Was good?…I can’t remember when was my last post but regardless, I am here. Numerous events have occurred/ing which have kept me busy. First, I proposed to my beautiful girlfriend and “she said yes.” Next, my beautiful grand mother flewed in from Guatemala. I had not seen her in over a year and she’s here for the holidays. The cool thing about her arrival was that she got to see her first great grand child. Which leads my to my next event,  my youngest brother’s wife gave birth to a beautiful child named “Maya.” Ya, she’ll be the center of attention for a while and maybe even spoiled. …but ya I hope to get back in the groove soon and post some play sets and devotionals. 

Love is here by Tenth Aven.…………………………………………..……………..Em

2 Peter 1:2-4

All I need is you by Hillsong……………………………………………….………….Bm

None but Jesus by Hillsong.…………………………………………………….….F#mj

Psalm 145 by Shane & Shane …………………………………………………………Dm

Oh happy day by Hughes……………………………………C

You make everything glorious by Crowder…………………C

1 Corinthians 1:18

Clinging to the Cross by Hughes……………………………Bb

Love is here by Tenth Avenue………………………………Em

Sadly, I popped a string again, this time it was not the D but the G, yes it sucked b/c I did not end up singing “Love is here.”

Check it, let’s be realistic: We are only seeing the beginning of this corrupted economy.

- Last week 516,000 applied for unemployment (CNN).

- “This is just the beginning, huge layoffs are coming” Mayor Daley.

- Germany is in recession (they are the biggest economy in Europe).

- 2,700 homes are being taking away from homeowners everyday (CNN).

- The number of unemployed people increased by 6,03,000 to 10.1 million in October.

I am not trying to be negative here, but I just want to remind you that we must get back to the basics of Christianity. In Psalm 37:16-17 we find that:

16 Better the little that the righteous have

       than the wealth of many wicked;

 17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,

       but the LORD upholds the righteous.

But, what is the “little”? I think that in this topic I would apply it to none other than Christ himself. Born in a manger, mistreated, cursed, abandoned by his own and Father for our sins. Modern day death penalty does not even come close to his death. He was treated as a “simple” man with little worth. But yet His resurrection proves his dominion overall (including death itself). And I think His message of repentance and love is of greater worth then whatsoever we can find or be anxious of in this world. And this worth is what is known as “faith”, a gift that is not of our own but given by Christ. And this faith is what strengthens us to walk through these rough world economic times. Furthermore, it proves true what the Bible says about the material/flesh-like aspects that we produce in this world: though they are necessary and at times enjoyable for a while, they will all vanish. But Christ will NEVER vanish and nor will His followers.

How deep the Father’s love for us…………………………..Amj 

Redemption by Johnny Cash………………………………….F#m

Isaiah 53:10-12 

 Beautiful Jesus by Kristian Stanfill……………………….Fmj

Happy day by Tim Hughes…………………………………….Cmj 

Psalm 95

Sing, sing, sing by Tomlin…………………………..D#mj

Jesus saves by Hughes……………………………….Bbmj

When I survey the wondrous Cross…………………Bbmj

Mistery by Charlie Hall…………………………………Amj 

Check out Brad’s (drummer) input on Colossians 2:2-8

You must be grounded in Christ and walk according to his word so that when temptations or doubts arise you are strong in faith. These temptations or doubts can stem from lack of faith but we are assured that we can know and understand all things through “God’s mystery, which is Christ”

A practical example is when we as Christians are asked about our faith, that we do not stray from the truth but say and do what we know, through Christ, is right.

      Acts 6:8-12: 8And Stephen, full of grace and^(A) power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.9Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10But^(B) they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.                       This morning I was reminded of the benefits that come in having a likeness of Jesus, as I read on how Stephen was so full grace and power; and how these two combined signify a fullness of God’s Spirit in the life of a sinner operating to testify Christ’s: dominion, love and righteousness. Ya, that is what Stephen was doing and that lead him to persecution BUT his enemies “could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking”.  I think this is a good goal for us to have as we minister: to be full of Christ so that people cannot withstand but to join or leave. 

Enough said, Echo groups this semester have been loaded with Christ centered teachings leading those who have attended to multiply/increase their amazement of the Father’s love, revealed in Christ. And most certainly have also sowed a growth as a community of believers that have felt free to express their struggles and necessities, all in return to receive loving encouragement and support.

Currently, one lesson that has been speaking to my heart is the pastoral positive reinforcement voiced through the apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus, which he has assisted in planting. In Chapter 3:14-19, he makes sure to communicate how much he holds them dearly, by stating that he prays for them and does so specifically with one request: “that Christ may dwell in their hearts”. His desire is that they “may be filled with the fullness of God” and states that this request only occurs through “strength with power through his Spirit” so that again: “Christ may dwell in their hearts”. This is clearly a picture of the Trinity: Father, Son and Spirit, specifying that all three are in a mission to lead us to comprehend “the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you/we may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Overall, being filled with the Spirit is being loaded with Christ, which means one is full of the Father.