East Lake Fellowship

07/27/2021

Invitation to Meet our New Pastor. Greetings from East Lake Fellowship,

Our new Pastor Russell Steel will be preaching his first message this coming Sunday, August 1st at 10:30 AM.

Everyone is invited to come and hear the message and meet Pastor Russell Steel.

Blessings to you!
East Lake Fellowship Church

www.eastlakefellowshipchurch.com

07/06/2021

Members and Friends of East Lake Fellowship,

Sunday, July 11th, a special meeting has been called to vote for a new Pastor.

The Meeting will be "called to order" following the morning worship service. Hope to see you Sunday!

Blessings

12/26/2020

If you are missing someone this Christmas this song is dedicated to you.

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12/20/2020

At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but there’s so much more to the story. As we enter the last week of Advent, assess how you’ve been responding to Christ this season. Are you experiencing peacefulness, fear, excitement, anger, hatred, joy?

Allow this final Advent devotional from Will Graham’s book In the Presence of the King permeate your heart and center your thoughts on the Savior.

This the final week of the 4-part Advent devotional series.

“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
—Matthew 2:11, NKJV

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-2, 9-12

Who were these foreign visitors that arrived at the steps of Herod’s palace? We know very little. They’re often referred to as wise men, or magi, or even kings.

We do know that they were from “the East,” which encompasses so much territory that it’s hard to pinpoint an exact location. While there are many fascinating theories about these mysterious ambassadors, their origination, and their motivation, we can assume that they were well-educated, upper class, and likely not Jewish.

In short, one would not expect rich men of status to travel across the vast expanse of the Middle East to track down a baby in Judah. Perhaps they had studied the ancient texts of the prophets, which pointed to the coming Messiah, who was to be born of David’s line in the small town of Bethlehem. Still, their interest in this Jewish baby was not just intellectually or curiosity-driven. No, they had “come to worship Him.”

Unlike Mary and the shepherds, who were shaken from their everyday lives by a sudden jolt of a heavenly presence, the wise men were able to methodically take their time. They recognized a star in the sky that was leading them on to the Christ child, and they followed it until they found the Boy.

How did they respond at the end of their journey, as this pivotal moment came to fruition? “They rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.”

Imagine the look on the faces of Mary, the teenage mother, and Joseph, the carpenter, when these exotic visitors entered, knelt in worship, and then presented gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These were gifts of great value, befitting a king.

As if a visit from the angels wasn’t enough, now foreign dignitaries were entering their humble home. Not only had the heavenly realms proclaimed the arrival of the Savior, but earthly kingdoms were recognizing the importance of this moment as well.

In the coming days, you’ll likely be surrounded by family and friends. Hopefully many of them will know Jesus intimately, but others may be like the wise men. They may be coming from a place far away—not physically, but spiritually. They may know of Jesus, but have never met Him personally. I would encourage you to look for opportunities to share the hope of Christ with them. Like the wise men, Jesus may be exactly what they’re looking for, and—once they’ve found Him—they too can “rejoice with exceedingly great joy!”

Discussion Questions: What things bring you the most joy? The wise men brought gifts to Jesus. How are you using your gifts to bring glory to Him?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I praise You, my Savior. You humbled Yourself and came to earth to save broken sinners like us, leaving Your heavenly throne. You are worthy of our worship and adoration. Help me to live a life worthy of Your sacrifice. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The greatest gift this season can’t be wrapped in colorful paper. It is the gift of eternal life only Jesus can offer. Experience His love for you.

12/13/2020

This Christmas, Will Graham is taking a look at how people in the Bible responded to the birth of Jesus. This devotional is taken from his book, In the Presence of the King.


ADVENT: This is week 3. Read week 2.

“‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’ When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”
—Matthew 2:2-3, NKJV

Scripture: Matthew 2:3-8

While the birth of Jesus brought joy and peace to Mary and the shepherds, it was a worst case scenario for King Herod. Through extensive alliances, gamesmanship and innovation, Herod had a generally successful reign as king, but he was near the end of his life and had grown paranoid, jealous, angry and unhinged.

He was so desperate to maintain his throne that he murdered anyone he deemed a threat, especially his own family. He is said to have killed his beloved wife Mariamne and her two sons, as well as her brother, mother and grandfather, before finally murdering his own firstborn son Antipater.

Given this, it’s no wonder that Herod became terrified when wise men from the East arrived in Jerusalem asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?”

I can imagine Herod forcing a strained smile onto his face as he spoke with the magi. “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also,” he lied, trying to cover the hatred and dread boiling up within him.

He probably waved a friendly goodbye to the wise men before excusing himself to a back room where his temper exploded. I picture him throwing priceless vases and tearing his clothes, ripping tapestries off the wall and turning over tables. Eventually, he collapsed onto his throne, breathing heavily, staring at nothing in particular. “How can this be? I’m the king! No one—no one—will take my throne! He will die first!”

All he had to do was wait on the foreigners to find the baby and report back to him. Then, he would take care of this issue before the boy was even old enough to crawl.

We know the emotions that Herod was feeling, but we’re also told in this passage that all of Jerusalem was troubled as well. They knew enough about Herod to understand that he would spill innocent blood trying to protect his throne.

That’s exactly what happened, of course. After the wise men were warned about Herod and slipped out of Jerusalem without returning to him, the king devised an evil, murderous plot. In a last attempt to stave off this potential insurrection, he massacred all boys two years old and under in and around Bethlehem. Many innocent children died, many families were left broken and devastated, because of the actions of King Herod.

Christ’s arrival troubled Herod greatly, to the point of violence, because it meant a shift of power. He was used to having all authority and things a certain way. He was aggressively protective of his rule and kingdom. But the birth of Jesus—the King of the Jews—meant that he might lose those things he held dear.

In Herod’s mind, there was only room for one king on the throne, and he was not about to share it. The truth is, Herod was absolutely right! There is only room for one King on the throne, but Herod was not that king. Jesus is the King!

This year, what is sitting on the throne of your heart? What things are you elevating above Jesus in your life? Perhaps it’s your job, your relationships, your hobbies, or your vices? Maybe you’re living in a way that you know is not pleasing to Him? Don’t make the same mistake as Herod. Recognize that Christ is King and surrender all control of your life over to Him today.

Discussion Questions: Whether intentionally or accidentally, would you say that you prioritize the material celebration of Christmas (the gifts, parties and decorations) or the spiritual celebration of Christmas (focusing on Jesus’ birth)? In your daily life, what items do you elevate above your faith, and how can you reorder your priorities this Advent season?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, forgive me for not giving You complete control of my life. Help me to turn from the things that hinder my faith and walk fully surrendered in Your light. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

Ready to focus fully on Jesus? Decide to put Him on the throne of your heart today.

12/06/2020

Advent means “arrival,” referring to the arrival of Christ into the world more than 2,000 years ago. As we near Christmas, we’re reflecting on how certain people in the Bible responded to the birth of the Messiah, with passages taken from Will Graham’s book, In the Presence of the King. Each week includes a couple of questions and a prayer as you consider your own response to Jesus Christ.
This is week 2. Read week 1.
“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’”
—Luke 2:10-12, NKJV
Scripture: Luke 2:8-18
Imagine you are a shepherd in ancient Israel: Your job is mundane, dirty, and maybe even a little frightening. You’re out in the wilderness, away from town, and the only light you see at night comes from the fire around which you are huddled and the moon hanging overhead. With that small field of vision, you’re supposed to not only keep track of your sheep, but also protect them from attack.
Suddenly, a supernatural brightness—“the glory of the Lord”—blinds your eyes, and there’s somebody there, unlike anything you’ve seen before. Perhaps you immediately realize that it’s the angel of the Lord, or maybe you are so consumed with confusion that it takes a minute to sink in that this being is from the heavenly realm. Either way, you’re so awe-struck that the angel’s first words are, “Do not be afraid.”
“Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
I wonder if the shepherds collapsed to the ground during this overwhelming experience. We know they felt fear, of course, but imagine the flood of emotions as they begin to realize that the angel of the Lord is proclaiming the news of the arrival of the Messiah!
What is the Messiah? The One promised since Genesis 3, who would come and rescue all of mankind. For the Jewish people, this is the One they had been longing for. And the shepherds are some of the first to hear of His arrival.
If the knees of the shepherds hadn’t buckled by that point, you can be sure that they did when suddenly the skies lit up and one angel became “a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’”
It’s no surprise that they immediately ran to find the Child in the manger, and returned passionately glorifying and praising God!
Fear, confusion, awe, joy—the shepherds experienced the gamut of emotions that historic night.
How about you? As you read this passage, are you still filled with awe? Do you empathize with the confusion and fear? Can you feel their joy? If not, re-read Luke 2 and try to envision it from the shepherd’s perspective once again, and pray that the Holy Spirit will fill you with His joy this Christmas season.
Discussion Questions: As you contemplate Christmas, what are some ways that Jesus’ birth brings you joy? How is your life different today because of that pivotal moment in Bethlehem?
Prayer: Dear God, This Christmas season, help me to focus on the incredible heavenly appearing of Jesus in this world, and what that has meant for all of mankind. Renew my passion for You. Rekindle in me the joy of my salvation! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Jesus came to save the world from the grip of sin. But first you must ask Him to forgive your sins and be part of your life. You can do that right now.

10/20/2020

·
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding the attacks on Sept, 11, hurricanes and earthquakes. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?" In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school .... the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't s***k our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed su***de - [meant Grandson]). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW." Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing? Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they WILL think, of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.
God bless you as you share it with friends. No Nation or people can ever survive or succeed without Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏

10/15/2020

Distribution of ShoeBoxes ALL Over the world.

10/15/2020

Dear Friends,
Each shoebox you pack helps a local church around the world tell a child about Jesus, God’s Greatest Gift. Many of them will grow in their faith and learn how to tell friends and family about Him through our discipleship program called The Greatest Journey.
In a new initiative, we are going island to island in the Pacific to take the Gospel to a half a million children over the next few years, as part of our commitment to “proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15, ESV).
In sending the Gospel to the ends of the earth, we are also sharing God’s Word with dozens of unreached people groups and going to hard-to-reach places to make His Name known.
This has resulted in more than 2 million children making decisions for Christ and over 1,000 churches being started in one year! For example, there’s now a church in a remote village in Namibia among the Himba unreached people group.
“Before we had never heard of Jesus,” said Pastor Kuyelia, leader of the new church. “Now, we have abandoned witch doctors and seek God alone in prayer and worship.”
We’re thankful for all those who have faithfully prayed for Operation Christmas Child, a Samaritan’s Purse project. You can join us in packing shoeboxes so that more children in the remote corners of the world can hear the Good News of the Gospel. May God bless you.
samaritanspurse.org/occ
www.eastlakefellowshipchurch.com”

do the will of God, have fellowship with Him through prayer, studying our bibles, having a love relationship with Him above all others, loving others

10/13/2020

I do believe! 🙏🏼❤️😊
Something to ponder… and something I believe. Keep in mind... The anti christ comes before the rapture.I have studied the Bible a lot in my life, in many different forms and it really does always come down to this. I have been hearing about the second coming of Christ and the events unfolding since I was a kid. The "Mark of the Beast", microchips, no cash/just plastic, Marshall Law, TOTAL Government dependency/control. When we are raising a family, working long hours, some two jobs, lots of things go unnoticed or just get ignored.
No one can comprehend how bad it will be till it is. We have NEVER been told to stay home, quit work and rely on the Government. WE are seeing a lot of "firsts" since January. Can our minds and bodies handle what's coming?
Not without God - I wonder what doctor they will have on the news explaining the rapture and the disappearance of so many people? I won’t be here for it but it’s just a thought.
While the devil is preparing people for the Anti Christ, God is preparing people for the Rapture. I don’t know when the rapture will take place but I do believe it could be soon. And I KNOW that I won’t be left behind when that trumpet sounds!
I also believe right now that God is giving us a chance to repent. We need to get the Gospel message out!!! Until the Good Lord calls me away from this world to go home, I want to make it clear that I believe in Jesus Christ as the one and only True Lord and Savior. Despite the fact that I am human, and I fail a lot, I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that He came as a baby, I believe that He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins and that He rose from the dead on the third day and He is in Heaven preparing a place for all those who believe and trust Him as their Savior. He loves us all dearly (far more than we deserve) and forgives our sins when we repent. His Word says John 3:16 "whosoever believeth in Me , shall not perish but have ever lasting life.”
The Bible also says Matthew 10:33 "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which art in heaven”.