September 30, 2010

Conversations with my Dad

Today I thought I was going to get us back on track with our study of Genesis and God’s story being told. Maybe this is on track and I simply do not realize it at this point.


However, as I was spending time conversing with God this morning He moved me to lay down my plans and just listen for awhile. I think He has something to say to someone so I will put it out here without holding anything back.

My prayers are that it was not just one, it was all of us. I am praying for all our bodies needs to be met in a powerful way today. He is God and we believe that!

Hallelujah, with the love of our Christ Jesus,

Candace

Good Morning Dad,

Right now at this moment I spot to hear what you have to say. My heart has been softening because this morning I have been pouring out praise.

My ears have been perked to catch the calm of your tender voice. My knees have lowered my soul to raise my food and life in my humble hands – at the feet of my Lord and Savior , your son, my reason for hope and life.

Now I sit to enjoy perfect harmony with the one and only God of all: my dad, the lover of all of us, my Lord that has conquered all. I know that I am still speaking even though seeking you is my hearts desire. It is just that you overwhelm me – maybe there is still something I need to release? I give you all my anxiety because in you I should be in total peace.

This is your holiest of holies. This is where I am alone with you. This is where I am to enjoy life. This is where liberty meets me.

Today, I will be still in your presence, today I am turning to shut the door. Today, I release ALL bondage saying goodbye to my unloyal friends. Today, I receive all you offer, today I plant all your heart has desired. Today, I am missing nothing and now there in nothing incomplete.

My life is perfect for your harvest. My life is yours for the take. My life is Christ’s to live victorious….in Him I have everything!

Live my Lord, among your people: walk and let them see, speak the might that calms nations, breath your breath upon the winds, embrace all those held captive, comfort them till they find their way.

Tell them right now at this moment, your angels are charging their way. Tell them to wait in your presence. Tell them we are on our way. Tell them you do not send false prophets – to listen for YOUR voice to be heard. Whisper right now in their presence. Tell them this is the voice they will hear. Tell them we are but one body. Tell them this is the mystery to seek. Tell them they too are coming. ….coming home protected to our King.

Thank you Father – amen.

Here is a psalm, poem or conversation what ever you want to label it that I believe He shared with me years ago to complete this and I didn’t even know it till today – I thank God that He is God and I know that I am not =D Live, Love, Laugh today…claim your years and let Him live in your stead!

Riding the Wave

Dearest Father, I praise all that you are
Enlarge my simple space, to encompass even more
Your presence to share freely, is my deepest hearts desire
Your vision and compassion, directing my path to walk
Preserve all of your ways; speak your truth to light their dark.

As I bow at here at your feet, prostrate, I die to this world
Allowing my space for life; fill this container with truth
With your thoughts, visions and dreams: fulfillment of this world unseen.
You know I believe in you, yet what I know is not yet complete
Your promises are firm; it is that which holds tight my feet
Though some bridges I walk will shake, just as the mountains surely will fall
It is you repelling all foes, so my flight is successful and complete:
My height over the mountains entering straight through your glorious gate
You close tight your boundaries to always keep me safe
You so love all your children, we see this through your grace.

So This Day open up your heavens; receive in all my praise
Send down your righteous angels to cover this world’s pain
Thank you my sweet savior, your blood upon our cross
May your words now be heard as mighty
They still provide in the time for your lost.

My sweet precious angels, you are already in their midst
You love them with out ceasing,
You lay and listen at my feet
All days I am watching,
My eyes never cease to see
My tears rain down on your heads,
My mercy will ease all the pain.

You love me and do not worry, so your needs are known and met
Do not look to another; this is not your home
My hand is always your master and all keys lye within my grip
Your heart is my home in all ways; here you’re home within me.

Understand - this is the flow of the oceans tides,
This tide of love rolls into your life
What rises up within you will cover their weakened life
My words flow causing movement: the rise and to some the wake
I then roll into the body, which will never return to me void
You see, in this ocean people are diving
The battle is in the deep
Some are raised within my current;
Some drown or are tossed about
It is my love which lifts all higher,
Yet the tow is pulling others down.
When they trust and float within my will;
When they believe in “the way” of which I speak
No boat will ever be needed, my life will always sustain.

Keep riding throughout this world, from river into stream
Flow within my essence: my provision and my strength
Your journey is forever promised and my faithful father commands…..
All His life giving angels to continue circling while establishing peace.



Candace Huffmaster
September 2007© all rights reserved

September 29, 2010

Ministry in Word

Freedom


Galatians 5:1
加拉太書5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
基督释放了我们,叫我们得以自由。所以要站立得稳,不要再被奴仆的轭挟制。

 
It is for freedom to have an abundant life that Christ has set us free. Unless a grain falls to the ground and dies, it cannot bear a crop of plenty. Unless one dies to oneself, the new life cannot flourish. In Christ I am free to be me, the person by God’s original design. I am free to grow, free to mature into the full measure of Christ in me.
基督释放了我们,叫我们得以自由去获取丰富的生活。除非一颗种子落在地上死了,它不可能长出丰满庄稼。除非一个人对自己死,新的生命不可能茂盛。在基督里我有自由来活出我,就是神原本设计的人。我有自由去增长,有自由成熟,满有在我里面基督的身量。

Even after tasting the freedom from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites still wanted to return to Egypt when they came across obstacles in their journey to the Promise Land, a land where they could live out their full potential as a free people. They would rather live their old life of familiar suffering than a new life of exciting opportunities. Similarly, in our spiritual journey of faith we will encounter setbacks. Do we want to give up our new found freedom after our new birth in Christ and return to the bondage of religious formality and the letter of the law? Apostle Paul thinks not. He said we must stand firm to resist that tendency to live in the law of death (Ro 8:2) than in the law of life. It is in the law of life that we will find freedom to love God with all our heart, mind, and spirit and obey Him as well as to love others as we love ourselves.
在尝过从埃及奴隶生话解放的自由以后,当他们在到应许之地的旅程中遇到了障碍,以色列人仍然想回到埃及,放弃他们可能充份活出作为一个自由民族的可能。他们宁可活在熟悉的痛苦的老生活而非带有兴奋机会的新生活。同样,在我们信心的属灵旅途上我们将遇到挫折。们是否想要在我们的新诞生以后放弃我们新找到在基督里的自由而回到宗教形式和律法条文的捆绑?使徒保罗认为不能。他说我们必须坚定抵抗去活在死亡之律(罗8:2)而不活在生命之律的那个倾向。我们在生命之律中要找到尽心,尽意,尽性爱我们的神和服从他与及爱其他人如己的自由。

Lord, circumcise our hearts instead of our flesh. Let our love for you grow and motivate our every act in life.
主啊,在我们的心里行割礼而不是在我们的肉体上行。让我们对您的爱增长和成为我们在生活中每次行动的动机。

Lord, continue to draw us close to you and empower us to live out your Spirit in our life. Demonstrate your freedom in us! Amen.
主啊,继续使我们接近您和加力使我们在我们的生命中活出您的灵。在我们身上展示您的自由! 阿门。

Tom and Tehwan Tso
仲谋与德菀


“The outcome of your faith is the salvation of your souls.” 1Peter 1:9
“信心的果效, 就是灵魂的救恩” 彼得前书1:9



September 28, 2010

Be as Little Children

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1a

"I have an important business meeting in the morning. Would you please set the alarm for 5:30 a.m.?" I said to my wife.

"Oh, that won't be necessary. Just tell the Lord what time you want to wake up. He does it for me all the time," my wife said.

I rolled my eyes in disbelief. "Well, I'd feel more comfortable if we set the alarm."

"Okay, ye of little faith. But just to prove my point I am going to ask the Lord to wake us up just before 5:30."

The next morning I awoke before the alarm went off. I looked at the clock. It read 5:15. I looked at my wife, who had just awakened at the same time with an I-told-you-so smile.

Sometimes we wrongfully view God as someone we go to for only the "big things." The idea of "bothering God" for such a trivial matter seems foolish and presumptuous. However, when you were a child and had to get up in the morning for school, didn't your mom or dad come wake you up? They were your parents, and you could come to them with the most trivial concerns or requests. Why would our heavenly Father be any less approachable? Perhaps our problem is that we simply have not developed a level of intimacy with God so that we feel the freedom to approach Him at these daily, routine levels. We often operate with an unwritten code that says our needs must have a certain degree of importance or crisis before we come to God with them. This is not God's character towards us.

Does the Lord desire this level of intimacy with you and me? The apostle Paul exhorted us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17 KJV). There is never a caution to pray only about matters of greater importance.

Today, go to God with matters that you might view as trivial and would normally avoid bringing to God. Ask God to increase your level of intimacy with Him. You may even be able to get rid of your alarm clock.

September 27, 2010

Adversity: Catalyst to a Call

Please go to the search area and type in "what is your final position" to read further on this.
I pray that you hear the Lord leading you to be still and wait for Him today in all that you strive to accomplish.
Without Him we are set up to fail, with Him we can do all things.
Praise God and to Him be all the glory for ever and ever Amen.
Love Candace

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2 by Os Hillman



"Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything" (Acts 9:8-9).
It's hard to find anyone in Christian history who became a great leader without earning an advanced degree in adversity.

To look at John Wesley (1703- 1791), you wouldn't have thought of him as a great Christian leader. He was just over five feet tall and skeletally thin. In his early years, he suffered greatly from feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and a morbid fear of death. Though he didn't understand the Christian gospel, he devoted himself to doing good works for the poor in an effort to earn his way to heaven. While in his early thirties, he sailed to America to do missionary work among the American Indians.

While crossing the Atlantic, Wesley's ship passed through a violent storm that broke the main mast off its base and nearly sank the ship. As the waves crashed over the ship, Wesley huddled in terror, knowing he didn't have peace with God. He survived the storm, and continued to struggle in his relationship with God for several more years.

Finally, back in London, he attended a meeting on Aldersgate Street, where he heard a preacher say that salvation comes by faith in Christ alone. At that point, he said, "I felt my heart strangely warmed."

Soon after that, Wesley began preaching the gospel. His fifty-two-year preaching ministry became the foundation of the modern evangelical movement. But it never would have happened if John Wesley had not been tossed on the stormy seas of adversity.

Adversity is often God's manure for spiritual callings.

September 26, 2010

Forgiveness Ensures Freedom

Over the weekend our organization has been servicing women who were sexually abused by those close to them during their childhood.  This devotion was especially purposeful to me as I have been thinking back over these sweet women that have lived with a life time of fears that have crippled them in areas where others have the opportunity to live thoughtlessly. When my dad wrapped his arms around me I was thoughtless to any harm, when my grandfather bounced me on his knee I was thoughtless to anything other than sheer giddiness and trust.  I have lived many years thoughtlessly about the travesties that exist behind the doors of homes where women and children are trapped.  This is the reason that KB is now thoughtful in where individuals are bound by abuse, isolation, pain, fear.  I answered when God called me to go for this cause.  I know not everyone has been called to this, because God is calling out for other needs to be met as well.  However, if He is and you simply do not know where to get started, how to get equipped - please contact us and we will be glad to help you get involved in this "good fight". 

With the love of Christ I pray that we all seek His will, His purpose and learn how to utilize the armor He has given us.  This starts with forgiveness so that we have no vulnerability with the enemy encamped about us.

Be in Peace, Keep your Peace and above all else Love them for Him.

Kisses,
C

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2 by Os Hillman


"But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:15).

Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983) was born in Amsterdam and raised in the Dutch Reformed Church. When the Nazis came to power in the late 1930s, Corrie and her family hid Jews behind a false wall in Corrie's bedroom. In 1944, Corrie's family was arrested and sent to Ravensbrück, one of the worst concentration camps in Nazi Germany. There, Corrie's entire family died. Corrie herself was scheduled for execution - but she was released shortly before the end of World War II because of a clerical error.

Corrie concluded that God had saved her for a purpose. She committed her life to preaching the good news of Jesus Christ, speaking in churches, tent meetings, and open-air rallies. At one meeting in Germany in 1947, she taught on God's forgiveness. Afterwards, a man came up to her and introduced himself as a former Ravensbrück guard - but Corrie needed no introduction. She remembered him well. He was notorious for his cruelty.
"I've become a Christian since the war," he said. "I know God has forgiven me for the horrible things I did, but I would like to hear it from you. Could you tell me that you've forgiven me, too?" He put out his hand.
Corrie stood there for what seemed an eternity, unable to think of anything but the horrors this man had committed. Then she remembered the words of Jesus that required her to forgive ANY sin. She silently prayed, "Jesus, help me!" ...then she took the man's hand and cried out, "I forgive you, brother!" She later recalled, "I had never known God's love so intensely as I did then."
That was the defining moment in Corrie's ministry. Over the years that followed, she took the Christian gospel to more than sixty countries around the world and changed hundreds of thousands of lives through her speaking, writing, and the motion picture The Hiding Place, based on her autobiography.

If we want to be used in a great way by God, we must be willing to forgive those who may be a great source a pain in our lives.


Is there someone who needs your forgiveness today?

September 22, 2010

Ministry in Word

Standing Firm
站住

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.”
摩西对百姓说:不要惧怕,只管站住!看耶和华今天向你们所要施行的救恩。

Exodus 14:13
出埃及記14:13

Facing the Red Sea with the Egyptian military closing in on them, the Israelites complained to Moses in fear. They thought they would die there and then. They forgot totally God's promise to deliver them from their slavery and the miracles of God which forced Pharaoh to let them go. Their excitement of being free turned into fear and despair. Fear incapacitated their reasoning: why would God who was able to deliver them from their bondage not able to deliver them from perishing in the hands of their enemies? Despair muddled their positive outlook of new found freedom into hopelessness. God's answer to this predicament was for them to stand firm. They were to stand firm in their belief, trust, commitment, hope, and love.
前有红海挡路,後有埃及追兵,以色列人在害怕中向摩西埋怨。他们以为会在当时当地死亡。他们完全忘记了神从奴役中拯救出来的应许和那些使法老王释放他们的神迹。自由的兴奋变为惧怕和绝望。惧怕使他们失去他们的推理: 为什么会能从他们的奴役拯救他们的神不能从他们的敌人的手拯救他们?绝望混乱了他们新找到的自由的正面展望变成绝望。 神对这种困境的答复是要他们坚定。 他们要在他们的信仰、信任、承诺、盼望和爱上坚定。

Our Belief
我们的信仰

Standing firm in our belief is to hold on to our understanding of God's attributes, including that He is love, righteous, compassionate, in spite of what appear to be our feeling to the contrary, because at times our feeling could mislead us. As the Israelites took 12 stones from the Jordan River to help them remember God’s act of deliverance, we ought to validate our feeling with God’s past work in our life.
坚定在我们的信仰是坚持我们对神性质的理解,包括他是爱,公义,慈悲,不管我们的感觉看来是相反,因为我们的感觉可能有时会误导我们。 就像以色列人从约旦河拿了12块石头帮助他们记住神拯救的行动,我们应该以神过去在我们的生命中的工作来确认我们的感觉。

Our Trust
我们的信任

The Israelites saw only the raging waves of the Red Sea before them and the Egyptian horses and chariots behind them. They lacked vision and confidence of God’s salvation for them. Standing firm in our trust is to lean on God and not on our understanding of our circumstances, to remain confident of God's goodness and His promise.
以色列人仅看见了在他们面前红海的怒浪和在他们后面埃及的马和战车。 他们缺乏神对他们救赎的异象和信心。 坚定我们的信任是倚靠神和不倚靠我们对我们的情况的理解,保持确信神的善良和他的应许。

Our Commitment
我们的承诺

The Israelites grumbled and complained against God during their journey in the desert. They were always ready to abandon God and return to their slavery life in Egypt. Once they substitute God with a golden calf. Standing firm in our commitment to God is to remain faithful to Him in spite of hardship and challenges, never depart from Him who not only created us but also saved us.
以色列人在他们沙漠的旅途期间对神抱怨并且作反对神的投诉。 他们总是准备抛弃神和返回到他们在埃及奴隶的生活。 有一次他们以一只金牛犊替代神。 坚定我们对神的承诺是不管困难和挑战,仍保持对他守信,从不离弃他,他不仅创造我们,而且拯救我们。

Our Hope
我们的盼望

Standing firm in our hope is to continue to expect the certain realization of things unseen. We have faith that God's promises to us will sooner or later materialize. We continue to hope in our prayers and supplications to God for us and others, and for the coming of His kingdom.
坚定我们的盼望是继续期待未看见的事的肯定实现。 我们神有信心他对我们的诺言迟早将实现。 我们继续在我们为我们和其他人,和为他国度的来临对神的祷告和祈求上盼望。

Our Love
我们的爱

Standing firm in our love is to nurture and grow our spiritual life in Christ, making our Christlikeness the good soil for the seed of faith, harvesting 100 times the crop. Let's first die to ourselves and reappear in our new life in Christ. Then let God multiply the spiritual fruit in us.
坚定我们的爱是养育和生长我们在基督里的属灵生命,使我们的基督样式成为信念种子的好土壤,收获百倍的庄稼。 让我们首先对我们自己死并且在我们基督新的生命中再现。 然后让神倍增在我们的属灵果子。

Then after standing firm, we keep our eyes open to watch for God's deliverance from our enemies. It is His promise to us.
然后在坚定以后,我们保持我们的眼睛睁开注意神从我们的敌人的拯救。 它是他给我们的诺言。

May we stand firm on God’s strength and watch for God’s deliverance.
愿我们凭神的力量站住和观看神的救赎。

Tom and Tehwan Tso
仲谋与德菀



“The outcome of your faith is the salvation of your souls.” 1Peter 1:9
“信心的果效, 就是灵魂的救恩” 彼得前书1:9

September 20, 2010

Just Because it is a Good Thing Does Not Mean it is a God-Thing

The Pitfall of Being Entrepreneurial
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman


"When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark..." 1 Chronicles 13:9-10

There are good things we can do, but only God-things we should do. Those activities not born out of the Spirit will result in wood, hay, and stubble. What seems good in our eyes may be an abomination in God's eyes. For instance, if you decide to build an orphanage but God has never directed you to do so, then God will not see that work as good; it was born out of your own strength, even though it was a "good work."

The most difficult challenge a Christian workplace believer will ever have is to know what things to be involved in and what things not to be involved in. Many workplace believers have a great ability to see opportunity. What appears to be a "slam dunk" may come back to haunt us if God never ordains us to enter that arena. There are many good things we can be involved with. However, there are God-things we are supposed to be involved with. Uzzah was a good man in David's sight. It was a time of celebration, and David and the people were transporting the ark of God. However, the ark hit a bump, and Uzzah reached for the ark to hold it steady. He touched the ark, and he immediately died. David became very upset with God about this situation; he questioned whether he could serve God.

God's ways are not our ways. The most important quality God desires to develop in us is our dependence on Him and Him alone. When we begin to make decisions based on reason and analysis instead of the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit, we get into trouble with God. David later learned the importance of this principle in his own life. This encounter was one of the stepping-stones in his pilgrimage. David was an extraordinary entrepreneur. He ran the nation very successfully, but he, like each of us, had to learn the difference between "good things" and "God-things."

Are you involved in anything in which God has not directed you to be involved? Do you seek God about every decision, every action before you take it? This is where God wants you and me to be. Ask Him to show you how to walk with Him in this way.

September 19, 2010

What For? Why?

I like the New American Standards translation of Genesis 2:24:


For “this reason” a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

God had taken out Adams rib; he made Eve the support now for that weakened place. (If you missed yesterday or the discussion last week on what “rib” means look back in the archives). We brought up that God had created Eve from something within Adam that he already possessed. However, God make it spectacular and presented it to him in a complete and perfect form to help him. Now we should completely understand why they had to become one body again. It is only in this form that Adam will not have vulnerability – Can you imagine if someone tore your rib out and handed it to you? You would only be healed when the rib was put back in its place of support.

The word reason is an action word it propels motion, it gives a battle cause that demands effect. A mother or father come together to create a joined life. Separate from ALL other lives “above all else”. They are to prefer each other, refer to each other, show favor to each other. Not in neglect to the parents that brought them in to the world, but a parent cannot make us complete. They are only a vehicle to produce, sustain and hopefully nourish your life. Christ ultimately completes us – we know this, but there is a reason for a man to protect a woman, to call her into her destiny.

Look at Genesis 2:19 …….whatever the man called each creature became its name.

Man was given authority and power to call things what they were to be, to oversee “for God”, not for self. Adam started out calling Eve woman – “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” and it was good.

Husbands, boyfriends what are you calling your gift from God? Remember a curse does not come without a cause. Think about it, talk to God about it. Pray for your rib, ask to be healed and united. Speak good things upon and into your helper that God placed in your hands to prosper, protect, desire with all the capacity that He has planted within you.
With the love of Christ I request favor for all women in your site, mercy to cover our mistakes and the grace to get up and try again. I request that each man have ears that hear, eyes that see and a mind that is transformed into the image of Christ…..for your name sake Lord God Almighty. Selah

Amen, Shalom,
Kissses,
Candace

September 18, 2010

Cause to Continue

(GWT)from Psalms 12 Help, O LORD. No godly person is left. Faithful people have vanished from among Adam's descendants! All people speak foolishly. They speak with flattering lips. They say one thing but mean another. May the LORD cut off every flattering lip and every bragging tongue that has said, "We will overcome with our tongues. With lips such as ours, who can be our master?"  "Because oppressed people are robbed and needy people groan, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will provide safety for those who long for it."  The promises of the LORD are pure, like silver refined in a furnace and purified seven times.  O LORD, you will protect them. You will keep each one safe from those people forever.  Wicked people parade around when immorality increases among Adam's descendants. For the choir director; a psalm by David.


Genesis 2:22 (GWT, NAS)

Then the LORD God formed a woman from the rib that he had taken from the man. He brought her to the man.


The LORD God fashioned F56 into a woman the R63 rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
Banah – Hebrew word that we translated into fashioned or formed.
Hebrew Definition:
1. to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue
2. to build a house (ie, establish a family)
3. to be build
4. to be rebuilt established (figuratively of restored exiles) made permanent
5.to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine)

Through God’s creativity He created life that would procreate living souls and one creation that had this potential as an empowered image of them to co-create living souls with a spirit. This was the reason that none were found suitable.

He required of Adam to subdue all things, tame the creatures use all the resources that God had created for good. God had already set in place all parameters of protection, separation – Adam was supposed to carry out these things as a living image of God. When we look back at the meaning of the rib we can see why he chose the rib and not the thigh bone, for instance.  The rib has meaning of marriage, the walls or beams of God temple. God fills the temple Adam takes care of it all and Eve helped to build establish and give Adam a “cause to continue” this good fight.

If we do not respect, uphold, tame all that God has given us we become what destroys it. If you are a man – remember that the woman God gave you is your “Cause to Continue”. Respect God, show Him how much you love Him by protecting your love….your wife. As you will read tomorrow – Adam basically said – I now understand and have a Cause to Fight for this it is now outside me so that I may see. I will leave my mother and father and this love and I will then BE united. That is something larger than me and my “Cause to Continue”

This is my prayer: that we will all learn from Adam and Ever as God tells us this love story and become all that He implores us to be …..for His kingdom and glory.

With the Love of our Christ,
Candace

September 17, 2010

The Error of Positive Thinking

This week has been a testimony to the incredible, awesome, stabilizing, liberating and propelling powers of God. I know that you all have been enjoying the variety of devotions this week.  We will get back to our reflection on God's story being told tomorrow.  I thank Christ for sacrificing his human will so that we, through him and empowered by the holy spirit, could have access to be transformed into his likeness.  I pray that we all keep striving for a deeper relationship with Him who loved us first, delivered us, restored us and is growing us from glory, to glory to glory.

In honor of our Christ sacrifice and with His heart I say "Hallelujah and Amen"

Candace


TGIF Today God Is First
 Volume 1 by Os Hillman


..."Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 4:6
God's people should be the most positive, joyful people on earth. This joy should be a by-product of a healthy, intimate relationship with Jesus. In today's business climate, we are barraged with every possible means of becoming more productive workplace believers. Positive thinking and self-help philosophy are promoted as tools for workplace believers to fulfill their potential and overcome the mountains in their lives. God calls each of us to be visionary leaders, but we must be careful that vision is born out of His Spirit, not the latest self-help program. These ideas lead us away from dependence on God to a self-based psychology designed to give us more power, prosperity, and significance.

The result is heresy. Our faith in God becomes faith in faith. It is born out of hard work and diligence rather than obedience to God's Spirit. The problem lies in that these philosophies sound good, and can even be supported by Bible verses. Beware of anything that puts the burden of performance on you rather than God. There are times in our lives when God doesn't want us to climb every mountain. Sometimes He wants us to go around. Knowing the difference is the key to being a man or woman led by the Spirit.

God has called us to affect the workplace through His Spirit, not by our might. Have you tapped into the real power source of the soul? Ask the Lord to reveal and empower you through His Spirit today. Then you will know what real positive thinking is.

September 16, 2010

The Wonder Of Nature

By Mart De Hann
read Job 36:26-33 for additional verses

Job 42:5 (GWT)
I had heard about you with my own ears but now I have seen you with my own eyes.

Growing up around the woods and waters of Midwest America, I’ve been fascinated with natural wildlife native to our region. But on a recent trip to the California coast, I found myself staring in breathtaking wonder at snorting elephant seals, barking sea lions, and a forest of silent redwoods. I watched pelicans soar in formation, and I saw migrating whales spouting in the distance. Together they are just a sampling of the millions of species that make up the intricate and delicate balance of nature.

According to the Bible, the variety of the natural world is designed to do far more than inspire childlike wonder. The mysteries of nature can help us come to terms with a God who allows inexpressible, unexplainable pain and suffering.

We see this in the epic story of Job. While he was suffering, Job didn’t know that God had such a high regard for him that he allowed Satan to test his faith with a series of losses.

What emerges is this eventual, unavoidable conclusion: A Creator who has the wisdom and power to design the wonders of nature is great enough to be trusted with pain and suffering that are beyond our ability to understand. In awe, Job proclaimed, “I know that You can do everything” (42:2). We can trust that kind of God—no matter what.

If God’s creation helps us see
What wonders He can do,
Then we can trust His promises
For they are always true. —D. De Haan

It’s good to worship God in nature if it leads us to worship the God of nature.

September 15, 2010

Ministry in Word

Sufficient Courage
足够的勇气



Philippians 1:20-21
腓立比書 1:20-21
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
照着我所切慕、所盼望的,没有一事叫我羞愧。只要凡事放胆,无论是生是死,总叫基督在我身上照常显大。因我活着就是基督,我死了就有益处。

Apostle Paul expected and hoped that he will not be “ashamed” in the above scriptures. But in Romans 1:16, he said “For I am not ashamed of the gospel.” So Paul must be concerned of being ashamed of something else other than the gospel, maybe he was concerned with the fact that he was in chains. In the early church some might be ashamed of the gospel because the cross was an execution tool for criminals. It would mean that they could have doubted the true meaning of Jesus’ crucifixion or the reality of his resurrection. Today the cross has become a fashion statement so it is no longer a stigma, yet in the mind of many, there is doubt concerning the reality of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. They are ashamed of identifying with such “myth.” Or some may be ashamed of the apparent weak position they are in, like Paul, that in the eye of the world casts a negative testimony to the power of God. Just like the thief who chided Jesus, “if you are Christ, save yourself and save us,” or, “Paul, if the God you believe is true, then why are you in chains?” Of course God is able to deliver us from any circumstance, but our faith and allegiance in Him should not be hinged on that, for our God is sovereign and His thoughts and ways are higher than ours. He will cause everything to work together for the good of those who love Him. We should be like Daniel’s three young friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who refused to worship the image Nebuchadnezzar made, saying, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Dan 3:16-18) This is faith in the love and righteousness of God. God is love, so He has our best in His mind. He is righteous, so everything he does is right.

在上面的经文中使徒保罗切慕和盼望他没有一事叫他「羞愧」,而他在罗馬書1:16说,「我不以福音为耻。」所以保罗一定是担心一些与福音无关的事叫他羞愧,也许他关心他被囚禁这一事实。早期教会中有些人可能以福音为耻,因为十字架是当时处死罪犯的刑具。这就表示他们有可能怀疑耶稣被钉十字架的真义和他复活的真实性。今天十字架已成了时髦的宣言,所以它再不是忌讳之物,但在许多人的心中仍存有对耶稣被钉十字架和复活的怀疑,他们以认同这些「神话」为耻。又或者有些人以他们所处明确的弱势为耻,就如保罗,在世人眼中对神的能力投下一个负面的见证。就如那个嘲笑耶稣的强盗,「如果你是基督,救你自己和我们」,或者,「保罗,如果你信的神是真的话,你为何会被关在监狱里?」当然神有能力把我们从任何光境中救出来,但我们对他的信心和忠心不应该关键在这个上面,因为我们的神是有主杈的,而他的意念和道路比我们的高。他要使万事互相效力,为了使爱他的人得好处。我们应效法但以理的三位年青的朋友,沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼歌,他们拒绝敬拜尼布甲尼撒所立的像,说:「尼布甲尼撒啊,这件事我们不必回答你;即便如此,我们所事奉的神能将我们从烈火的窑中救出来。王啊,他也必救我们脱离你的手;即或不然,王啊,你当知道我们决不事奉你的神,也不敬拜你所立的金像。」〔但3:16-18〕这是对神的爱和义之信心。神是爱,所以他为我们的好处作打算。他是公义的,所以他做所有的事都是对的。

Then Paul prayed for sufficient courage. It means even Paul, the great apostle of great faith, felt his courage was sometimes insufficient to continue to exalt Christ in his life or death situation. If courage is a burst of passion and energy for a brilliant moment of supreme dedication, it would be easier for Paul. But he was in chains, day in and day out contemplating his imminent death. This would require a steady sort of courage with perseverance in living out Christ in the daily grind of little things. If I were imprisoned with pending execution like Paul, would I still be courteous to the palace guards to testify for the gospel? (Php 1:12-13) I would either be too focused on my fate and scared stiff or I would be irritated with hatred toward the guards. I know this because even in slightly adverse circumstances I could become incapable to love and I turn my friends into enemies in my mind with my impatience and insecurity. Like Paul, I need sufficient courage to exalt Christ in my body in any circumstances. I pray that my living may be like Christ living in me, expelling all fear of losing myself because by losing myself I will gain myself.
跟着保罗祈求有足够的勇气。这就表示什至保罗,这位大有信心的伟大使徒,感到他有时候不够勇气在生死关头继续使基督显大。如果勇气是在光芒的一杀那热情和能量的发散,那对保罗而言就比较容易。但他被囚禁,天天在思想他快要面对的死亡。这就需要一种平稳的勇气,在每天小事的磨铼上活出基督的毅力。如果我像保罗一样被囚等候处死的话,我会不会对宫庭侍卫仍能以礼相待来见证福音呢?〔腓1:12-13〕我会不然就是太注目在我的命运而极度惊慌,不然就是烦燥恨恶那些侍卫。我知道这个因为甚至在小小恶劣的环境中我可能娈成无法去爱,而因为我的不耐和害怕我在心中把我的朋友看成敌人。就如保罗我需要足够的勇气来在我身上在任何境况中使基督显大。我祈求神让我的生命如基督活在我里面,排除所有失去自己的惧怕,因为因着失去自己我要得着自己。

May we receive sufficient grace from God for sufficient courage to exalt Christ in any circumstance.
愿我们从神得到足够的恩惠而得足够的勇气在任何环境都使基督显大。

Tom and Tehwan Tso
仲谋与德菀

“The outcome of your faith is the salvation of your souls.” 1Peter 1:9
信心的果效, 就是灵魂的救恩” 彼得前书1:9

September 13, 2010

A Devotion Which Exemplifies the Choice of KB's Name

The Butterfly Principle
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman


"The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly." Exodus 14:8

Overprotective parents do their children a great injustice. The caterpillar that lies inside the cocoon will never become the beautiful butterfly if someone cuts open the cocoon prematurely. It is the struggle itself that allows the butterfly to emerge as a strong, new creature of nature.

God understands how necessary this process is. That is why we are allowed to experience difficult, often life-changing events. He even orchestrates them-all for our benefit. What the Israelites thought was a cruel joke when Pharaoh sent troops to pursue them after they had been freed and penned against the shore of the Red Sea became the stage for the most publicized miracle of all time-the parting of the Red Sea. Generation after generation has heard this incredible story of deliverance. God puts us against the "Red Seas" in order to show His power in and through us. If we do not know God can deliver, then we can never learn to trust Him. Circumstances that go beyond our capabilities of solving them place us at God's complete mercy. This is how He likes it.
Do not fear the calamity that comes your way. If you are faithful to Him in the test, you will see God's power manifested like never before. Just as the Israelites were able to sing a song of deliverance, you too will have your own testimony of the Lord's faithfulness; and you will be able to recall it for others to build your faith and theirs.

September 12, 2010

Desiring Gods Best

Genesis 2:21So the LORD God caused him to fall into a deep sleep. While the man was sleeping, the LORD God took out one of the man's ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.
As I have been thinking over these verses in Genesis, several thoughts have crossed paths:

  • Adam did not find anything formed directly from the ground as he was desirable as his mate
  • God took something Adam already had within himself out of him to increase his life and make it "Good"
  • The word "took" in Hebrew also has a meaning of choose, take in marriage, receive, accept
  • The word "rib in Hebrew also has a meaning of side-chambers or cells (of temple structure)
  • When God closes up things they cannot be opened and what He opens cannot be shut
  • The word "flesh" in Hebrew also has a meaning of flesh as frail or erring (man against God)
  • The word "place"at the foot of (idiom) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig) of subjection or conquest
I ask that you think on these thoughts today request that the holy spirit guide you as you meditate on them.  Later this afternoon or before tomorrow I will add a second post to the topic.

In the Love of Christ with His heart I pray peace, joy and above all else love over you this day and forever, Amen,
Candace

September 10, 2010

Pray With My Spirit, Also Pray With My Mind

"So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind." 1 Corinthians 14:15

Unlike with Adam and Eve, God does not walk into our midst to have a conversation with us.  Yet are we supposed to believe that He gave us the gift of the spirit to counsel us and He is a mute?  Sure we have the bible but the spirit is supposed to explain the mysteries to us.  How could that be if we can't hear Him? 

Click on the TGIF tab at the top of the site and read an experience Os Hillman's friend had as he was about to argue a court case.

One thing I know, people do not believe without see someone living out "true faith in God".  We have to be told in advance.....and then experience it.  Look at these verses from Acts 1 where Christ told the disciples to wait for what God had promised. 

Jesus told them, “You don’t need to know about times or periods that the Father has determined by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you. Then you will be my witnesses to testify about me in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  After he had said this, he was taken to heaven. A cloud hid him so that they could no longer see him.


I pray that today you remember a promise of God and then keep your eyes peeled for it to show up...it will you know!   

With the Love of Christ,
Candace

September 9, 2010

Ministry in Word

The Faith Based Living – Part 3
基于信心的生活 – 第三篇

Psalm 16
诗篇16

Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
神啊,求你保佑我,因为我投靠你。我的心哪,你曾对耶和华说:你是我的主;我的好处不在你以外。论到世上的圣民,他们又美又善,是我最喜悦的。以别神代替耶和华的,他们的愁苦必加增;他们所浇奠的血我不献上;我嘴唇也不提别 神的名号。耶和华是我的产业,是我杯中的分;我所得的,你为我持守。用绳量给我的地界,坐落在佳美之处;我的产业实在美好。我必称颂那指教我的耶和华;我的心肠在夜间也警戒我。我将耶和华常摆在我面前,因他在我右边,我便不致摇动。因此,我的心欢喜,我的灵快乐;我的肉身也要安然居住。因为你必不将我的灵魂撇在阴间,也不叫你的圣者见朽坏。你必将生命的道路指示我。在你面前有满足的喜乐;在你右手中有永远的福乐。

Cont’d from Part 2
上接第二篇

8. The steadfastness
八、坚定

I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
我将耶和华常摆在我面前,因他在我右边,我便不致摇动。

The Lord is my priority. You are my master, always before me to lead me (Ex 13:21). You are always before me to encompass me in your presence and I can see you. You are my strength (Ps 18:1), you are at my right hand (Ps 109:31). The whole world will soon be shaken, yet with my Lord, I will not be shaken (Heb 12:27-28). You are my rock, my shelter and my refuge. You are my song and my salvation (Ps 62:2, 71:3; Ex 15:2).
耶和华是我的最高优先。你是我的主,常在我面前带领我〔出13:21〕。你常在我面前在你的同在中包围我,我可见到你。你是我的力量〔诗18:1〕,你在我的右边〔诗109:31〕。世界快要被摇动,靠着我的神我不致摇动〔来12:27-28〕。你是我 的磐石,我的遮盖,我的避难所。你是我的诗歌和我的拯救〔诗62:2, 71:3;出15:2 〕。

9. The health
九、健康

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,
因此,我的心欢喜,我的灵快乐;我的肉身也要安然居住。

Therefore out of the gladness of my heart I voice my joy in the Lord. Out of my spiritual strength comes my physical security, for with the Lord who strengthens me I can do all things (Php 4:13). To the Lord nothing is impossible (Lk 1:17). The core of my being will be strengthened and the parts of my body will function well, because the Lord's spirit is in me (Jn 14:16) since the day I received Him as my Lord and Savior.
因此我以出自我心中的欢喜开声表达我在主内的喜乐。我肉身的健康出自我属灵的力量,因我靠着那加添我力量的,凡事都可行〔腓4:13〕。在神没有难成的事〔路1:17〕。我个人的核心会被坚固而我身体各部份会发挥功能,因为自从我接受主作为我的主和救主,主的灵就在我里面〔约14:16〕。

10. The secure salvation
十、坚固的拯救

because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
因为你必不将我的灵魂撇在阴间,也不叫你的圣者见朽坏。

In your righteousness you demand the wages of my sin (Ro 6:23). In your mercy and love you will not let me die in my sin, for you had sent the Savior to fulfill the law (Mt 5:17) and overcome death on behalf of all sinners (Jn 3:16). As Christ saw no decay in His crucified body, victorious over the wages of sin, I am certain of Christ's redeeming power on me (1 Cor 15:20, 23).
照着你的义你要求我偿还我罪的工债〔罗6:23〕。照着你的怜悯和慈爱你不要让我死在我的罪中,因你已差救主来成全律法〔太5:17〕和代表所有罪人克服死亡〔约3:16〕。就如基督钉死在十架上的身体不见朽坏,胜过罪的工价,我肯定有基督救赎的力量在我身上〔林前15:20, 23〕。

11. The guidance, presence and pleasures
十一、引导,同在和福乐

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence,with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
你必将生命的道路指示我。在你面前有满足的喜乐;在你右手中有永远的福乐。

You have prepared the path of life for me and revealed it to me (Ro 1:19-20; 2 Tim 3:16),so I may have the joy of gaining entry into your presence through Christ's righteousness imputed to me and having the eternal life by the Savior (Eph 2:8-9). You are my daily guidance with your omniscience. You are my constant companion with your omnipresence. You are my eternal joy and strength with your omnipotence.
你已为我准备了也向我透露了生命的道路〔罗1:19-20;提後3:16〕,因此我可以得到藉着基督转借给我的义和靠救主而得的永生之喜乐〔弗2:8-9〕。你以你的全知每天引导我,你以你的全在经常陪伴我,你以你的全能成为我永恒的喜乐和力量。

May we live our life demonstrating His redeeming power in us, full of His grace and wisdom in every decision we make and every action we take.
愿我们在我们生活上显出他救赎的力量,在我们所作的每个决定和所采取的每个行动上都满有神的恩惠和智慧。

Tom and Tehwan Tso
仲谋与德菀


“The outcome of your faith is the salvation of your souls.” 1Peter 1:9
“信心的果效, 就是灵魂的救恩” 彼得前书1:9

September 8, 2010

It's Not Good......

….For man to be alone

Genesis 2:18-20

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him.” The LORD God had formed all the wild animals and all the birds out of the ground. Then he brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called each creature became its name. So the man named all the domestic animals, all the birds, and all the wild animals. But the man found no helper who was right for him.

Look at all the verses below where God had stated that He saw what He created and said it was good. What was different now? Let’s examine the scriptures more closely.

In verse 15 we see that God placed Adam in the garden to farm the land and to take care of it. God then gave Adam the instructions about what He should not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil or he will surely die. Following this is when He stated it is not good for him to be alone.  God said He would make a helper that was "right" for him. 

 He brought in all the animals He had created and thought were good. He let Adam pick their names. Adam went through every single one of them and made the decision that nothing yet created was to his liking as a "helper".  Helper is derived from the Hebrew word 'ezer which means help or succour.  I didn't know what succour meant so I looked it up.  Webster defines it as relief; help, aid- something that furnishes relief.  I can see why Adam didn't believe that any of the animals could "help" him in this way.  What I don't want to overlook here however is that God didn't make this choice - Adam did.

God had given Adam all rights to his life.  He only gave wisdom to him at this point.  Adam had free will and Adam was calling the shots God simply made the choices obvious and stood by him.  Adam was free to ask for what He wanted and God lovingly obliged. 

So God created something unique, spectacular….and blew Adams mind.

We will pick up here tomorrow.

I pray that we as women understand what it looks and acts like to be a helper to the man that chose us and we said yes.  I also pray that if you are a man and made that choice that you understand the God given responsibilities toward that gift you were lavished with.  If not....you will soon have more information to ponder over than you ever imagined possible as we study this further.

With Love,

Candace

September 6, 2010

.....But God Has A Better Plan

John 10:10 (GWT) A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came so that my sheep will have life and so that they will have everything they need.

Job chapter 1 Satan comes along with the sons of God to stand in from of the Lord. I noticed that God did not start in with his conversations with His sons until Satan was gone. He addressed Satan directly asking Him where He came from. Satan replied that he had come from wandering all over the earth. I remembered the verses in Luke 11:24-26 where it states:
 “When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it goes through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the home I left.’ When it comes, it finds the house swept clean and in order. Then the spirit goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself. They enter and take up permanent residence there. In the end the condition of that person is worse than it was before.”

I went back and read Job this morning. It is no coincidence that 4 messengers brought the news of destruction to Job and 3 friends came to torment him through his suffering. That adds up to 7. God addressed Satans wandering and asked him if he had considered Job. Satan tried to tempt God to removed His hedge of protection. However God cannot be tempted and He replied to Satan that everything Job had was already within Satans power to take “if it was allowed”. So Satan set out with a vengeance to prove his power. God knew that Job was going to be going through his 7th refinement and come out better than he started.

All this ties back into the first doubt we are about to enter into in our walk through God’s story being told. What if, when we are faced with a doubt we stop and remember we already asked God for a hedge of protection. What if we “believe” that He is faithful to us. What if we choose to live by this faith in Him and not by the sights or words being flung toward us. What if we used our mouths to speak up and defend God’s honor, instead of Satans frail attempt to blaspheme Gods character?

So many questions, but remember as I heard God whisper one time...
“the sojourn is the answer….the question an endless plight”.
Today be still and remember He is God. I pray that we speak His peace and cause the chaos to be still. We have been given authority as the sons of God. What will you do with yours today.

With the love of Christ for all of you….my family in Him.

Candace


John 10:34-38


Jesus said to them, “Don’t your Scriptures say, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? 35 The Scriptures cannot be discredited. So if God calls people gods (and they are the people to whom he gave the Scriptures), 36 why do you say that I’m dishonoring God because I said, ‘I’m the Son of God’? God set me apart for this holy purpose and has sent me into the world. 37 If I’m not doing the things my Father does, don’t believe me. 38 But if I’m doing those things and you refuse to believe me, then at least believe the things that I’m doing. Then you will know and recognize that the Father is in me and that I am in the Father.”

September 4, 2010

The Reality Of Our Path

"The Lamp of the Body"
oil painting by Candace Huffmaster © 2007 all rights reserved

Luke 11:34"Your eye is the lamp of your body. when your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness."
When I read this verse, a pair of eyes burned vividly into my imagination. The eyes were filled with sadness. I pictured Jesus interceding for us, the Holy Spirit grieving, asking our Father to forgive us ...yet again. I think about the eyes of the people I pass daily, or individuals I know well, sometimes the pain in their eyes is as intense as the ones I imagined. Other times I can see in their eyes they are far away, excited, or disappointed.

My favorite eyes are those of my children who love me dearly. When I look into their eyes I feel joy, pride and compassion. I know there is a day, not too far from now when I will be looking into the loving eyes of my Father. I pray for the strength, courage, wisdom, and humility to be all he needs me to be; so that I might be able to see the same emotions in His eyes as He says to me,"Well done my child, you have served me well."




Connective Cog

We are but a part, a connective cog,
Positive energy or broken and exposed.
Our eyes connect, though infused by our hearts,
With goodness to help or darkness shall fall.
To look in the face of those who we meet,
The circular pathways stare back in our face.
Each person, a universe…we all exist in our own,
Created no different than the world that we know.
Who rules the planet? Your pathways meet…
The rotation and pull…does it collide or make way?
Is there lift off or desolation? Could anything exist?
One God and one vision, there’s no room for more,
Our Creator, divine, who cannot be improved.
We take our blessings then think we know more
Move out of His energy, our natural pull
Negative energy, like opposite poles,
Has to connect with the positive to realign,
Ending the force which repels, and throws down,
The universe you travel, but do you realize your path?
Is it synergy in motion or out of control?
God in His provision, made perfect your path.
Study and ask Him, He will positively pull
Your desire to travel in His universe alone

By Candace Huffmaster © 2007 all rights reserved

September 2, 2010

God Knows If Our Request Is From Our Heart

2 Chronicles1:10-12 (GWT)
Give me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people. After all, who can judge this great people of yours?”  God replied to Solomon, “I know this request is from your heart. You didn’t ask for riches, fortunes, honor, or the death of those who hate you. You didn’t even ask for a long life. Instead, you’ve asked for wisdom and knowledge to judge my people, over whom I made you king. So wisdom and knowledge will be given to you. I will also give you riches, fortunes, and honor like no other king before or after you.”

Wisdom From This Favored King Solomon:  Proverbs 1:1-7
The proverbs of Solomon, David's son who was king of Israel given to grasp wisdom and discipline, to understand deep thoughts, to acquire the discipline of wise behavior: righteousness, justice, fairness - to give insight to gullible people, to give knowledge and foresight to your: a wise person will listen and continue to learn, and an understanding person will gain direction: to understand a proverb and a clever saying: the words of wise people and their riddles.

Solomon's opening to this layout was Godly.  Just as God asked Adam to choose the fruit from the tree of Life and not the lesser which was the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Solomon stated "The fear of the Lord is the "beginning" of knowledge.  Stubborn fools despise wisdom and discipline.

God knew if we ate from the tree that we would be stubborn fools who despise wisdom and discipline.  This always leads to hardship and death of the "Zoe Life". 

I pray that we drink in His wisdom...His life.  That we refrain from eating the tempting morsels of selfishness, self preservation, fearing that we have to quit because our toil is futile.  What I know is this:  If I am to toil it is to stay patient and faithful that God promised to grant us the desires of our heart....if we trust in Him and His timing.  God is not a genie that is supposed to make things happen on my time line, for my selfish whims.  He will accomplish my hearts desire along with His hearts desire.  What that means is all parties involved will be growing toward His best life possible.  We just have to keep focused on Him and not so much on others.

That is my prayer, that we allow God to be God, Christ to save us all and the Holy Spirit to continue to work us through this life of tripping, falling, and flying in harmony as one.

With the Love of our Christ,
Candace

September 1, 2010

Ministry in Word

The faith based living – Part 2
基于信心的生活 – 第二篇

Psalm 16
诗篇16


Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
神啊,求你保佑我,因为我投靠你。我的心哪,你曾对耶和华说:你是我的主;我的好处不在你以外。论到世上的圣民,他们又美又善,是我最喜悦的。以别神代替耶和华的,他们的愁苦必加增;他们所浇奠的血我不献上;我嘴唇也不提别 神的名号。耶和华是我的产业,是我杯中的分;我所得的,你为我持守。用绳量给我的地界,坐落在佳美之处;我的产业实在美好。我必称颂那指教我的耶和华;我的心肠在夜间也警戒我。我将耶和华常摆在我面前,因他在我右边,我便不致摇动。因此,我的心欢喜,我的灵快乐;我的肉身也要安然居住。因为你必不将我的灵魂撇在阴间,也不叫你的圣者见朽坏。你必将生命的道路指示我。在你面前有满足的喜乐;在你右手中有永远的福乐。

Cont’d from Part 1
上接第一篇
4. The loyalty and dedication
四、忠诚与献身
The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.
以别神代替耶和华的,他们的愁苦必加增;他们所浇奠的血我不献上;我嘴唇也不提别神的名号。

How sad will those be who follow idols, putting their trust in false gods who have no love to bless us, no mercy to forgive us, no power to save us. Those who worship the gods made by human hand will be helpless like them (Ps 115:4-8). I will not dedicate my life to these idols by offering sacrifice of blood to them nor will I identify with them, worship and praise them. The Lord is my one and only God to whom I offer my body as a living sacrifice (Ro 12:1) and to whom I raise my voice to praise His name.
那些跟随偶像,相信没有爱可祝福我们、没有怜悯可饶恕我们和没有能力可拯救我们的假神之人多忧愁。那些敬拜人手所造的神就会如它们一样的无助〔诗115:4-8〕。我不会献血祭来向这些偶像献身,我也不会与它们认同,敬拜赞美它们。耶和华神是我唯一的神,我以我的身体献给他作为活祭〔罗12:1〕,我扬声赞美他的名。

5. My portion
五、我的分
Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.
耶和华是我的产业,是我杯中的分;我所得的,你为我持守。

Lord, you are my blessing and my salvation. You have given me yourself (1 Jn 3:16) and that is more than enough. You have shown me what is required of me: to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you (Micah 6:8). When I do that in your strength, your blessings to me are surely in place. You are God the Creator and I am one of your image bearing creatures, made to glorify you (Gen 1:26-27). In my proper role I am secure and happy.
主,你是我的福气和我的拯救。你已赐你自己给我〔约一3:16〕,那就足够有余了。你曾指示我你要求我做什麽:行公义,爱怜悯,谦卑与你同行〔弥6:8〕。当我凭你的力量如此行,你的福气就肯定临到我。你是刽造的神而我是带着你的形象的受造物之一,受造来荣耀你〔创1:26-27〕。我在我合适的角色中就安全和快乐。

6. My boundary
六、我的地界

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
用绳量给我的地界,坐落在佳美之处;我的产业实在美好。

How wonderful where you have me situated. It is pleasant to my spirit and my heart delights in it. It is more wonderful to be a door keeper at house of God than to take shelter with the wicked (Ps 84:10). Now I understand I am one of your children through Christ (Ro 8:16-17). You no longer call me servant but a friend. I now know and be able to live out your will and purpose for my life (Jn 15:15). Your plan for me is absolutely wonderful.
你放置我的地方多美好。我的灵愉快,我的心喜悦它。在神的殿当看门人比住在恶人家中更好〔诗84:10〕。现在我明白我在基督里是你的一个儿女〔罗8:16-17〕。你不再称我为仆人而是朋友。我现在知道并且能够活出你在我生命中的旨意和目的〔约15:15〕。你对我的计划是绝对美妙的。

7. The wisdom and praise
七、智慧与赞美

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
我必称颂那指教我的耶和华;我的心肠在夜间也警戒我。

The Lord is the source of my wisdom for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps 111:30; Pr 1:7, 9:10). I seek the Lord's advice and influence on my whole being. Let me trust the Lord with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding in all that I do (Pr 3:5). I acquire my heart's delight in the Lord. Lord, please continue to mold and shape my and my children's desire day and night (Dt 11:19). And let us praise you always.
耶和华是我智慧的泉源,因为敬畏耶和华是智慧的开端〔诗111:30; 箴1:7,9:10〕。我全人寻求耶和华的指教和影响。让我凡事尽心信靠耶和华而不倚靠我自己的聪明〔箴3:5〕。我在主里得到我心中的喜悦。主,请继续日夜塑造我和我子孙的心愿〔申11:19〕。让我们永远赞美。

To be continued next week.
下周待续。

May we offer ourselves as living sacrifice to the one true God and seek His wisdom with godly fear in Him.
愿我们以我们自己献给这一位真神作为活祭,对他以虔诚的敬畏来寻找智慧。

Tom and Tehwan Tso
仲谋与德菀


“The outcome of your faith is the salvation of your souls.” 1Peter 1:9
“信心的果效, 就是灵魂的救恩” 彼得前书1:9