September 25, 2013

....What Was The Subject Again?

Can you ever recall a time when you thought you were with the program, only to find that apparently everyone else is off on another topic?  Sometimes I feel that way when understanding who God is or more accurately with clearly comprehending my truths verses His truths.  I can always find the answers and clarify His view points if I will simply pause and seek Him. 
 
Let's look at this from another angle:
 


"But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be KNOWN BY God..........how is it that you turn back again.....to the weak.....and the worthless.....elementary things which YOU desire......to be enslaved all over AGAIN?" Galatians 4:9
 
" It was for FREEDOM that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm...do not be SUBJECTED ........AGAIN...to a yoke of SLAVERY!" 

How do we discern pleasure from pain?  We have been taught trained and now tout so many mixed messages of "good" things.  No doubt, we DO doubt..... the reliability of our receptors toward accuracy.

For those of you who believe we were created in the image of God: in His likeness, male and female, do you believe that He then is relate-able to our likeness in many ways?  For instance:

We have a spirit and a soul ~ does God?
We take pleasure or emotionally feel pleasure ~ does God?

Without knowing these things, how CAN we know what we believe?  Our beliefs will contradict each other, we will not know who we are, what we look like, what defines us.  No doubt our character is seen to be as the incredible fool.  If we lean on our own understanding, the tiny bits of truth that we can fit into a picture; then the only definition of God we have is of our own assumptions.  We then are limiting who we are capable of maturing into based on our small picture. 

When I parked on the words: now that you have come to know God; or rather to BE KNOWN BY God, it was as if the veil was finally lifted.  All the fog and chaos cleared for me.....it resonated and I GOT IT!

The law showed us who God was - perfectly: holy, lovely, just and the justifier.  But Christ showed us that God desired to know us; in order that we could have an intimate relationship WITH Him. 

Just as when a brides face is seen as her veil is lifted, so too are each of us face to face....finally in His presence.  Can you imagine the joy and excitement as He finally is able to look into our eyes!  When we come into His presence through Christ, we no longer have to perceive Him from the outside, as a stranger only knowing things about Him.  Think of it like this:

We can know many things about someone like Julia Roberts, Elizabeth Taylor, Robert Downey Jr or The Clinton's but they do not know us.  While we do have a one sided, unrealistic relationship to them, we probably would never be allowed to enter their home - unless we crawled through security or encroached their personal space.  This is what I envision when Christ speaks of His sheep knowing His voice and the one who crawls over to enter the sheep fold. 

But Christ came that we would have entry, so why do we doubt?  I cannot speak for anyone else, but as for me, it was because I was more focused on knowing everything about God and forgetting that He wanted me to focus on Him KNOWING ME.    When I look at what I can know about God, I have to look at the law, but when I face the law I see all my flaws and shriek out as Paul did "O, wretched man that I am!"

It is in that very moment which I realize it is not about who I am.....it is about "I AM!"

If you have never read "SEE" please take a moment to click the link.  I love this and when I wonder about the who am I equation, I immediately find the answer :)

My prayers are that you / we relate with others what you see, as you see yourself through His eyes.  It will be such a beautiful sight!

All for His glorious name sake,
Kisses,
Candace

 


© Candace Huffmaster 2013, All Copy Rights Reserved
Kaleidoscope Butterfly, Inc°

September 17, 2013

But God Calls Me A........

You do not have to be a parent to relate to a hurt child running tearfully bellowing "they called me a _____.!" We have all been there and yes even done that!  But why can' t we just pause and think "but God calls me a delight, not because I'm all that, but because He is all that!"  And when we are the naysayer, why do we not straighten up and say, " Gee, I'm so sorry about that, God is tremendously delighted in you!"

Well, it is a dream I have ;)

As we read The Wind and a Stone, we realized the journey within the tale. We found our own characters and recognized some of our very real fears.

There often are times when I am not only aware of the ebb and flow of God’s word, but I feel am being pulled into it; even drenched by it.  His words implore us to dive deeply into these holy waters and trust in His ability to help us reach through to the other side. It always amazes me when I find that God shares some little nugget and if we store it away, nourish it and wait with excitement for Him to bring it to its fullness, we will get to understand a bit more about our Dad.

Before I ever began the first women’s group, I journaled these lines as I prayed. I just thought it was a tender poem:

Walk across the scripture
 Reach his hand on the other side
Journey with him and the others
Merge in now with your life
 Repair your broken mirror
To reflect his perfect peace
Bring transparency and your color
 Into the picture of eternity

God created a space, we've discussed, where He could enter with power.  He could be born as man, our Christ and suffer just one time for all suffering.  What He did was secure Zoe life for us, but we must recognize how we “Give up the Ghost” as the old saying goes.  But it is true:

When we sin we shatter our oneness with God, which is Shalom.  While we are sitting amidst our broken pieces too exhausted to move is actually the perfect time to pick up the one thing in our life that cannot be shattered… God’s word.  Don’t worry about the shattered pieces around you, just sit with Him and read. Let Him take you on a journey, His journey, Your journey, Our journey…it’s all the same.

Like I always say…..we’re nothing but a bunch of characters anyway.  So, lighten up, God’s got your storyline covered – literally! You are bound between the pages of His cover front to back your story has been entwined within His.

 To prep for another leg of our journey:

 Reflect again on Peter sinking. Think about the storm that was shrouding you and how turbulent the moments felt. Now picture Christ imploring you to stand up, confident, not in your ability to get up, but in HIS love For YOU.

 I pray that you be empowered to set your eyes on His face and dive deeply into His strong, always victorious presence,

 Kisses,
Candace

Read Psalms 31; Luke 24



Update 2013©Candace Huffmaster 2006, All Copy Rights Reserved
 Kaleidoscope Butterfly Inc ®