Closeness of God

"Am I only a God nearby," declares the LORD , "and not a God far away?"
jer.23:23

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
psalm 139:7-10

rob bell. have any of you ever heard rob bell give a message? click here to listen. i enjoy his preaching style. i've seen him give 2 messages, and both times i left pondering what he had said.

so i was listening to the message about Teenage Liberation. and my thots drifted to thinking, 'where is God?', 'if God is present, why is all this misery happening?', 'how powerful is He?', etc. good questions... and He will answer all my questions (and He is the only One who gets me).

Jesus,
You are above all things - You are involved in history. You desire to be active in our lives - communicating Your heart to us. You are blessed above all.
tho i have many questions, You calm my cares and allow me to rest in You. You take me by the hand and sing Your love over me. then i'm changed - my fears are calmed and my heart is at peace. that comes only from You. You fill the hungry with good things. I am hungry for more of You.
in Your name - Amen

Unified Effort

I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
John 17:23

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Eph. 4:11-13

For the last two weekends i've been volunteering my time and effort with hundreds of middle and high schoolers at a camp in the north GA mountains. the purpose for the camp is to offer a place to experience God, and to develop and mature our faith. (as i typed the statement 'and to develop and mature our faith', i thot... 'this camp is not about us - it's about God and extolling His glory.' it's really not about us and our growth, but completely about He and His worthiness!)

and about unity...the staff volunteers rock! God has done an incredible thing thru these people. it's wonderful to work with others for a common goal - and do it without complaining and arguing. our hearts are unified and are spirits are melded together. we are all of one Head, one Spirit, one Purpose. and we are all at the camp to know that Christ loves us and that He desires to be in a thriving relationship with us. (my favorite word right now is 'thriving'.)

Jesus,
You amazing me. there is nothing boring about You. from the way You meld together minds to the way You warm hearts with Your love - nothing is boring or dull. thanks for allowing me to be part of Your purpose. it is amazing to me how You move thru Your people - those You've called by name.

i praise You for what you've begun anew with this generation. You've not forgotten us or abandon us. You're alive and active in our lives - more so than i've seen before. You've captured my heart with Your love, and now i see clearly. Your people still are able to display Your glory. You've shone Your light thru us, and now we see You more clearly. i could love You so many times!

may You continue to reveal Yourself thru Your people. Holy Spirit, may You equip us to continue to tell others of Your love. may You continue to let Your light shine thru those You've touched. ~ Amen.

Being Real With Myself

John Wesley asked these questions to him self everyday...
1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I'm better ......than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass on what was told to me in confidence?

4. Can I be trusted?

5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?

6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying or self justifying?

7. Did the Bible live in me today?

8. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?

9. Am I enjoying prayer?

10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?

11. Do I pray about the money I spend?

12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

13. Do I disobey God in anything?

14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

17. How do I spend my spare time?

18. Am I proud?

19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees ......who despised the publican?

20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what I am doing about it?

21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?

22. Is Christ real to me?

so i'm gonna try to ask myself a few of these questions a day...

That What is Devoted Cannot be Redeemed

But nothing that a man owns and devotes to the Lord -whether man or animal or family land-may be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the Lord.
Lev. 27:28

last night before falling to sleep i opened my Bible to chapter 27 of Leviticus. there are some very 'interesting' teachings in Leviticus. anyway, this one verse caught my attention.

my thoughts jumped to 'once saved always saved' theory. just a thought: when someone devotes himself to the Lord - He becomes most holy and cannot be bought back. now i realze this verse is speaking of possessions, but are our lives not possessions? slaves certainly become possessions.

now i am not sure what i believe about 'once saved, always saved', but i do know that when i devoted myself to the Lord, it was a serious commitment. my life has been changed forever. and Jesus is to blame.

Jesus,
thanks for entering into my life. You've changed me from the inside and out. i don't want to try to redeem myself from You. i know that i am lost in You, and You are found in me. thanks for residing in my inmost being. thanks for making my holy thru Your sanctification. although process is not easy, i am grateful You've chosen me. my love for You is great. thanks for always being faithful.
in Your precious Name, Jesus ~ Amen

---

*Kathryn *Savannah *Iraq Elections

Worldly Traditions Vs. Commands of God

"He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
Mark 7:8

since traffic was flowing like a beaut this morning, i got to work 30 minutes early. and it was a God thing that i 'happened' to have a Bible in the back seat of my car. and on the way to work this morning i was challenged by, Leo Giovinetti to read my Bible for 1 hour a day for a week and see what changes happen within me. so for about 30 minutes i read.

and i came across these verses in Mark about the Pharisees and teachers of the law. these men were entrusted to teach the holy commands of God to those whom would follow. the Torah was their law. and they were obviously misguiding souls, because of their misconception of Scripture.

so i'm praying and asking my Father to search me and know me, and show me where i'm misguiding others. what 'traditions' have come into my life where i am not living the Truth? what has been passed onto me, which i've accepted as Truth, but is all a lie? whom has God entrusted to me to teach His holy commands? oh so many questions...

Jesus,
it amazes me how You can open up the Scripture each time i read Your Word. thanks for moving me closer to You. i pray with the psalmist, 'O Lord, search me, test me, and lead me in Your righteousness.' may You be my guide, my counselor, and the author and perfector of my faith. let Your light shine within me. and more than that, let us be led closer to You.
For and thru Jesus' Name ~ Amen.

---

*Tricia *Bret *Fran

In the Know

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Mark 4:33-34

i love the way mark describes certain situations. he says that when Jesus was alone with His disciples, He explained everything. how incredibly awesome is that that? he didn't keep the Truth hidden, or have the disciples try to decipher it for themselves. He explained it. simple as that.

i feel that sometimes i struggle to understand the Truth. i go to the Scripture for knowledge and wisdom, but none seems to come. maybe because i don't go to the Teacher first. i go to the book, and search with my own strength and understanding, instead of going to the person Jesus, and waiting to hear from Him. there is a relationship which i sometimes ignore. Jesus is still alive and He longs to speak directly to me. He tries to get me to listen to His instructions, tho sometimes i'm too A.D.D. to sit still and pay attention. There's a song in Sister Act II which has these lyrics, "If you want to be somebody, if you want to go somewhere, you got to wake up and pay attention." there's a great deal of wisdom in those simple words.

Hey Friend,
You are the greatest Teacher of all times. You spend time with Your disciples, and desire for them to come to You with their questions. so i come before You with open ears and a calm spirit, waiting to hear an answer from You. forgive me for seeking the book, without expecting You to say something directly to me. our relationship does matter to me. and i love times spent in Your presence. You have an incredible way of drawing me close to You.
may You continue to explain everything to Your disciples as they come to You for answers to the questions in their hearts. have us pay attention and expect to hear a new Word from You, the Word become flesh. thanks for revealing Yourself to me.
thru the power of Jesus' Name ~ Amen

---

*Marty *Scott *my mom

A Time to Take Refuge

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
Ps. 57:1

my heart breaks for all these people who were and continue to be affected by the tsunami and earthquake. i believe the death toll now is about 65,000 ...(updated: now 80,427 have been confirmed dead as of 10:35 am 12/29/04). the fear of disease taking more lives than what has already been reported is weighing heavy on peoples minds. 3 days after the devastation, and dead bodies are still decomposing in the streets and on the beaches. there are not enough people alive in the affected areas to bury those who have been killed.

most of me wishes i could be there, helping in some way. part of me is glad i'm here in america where it seems safe and comfortable. but all of me is crying out to my heavenly Father - for mercy and grace. even in the midst of devastation as great as this one, He still reigns on high. He's present with them there, providing their needs which He knows. and He hears my prayers. that is why i pray.

Powerful Jesus,
i continue to lift to You the people affected by this disaster. may You use this opportunity to draw these broken people back to Yourself. Spirit, i know that You are moving in a mighty way to mend the hurting. i lift up those carrying Your good news - may You equip them with power to speak boldly of Your truth and to resound with Your love thru their actions. thanks for the outpouring of help from various nations willing to provide financial support. tho i don't know why this happened, You do and are using it for Your grand plan. Your power is great, and armed with mighty strength.
in Your holy Name, Jesus, Amen

a mighty fortress is our God

the Spirit and the gifts are ours,
thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.

---

*The Red Cross *steve and nopaluck *tam

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Josh. 1:8

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
Ps. 119:97

Life has been kinda crazy lately - running here and there, getting Christmas cards together, adjusting to a new cat, etc. the list could go on and on. and because i've been busy with all those activities, i've not had much time with Jesus. His word hasn't been my first thot in the morning or my last thot at night; all day long i've not meditated on it. and i'm feeling the effects.

the gartahotze's have been trying to get their lives together, but it seems to be a losing battle. and yet God has a way of reigning down His sovereignty in the midst of the havoc. 1st, i got a speeding ticket, and discovered that i needed to rely on His grace to get me thru. 2nd, denise's computer started acting up - not booting up - and she thot that she may have lost all her documents (but it kinda fixed itself after a visit to the computer clinic). and 3rd, steven told us last night that his Palm ran low on battery power, which means that the memory and all its info was reset to factory settings. even tho technology is so great and fabulous, it certainly doesn't compare to the power of Jesus Christ!

Jesus,
i know that You're presence with me and in me. thanks, Holy Spirit, for abiding in me, and for having me abide in the Father. it's amazing how Your grace works. and now that You've gotten my attention, i lay down my ways and agenda, and profess my reliance on You. You are the true source of power and strength for today. i love You. thanks for drawing me back.
in Jesus Name

---

*Derek *Ashley *Tom

Peace: Where Is It?

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace.
mic. 4:5,6

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.
eph. 2:14

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
is. 9:6

i've started something new - i've been studying different qualities of Christ, and examining myself to see if these same qualities are evident in my daily life. the current quality i'm studying is peace.

i'm working on being content while being patient. too often i am not at peace b/c of the busyness of my life. and when i have free time, i'm rushed to get other things accomplished. i'm a do-er and it's irritating and boring to just sit and be still. but i've found that stillness before my Christ is what brings abundant peace. and i'm slowing learning that He is my peace, even in the midst of storms and raging seas, too.

those are difficult lessons to learn. this quality may have to be studied for a very long time.

my Prince of Peace,
i come to You as one filled with busyness. i need You to be my peace. may my quietness before You be an avenue for which You can penetrate my life with Your being. i want to abide in You richly, and let Your word dwell in me. speak to me, Jesus, and open my ears and brain to new understandings of Your peace. i love You and desire to do Your will. may You reveal more of Yourself to me thru this advent season.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen

---

*Derrick *Oliver *Sheila

Truth Thru Predictions

"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay."
Matt. 28:6

"When all this comes true-and it surely will-then they will know that a prophet has been among them."
Ez. 33:33

"But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true."
Jer. 28:9

in today's society i don't hear many predictions, perhaps because i don't read the star or enquirer. (lol) and the predictions that i hear, i tend not to believe. so i am as guilty as those folks listed in the Bible who slain the prophets and denied their predictions.

1000's of people didn't believe Jesus. they took him as a blasphemous liar, not a great prophet sent from yahweh. but Jesus predicted the temple be distructed and then reconstructed in 3 days. He fulfilled many of the prophecies of old. His very life was a fulfillment of a prediction made 1000's of years before His arrival upon the earth. that in itself is proof the He is the Son of God most high.

Jesus,
as the advent season is upon us, i praise You for coming to earth to accomplish a task Your Father asked You to perform. and since You accomplished the mission, my life is changed. You've given me a gift of eternal life by simply calling on Your Name and trusting that You are who You say You are. You're not a fake. Your predictions came true, and the temple was rebuilt in 3 days. how great You are, and most worthy to receive all my praise and worship. i love You. thanks for Your gift of eternal life. may the joy i know spill out of my life - witnessing to others that You are my King and my God.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen

---

*Skylar *Jaden *Tom

solitude?

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
mark 1:35

is it really solitude when you hide away to be with Jesus?

Connection between mercy and forgiveness

"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed." "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
matt. 18:32-35

this passage brings new light to the importance of forgiveness. how many of us want to be 'tortured until we pay back all we owe'? i have some clue about how much i owe, and there is no way i could repay Christ (or my debtors) for all that owe. i would be in eternal torment.

and yet there are times when i know i am to forgive others, and i choose not to. i am the same person as this unmerciful servant. i choose to hold a grudge, talk poorly against others who have offended me, etc. the list could continue on and on. and yet Jesus' words say that i will be treated the same unless i forgive from my heart. i think the key is from the heart. my mouth can say the simple words, 'i'm sorry', but my heart doesn't always get that memo. too often i harbor negative thoughts of others, and share that 'anger/hatred' with others.

oh Jesus,
please forgive my hard heart. You've forgiven me in a greater way than i could ever repay, and my 'thanks' is holding accounts against others. love holds no records of wrong --that's a tough one, Jesus. i can't do it on my own. i need You in my heart, refreshing me from the uncleanness which lingers. if there is any unforgiveness in my heart, please reveal it to me so that i may be made clean. i know Your blood set me free from sin and death, and yet there is a war raging in my inmost being. i praise You for allowing me to cling to You. i know that with You in my heart, i can't help but forgive others, and erase my slate of their wrong-doings. i beg You to help me forgive in the same way that You forgive. only thru You am i forgiven and without punishment from the sin i commit. Your mercy is great. i love You, sweet Jesus, and my heart rejoices that You are doing a new thing within me.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen

---

*Herb *Kelsey *Kelly

Faithfulness

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.
Is. 25:1

the last two days i've been thinking about my past, and how God has been so faithful to me. it's amazing to me.

and the lincoln brewster song 'all i really want' is my praise song today. i enjoy most of lincoln brewsters stuff.

---

*Ann *Rob *Mitchell

Crisis

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
Matt. 6:25-27

so sunday night i'm driving home from youth and my car begins to make a funny noise when i go over 30 mph. not good. so monday my car goes to the car hospital to diagnose the problem. the wonderful people at Lawson Chevrolet fix "kelly" (my car). in the morning i will pick her up and we'll be re-united again.

that's the story. but the part that i'm leaving out is how i've fretted about getting it fixed. how am i going to pay for it? how long would it take to be repaired? how am i going to get to work? who will i need to bum a ride from? where do i need to take kelly? 'dear God, please don't let it be too expensive, cuz you know i don't have much money for repairs." (like i can tell God how much money i have or don't have? --definitely lacking some faith there.)

so i'm feeling a bit better about my car. the lawson people gave me a bit of a discount - always helpful. and all will be fine. 'why so downcast, o my soul; put your hope in God.'

---

*Susan *Valerie *Erika

Blessings Galore!

You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
ps. 145:16, 19

this morning i awoke to the most amazing sight! the sun had peaked over the mountain, and was brilliantly blazing upon the trees. it was incredible! (of course i had woke up late...really late...and shouldn't have ever seen it, but the blessings flowed none-the-less.) since i get up and leave before the sun rises, i never have a chance to see the glory of the morning. it was fascinating! oh to be able to enjoy that beauty every morning. and as it turned out i was only 30 minutes late for work. pish-posh! oh, for the glory of God, right there! do you see it?

yesterday i cleaned my desk - it was long over due. got rid of a calendar under my keyboard which was opened to July. just a hint of how overdue it was. now my monitor is lowered, and my desk seems to have much more room. i'm loving it. being more productive with my time is a good thing.

an opportunity has arose for a change in my career. more to come!

---

*Jim *Shari *Eden