Cross Over Troubled Waters
Think about the Gap
The truly great divide
The one that first crossed over
The one waving the flag of hope
The one we can now run to
The one complete and whole
We trusted His bridge would deliver us
Set our feet on solid ground
We carry their way to cross over
Following His steps across
When we see the breach before them
We too must lay ourselves down
Take pause to look all around you
Listening to hear His prompt
We know someone is searching
He hears and knows where they are
Your opening may be small now
But He made you the perfect fit
To hold back the raging waters
To shine the light on their path
By Candace Huffmaster
2010 © all rights reserved
Devotional by Os Hillman - TGIF
I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. – Ezekiel 22:30
The people of Israel fell into sin when they worshiped the golden calf. It would not be the last time God’s people would fall into idol worship. They had forgotten the great things God had done for them. This angered God so much that He was going to destroy the whole nation. Only one thing changed God’s mind in the matter — Moses. Psalm 106:23 says, “…had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him to keep His wrath from destroying them.” Moses was a man willing to stand in the gap, sacrificially, for those who were not deserving of such sacrifice. This sacrificial love by Moses is called for among His people today.
The prophet Ezekiel described another situation in which God’s people fell into sin. God was ready to destroy the nation when He spoke to Ezekiel, asking him if there is a man willing to stand in the gap so that God would not have to destroy His people.
Judah was a man who stood in the gap on behalf of his younger brother Benjamin. Joseph held his brother Simeon hostage as insurance that the other brothers would bring Benjamin to Egypt. Judah had a long history of a me-focused life, but in this instance he came forward to stand in the gap for his younger brother. He responded to the anguish of his father, Jacob, by personally guaranteeing the safe return of both Simeon and Benjamin. Judah’s sacrifice was rewarded (see Gen. 42-43).
Just as Christ did, we are to be those who will stand in the gap on behalf of others who are not aware of their own vulnerable condition. It is a proactive sacrificial position. Who is God calling you to stand in the gap for? Perhaps it is a mate; perhaps it is a coworker who has not come to know the Savior; perhaps it is a wayward child. Are you willing to become the sacrificial offering to God to change His plans of judgment because of your willingness to stand in their place? This is a hard teaching. This is what Jesus did for each of us. When we stand in the place of another, God moves because of our willingness to stand on their behalf. If we don’t, His plans will go forward because He is a righteous and holy God who will honor His own word, even if it means destruction. Are you willing to stand in the breach of the wall for someone today? Perhaps you are the only person who will stand on someone’s behalf.
For more on" standing in the gap " go to top left search box and type in" bridge" or "gap"
I pray today for each of us to request in Christs name that God give the understanding of what all this means so that He may have all of us unified in His Kingdom.
With love,
Candace
Showing posts with label bridge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bridge. Show all posts
January 19, 2011
May 10, 2010
The Bottom Line on Profit, now this is Good!
John 5:25 (NAS) Truly, Truly, I say to you an hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live.
John 5:25-28 (NAS) “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment…because He is “Son of Man”.
We all love Guarantee’s don’t we? That lets us off the hook, no buyer’s remorse. “I can guarantee this truth: Those who listen to what I say and believe in the one who sent me will have eternal life.”
So today, let’s ponder a couple more things.
The scriptures yesterday stated that the Father doesn’t judge, He entrusted judgment entirely to the Son so that everyone will honor the Son…as they honor the Father. There is so much meaning in that scripture. God loves and trust Christ so much that He doesn’t think Christ will mess up the whole judgment thing. Wow, can you honestly say you would just let your older sibling take over disciplining your younger child - You would be hands off no questions asked?
Well if we look beyond the surface we will see that in this way of thinking we will never get it. In John 5:21 Christ was quoted as saying, “ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes, “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given ALL judgment to the Son.” God does not judge so Christ does not judge. He trusts that Christ will not judge anyone. Believing this we are honoring Christ as we are honoring God.
Christ also says if we listen to what He (Christ) says and believes in God we will have eternal life. Why? – Because He won’t judge you. Why? Because you bypassed death and made it to life. How? God made Christ to take on death. There was a battle between life and death and Christ fought it to the death. But God has life in Himself and gave to the Son life in Himself. What Christ was doing was “executing” judgment which leads to death. In doing this He himself became the bridge of Life for us all to walk across that great divide. He laid across the void where the bridge to Death was. His hands were anchored on one land, nailed into the rocks on that shoreline; His feet were nailed securely on the other rocky shore. We simply have to believe it is secure and take the step, move across. (Go back and read the segments on fear of bridges if you would like more details here)
Then in verse 28 which we will close out “there is Good and there is good”, Christ states Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice and shall come forth; those who did the good to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil to a resurrection of judgment.
If Christ was the executer of judgment it is best to know the Greek word in which we translated it from. Poieo means to make, it is derived from the root word poios which means quality. Poieo means to endow a person or thing with a certain quality (such as life, strength, courage, health etc) and to qualify it at the same time. It also means to appoint or constitute. It is the opposite of a Greek word prasso, which would bring out the means in which something was obtained, (all the steps etc.)
If we believe that Christ executed judgment then that would refer to it being done once for all. It would also make sense that in doing this there is no more great divide. We have now this same life within our self and although we are an independent creation we walk in the same love that God has endowed us with.
Agathos in Greek means good, however it is a good with benevolence it is useful while being profitable. Good if it does not benefit another, is not profitable, it is evil and you have chosen to take a bridge that might look wise, but it leads to an island. Christ states in verse 31 If I bear witness to myself MY testimony is not true. We will pick up here tomorrow.
I pray that “today” we all hear what the spirit of the Lord is telling us, receive it and be healed of our unbelief. Let’s cross this bridge together.
With the Love of Christ,
Candace
John 5:25-28 (NAS) “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment…because He is “Son of Man”.
We all love Guarantee’s don’t we? That lets us off the hook, no buyer’s remorse. “I can guarantee this truth: Those who listen to what I say and believe in the one who sent me will have eternal life.”
So today, let’s ponder a couple more things.
The scriptures yesterday stated that the Father doesn’t judge, He entrusted judgment entirely to the Son so that everyone will honor the Son…as they honor the Father. There is so much meaning in that scripture. God loves and trust Christ so much that He doesn’t think Christ will mess up the whole judgment thing. Wow, can you honestly say you would just let your older sibling take over disciplining your younger child - You would be hands off no questions asked?
Well if we look beyond the surface we will see that in this way of thinking we will never get it. In John 5:21 Christ was quoted as saying, “ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes, “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given ALL judgment to the Son.” God does not judge so Christ does not judge. He trusts that Christ will not judge anyone. Believing this we are honoring Christ as we are honoring God.
Christ also says if we listen to what He (Christ) says and believes in God we will have eternal life. Why? – Because He won’t judge you. Why? Because you bypassed death and made it to life. How? God made Christ to take on death. There was a battle between life and death and Christ fought it to the death. But God has life in Himself and gave to the Son life in Himself. What Christ was doing was “executing” judgment which leads to death. In doing this He himself became the bridge of Life for us all to walk across that great divide. He laid across the void where the bridge to Death was. His hands were anchored on one land, nailed into the rocks on that shoreline; His feet were nailed securely on the other rocky shore. We simply have to believe it is secure and take the step, move across. (Go back and read the segments on fear of bridges if you would like more details here)
Then in verse 28 which we will close out “there is Good and there is good”, Christ states Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice and shall come forth; those who did the good to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil to a resurrection of judgment.
If Christ was the executer of judgment it is best to know the Greek word in which we translated it from. Poieo means to make, it is derived from the root word poios which means quality. Poieo means to endow a person or thing with a certain quality (such as life, strength, courage, health etc) and to qualify it at the same time. It also means to appoint or constitute. It is the opposite of a Greek word prasso, which would bring out the means in which something was obtained, (all the steps etc.)
If we believe that Christ executed judgment then that would refer to it being done once for all. It would also make sense that in doing this there is no more great divide. We have now this same life within our self and although we are an independent creation we walk in the same love that God has endowed us with.
Agathos in Greek means good, however it is a good with benevolence it is useful while being profitable. Good if it does not benefit another, is not profitable, it is evil and you have chosen to take a bridge that might look wise, but it leads to an island. Christ states in verse 31 If I bear witness to myself MY testimony is not true. We will pick up here tomorrow.
I pray that “today” we all hear what the spirit of the Lord is telling us, receive it and be healed of our unbelief. Let’s cross this bridge together.
With the Love of Christ,
Candace
April 28, 2010
Gephyrophobia, the Fear of Bridges
Hebrews 12:1 (GWTW) Since we are surrounded by so many examples of faith, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up.
We have looked at Hebrews 11 many times over the past year. Anyone that I have mentored over the past 5 years knows my deep gratitude for what God has shared with us through the faithful family history folded between the pages within the book of Hebrews. To paraphrase a few verses from chapter 11 as to not restate its entirety: I could keep talking about it because I seem not to be able to exhaust their faithful efforts or to tire of seeing the effect it has as it passes throughout generations. I too am enthralled with what I see on the horizon, desiring to keep the road behind and ahead well marked for others to follow”
So, today I desire to add a connecting piece to some of the perspectives we have been viewing. Between the verses in Chapter 11 and the verses in Chapter 12, which entwines all our topics on running the race, not being crushed and standing in the fullness of Christ, we have this beautiful verse of instruction. It is the bridge that connects these two continents of wisdom.
If Hebrews 12:1 is a bridge telling us we must get rid of everything that slows us down….especially sin that distracts us. We must look at the functionality of a bridge to put it in perspective.
Let’s think about what a bridge is utilized for, it is the intersecting point where we have to decide if we are going to take action. This action is movement, in the form of actually walking across to the other side. We have to decide it is time to walk away from the land of knowledge and facts. We must step out of the safety zone of the land from where we have been and actually walk across the bridge in faith that the land we have heard about will actually be there when we arrive.
Think about what is beneath that bridge. It must not have been an area that could be traveled without someone understanding what it took to safely be transported to the new land. Yet we did not see the engineer that built it. We have heard and seen others have made it. So we go… without hesitation.
We will be discussing this point by point for the next few weeks.
I pray that we will think about the land we are in asking for God’s perspective of the things we have seen; heard and experienced – looking unto Jesus…he is the author and finisher of our faith. To Him be all the glory always in all ways.
Kisses,
Candace
We have looked at Hebrews 11 many times over the past year. Anyone that I have mentored over the past 5 years knows my deep gratitude for what God has shared with us through the faithful family history folded between the pages within the book of Hebrews. To paraphrase a few verses from chapter 11 as to not restate its entirety: I could keep talking about it because I seem not to be able to exhaust their faithful efforts or to tire of seeing the effect it has as it passes throughout generations. I too am enthralled with what I see on the horizon, desiring to keep the road behind and ahead well marked for others to follow”
So, today I desire to add a connecting piece to some of the perspectives we have been viewing. Between the verses in Chapter 11 and the verses in Chapter 12, which entwines all our topics on running the race, not being crushed and standing in the fullness of Christ, we have this beautiful verse of instruction. It is the bridge that connects these two continents of wisdom.
If Hebrews 12:1 is a bridge telling us we must get rid of everything that slows us down….especially sin that distracts us. We must look at the functionality of a bridge to put it in perspective.
Let’s think about what a bridge is utilized for, it is the intersecting point where we have to decide if we are going to take action. This action is movement, in the form of actually walking across to the other side. We have to decide it is time to walk away from the land of knowledge and facts. We must step out of the safety zone of the land from where we have been and actually walk across the bridge in faith that the land we have heard about will actually be there when we arrive.
Think about what is beneath that bridge. It must not have been an area that could be traveled without someone understanding what it took to safely be transported to the new land. Yet we did not see the engineer that built it. We have heard and seen others have made it. So we go… without hesitation.
We will be discussing this point by point for the next few weeks.
I pray that we will think about the land we are in asking for God’s perspective of the things we have seen; heard and experienced – looking unto Jesus…he is the author and finisher of our faith. To Him be all the glory always in all ways.
Kisses,
Candace
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