Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. ~1 John 4:17-19

It is our thoughts which stir up fear, due to a desire to avoid or suppress something undesirable. Fear creates an uneasiness of mind and if left unattended wreaks havoc physically (our body, relationships) and eternally. We have not studied fear as a focus topic since 2010, this is fresh information to benefit our current subject.

Fear:

Definition: an awareness of my lack of control or certainty about a given situation and the possibility of an undesirable outcome, leading to a fight, flight or freeze response in my mind, will, emotions and or body.

We all have to face fearful elements in life; the manner in which we face them is our point here. CS Lewis stated: "Perfect love, we know casteth out fear. But so do several other things- ignorance, alcohol, passion, presumption, and stupidity. It is very desirable that we should all advance to that perfection of love in which we shall fear no longer, but it is very undesirable, until we have reached that stage, that we should allow any inferior agent to cast out fear."

We cope with life, we manage our emotions, habits, jobs and relationships. We attempt to control the things which tempt us to exit our "comfort zone". Because when we are in the zone, there is no fear to speak of. At least nothing so uncomfortable we cannot manage. These coping mechanisms can be destructive, or might I suggest sinful. It is the destructive fears stemming from unrepentant sin in our life, which will be our main focus.

For most individuals the result of fear is either to respond in an aggressive or passive manner. We have discussed those in the past, along with the effects of fear (check archives).
Fear usually falls into one of the following categories and at times several:

1) Fear of loss/needs not being met

      a. Relationships end/being alone

      b. Financial loss/job, spouse, economy

      c. Personal health, attractiveness, meaning
2) Fear of Death, Dying, Judgment
      a. The manner in which we pass away & or our remains
      b. Spiritual state of life after death
      c. Family, assets, reputation/ physical matters left behind
3) Fear of others
      a. Losing their good opinion
      b. People judging or gossiping
      c. Confronting others regarding sin


The great thing about fear is how God can use it for good, as He tells us in Romans 8. In the Old Testament it is often written regarding what was meant for evil God will use for good. The way God uses fear is to start a dialogue with us. We all know fear is trying to tell us something. It tells us something about our self for sure, but Satan wants something deeper: to deceive us regarding God. He would LOVE to lead us away from the clarity and simple-ness of His truth. After all, if he could get the angels to follow him……

Could I get you to consider all this? Maybe even join with God's conversation instead of the demonic one that has been screaming throughout the world. Would it make better sense to sit with God, His word and ask: What is my fear trying to tell me Lord? If you will join us in this, see if you can't tie it, or them, back to one of the categories above and then ask for help, His power and grace to repent and be reconciled to His perfect love. And where He leads you, to ask others for forgiveness confessing where you have sinned against God toward them.

I pray for any and all who sit with this, that you will receive the gift of repentance and that the person or people you are lead to encounter will have already forgiven you long before you ever asked, that the Lord may begin to find joy in His body, as we become one: reconciled and unified unto our Holy God. I know we will not be perfect, but we can continue to be perfected as we walk out this life with each other.

I thank Him for His good plans for us all- may we never doubt His faithfulness!
Because He first loved us,


Kisses C

© 2015 by Candace Huffmaster

 Kaleidoscope Butterfly, Inc ®

The Radical Cowboy

Cowbody Take Me Away! 

Honestly, I used to sing this song and pray that God would come and take me away - out of my circumstances and stand me in the middle of a beautiful field where all I could see was His glory shining all around me.  I NEEDED to see His face.  I Needed to feel the wind under my wings for just a moment of freedom.  I felt like I was in a sea on concrete I don't even remember if I felt like any of my limbs could break out and move.  But now when I hear this song it makes my heart jump because He did show up, and He did liberate me - but I had ALOT of strength training to do in order to fly.  So let's celebrate our training, lets see it in it's reality.  Nobody likes it!! Seriously - nobody. But we are not nobodies are we?  WE are somebodies! 

"Cowboy take me away fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue
Set me free, oh I pray, closer to heaven above and closer to you....
Closer to you...." Dixie Chicks Lyrics

http://youtu.be/yucqyRaB8bA

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 (GWT)

We now understand that freedom is the ability to not be bound, to have made it out of our turbulence so that we CAN help another person. I want us to be sure we understand what we are actually free “from”. What does He mean when he says “do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” ?

2 Corinthians 3:17,18 states:
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

To understand what the true meaning of this statement was we have to look at two Greek works that this is derived from:

Duleiua: meaning servitude, dependence. It means to be in the position of a servant and to act accordingly.  If we are serving we are subject to their authority and must take their direction.  It also means to be reduced to bondage under someone and deprived of freedom. Metaphorically it means to be a slave to something - such as our pleasures.

 Doulos: or the state of Doulos is defined as a slave or servant.  It is one who is in a permanent relationship of servitude to another.  The difference is that this persons will is altogether consumed in the will of the other.  It means to bind.

To understand these things helps us look at our thoughts with more clarity.  God tells us that we are His bond slave.  A bond slave is  a slave that has been given their freedom but chooses to stay with their master because his master treats him so well.  Yet there is always the understanding that the slave is free to go at any time.  This is a relationship based on love and respect - not guilt and punishment.

Is there something a habit, poor self control, bad memories keeping you from being all you know God created you to become?  Maybe you have freely chose to stay in an environment where you did not have authority over yourself who allowed this type of respect - and now you do not feel the liberty to leave.  You know all the pain that comes with leaving due to their authority and control over your life.  What can you do other than panic and loose hope?

Today just write about the "masters in your life"  some of them are figments of our imagination.  Some of them are ghosts of our past whom we have never walked away from.  Some of them are still very real.  We are not going to move today.  Today we are going to be still and know that ultimately we are bond slaves to the Mighty Lord God Almighty and He will always show up at just the right time to rescue and deliver us.  He is faithful and true and He promised to show us the way out.  But we have to be still and listen.  His voice is not like the others, it is gentle, loving, kind, patient and ALWAYS encouraging us to keep going - keep believing and remember how much he loves us.

God I pray that you show us with unveiled faces where we allow ourselves to serve another master; where we have unintentionally put a God in your place. We know that the Lord is the Spirit and your spirit searches the depths of all things even you. Forgive us, restore us. We ask to see clearly and to allow all that you are to transform us, step by step into the same image; from glory to glory till we radiate as does the Lord. Let us permeate His glory into this place.

In Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Candace

Get outside today, kick some dirt around, dance like you believe your Heavenly, Radical Cowboy is coming any day on His magnificent white stallion to take you away - 'cause He is ya know!