Peace is HOW we Harmonize

But seek FIRST His kingdom and all these things shall be added to YOU! Luke 12:31 NAS

We have been speaking about Peace, our Frame of Mind and Harmony.  Today we are blending these notes into a melodious cord to see if they harmonize.  When you, yourself understand their tone, experience it for yourself, then YOU will be filled with His harmony which merges and stabilizes all things. Doesn't that sound amazing?

Peace is how we harmonize.  We are told to extend our peace whenever we approach others and before entering dwellings.  If our peace is accepted, we are to stay in community with those whom are peaceable.  We are also told to be at peace with others as far as it depends on us.  We are instructed to keep our peace; not to give it away to those desiring to consume all peace as if they are a vast vortex leaving no peace for others.  I am always reminded of the proverb regarding giving our pearls to swine when I think of this.  To do so is a waste of something good which is to be planted, prosper and flourish bringing much more to everyone else in need.

The struggle between keeping peace and being IN peace is the battle mentioned which is not with flesh and blood.  We are told it is in the spiritual realm.  Our ability to keep peace by means of our own force / emotions is the down fall.  You see it is not OF us, there for our own might will always defeat us.  Did you grasp that?  Read it again if not.  There is nobody else there in that scenario is there?

Now compare this struggle to little children desiring to play with the same toy and there is only one between them.  They cannot comprehend the concept of playing together with the toy.  There vision is that of the vortex, all they can see is me, mine, all, go away!  The other child or children who is left toy-less, if even for one second begins the process of a meltdown by way of an explosion.

God's peace is not about happiness; although with His peace comes much.  It is not about grasping that momentary prize either; although with His peace we are blessed and prosper in all ways.  God's peace is not about detaching from everyone else in order to HAVE your desire; although there are times when He tells us to leave is the only way harmony may be kept. These are a few of the reasons why we, in our limited understanding are not able to wrap our minds around the depths, heights an widths of this selfless yet amazingly fulfilling True peace of His.  

Did you notice how self motivated, consuming and therefore isolating the peace is which we usually strive to obtain?  Now, think about how a musical note is enhanced when other notes entwine, merge and complete each other.  The sound which emerges is deeper, richer, whimsical and intense, depending on the notes, all at the same time.  It's absolutely DELICIOUS!

Have no doubt and do not be deceived: God's peace is all about harmony.  God is about unity and this unity WILL NOT happen without community.  This is the reason I am constantly speaking about our "common unity".  The fact is, unless all entities are harmonizing, His peace is flat and not the desired tune He has his heart set on conducting.  God Shalom is perfect pitch: perfect, whole, unimaginably lavish completeness.  I picture the one note to affect His ear as an off pitch, shrill singular voice which causes a pane of glass to fragment violently.  If I were an angel, I would feverishly fly the opposite direction.  But they will charge toward the battle line of this cosmic fight when they hear His perfect pitch!

So, as Christ (the living, walking, accepted your chaos which over took His life because God allowed it, restored all life and victories enabling PERFECT harmony - Christ) said "Do not worry about tomorrow for today has enough worries of its own."

Did you hear THAT?

With Love flung all about you,
Kisses,
Candace 

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Am I Standing in the Right Place???

Found it Guys!  It was not in the archives, however there is another post from Friday August 20th 2010 where I suggested you refer to this.  Since it was not in the archives, you might want to go back and pull that one up as well to look over tomorrow.  
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All week long we have been going back to basics which has made me reflect as well.  These are things I am pondering and somewhat have experiential knowledge of  through taking action on the knowledge He has made available to us.

God has made it clear to us that we are to stand in the gap:  to show His love -which covers a multitude of sins, to lead and teach Gods word to lost and or struggling people. Essentially, to be a vessel for Him so that His body is in their midst doing whatever He needs to do to rescue and deliver His children.

Today I was listening to Bryan Houston and his sermon was on being fearfully and wonderfully made. I know I am, I believe I am - just as I know and believe this about all of us. This lead me to think about the spirit of Jezebel and how we all think that we know best, how we should look, vocation or whatever else. We basically say to God, "who needs you and by the way what you did was not so hot!" "I want to look like this", "I want to do this... and I can…so that is what I am going to do!"

This lead me into thinking about marriage and how God created us to be a man’s helper. We all want to marry someone that we are the mirror image of in likes dislikes etc. Yet we want the other person to do what we do not want to do (such as laundry, pay the bills, watch the children so we can have more personal time - just sayin' if they are just like us they will not want to do it either!) We want to be attracted to the person physically and we want them to always take care of us in all ways.

If all this happened, we would not have to learn and grow. We would get no ideas about how God functions or what He desires. Why can we not stop thinking about ourselves for more than mere minutes at a time????? Our needs are met; we have a creator that promised that. What He needs is a body to do His will.

Will we keep neglecting God’s instructions? Will we keep telling Him no and our selves Yes?

God tells us that when we have done all to stand, to stand. But what if we are standing in the wrong place and He is simply trying to push us toward another place? If we do not know His will, or why he made us we might believe it is “the enemy” we will fight Him even harder!

So where have we moved beyond fighting the good fight and passed into fighting Him to stay in the wrong place?

There is so much for us to learn, so many areas for Him to speak to us as individuals. He is so interesting to listen to; His ways are higher than our ways. He has the correct answer for all our questions. We simply want his answers to always fit what we want to do – so we go in circles trying to find somewhere to access the agreement with our own understanding. True research looks for “all wise resources” the agreement and the dispute. There is balance for discernment, not weights – which God warns against. He tells us to beware of the false teachers who tickle our ears, the ones that scream peace, peace when there is no peace. We must look for people who are standing in the right place, telling us the righteous things. They may miss it at times or we may misunderstand but at least we will be standing in the right place covered in the love that covers a multitude of sins.

In your journals or on your canvas' write about this as you ponder the questions below: remembering our foundation is God's word.

• What was the first and last thing we knew we had to do based on God's word?
• Did you stand till it was complete?
• Do you listen more to fear and fall - or faith and finish?
• Do you believe God is sovereign?
• Today we are adding to this list based on the above questions: Do you believe that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, for God's purposes?

I love you Lord – my prayer is for our spirits to prosper even as our souls do and for your church to be united and all people to be one, as you and the father are one. We are your people and we are one with you, I pray come Lord Jesus, come…..and the church said "Come".

With the love of our Christ
Kisses,
C

Interceeding for Those Who are Rebellious

2 Corinthians 3:17, 18 GWT



This Lord is the Spirit. Wherever the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. As all of us reflect the Lord’s glory with faces that are not covered with veils, we are being changed into his image with ever, increasing glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

This week we are going to take some really brave steps…together. We are starting with Isaiah 53 as the curtain is raising:

Who has believed our message?

To whom has the Lord’s power been revealed?

He grew up in his presence like a young tree, like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty that would make us look at him. He had nothing in his appearance that would make us desire him. He was despised and rejected by people. He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering. He was despised like one from whom people turn their faces, and we didn’t consider him to be worth anything.

He certainly has taken upon himself our suffering and carried our sorrows, but we thought that God had wounded him, beat him and punished him. He was wounded for our rebellious acts. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so that we could have peace, and we received healing from his wounds, we have all strayed like sheep.

Each one of us has turned to go his own way, and the Lord has laid all our sins on him. He was abused and punished, but he didn’t open his mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He was like a sheep that is silent when its wool is cut off. He didn’t open his mouth. He was arrested, taken away and judged.


Who would have thought that he would be removed from the world?

He was killed because of my people’s rebellion. He was placed in a tomb with the wicked. He was put there with the rich when he died, although he had done nothing violent and had never spoken a lie.

Yet, it was the Lord’s will to crush him with suffering. When the Lord has made his life a sacrifice for our wrongdoings, he will see his descendants for many days. The will of the Lord will succeed through him. He will see and be satisfied because of his suffering. My righteous servant will acquit many people because of what he has learned through suffering. He will carry their sins as a burden.

So I will give him a share among the mighty, and he will divide the prize with the strong, because he poured out his life in death and he was counted with sinners. He carried the sins of many."He intercedes for those who are rebellious."
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As we are taking pause to allow the truths of this scene to resonate I want us – in faith – to intercede for those we believe to be rebellious. I personally pray for those that have physically abused me and my family….punished us, judged us and in their minds led us like a lamb to be slaughtered as they left us unprotected by all that was coming against us.

May we realize that we are more than conquerors in Christ as we bravely look at the yokes of our bondage this week.

I also ask that you send me the names and any pertinent details for purposes of prayer of those you are praying.  If you are not comfortable with a name first or last then even an initial will be fine. I will not be posting them however I would like to lift them and you up in prayer this week. You may send them anonymously as well. If anyone would like to join me or talk, text or e-mail I will be available:

candyhuff@aol.com

My love to you all as we continue to fight the good fight and LOVE without ceasing,

Kisses,
Candace

Re-Invention???

There were a few of you that could not attend our meeting yesterday - We Discussed the past weeks segments and started conversations on "Living the Dream".   We will be building on this all week and going deeper as we go "Deeply" into the thoughts that comprise the life we walk around in.

1 Peter 5:6,7  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you at the proper time ~ casting all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you.

As I was spending time with our Dad today, I was asking Him some of my "always curious" questions.  I figure He appreciates them since He created me so incredibly curious.  I love the way He designed for us to have a new day ~ a clean slate each and every morning.  It is His own humongous safely net for us to "trip, fall, fly" throughout each and every moment; kinda like a little bird learning how to fly in the safety of it's mom's care.  I truly thank Him that each is fresh and in place for excitement, adventure and many ways to utilize my causal or purposeful curiosity.  Each moment is like this whether we do the same thing with it or not~isn't it? 

I thought about how God promises us that He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  How he doesn't get bored with who He is!  So why do we humans gravitate toward the ketch saying these days "Re-invent Yourself"?

What do we believe "WE" can invent that is better than His original design?  We are daily supposed to be coming into the enlightenment of What He is - which will expose another piece of who we are.  If we are faithful to Him as He is to us to complete us, then we will be transformed "one enlightened moment" upon the other. 

God promised that He is faithful to complete us.  And I believe that ~What about you?

I pray for those of us that feel pressured to "reinvent" your-self and I ask today in this very moment for Gods winds of wisdom to gently swarm around us ~ lifting our veil so that we might hear His truth whisper in our ear:

"You were invented long ago ~ Now you are learning to perform as you were created ~ Let me guide you, My Delight."  " Listen to how you were originally designed to perform ~ Take a few test runs, I will never leave you or forsake you ~ Trust in Me ~ I trust my design."  "I had a vision of your success and I planned all you would need to have it in full ~ Enjoy your run THIS DAY ~ I enjoy seeing you try your understanding." 
"Believe in Me ~ I believe in all you can do!" 

"I Love you ~ I am YOUR creator".

That is what I believe He would whisper to you today.

With the love of our Christ, wrapped in His glory ~ desiring for Him to Radiate this place and enlighten us with His peace,
Candace

"Above All Else"

Today all we are going to look at is the Hebrew definitions of our translated words within Genesis 1:20. We will need to understand these as we move forward with our study. I utilize Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance for the Hebrew definitions.

Genesis 1:20 (NAS)



Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens."

1. Waters is Mahyim same as waters the first of Genesis - water, waters, water of the feet, urine. Of Danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment.

2. teem is Sharats – meaning (Qal) to teem, swarm, multiply. To swarm.

3. Swarms is a derivative of sharats – it is Sherets meaning teeming or swarming things, creepers, swarmers - of insects, animals, small reptiles, quadrupeds.

4. Living is Chay meaning living, alive (green/ of vegetation, flowing fresh / of water, lively, active (of man) reviving (of springtime) it means relatives. Life (abstract emphatic sustenance, maintenance. Living thing, animal: life, appetite, revival, renewal. It means community.

5. Creatures is Nephesh meaning soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion. That which breathes – the breathing substance or being. The inner being of man or the soul. The living being as in the life in the blood. The activity of the mind – seat of emotions, passions and activity of the will, activity of the character are all seated here. Dubious.

6. birds is owph meaning flying creatures, fowl, winged insects, birds

7. Fly is uwph meaning to fly, hover, fly about or fly away. It also means to cause to fly or light upon and it can mean to fly to and fro. It has a (Qal) meaning: to cover, be dark, gloom.

8. Above is al this preposition has quiet an amazing depth for such a small word: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against. It means because of, for the sake of, with, for, in spit of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of. It show above, beyond and over in excess (example in abundance to the full till it overflows). It shows pre-eminence of elevation (example not to lean on our own understanding – his thoughts are “higher than our thoughts). It also show multiplicity of addition – in addition to, together with, upon, unto (examples of where God adds to our ordinary to complete us) which is a deeper meaning of being over as in an extension or suspension. It means by adjoining, around next to in proximity (of contiguity) It also is a verb of motion: down upon, on, from, up to, towards, against. (examples God is for us not against us. Who ever is not against God is for Him). It is also a conjunction (conjunction junction what’s your function) to (as a dative?) because, notwithstanding and although.

9. Earth is same as earlier verses (erets) look back for definition.
10. open is paniym meaning face or faces, presence, person, face of: seraphim or cherubim, animals, surface of ground. It is also used as an adverb to describe location examples are before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime as a preposition as well examples of each are: as Christ goes before all thing, God is omnipresent; we are to go before Christ, others before us. As a preposition it means in front, in the face of the enemy, Christ was with God from the beginning. Before there was, there was God.
11. Expanse is raqiya same definition as firmament – look back in notes.
12. Heavens is shawmayhim – interesting that it has the Hebrew work mayhim (we derive waters) as part of it. It is derived from an unused Hebrew word eym meaning lofty. Defined it means: heaven, heavens, sky or visible heavens, as an abode of the stars, as the visible universe or atmosphere, the abode of God.

Read the poem I sent last night. Think about these definitions as you are doing so. Take some time to write about what you are thinking for us to share together Friday.

I leave of with these two verse to ponder:

Proverbs 20:5 A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of understanding draws it out.


Proverbs 27:19 As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man.


Ecclesiasties 3:11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.


1 Peter 1:12 God revealed to the prophets that the things they had spoken were not for their own benefit but for yours. What the prophets had spoken, the Holy Spirit, who was sent from heaven, has now made known to you by those who spread the Good News among you. These are things that even the angels want to look into.

I pray that we understand this day what God means when He promised us that the spirit searches all things even the depths of God. I pray that we: look toward the heavens each moment giving praise, that we keep our face set as flint and our eyes set on the things of His Kingdom, that we think on things that are holy, lovely and pure with the a devotion toward all that He is. Remember that the Holy Spirit has made all things known to you so guard your heart above all else, because out of it flows the issues of life. Be well today, because you can be!

With Love to you all...in Christ;
Candace

Trusting God's Story as Truth

We know from yesterday’s verses that God put the greater and lesser lights in the governing positions. He stated that this was Good.


Let’s break down some of the verses from yesterday and relate them to other scriptures in context in order to go a bit deeper with understanding God’s way of comprehending, discerning and living out or journey’s.

Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake.

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Yesterday in our group meeting we were speaking about spiritual warfare, speaking God’s truth into our battles and waiting on God to show us the proper plan/ way out.

I would like to support this with Ephesians Chapter 6:9-20 (using GWT).

Masters, treat your slaves with respect. Don’t threaten a slave. You know that there is one master in heaven who has authority over both of you, and he doesn’t play favorites.

Finally, receive your power from the Lord and from his mighty strength. Put on all the armor that God supplies. In this way you can take a stand against the devil’s strategies. This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent. We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world. For this reason, take up all the armor that God supplies. Then you will be able to take a stand during these evil days. Once you have overcome all obstacles, you will be able to stand your ground. So then, take your stand! Fasten truth around your waist like a belt. Put on God’s approval as your breastplate. Put on your shoes so that you are ready to spread the Good News that gives peace. In addition to all these, take the Christian faith as your shield. With it you can put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Also take salvation as your helmet and the word of God as the sword that the Spirit supplies. Pray in the Spirit in every situation. Use every kind of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert. Use every kind of effort and make every kind of request for all of God’s people. Also pray that God will give me the right words to say. Then I will speak boldly when I reveal the mystery of the Good News. Because I have already been doing this as Christ’s representative, I am in prison. So pray that I speak about this Good News as boldly as I have to.

In Matthew 4 we see Christ utilizing all these principles. Christ went before us to show us: what to believe, how it will help us, and allow us to have the faith to persevere.

Verses 1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU'; and ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'" Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

God tells us that we have cloud of witnesses around us. He tells us He will never leave us alone or abandon us. He also tells us that the angels harken after His word. So we should believe that we stand against or up to the evil in our midst as Christ did speaking the truth appropriately. The governing power of this world is darkness, how deep that darkness is I have no idea….and do not care to find out. What I do know is that he comes to tempt us to “choose in free will” to give up, cave in and quit – “lay down like a doormat and let things trample over us- without speaking the power of the Lord God Almighty’s truth. He tries to make us tire out before we pick up our armor. Don’t do it. As Ephesians 6:13 states:

For this reason, take up all the armor that God supplies. Then you will be able to take a stand during these evil days. Once you have overcome all obstacles, you will be able to stand your ground.”