The Way of Life and The Way of Death

"Furthermore, tell the people, 'This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death. Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; he will escape with his life.'"
Jer. 21:8-9

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Matt. 10:24-26

Jeremiah had think that God was out of His mind - surrender the Babylonians and live? that must have seems like an oxy-moron. but we know the whole picture. we know that nehemiah and esther had their roles fulfilled after this fall of Jerusalem. we know that the Israelites were taken care of, all their needs met and they were given supplies, workers and livestock for the re-building of the Temple. God didn't leave or forsake them. He simply allowed them to be disciplined for their stubbornness and then restored to their homeland. they had an option to choose life or death.

and nearly a thousand years later Jesus offers the same message. choose Me and live abuntantly, choose your own way and live in eternal damnation. again God has given us a choice. He has set up a way for us to be united with Him without fear and shame. He has given us Jesus in exchange for our condemnation. we have a way to enter into eternal life thru a relationship with Jesus Christ = the One who loves us so much that He gave His life as randsom for ours. He laid down His life - it's time that we do the same for Him.

Jesus,
it is an honor to be in a relationship with You. i praise You for openning a way for me to access You. because of what You've done on the cross i have hope for the future. You've promised an eternal friendship - to always be near. thanks for the love You've poured over my life. i want to bless You for it.
in Jesus Name ~ Amen!

---

*Ruth *Juanita *Roxanne

Beyond Cure

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Jer. 19:9

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Ps. 139:23

'Follow your heart.' ever really thought about that statement in light of God's word? that old cliche` seems to be a negative thing to say to someone who is searching for answers. 'go and pursuit deceit and a wayward life-style.' isn't that what we are actually saying? just a thought.

i love the way David gives God an open invitation to search his heart and to test him. seems pretty risky to me - allowing God to test me. but that is also a sign of my lack of trust, and David's astounding trust in the One who matters most.

or maybe David is tired of his deceitful heart and he's saying, 'God, clean me out. refine me in your fire because i can't stand these impurities in my life any longer. i want to be be clean.' in any case, i want to be cleaned out from the deceit which lurks in my heart. i want to put on the full armor so that i can battle in the Lord's army.

Jesus,
at the fall of adam and eve, sometimes changed in our hearts. our eyes have been opened to the sin and wreckedness of our being. and now Jesus, You've come to earth to heal those symptom of this disease. please come into my heart and clean me out. refine me in Your fire so that i can be rid of these impurities. i love You and desire to do what pleases You, instead of what pleases me. please give me the strength and power to do Your will. Holy Spirit, i pray for You to fill me with the same power which raised Jesus for the dead, which seated Him on the throne. may i be a servant of the King. let this heart hear Your voice, respond with enthusiasm and endurance. as i draw near to You, i rejoice that You've given me the strength and wisdom to follow You. You are my Dad.
in Jesus Name~ Amen

---

*Audrey *Casey *Hope

Bearing His Name

Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? You are among us, O Lord, and we bear your name; do not forsake us!
Jer. 14:9

When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.
Jer. 15:16

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
John 14:13

for me, i have very little 'pride' in bearing the name my parents gave me. with a last name of 'gartamaker', how can i be proud? lol. but as a follower of Jesus Christ, i am honored to be called a Christian - a follower of Christ. i bear His name through circumcision of heart by the blood of Christ and santifying work of the Holy Spirit. [Deut. 30:6, Rom. 2:29]

Jesus allows me another 'benefit' to being called by His name. He's entrusted me to ask for whatever i may in His name, and He act. that 'benefit' has always amazed me. how i, a person on earth, can aske the God of the universe to act on my behalf, and He does it. just have to love friendships - especially depending on your Friend to get the job done.

hey Jesus,
what's going on? just at work, getting my day started. thanks, Man, for allowing me to be friends with You. it's awesome how i can depend on You to do more than i could ever ask for. it's a real blessing to know You. so i want to bless You in the same way, but i can't without Your help. please guide me to say the right words, to be compassionate, to be loving and kind to tho around me. please let Your light shine in my heart, through my work and attitude. Spirit, please help me to be sensitive to Your voice and Your promptings. i wanna please You. thanks for hanging out with me today. i love You.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen

---

*Susan *Steven *Fenise

"Return, faithless people," declares the Lord, "for I am your husband. I will choose you-one from a town and two from a clan-and bring you to Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding."
Jer. 3:14,15

No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.
Jer. 3:17b

it amazes me that God continues to draw us back to Himself even tho we are a wayward people. continually we turn our backs to him and not our faces. [Jer. 2:27]i'm preaching to myself here. He lovingly refers to Himself as our husband and we are His bride. that is so intimate. being a single person, it is difficult to understand the relationship between husbands and wives, partly because so many of the marriages around me seem to be falling apart. they don't seem to be thriving and basking in the love of each other. perhaps that is just my understanding because i don't know how a marriage is supposed to be. so God as my husband is something i'm learning- a relationship which is perfect, completing, fulfilling, encouraging, uplifting, comforting, supporting, loving...

Jesus,
i praise You for being so loving and caring. thanks for coming near to be even though You know i will at times fall into the pit of sin. thanks for extending Your arm of forgiveness to me when i need to be draw back into Your loving embrace. Jesus, i want to be a bride who is faithful, who lavishes my love on You, who stick with You thru the thick and thin of life. and i want You to teach me how You are my husband. i want to give You my love, to be whole devoted to You. You are my Lover and my Friend, my Comforter and my Counselor. let me be a blessing to You, Jesus. i want to love You with everything in me. i want to be the kind of person who upon hearing Your voice am filled with joy. the type of person who goes out of my way to make Your day a little better. my heart overflows with love for You, Jesus. thanks for calling me into Your family.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen

---

*Jenni *Ashton *Jacob

The Word That Sustains The Weary

The sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. The sovereign Lord has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back.
Is. 50:4-5

last night i went with some friends to 7:22. as always God used that service to draw my heart closer to His. the worship leader last night was Matt Redman, and Louie Giglio presented the message. Matt is the guy who's written a few of my favorite worship songs like 'let my words be few' and 'blessed be Your name'. the man has passion for Jesus.

the songs and message were about blessing God, because we've already been blessed with more than we could ever imagine. so i'm looking forward to attending the next to services of 7:22 to see what else Louie has to say about prayer and communicating with the God of the universe.

so, tying in the verses from the top of this post, i've been feeling drawn to God thru His Word lately, and i'm very curious to know more about His sovereignty. it is amazing how His Word can speak words of encouragement to a weary soul. His words are life, are food for the hungry, freedom for the captives, and thought for the intelligent. He softs hard hards thru them and discourages the plans of the wicked. and faith comes from hearing His Word [Rom 10:17]. i feel like Isaiah in that His Word is on my mind when i wake in the morning and when i lie down to sleep. is it my consuming passion.

Jesus,
i praise You for who You are. i love the way You love me. i want to be a blessing to You, Father. use me to witness for You. let Your light shine thru me. i love You.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen!

---

*Ed * Susan *Zach

Wearying Ourselves for Him

"Yet you have not called upon me, O Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me, O Israel. You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings nor wearied you with demands for incense. You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me, or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses."
Is. 43:22-24

in all my reading in isaiah, i've never before noticed this statement. that God desires us to weary ourselves for Him. that blows my safe and easy thoughts of Christianity out of the water. He expects us to get out hands dirty, to get in the world and serve those whom He desires to serve: to sacrifice for Him...[there's a word we don't want to talk about!]

or when is the last time i 'lavished' anything on God? when have i gone out of my way to worship Him - when has it been intimate - between He and i in the presence of ourselves - no one else around to distract us? too long ago. that's a love affair with the Savior - like rubbing lotion on someone. that is lavishing my love on Him - giving Him my undivided attention - and my strength and my thoughts. pursuing Him in the most intimate way. this is actually really beyond me, but i can only imagine this is how He desires us to worship Him.

Jesus,
i lay down my heart to before Your royal throne. i desire to worship You with everything i have. i want to be intimate with You - letting you know me and i know You. i want to weary myself so that You may be pleased. i want to give You my sacrifices with a joyfulness that trascends understanding. i want to offer to You my heart - the very breath of my lungs and my mind which seems to think too much. i love You, Jesus, and i want to be Your servant. i desire to love You with my whole heart. let me please You, God. thanks for carrying my heavy burden and for rejoicing over my with songs of deliverance. it is for Your glory that i live. let Your truth rule in my heart, keeping me on the straight and narrow. keep my heart from deceit and lies, my hands from stealing and my eyes from desiring what the world has to offer. i know You are the only One who satisfies complete. i give You my all.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen

---

*Cory *Juanita*Stacy

Desires of my Heart

Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.
Is. 26:8-9

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD ; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Ps. 84:2

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Ps. 37:4

i'd like to think that all my heart desired is God, but i know that is not the case. i still run after selfish gain far too often. my heart gets sidetracked with the 'wonders' of the world. the pleasures of the world look so appealling and the ways of the Lord can seem so demanding. but giving into those pleasures do not bring about the righteous life my Father desires. most of the time they leave me empty and alone, wishing to be filled with something which can satisfy. so again i'm drawn back into His resting place, His sanctuary, His hospital for the hurting. and there my heart is satisfied, my wounds healed and my heart complete. it is then that i realize that He is my heart's desire. it is His name and renown that i desires more the silver or gold. He is my Satisfy-er!

Jesus,
i enter into Your presence knowing that You love sacrifices, especially broken spirits. i love the way You mend the hearts of those who humble themselves in Your sight. You give grace to all, not showing favortism or partiality. and Your grace is sufficient to heal all the hurts, bitterness and longings. You know my heart's desire, God, and i want it to be You. i long for You and for Your presence to be made known among the peoples of earth. let us be filled with Your glory. fill our longings, and our emptiness with Your holiness and kindness. we long for You, yearn for You, are dying without Your satisfaction.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen!

---

*Eden * Topher *Andy

Passion for Salvation

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
Is. 12:2

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.
Ps. 29:11

if i truly believe that God is my salvation, why should i fear anything? salvation is eternal... we are carnal. if i truly believe that the most important thing in this life is preparing people for the next life which last forever, why do i fear telling others about Jesus? why do i fear taking risks for the sake of others? their lives are dependent upon knowing Jesus and the salvation which comes through Him. guess i've just been very burdened for the lost lately, and it's motivating me to be more adament about telling others of Jesus.

i've been good at telling those whom are already involved in church about Jesus...that's safe. and honestly i don't have much contact with anyone who doesn't believe. there are two guys whom i work with that are not believers, but i only see them for about 2 minutes a week (literally). sad that i am not more out in the world trying to reach others with the Good News of Jesus Christ. so i'm fired up about intentionally meeting others with the sole purpose of telling them of Jesus. this changing churches has been phenomenal for me. can barely wait to see where He's going to lead me.

Jesus,
i trust You. i know that You've opened my eyes and my heart to Your salvation and i praise You for that. thanks for giving me the grace to fall into Your embrace. i love You with my whole heart. this burden for the lost comes from You and i love that. i want to be broken with the things which break Your heart. don't let me remain complacent any longer. i want to share You with others. please guide me into places where Your name can be mentioned. use me for Your glory. i want to take risk for You. i want to lead others closer to You. may You prepare these people to receive You. may You soften their hearts so they can fall on Your grace also. may You release captives from the chains of sin, and give them hope. let them see You and know that love You have for them. may You open my mouth to speak Your name with boldness and with love.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen!

---

*Michelle *Parker *Derrick

Walking in the Light

Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Is. 2:3, 5

I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."
Ps. 122:1

in the past i've mentioned that i love the illustrations where God is mentioned as light. this is another reference to that. walking in God's presence...ever experienced that before? or driving in your car and you know that God is among you? or at work or school and just knew that You weren't alone? i love those times. i love it when the presence of God is so real that it almost feels like you can touch Him, or hold His hand, or speak a dialogue with Him.

"come, let's go..." isn't that a great invitation? it's intimate, said from one friend to another, not strangers. and the reason to come along is to learn from God Himself. what a great reason to enter the Sanctuary! and learning isn't the only reason, but so that our lives can be changed, so we can walk upright lives - live righteously.

there is a lot more that could be said about these verses, but i need to wrap things up and get to work.

Holy Jesus,
be praised for inviting me with come and learn from You. i praise You for convicting me of my wrong-doings and for turning me toward You. i love entering Your presence. thanks for revealing Yourself to me. may i be bold in my asking others to join me in Your glorious presence. may You equip me to speak Your truth in love. let the Your light shine around me, illuminating my path and leading me to those who need to hear of Your love and truth.
In Jesus' Name ~ Amen!

---

*Jasemine *Brandon *Cindy

Let Your Words Be Few

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
Ecc. 5:1-2

my words are seldom "few". i'm a talker. i enjoy conversation... on the other side, silence can be excruciating to me. like when someone is upset with me but refuses to tell me what is on their mind and heart. that doesn't sit well with me. just get it off your chest and move on - that's my philosophy.

i've been getting into the song, 'let your words be few' by the passion band. some of the lyrics are: 'i'll stand in awe of You,' 'Jesus, i am so in love with You.' that songs moves my heart to worship in spirit and truth. and sometimes i just need to shut up and worship - to listen to what the Master of the universe is telling me. He desires more of me than i can read about. He wants my heart, my mind, my will, my anxious and joyful thoughts, my desires. He wants to fulfill my every longing, my deepest desires. He wants all of me, even the parts which i want to get rid of.

so i'm learning to stand in awe of Him. learning to quiet my busy mind and find His hiding place. learning to be still and know that He is God. learning to listen with my heart. and after hearing from Him, to act accordingly. this is my hope - to be a faithful servant of my Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus,
You are God in heaven and i am here on earth. so i stand in awe of You, with my mouth shut and my ears open. speak to me for Your child is listening. You are my King, my God, my Lord. i love You. i desires to cling to You, to obey You, to be submissive to You. i want to be Your pure and blameless bride. You are my groom. thanks for calling me to live with You. thanks for giving me grace to know and desire You more. i love You so much.
In Jesus' Name - Amen!

---

*Parker *Allison *Stacy