December 21, 2013

Gifting Stress


James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 

When thinking about Christmas, we think about presents. Many of us stress about “the gift”. The more we love someone, or the more we have at stake, the harder it becomes to articulate all that into a physical object which will appropriately express our feelings. There are so many things both real and intangible which cause us to have anxiety, when gift giving. We become consumed with what to give, who is giving; will we exchange, will it be equal and will anyone feel overlooked.

As good as it feels to be given accolades for being the best gift giver, we all must admit that receiving an awesome present usually feels better. We know God tells us it is better to give than to receive , but it is not for that reason.  It is for a righteous reason, because as we bless another we receive blessings and God receives glory. The reason God is glorified is because when we give, we are joining with Him as He blesses a precious loved one.

As the verse above reminded us "Every" good and perfect gift comes from Him. This helps us better understand that the focus is really about receiving gifts and bringing Glory to our Father. We can never out give God because what He gave is pure love. He gave unto us the perfect unblemished love. He did not wait for us to ask for it or even understand it was available. He just freely gave it, because He desires us so.

Precious gifts are expensive, they demand sacrifices to be made from the giver. What God gave us, He gave sacrificially and it cost not only Him but the one He loved dearly. The very one He loved dearly had to sacrificially join God in the giving in order that this highest, most excellent gift could be obtained. Christ became our gift, and the physical expression of Gods love to us.

But what about "with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change". God asks us to give from the heart. He also tells us to protect our hearts above all else, because up from it flow the issues of life. God is the same, yesterday today and tomorrow; in Him there is no lie, no shifting shadows.   It is the quality of the content within our hearts, flowing out, which sets the value of our gifts. The beloved receiving this true gift will never be able to equate its value in worldly measurements.   And that is the best gift anyone could hope to receive......to be adored in the eyes of their beholder; above all else!

This Christmas, may we all examine our "gifts"  and give honor and Glory our Lord, Jesus Christ!

Kisses,
Candace


Watercolor
By Candace Huffmaster


 Copyrights Reserved ©Candace Huffmaster 2012, 2013
Kaleidoscope Butterfly, Inc.®

December 12, 2013

Come to the Water

If you did not receive the mediations for your sojourn today, click on the title here: Come to the Water and the information will open up in another page for you.

Raising up wonderful thoughts for you today!
Kisses,
Candace

December 10, 2013

Remember Me....Please...

There is no way I can tie all our points up in one pretty little gift today.  But the studies I have been doing are leading me deeper upon our past studies and He is rocking my world! My excitement is hard to wrangle in, but I will control myself  and put out just a pinch of it today ;)

We talk about our thoughts ALL the time in group, in our daily relationships and more rampantly virtually.  We publish them in books, ink them into our flesh, sing them into the air and scream them at strangers (well, it is true :0)  So now, let's pause and BE mindful.......

Mindful means to bring to remembrance or be reminded; to recollect or admonish.  God tells us to know that He is mindful of US; He sets the memories of us up as memorials -they do not change.
Christ asked us to remember Him...we are not going to elaborate on this point today.  But whenever I hear the Tim McGraw's song "Remember Me" I cannot help but hear Christ pleading with us to remember Him...... That makes my heart sad that we do not remember Him as He IS and what He did to allow us to be ABLE to know Him as He is known to our Father. (Here is a link if you want to hear the song) 

For today though, we are applying these truths to understand how our memories and thoughts affect our life / peace in our moments and relationships:

God tells us "His peace surpasses all understanding" and He / Christ left us His peace; but WE must choose if we will cling to, or seek, comfort which soothes our dis-ease or the peace of Christ and His righteousness that "settles" all things within our midst.  It might be squirmy uncomfortable at times to go through these moments instead of stopping to be comforted.  However, if we persevere, press on to this goal, all things will be resolved, "as far as it depends on us". 

Another side of these thoughts is our understanding of His truth; how we are taught or think we, our self are to "Keep OUR Peace" as if peace can be ripped from our clutches and stolen.  It depends, the peace WE generate through comforting our self CAN be stolen from us.  But not His Peace, because it is not generated by US.  So if we catch our self fighting, defending and screaming "Get Away From My Peace!" then we might want to settle down and .......Remember Jesus; listen to His pleading, grieving, holy Spirit.  "Please.......Remember....Me....."

The truth is, when we are in the clutches of these moments, we need to mindful that we have entered the flesh and blood battle ground; the coliseum as we often refer to it.  His peace is not "up to us" to keep; He Keeps US in His perfect peace who trust in His faithfulness! Remember, our study of the Psalms where we meditated on how the holy spirit desires to lay us down in sweet rest for His glory and name sake?

When we allow Him to care to carry out His desires for us we allow the room for all supernatural contenders to fight the real fight.  We also allow the ministering spirits to come in and care for us.  When the way is cleared, through Christ who goes before us, all opposing Him must flee! He ushers in liberty, but not a liberty that we could even begin to comprehend how to achieve; it is supernatural. The only natural thing we may do is join with the Power that reckons all things to Him and His Righteousness. He alone uphold and carries us through all times past, present and into eternity...

Be mindful of your thoughts, actions and words because our words are power.  They are for reminding, admonishing, rebuilding, rebuking, remembering and calling into place what lies ahead. Remember: people get wounded or healed, encouraged or burdened by them.  We get to chose them...who will you serve with yours? Who will you bring to remembrance and serve with yours; just know you have to sit down and eat the meal with him / Him.

For the Glory of His Kingdom and the power of His name which completely accomplishes His will, I pray we chose life, always!

Kisses,
C


 
All Copyrights Reserved ©Candace Huffmaster 2012
Kaleidoscope Butterfly, Inc.®