“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  

Dear Friends,

Today, I wish to share a few words a friend recently shared with me. This person was deployed in the same location at the same time I was, and serves as a Chaplin   He brought me much great and needed encouragement while I was discovering a few thing as about myself in the desert.

----- Original Message -----    Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 7:52 AM   Subject: Word of the Day for Easter

Dear Colleagues,

Quote of the day: "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." - Anais Nin

Scripture of the day: "In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make. Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines thought the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." - John 1:1-5

A great story:                                       The Three Trees

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."

Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship.  I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."

Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching.  I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard."  The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one," and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

I hope you each have a blessed Easter …

"Padre"

“Glorifying God, Honoring Airmen and Serving All”

4 - PICTURE of the DAY!!!

______________________________________________

WHO...
_______________________

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!"…  Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!..  Let those who fear the LORD now say, "His mercy endures forever."

Ps 40:16; Ps 105:3; Ps 118:4

Photo by Daniel
McChord AFB, WA - 27 March 2005
Barnabas Ministries/E.C.H.O.

Your comments, suggestions, ideas, and thoughts are welcomed.
Should you have a picture you have taken (not copyrighted) you would like to share in PICTURE of the DAY!!!,
please e-mail a copy in .jpg or .gif format.  Feel free to suggest a verse/verses you think might go well with the image.
(Photo's & images submitted become the property of E.C.H.O. and may be altered.
Images, suggested verses, and topics are subject to display per discretion of E.C.H.O.)

“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

5 - DEVOTIONAL

(1 John 3:4-9)

Who Are You?

 1) WHOEVER (:4)

            A) COMMITS SIN

                        1) COMMITS LAWLESSNESS

                        2) (SIN) IS LAWLESSNESS

Committing sin is not something just done accidentally.  “Committing” sin is an act of free will.  And the more one sin’s, the easier it becomes to sin again, without even thinking about it.

Paul writes in Romans (6:12; 12:1-2):

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts….  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Don’t let sin dwell and reign in your body.  Don’t be conformed to this world and its wicked ways.  Be transformed through the renewing of your mind!  Let God’s Word be the guiding factor in your thoughts and actions and life style... not sin.

(WHOEVER)

            B) PRACTICES RIGHTEOUSNESS (:7)

                        1) IS RIGHTEOUS

                        2) (AS HE) IS RIGHTEOUS

Righteousness is doing what is right.  The only way we can do this is by having the Spirit of God dwelling in us and guiding our life.  No other way possible.  Without the Spirit of God, without help from God at all, we cannot do anything pleasing to HIM.  “Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God. (1 John 3:10)

“Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:20)

The only way the world will know we are Children of God, is by the fruit we produce.  God’s seed is inside us (:9), and that seed is capable of bearing much fruit, but we must be fertile soil to allow that to happen, and only way that’s possible is to die to self and sin, and yield ourselves over to Christ and His Word.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

2) HE WHO SINS IS OF THE DEVIL (:8)

            A) FOR THE DEVIL HAS SINNED FROM THE BEGINNING

            B) FOR THIS PURPOSE THE SON OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED

                        1) THAT HE MIGHT DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL

                        2) MANIFESTED TO TAKE OUR SINS AWAY (:5)

Again, “committing sin” is an act of one’s free will.  God gave us all a free will to do what we want.  Mankind’s natural attitude say’s “fine, I’ll go my way and not God’s.”  So, sin has been committed by going against the will, desire, and way of God.  Christ came to pay the cost and penalty of that sin.  Through Jesus, we can again be re-united with the Father into the fellowship and relationship He desires to have with us.  We can draw unto HIM, but only through Jesus.  Through the Lord Jesus, we are also no longer bound by the bondage of sin, but are able to say no to it and to do the will of God.

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

3) WHOEVER  (:6)

            A) ABIDES IN HIM DOES NOT SIN

                        1) FOR WHOEVER SINS HAS NOT SEEN HIM

                        2) FOR WHOEVER SINS DOES NOT KNOW HIM

            B) HAS BEEN BORN OF GOD DOES NOT SIN (:9)

                        1) HIS SEED REMAINS IN HIM

                        2) BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN BORN OF GOD

APPLICATION:  2 CORINTHIANS 5:17, 21; COLOSSIANS 3:1-3

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new…  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  (2 Cor 5:17,21)

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”  (Col 3:1)

Who are we?  As a child of God, we are “hidden with Christ in God”… we are born again into eternal life with a purpose, reason, and value.  Let us live in such a manner to bring God glory in who we are.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

6 - NEXT ISSUE

Join us in the next issue when we will continue in 1 John 3

7 - PARTICIPATION

Please feel free to share your stories of encouragement with ECHO.  Share your letters of hope, your favorite verses … a web link you enjoy or have been blessed by… etc.

Here’s a comic strip developed by my son, James Jr.

THE CHRISTIAN BOY                                                 by James Jr. 
 

We are faced with problems too.  When that happens think, “W.W.J.D?”  What Did Jesus Do? And if you can, read the Bible to seek some help.  Maybe ask a pastor or someone for help.  Someone who’s a good Christian.  Follow the Lord through your life!  Here’s a thought, “W.D.J.D?”  What Did Jesus Do?  He died for you and me. But didn’t stay dead!  Ask Jesus in your heart if you haven’t!  Jesus loves you, and so do I!  Love al!  Enemies and friends!

  ~~~

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, March 26, 2005 11:51 AM
Subject: NEWS U CAN USE- free Christian Computing Magazine

Hello…

you can obtain the Christian Computing Magazine FREE (in the FREE Adobe Reader format) to keep you informed of matters for pastors and churches such as noted below... (index of the March 2005 Christian Computing Magazine)

MUSIC & MULTIMEDIA

Page 13 — The right presentation will help get your new technology purchases approved  
by Terry Wilhite

TECH TALK

Page 16 — The Forgotten Utilities, Part 2  
by Dr. J.D. “Doc” Watson

INTERNET MINISTRY

Page 19 — Biotechnology: It’s all in the genes... or is it?  
by Walt Wilson

DESKTOP PUBLISHING

Page 21 — Achieving church priority success  
by Yvon Prehn

COMPUTER SECURITY

Page 24 — Identiy theft, ways to detect it and what you can do  
by G. Will Milor

SPECIAL FEATURE

Page 28 — Digital Bible Study To sign up for the magazine go to... 
http://ccmag.gospelcom.net

...enter your email address to subscribe. You also have the option of signing up for the free weekly news brief by Editor Steve Hewitt. He provides information on the latest developments in technology.

Hope this proves helpful.
~~~

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 5:29 PM
Subject: Illinois Abortion Story

http://snipurl.com/dnau

(Sad link.  I used to live not far from this area, mentioned in this article, about 2 ½ years ago.  Article shows the perverseness of this darkened world and how much we need to share the truth of God’s light)
~~~


----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 10:20 AM
Subject: 8 cups of coffee...

You've GOT to see this link!

http://terrisfp.com/flash3/coffeesue.swf

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

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

Daniel
"Family For God ~ 2005"
Philippians 1:6
 

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