caringly spoke words of encouragement to his young friend saying, “enjoy the ride…” knowing what was in store meaning the (famous) jockey would loose the race, but his young friend now had a fighting chance to win. The young rider did pull ahead, and won the race.

  Did the fourth man loose this race?  No, actually he won, and I venture to say even more so than his young friend did.  He won by caring.  He won by seeing a need and encouraging some one in need.  Someone needing a friend to come beside him to let him know that he was not alone; that he could do it, and that the prize at the finish line was waiting for him.

  We all need each other.  There are times when each on of us is weak, and moments when we feel strong.  We must not forget each other… life is not a contest to see who can get the most, or be the best.  Life is an opportunity to serve the Lord and bring HIM glory and honor.  And when we are able to exhort one another through the Word of God, what great joy there is as we are able to experience the presence of God in such an unselfish way, and we all become winners through this.

  Sometimes we might need to slow down, and look our brother or sister in the eye, and give that boost of godly encouragement, while other times we need the very same thing done for us.  This is my hope, desire, wish, and prayer, that I might be an encouragement to you, just as you are with me.  That together we will serve the Lord, lifting each other in prayer, and standing by each other in times of need.  I pray that I might be a blessing to you, encouraging you to continue in the race, reaching for that finish line where the greatest gift in all eternity awaits us.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,…  Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it…. press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus….  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses….  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Hebrews 12:1; 1 Corinthians 9:24; Philippians 3:14; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith....  Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones....  exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin….  Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;"

Galatians 6:10; Proverbs 16:24; Hebrews 3:13; I Peter 3:8

4 - DEVOTIONAL

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(1 John 1:1-4)

  Ever wonder what life was like “in the beginning?”  Ever consider what beauty the earth held shortly after God finished all of creation?  Imagine taking in a deep, deep, extremely deep breath of literally “fresh air” and consuming every ounce of oxygen your body could take in!  What an amazing adventure every intake of air must have been – no pollution, the fresh aroma of all the wonderful flowers, trees, and herbs around.  No hay fever, no nasty weeds, no sin or destruction to ruin the moment at hand.  What a joy the beginning must have held!  But we cannot experience that beginning as we are now living in a sinful world, filled with sinful people, having a life that has tasted of sin itself.  But the hope we hold knowing that someday our bodies will be perfected to be like that of Christ’s, and to spend eternity in a world without sin is a joy we share knowing that someday we too will be able to experience that same clean freshness the beginning held just thousands of years ago – back in the “beginning!”

  Just as our earth and bodies experienced a beginning, so does our spiritual life with Christ.  The book of 1 John starts with a beginning, similar to Genesis.  1 John is sort of the Genesis of the New Testament….


That which was from the beginning
           which we have heard
           which we have seen with our eyes
           which we have looked upon
           and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—


  Here is a scientific approach …  Science is learned/experienced through the senses (taste, touch, smell, sound, sight), and this verse shows this in action: 

We have HEARD - which peaks our curiosity to know more

We have SEEN with our eyes - which helps us to believe in the reality and truth of it all

      (You’ve heard the saying, “I’ll believe it when I see it” or “I’ll see it when I believe it?”)

We have LOOKED UPON - as though to examine and discover what it is all about

Our HANDS have HANDLED - allowing us personal interaction and involvement allowing us to the opportunity get to know God

“BEGINNING” here shows a reference to the order of time or events, such as the first event or occurrence and not the second, third fourth, etc.  The word used in Gen 1:1 for “beginning” refers to the very first in place, time…  Christ was in the beginning; in fact HE was before the beginning… before the beginning if time.

  In Gen 1:1, the English translation for the name of name of “God” is from the Hebrew word 'elohiym (el-o-heem') which is a plural word indicating more than one.  Not more than one God, but more than one personality, for it is here we see the first reference to the trinity in scriptures. God… the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit are together as one, ONE GOD, creating the world and universe.

  The word “'elohiym” is used through out the rest of Genesis 1 every time the name God appears in the English translation.  In the second chapter of Genesis, “LORD” appears along with the name God ('elohiym), LORD means “(the) self-Existent or Eternal” and comes from the Hebrew word Y@hovah (yeh-ho-vaw') which is often spelled and pronounced in the English language as Jehovah (jeh-ho-vaw').

  God, the self-existent one, did not need anyone or anything to create or make HIM… HE always was, is, and always will be.  In Genesis, we see Christ in “the beginning”… creating the world, and all life.


That which was from the beginning
           which we have heard
           which we have seen with our eyes
           which we have looked upon
          and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--

  Concerning the Word of life (notice the capital “W”) This let’s us know that this is a name, one of the many names for Christ.  “Word” is translated from the Greek word “logos” (log'-os). Logos is also used in the Gospel of John.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  (John 1:1-4)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  (John 1:14)

  Christ, is the Word.  Again, here is more evidence showing us that Christ was in the beginning, with God (the Father and Spirit) and as God (the Son), and all things were made through Him……

  The Son of God came to earth taking on the form of man, the very form of man who HE created (Gen 2:7) in “the beginning.”  HE joined with HIS creation, becoming part of it so HE could save it.  And we, through history, have now heard, seen, looked upon, and touched Christ… allowing HIM to become very real to us, and more than just a story, a God, or someone who lived in history past…  HE is alive today touching the hearts of lives of many all over the world.

  Not only can we pray to God (the Father) in the name of Jesus Christ, but also we can have a personal relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit.  We can FELLOWSHIP!


the life was manifested
           and we have seen
           and bear witness
           and declare to you that eternal life
           which was with the Father
           and was manifested to us--

  “The life was manifested,” that is, “to render apparent.”  Christ took on the form of man, becoming man – 100% human, as a son of Mary, and still 100% God, as the Son of God.  We could see, hear, and touch… HIM… HE was and is very real.  And the writer is declaring that having seen HIM in person, bearing witness to HIS life and events, giving us a first hand account to who Jesus is.

that which we have seen and heard we declare to you
          that you also may have fellowship with us
          and truly our fellowship is with the Father
          and with His Son Jesus Christ.
          And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

  All this is declared, or described to us, so that we might have fellowship….

  Fellowship = koinonia (koy-nohn-ee'-ah): partnership, i.e. (literally) participation, or (a social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction:--(to) communicate(-ation), communion, (contri-)distribution, fellowship.  An intimate relationship in the purest form of bonding, allowing the love of God to flow in and through us to those around us.

  Fellowship is with those around us, with other believers/children of God  “that you also may have fellowship with us”, and even greater yet, with the Father HIMSELF “and with His Son Jesus Christ.”  And while we begin our joy in fellowship with God now, while we are still mere mortal beings on the face of this earth, our fellowship will never end, but mature and be even more personal when step from this realm into the eternal and everlasting life with God above.  We will have to take ALL of eternity just to find everything we can about God (John 17:3), which means, forever, we will be learning more and growing closer!  What a joy to know that we can experience knowing God and having FELLOWSHIP with HIM!

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.  (John 17:3)

   Do we have fellowship with GOD?  Are we spending personal time with HIM?  Around our house, I encourage the family to no longer ask if someone has had their “devotions,” instead, we ask “have you had fellowship with God today!?”  Let’s have Fellowship… with God & with other believers.

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“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands… and purify your hearts…”  James 4:8

5 - NEXT ISSUE

Invite a friend to join us with our next issue when as we continue the journey on FELLOWSHIP in the book of 1 John and SHED SOME LIGHT ON A DARKENED SUBJECT… 

ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you,
Sincerely yours,

-= Daniel
   Philippians 1:6

ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO ~ ECHO

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