Love of first Note

He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
Ps. 147:4

from the highest of heights to the depths of the sea, creation's revealing Your majesty. from the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring, every creature unique in the song that it sings. All exclaiming... indescribable, uncontainable, You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name. You are amazing God. all powerful, untameable, awestruck we fall to our knees and we humbly proclaim, You are amazing God. who has told every lightning bolt where it should go, or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow? who imagined the sun and gives source to its light, yet conceals it to give us the coolness of night? none can fathom... incomparable, unchangeable, You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same. You are amazing God.
~lyrics by Chris tomlin 'indescribable'

Jesus -
again i'm thrilled to hear Your voice thru song. i praise You for speaking thru Christ Tomlin. may You, Holy Spirit, continue to speak Your words of grace and truth thru him. may You continue to sensitize his heart to hear Your voice - thru the little things. protect him from the evil forces which wage war against his soul. You are indescribable - and yet intimate with me. thanks for making a way for me to connect with You. You're amazing, unchangeable, imcomparable, untameable
thru Your powerful Name, Jesus, Amen

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*Chris *David *Tim

Holiness Connected to Seeing God

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
heb 12:14

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
matt. 5:8

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
2 pet. 3:14

these 3 verses have been swimming around in my mind since last thursday. here are some of the questions which arise from my mind.

• who are peace with God and peace with man connected?


• so with holiness all will see the Lord?


• what is it truly like to see the Lord?


• do we honestly mean what we say when we sing, "open the eyes of my heart, Lord; i want to see You"?

Jesus,
be praised for opening this passion for Your word. it's awesome to hear You speak thru the words on a page of a book. You, Holy Spirit, are alive and active. I pray for my eyes to be opened that i may see You - so i'm praying for holiness. i want others to come to know You - to see You thru their spiritual eyes which You open. may Your grace flood over us, giving us eyes to see You and the power of Your mighty right hand. i pray for a revival in the hearts on those in pickens county and the surrounding areas. may You continue the impressive work You've started. i love You, Dad.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen!

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*Caladie *Victoria *Savannah

Enlightenment to the Eyes of my Heart

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
eph. 1:17-19a

lately i've been struggling with knowing what to do with my life. currently i have a job which pays pretty well, but i'm moving 45 miles from it. so that means i'll be traveling 90 miles a day in order to work 6 hours. another thing, the job doesn't keep me busy all day long so i have some down time, which leads to thoughts to uselessness and boredom. i've been searching for a different job, but nothing has transpired so far. so that's a prayer request.

there are some other issues which i have to deal w/ in the near future and i'm needing some wisdom and knowledge greater than myself. i love how paul, the writer of the above scripture, requests God to offer His Spirit of wisdom and revelation - and that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened so we can know the hope for which we've been called. in a nutshell that has been the prayer of my heart lately too. that i'll be enlightened - that He'll pour upon me the same Spirit of wisdom and knowledge - all so that i may know Him better and the plans He has for me.

Jesus -
my heart is heavy with requests, Friend. but before i beg You for what i think i need, i lay down my cares to You. i'm clinging to Your promises which say You'll never leave me or forsake me. You have perfect plans for me. You desire faithfulness and sacrifice, so i offer all of me for Your use. may this servant be useful for Your purposes. i don't want to be useless anymore. help me to be faithful in the little things. thanks for speaking to me thru my friends and those who care about me. You have an incredible way of supplying all my needs and i praise You for that. thanks for giving so faithful of Yourself. let me bless You in the same way.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen

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*Bill & Maria *Laura

Practicing the Word - Faith in Action

My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.
eze. 33:31-32

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
james 1:22

it's been an interesting couple of days. i've had 2 separate conversations with different people about what am i doing w/ me life. i feel as tho i'm in a holding pattern, waiting to land - marking the start of a new beginning - but the plane just won't get clearance to land. lost in limbo.

and yet at the same time i feel condemnation about not pursuing more ways to express my faith - that God is able to reliquish me from the debt that i owe. that i could attend africa university. that there is a cure for my dissatifaction. that i don't have to reside in a heart that feels nothing - dullness - numbness. i say that i trust God with my life - but then i think about my debt and my faith fails. do i honestly believe that God could ship me off to africa in the spring - without any debt? i wish i could answer yes... and i dont' have to figure out the way that He could do it. my friend, denise is always telling me that i don't have to figure everything out. it's difficult for me - really difficult. i'm a fixer - a technical person. i want to know how things work and why they do what they do. so that my current struggle.

Jesus,
i bare my soul to You. i admit my lack of faith and lay it down on Your altar. i need thee, oh i need thee - every hour i need thee. my heart is filled with ideas - with ways to accomplish getting my debt paid off. so i lay down that too - i want to trust that You can accomplish it without me knowing the way. You own more money that i can imagine and You delight in fulfilling Your people. why am i so quick to write You off - that it can't happen b/c i'm broke? oh God, i want so much to trust You. please help me overcome my unbelief. i can't live w/o You to sustain me and show me the way.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen!

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*the professors at AU *Denise *Ed

Turn and Live!

"But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?"
Eze. 18:21-23

"Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!"
Eze. 18:30-32

admitting that i've not spent much time in ezekiel, i profess that this book is packed full with applicable Truth. i thought ezekiel was only about dry bones. man, was i wrong.

i love the way God is calling us to holy living - to turn from what defiles us. at one point in the book, He asks us to repent of what our hearts lust after, that which is not Godly. [20:24] and He tells us to get a new heart and spirit - the Holy Spirit who leads us into lives which glorify Christ. how incredibly awesome is that! we can have heart transplants by just turning from our sin.

Jesus
how awesome it is to serve You. i praise You for giving me a new heart and a Spirit who leads me into more Truth and righteous living. i love You so much. Jesus, i pray for those who are holding on to their idols, those who are struggling to let go of the lusts of their hearts. may You give them stregth to release their addictions on to You. please give them the power to be freed from whatever is holding them fast to the evil one. let our hearts be set right before You. Spirit, may You open our hearts to receive the love the Father as lavished on us, cleansing us from all unrighteouness by the blood of Jesus. You are power to do miracles, and i am expecting to hear of what You've done. be praised for hearing this prayer. You are good.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen!

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*Casey *Cathy *Parker