As His Child, I Believe

We’ll guys, here you have it: This is the official name of the book as well as what the archive will be titled for these segments. Below is a simple excerpt from one of the pages ( the final edits are not back yet so bear with me).

As His Child, I Believe

Good morning Dad………………

I love you so very much ~

Even this is hard to explain ~

In each pixel I exist to give thanks.....

Lead me through those things you foresaw;

Show me your everlasting view;

 The ancient of days is my choice;
My desire is to follow and see ~

To know, understand and to do ~

Not hear simple words then perceive.

Above, my heart searches the heights,

My mind searched the depths here below;

Without you these two worlds cannot merge,

For their connection is secured by your hand.

Please find my name; remember me ~

Through Christ I AM Holy and Pure;

May your search find me just as I AM ~

His Righteousness, His feet, at your side.

I ask for the sake of my life,

Also those who might follow by sight,

Not to perish in what I understand.

Through Christ, through the Spirit – Speak,

To my body, mind, soul very weak,

Till your kingdom, in fullness, I reach;

Be Lovely - because that you are;

Be Holy for them to perceive;

Be Righteous in the formation you create,

Living out the remainder of our days.

Teach me, as your child,  to grow;

Protect me – you do that I know!

Release me, yet never let me go ~

One moment, one step on my own.

Belief, trust and faith hold me tight;

My desire for you wakes my soul ~

Your Beauty encompasses my way ~

Every moment, every thought, every day.

Oh, for the joy my heart leaps ~

The memories of what my mind sees:

The future as real the past ~

In pictures - like family photographs ~

We’re all there and some I don’t know ~

But my face they recall as their own ~

Deep comfort, honest pleasure, passionate peace ~

to BE where I fit; in my place!

So today, though I know not how long,

I will cherish all your memories and thoughts;

For in you I have a hope that is real,

Beyond illusions so grand and tall.

Thank you my Lord and my King ~

My mighty strong tower where I see ~

The horizon on which you will come ~

To receive us: your most precious things.

“Selah”

Kisses ~ C

©2007, Candace Huffmaster, All Rights Reserved

Kaleidoscope Butterfly™

How Far is Far? What Determines an End?

We are entering a very mature segment of things to ponder, but I have faith that each of you is ready for this.  We are not entering a race, although at times your discomfort might desire to run eagerly toward the finish line.  But allow yourself to slow down and experience each moment, thoughtfully.  This will be your space of openness, liberty and safety.  Remember that!  Here, unlike most of your experiences in the past, there will be no expectations, only acceptance of your questions, thoughts and understanding.  With that in mind, we will base our direction on a plea and warning from Gods loving words to us.

Jeremiah 6:16 (GWT) This is what the Lord Says:  Stand at the crossroads and look.  Ask which paths are the old, reliable paths.  Ask which way leads to blessings.  Live that way, and find a resting place for yourselves.  But you said that you wouldn’t live that way.

Galatians 6: 7-10 (GWT) Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God.  Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest.  If you plant in the soil of your corrupt nature, you will harvest destruction.  But if you plant in the soil of your spiritual nature, you will harvest everlasting life.  We can’t allow ourselves to get tired of living the right way.  Certainly, each of us will receive everlasting life at the proper time, if we don’t give up.  Whenever we have the opportunity, we have to do what is good for everyone, especially for the family of believers! (Emphasis added for our study purposes).

Deeply was about where you are.  Honestly is about where you are going.  We will take this sojourn viewing these questions: 

Where are you going?

     What is your mental focus toward?

     Are you aware of a spiritual focus?

     How do you perceive your future?

     Are you facing your life honestly?

These are not in any specific order.  They are just things to think about.  I do not expect you to answer them, yet, just ask yourself the questions remembering “the sojourn is the answer; the question an endless plight” We are here to fly, not be live weighed down by sorry conditions!

So today, we are going to stop blaming others for what they did or did not do for us and to us.  I am not saying these people were kind, right or fair.  I am simply stating the obvious “they will be an obstruction for you to have a full view of your own life, where you are going and what you desire to discover about yourself”.

Sometimes we use this distraction to protect ourselves from pain. It is easier to deal with what we do not have any control over than it is to deal with what we have the power to alter and change.  This is not a feat for the faint of heart!  Let’s be brave though….one small step at a time, one complete day at a time; okay?

We never see ourselves as others do, good or bad.  We are too close and our view is askew.  Changing your life begins with honestly looking at your “self”.  We create our life not others.  Others may only suggest, reflect and have an impact toward us.  The affecting, altering power is under the dominion of “yourself”.  Knowing this helps us comprehend that in order to change our self perception we must stop using others perspectives and opinions as our truth.  It is only a piece of the puzzle not all pieces perfectly placed.

We know that there is only one True View Point and that is from the eye of God, His mind and the pure will of His heart.  We must be willing to discover and follow His ways for us. 

For the sake of all good things being done unto you, I pray that you will honestly consider the things we will be journeying through, together in Him.

Kisses,

Candace

Candace Huffmaster ©2006 all rights reserved

Don't Rescue Me from THAT!

Psalms 31:1,2, 19-24  Your kindness is so great! You reserve it for those who fear you. Adam's descendants watch as you show it to those[For the choir director; a psalm by David.] I have taken refuge in you, O LORD. Never let me be put to shame. Save me because of your righteousness. Turn your ear toward me. Rescue me quickly. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.

Your kindness is so great! You reserve it for those who fear you. Adam's descendants watch as you show it to those who take refuge in you. You hide them in the secret place of your presence from those who scheme against them. You keep them in a shelter, safe from quarrelsome tongues. Thank the LORD! He has shown me the miracle of his mercy in a city under attack. When I was panic-stricken, I said, "I have been cut off from your sight." But you heard my pleas for mercy when I cried out to you for help. Love the LORD, all you godly ones! The LORD protects faithful people, but he pays back in full those who act arrogantly. Be strong, all who wait with hope for the LORD, and let your heart be courageous.

As I am growing in my experiential knowledge of reality, I am always amazed at how little on what I thought to be real was even real.  Yet if you had asked me in the past I would have make definite claims of my certainty.  It is mind boggling! 

So much of God's word is directed to understanding all this.  However, we must live a conscious existence in order to perceive it.  When did we, as a society decide it was alright to blame everything on our subconscious ways?  What has happened to accountability?  And I do not mean finger pointing piety, I mean loving, encouraging wisdom as protection from what would be done out of ignorance.  As a gross generalization I see us all taking a step back in our compassion as we allow others to "live and learn".  How cold and callous we have become.  What if God were like that?  He would be no different than man.  We do not want a God like that so we create a God that allows us to do what ever we want to do in ignorance and wallow in the blood of Christ to try and ease the grieving spirit within us. 

We are made in God's image, we were created to care, give aid, take the steps when rejected to keep caring and to speak up even when we know it is going to be met with strife and hostility.  AND then we are supposed to keep praying for the complete power of God to never give up on them, to press around them and whisper sweet truths till they can't live separated from Him any longer. 

We do not rescue them but when God desires to utilize us, equip us to physically get involved whether it be showing them snares up ahead, exposing false imaginations or simply extending peace, love and charity isn't it the least we can do.  After all He allowed us to reject Him, beat him, spit on him, kill him and then he went to hell and back for us.  And we think we've been through a lot!

I have a favor to ask of you -even if just for the next few minutes you just sit with Christ and tell him how much you love him and how sorry you are for taking him for granite at times - for minimizing what he went through for you / us.  Then just be in his presence with no expectations.  Simply allow him to have a couple of seconds with you to enjoy all he gave up so that he could be with you today.

In love with you all - through Christ,
Kisses,
Candace

Is That Your Final Answer?

All of the Deeply Series is discovering the deep seated beliefs we have anchored in our soul.  This is the reason that we preface the groups with this overview:

Deeply is all about the decisions that we have to make if we are going to believe that God is who He says He is.  If we do believe this we will create a healthy fear in the Lord.

This does not mean that we are against discussing doubts, fears, ambiguity, frustration and everything that might seem to oppose what we are working toward.  Remember we include Trip, Fall, Fly in all that we do.  We are not here to impose legalism, denomonationalism (is that even a word) or pluralism.  We are here to create relationships: give compassion, empathy, understanding, wisdom, discernment, silence with an embracing arm, listening ear and Christ centered efforts.

Our purpose is always to expose our false reality in a way to create a catalyst for honest righteous changes in our lives - starting with our thinking to work out in our relationships Ultimately to honor God through a life which is flourishing in the sight of everyone.

So what is stopping this from happening in YOUR life?  We each must answer this question?  Is it even something you desire is the first question?  If not, why?  What do you feel would be a negative toward you?  What ever it is stems from a fear.  Can you isolate the fear to take a look at it?

Since we are always in a process - and thus process oriented ( or should be, you know my pet peeve with goal orientation) lets look at the process finding some of the chairs we have given out allowing those poaching thoughts to stick around and become beliefs.

Understanding that what ever is sitting in that chair is a real object to us it will play the part of our subject.  The actions we take to keep it in that seat undisturbed is what we believe.  Are you still with me so far?

Before we offer this object a chair we go through a process of gathering proof to prove to our self that our final answer is "yes, this subject will be given a chair.  It is now in the deep seat section orchestrating our thoughts. 

There is a parallel lane on this highway of proof to proven that we travel.  This lane is grief to grieving.  Avoidance keeps us on this road way.  What are we avoiding? Discomfort!  We all know that growth requires stretching ourselves.  We watch this day in and day out with children as their bodies stretch high and fill out.  We know all about growth pains, but they're not that big of a deal, right?  So why do we avoid it in maturing, increasing intellectually, relationally?  Why do we perceive obstacles as negative?  Remember the wall in "The Last Lecture"  it is only there to see how determined you are.  That is a great thing!

Here are a couple of interesting tid-bits:

When looking up some etymology of English words decide came from the formation of words meaning to decide and the ion added forming our word decision means suspicion, suspend, conversion, convert, compulsion, compel.

We are the object in another arena - we are the object in a battle taking place between truth and deception.  There is a seat with your name and it is just for you in each orchestra pit.  Will you suspend your decision long enough to gather all the facts?

What if we believe in God's promises long enough to see that He will prove the theories are incomplete?  What if we simply get more afraid of the illusion of the oncoming pain, discomfort, grief and abandon His faithfulness right when we would have had the proof we needed?  Remember He promised to never leave us nor to forsake us. 

Aren't we even the least bit fearful of calling God a liar by the seat we take -the seat we give to belief through the actions we believe and call truth? 

Think about it.
Write about it.
Share it with me / us here or in group Friday.

My prayer is that we will make the decision to decide that we believe in what is holy, lovely and pure then to be truth, be light and BE truly beautiful in all we say do and walk out.

(By the way - that is what one of our t-shirts are having printed on them - Be truth , Be light, believe - and the other is Be True Beauty ~ be beauty in chaos)  Let you all know when they are finished!

Kisses in Christ,
Candace

And the TRUTH Shall Set You Free - But First........

We know that God promises that the truth shall set us free.....but in order to get to that freedom we must shatter the false images we call truth;  this is a process not a decision.  The decision comes first and most of us falsely believe that this is the end of the story.  We believe therefore our job is done.  But as we have studied God's word tells us that a thief is no longer a thief not when he realizes he is a their but when he believes he is a thief, doesn't desire to be a thief any longer, is sorry for the grief and pain he has caused others (notice I didn't type sorry for the pain it caused HIM) seeks what a giver looks like because this is what he desires to be and then does it as he is growing.

Greed is the most selfish thing around.  Selfishness in any form is greed, putting yourself first is stealing from God and others.  When you are afraid someone is going to get what you want or keep you from having what you want you get greedy.  You take, you push, you belittle, you minimize and you don't care about what you cause  - because you don't mean to hurt anyone else.

Can you handle that truth.  Look at yourself in the mirror today.  Ask God where am I greedy? Ask Him to show you the truth and when He does - I pray that you will be sorry for what you have done to others without holding them accountable for what you have done.....simply to see the truth and the truth to show you the way out of the lies you have believed.  I ask that you receive His forgiveness for what you have done it is available when you forgive those that have trespassed on your "stuff". 

I ask that you lean not on your own understanding, but believe that Love covers a multitude of sins.  I ask that you look at your self in that mirror and believe that in Him there is no condemnation, guilt or shame.  I ask that today you hear what the spirit of the Lord says and start to be transformed by the renewing of your minds.

Write about your greed, if you prefer selfishness to be called that. Write about what you perceive God has taken from you - because the fact is people don't give or take away - only God gives good and perfect gifts.  Maybe he is trying desperately to keep you from harming your very life.  He does love you, you know.  But he will allow you to glutton yours "self" to death.......if that is your free will.

"BE .....transformed by the renewing of your mind...pixel by pixel.

With the love of Christ,
Kisses,
Candace

Look Where YOU are Standing and What Angle You are Looking From - It's Not the Only View

Today, simply read these and think about them, pray about them. I hope each of you have a wonderful Saturday. I pray that each of us think about what our motives are in the things we say and do. I pray that even if just for today we can look at ALL the people around us as a child that God loves and is trying desperately to help get through this life. If you are having a great day - praise God. If you are thinking you have it all together and looking down on another person....be careful, it might be you some day.


My love to each of you...let's give someone more than a break today...let's give 'em a hand up.

Kisses,
Candace

A Story About a Vineyard -

What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go to work in the vineyard today.’ “His son replied, ‘I don’t want to!’ But later he changed his mind and went. “The father went to the other son and told him the same thing. He replied, ‘I will, sir,’ but he didn’t go. “Which of the two sons did what the father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Tax collectors and prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. John came to you and showed you the way that God wants you to live, but you didn’t believe him. The tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. But even after you had seen that, you didn’t change your minds and believe him.


“Listen to another illustration. A landowner planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, made a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to vineyard workers and went on a trip. “When the grapes were getting ripe, he sent his servants to the workers to collect his share of the produce. The workers took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned a third to death. So the landowner sent more servants. But the workers treated them the same way. “Finally, he sent his son to them. He thought, ‘They will respect my son.’ “When the workers saw his son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him and get his inheritance.’ So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. “Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those workers?” They answered, “He will destroy those evil people. Then he will lease the vineyard to other workers who will give him his share of the produce when it is ready.”
Jesus asked them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord is responsible for this,and it is amazing for us to see’? That is why I can guarantee that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce what God wants. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken. If the stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person.”

Afraid of Love, or Afraid of Not BEING Loved?

Philippians 4 1-9


So, brothers and sisters, I love you and miss you. You are my joy and my crown. Therefore, dear friends, keep your relationship with the Lord firm! I encourage both Euodia and Syntyche to have the attitude the Lord wants them to have. Yes, I also ask you, Syzugus, my true partner, to help these women. They fought beside me to spread the Good News along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the Book of Life.


Always be joyful in the Lord! I’ll say it again: Be joyful! Let everyone know how considerate you are. The Lord is near. Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.


Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable. Practice what you’ve learned and received from me, what you heard and saw me do. Then the God who gives this peace will be with you.

I love the way Paul speaks the truth in love. He is encouraging his fellow believers and those he has been sent to lead and cover. He opens with how much he loves them all….right where they are, as they are. He speaks of a desire for them, to be with them and how he wears that relationship with pride / honor.

Look at what he says next, keep your focus on God first. He does not say focus on what “I” am saying, how much “I” love you and you own “me” something (usually respect due to how we have mentored or cared for someone) He keeps all eyes focused on Christ. He encourages them to seek this relationship first.

Paul goes on to speak highly of the work of others as He is making these requests. He is not touting what he alone has done; he is expressing how they are one body.

It is my opinion that a large factor of how conflict either gets resolved or propelled into a drama is within the next few scriptures. We take our focus off Christ and get into the problem and short comings of people in our midst. We start to desire to “fix” the other person, “Tinker” with how and why they do not see things as we do. We get anxious, irritated, defensive, justified, self righteous…..angry.

Fear is what we have been talking about along with Trust over the past few months. Counseling programs have a diagram that shows “anger” being the tip of an iceberg with all those emotions felt being unresolved beneath the surface of the water. I would like to propose a thought. What if anger is the surface of the water and “Fear” is the cap of the iceberg.

What if we would visualize Christ walking on that fluid surface of anger coming toward us….wearing our cap of fear? We are to grow up into our head which is Christ. He does not wear a hat labeled fear. In fact God promised that there is no fear in love. He also said that pure love casts out all fear.

We cannot wear 2 hats on one head. I think in the south we state it another way…2 horses one backside. Paul closed these encouraging words “then the God who gives this peace will be with you”. Will you receive it? Paul showed us how in these scriptures.

If Christ is our foundation - that means He is literally the road way, because the ground we walk on which uphold us. "Stay with me here" - Christ himself said he is "the way" "the truth" and "the life". So write and think about the surface you are walking on. Look beneath that surface even if for a moment and take a quick peak. See if your way has truth under it. Now look up and see if the destination seems to be heading you toward life. Friday I want to hear about your discoveries - together we will journey on!

I pray for us all that others will see how considerate we are. I pray that the peace and joy of the Lord is our today and that we rejoice. I pray that we grow in relationship with Christ today all the while giving thanks that we are one body upheld by His righteousness. I pray that those who have hurt us or threatened us in anyway be forgiven because I do not believe they knew what they were doing. I pray that Christ meet them right where they are and bring them understanding so that restoration may take place. I pray that God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard our thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. I thank God that He is showing us thoughts that are Holy, Lovely and Pure so that we can be holy….because He is holy.

I trust that all this is done, because of Christ our Lord, the abilities of our God and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit working within us this day.

Please Pray this with me, as One in Christ Jesus -
Kisses,
Candace

©Candace Huffmaster 2007 All Rights Reserved

...But Joy Comes in the Morning!

Friday we were speaking of the Gospel in group. We discussed the subjects of speaking about our problems, which is good, but not giving honor and glory to God if we stop our sentences where there should be a semicolon or a connecting adverb. There must be the speaking of our discomfort....BUT....a praising of our Lord God Almighty that He will not leave us in this situations as an orphan - unloved.

Another interesting tid-bit using our knowledge of sentence structure is that when using a conjunction the direction of the sentence does not change. Application being: We have been speaking about life as a road trip and what happens when road blocks, bridges or wrecks happen. If we understand that when we take the conjunction by way of getting out of the mishap we simply continue on the same road going deeper toward that destination. However when we take "connecting" detour we are being lead away from the problem and back onto the road in safety.

So when you write about stressful things or speak about them today, bring to remembrance who you are in God's sight: His eye is on you, He sees all the fragments as a design, He has understanding to support your lack of knowledge......But you must believe by using your actions to go as He leads.

Psalms 30:5 (GWT) His anger lasts only a moment. His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may last for the night.......but there is a song of joy in the morning! (emphasis mine)

Use the thoughts below to tie everything we have been speaking on - we will be adding to all this and closing out deeply as we review.

Kisses,
Candace

 
View Points and Perspectives

Today I was thinking about our views on things. Conversations with others; what is our view point? Planning our ambitions for the future; what is our view point? View points are actual “things” they are not simply thoughts. They move us down a physical path, interacting with physical things - people, places, and all the tangible objects within.

There are many paths to branch off from with this topic. For now let me park on this thought; If we never take the time to look from all angles, our view point is only one dimensional.

Now think of the view point we are supposed to have; an omnipresent view, through the vision of our creator. We are to look from all directions; both physically and mentally as He does. He knows the beginning and the end at the same time. We can follow that by utilizing history (the beginning) and his promise of what is to come (the end). We have our memories as well as trusted experience of many wise people.

If we take the time to walk around the object we are viewing; whether metaphorical or physical, ask for God to give us his eye sight and power to perceive, and patiently use our mind and heart to reflect we will certainly have a full view from all prospective positions.

With that in mind what do you see? How do you perceive it? Is it a real or false image? Use the powers entrusted to you as a child of God to cast down false imagination and See what is really before you as well as what is down your road. He promises to tell us EVERYTHING in advance. I trust him…..what about you?

Building the Image

• What do we see? 
• What will we/it look like? 
• What will we/it say? 
• How will we/it act out? 
• Who are we/it available for? 

These are verses that apply to us all, within them he speaks to us individually. The unique answers will come from your relationship with God through Christ.

We are made in the image of God, we are made like them.

We see that all God said is possible and He himself would manifest it.

We only see in part, but we will see all clearly. God gave us the Holy Spirit so that no thing is hidden and all things are brought into the light for us to clearly understand.

We are to only speak what the Father words, we are to speak the Truth in Love. We are to warn of harm, give wisdom to those seeking it, and to passionately cry out in grief or despair to God when they choose not to be obedient to God.

We are to follow Christ acting in accordance with his actions. Taking whatever action God tells us to for each unique situation.

We are available for Christ to live in us to reach whoever He chooses, whenever He dictates.

Each of us were made to function the same and yet so incredibly uniquely in our commonality. We must seek how we are different from everyone else. Therein is what He designed you to do…better than anyone else – while working together with a heart of gratitude for the other unique people He designed to be part of His body.

Let’s encourage each other, embrace each other, lift up each other….then we will be One Strong Body….made in His Image.

  Kisses,

Candace

 

© Candace Huffmaster 2005 All Rights Reserved

Free Will..Who Holds Who Accountable??? Who are You Holding?

As we have studied God does not have a problem with accountability, forgiveness, change or charity.  He tells us we are accountable for so many things - awareness, trying to the best of our understanding, seeking more understanding in all things toward Him, others and our own inner and outer workings.  When we do this we will be changed by the renewing of our minds moment by enlightened moment.  This enlightened transformation leads to true giving without a thought of our self. 

This is our highest calling and the cause for all things that happen toward us, into us, through us and pouring out of us.  This is what He chooses to be united with and the reason we must be separated to move into his presence in harmony.  So.....knowing that you are an instrument in His harmony, what is your tune?  Have you looked at the piece of music He is orchestrating today.  Watch the conductors hand and follow. 

Write about it this weekend.  I will post some things to spur creative thinking.

My love to each of you - I posted Os Hillmans devotion today for us to think on.

See you soon,
Candace

The Value of Words

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman

"And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." - Matthew 5:36-37

Imagine for a moment that you are living in Jesus' time. It is before Jesus has begun His public ministry. He is a carpenter in your local town of Nazareth. You have asked Jesus to make a table for you. You're on a deadline and you must have it in a week. You agree on the price of $100 for the table and the date of one week for completion. A week later you arrive to pick up the table. You lay your money down on the table and Jesus says, "Mr. Johnson, I am sorry but the table is not ready. I ran into complications. Also, I can no longer honor the price I gave you. It is now $150 instead of $100."

Two years later you hear about this same Jesus who is preaching to the local townspeople. How are you going to view this Jesus? You probably won't give much credence to His message because of your personal experience. Our lives have an ability to reinforce the message we stand for, or they can violate it and make it totally ineffective. This literally happens all over the world in different settings with Christian workplace believers. Our message becomes ineffective because we have not done what we said.

I know people who, when they tell me they plan to do something, I can expect them to follow through about 50 percent of the time. I am sure you have had the same experience. Words and commitments are made with little meaning behind those words. However, I know others who will follow through almost every time. The only time they don't is when something falls outside their control. I quickly learn whose words have substance behind them.
There are times when we are unable to perform or deliver what we promised due to outside influences. The key to turning these potentially negative circumstances into a witness for Christ is communication. If we are unable to pay a bill on time, we must communicate with those we owe and make a good faith effort to resolve it within our means. In these cases, God's purposes are being performed as well if we seek to do the right thing.

Do your words mean anything to those who hear them? Do you make commitments and fail to follow through on them? What would others say about how you follow through? Ask the Lord today to show you how you are doing in this area. You might even want to ask three people who are the closest to you how you fare in this area.

What Do You Want from Me?

Conversation With My Dad

journal entry

What do you want from me?????  Expectation, guilt shame.......

Dad the thoughts come so very fast, what do YOU have to say to me  - to them?

I simply desire to "BE": with you, in you - abiding - working in harmony.

Lift this......."No you lift it - but not to carry; to lie it down - then pick up my yoke and be bound to that!"

But aren't I - I mean yoked to you....always in all ways..................?

Do I take it off and not notice, because your yoke is so light????? Is it the struggle to pick it up all the lifting which is breaking my back???

Please help me make understanding of all this - I cannot comprehend the things of you...without you!

I believe in you, I trust in your love for me.  I know it is true that you will never leave me or forsake me.

What do you want from me?!?!

What do you expect?

My efforts appear useless

My heart feels great weight

burdened by guilt that I cannot comprehend

The shame of lost efforts

Wrap their arms to approach my ear

Each word creeps in close

Blocking much needed light.....

Give an inch.....

Take a mile.....

Give and take......

The war divides.

Keep you peace!

Guard your heart!

Use your mind,

     to see the fight.

Hold your words

    till the spirit speaks.

Fold your hands

   to stay on your feet.

Give an inch....

Take a mile....

Give and take

The war divides.

Flesh and blood

   not meant to fight.

the battle ensued

    is supernatural ground.

To rightly divide

the spirit prevails

faith veils your eyes

to not walk by sight

Your face I follow

Your truth is my lead

My spirit is willing

Through trust we succeed.

After I wrote this I heard him say:

You have not yet chosen to pick their yoke up.  This is simply the warning before the storm begins - please stay here in the garden.....Let the spirit win!!

After I talked to God about all this I looked beside me on the table and my bible was opened to Psalms 19 after reading it I just had to giggle.  Today think on all this - write down anything that you might even slightly think you have picked up which is not yours to be hitched to.  Ask our Dad about it, He promised to not hide anything from us.  But we have to be willing to hear what he has to say.  Sometimes that is the hard part!! He usually talks to us about ourselves asking us to leave others up to Him!

Psalms 19 helped me out this morning as well - so I post it here for you too. (GWT)

For the choir director; a psalm by David

The heavens declare the glory of God

and the sky displays what his hands have made

One day tells a story to the next

One night shares knowledge with the next

without talking

without words

without their voices being heard

(Yet) their sound has gone out into the entire world

their message to the ends of the earth

He has set up a tent in the heavens for the sun

which comes out of its chambers like a bridegroom

like a champion, it is eager to run its course

It rises from one end of the heavens

It circles around to the other

Nothing is hidden from its heat

The teachings of the Lord are perfect

They renew the soul

The testimony of the Lord is dependable

It makes gullible people wise

The instructions of the Lord are correct

They make the heart rejoice

The command of the Lord is radiant

It makes the eyes shine

The fear of the Lord is pure

It endures forever

The decisions of the Lord are true

They are completely fair

They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold

They are sweeter than honey, even the drippings from a honeycomb

As your servant I am warned by them

There is a great reward in following them

Who can notice every mistake

Forgive my hidden faults

Keep me from sinning

Do not let anyone fain control over me

Then I will be blameless

and I will be free from any great offense

May the words from my mouth and the thoughts from my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my defender.

all rights reserved by Candace Huffmaster -  except on scripture which GWT reserves right to

Am I a Klepto?

Continuing on our topic of Yokes – what are we truly tied up to? What is harnessing us? You will know when you expose your thoughts by answering the following questions:

 

What are you protecting?

 

Your Love exposes the truth. Fear causes our loving arms to wrap around stuff / people / ideas forming a defense to keep what we cherish from being stolen. Liberty, generosity, trust, faith and love causes our righteous arms to support, protect from harm and yet free whatever is encircled by our care.

 

At times we deceive ourselves by not looking at this truth. We live such defensive lives we are not aware of the conversations going on in our own mind. Many of us are so fearful we constantly remind ourselves of how others fall short and that we are only doing what we must do because of their brokenness. While there is a mustard seed of truth in what we speak because ALL of us are a mess, it is important to remember: nothing can ever be taken from us when we are ready to give in a time of need. After all – we own nothing, every good and perfect things comes from Him.

 

Also, we must be aware that there are many times when we ourselves create crisis because we will not get up and do things ourselves. WE place expectancy on others in our midst to do the work for us. We choose not to look at what we are doing to them – and call it an unconscious mistake.

 

Ephesians 4:28, God lovingly took the time to tells us exactly what this looks like so that we may discern and take positive action to correct this as we transform through the renewing of our minds.

 

Thieves must quit stealing and, instead, they must work hard. They should do something good with their hands so that they’ll have something to share with those in need.

The original Greek word in the scripture above is klepto and yes it is where kleptomania is derived from. This condition does not really have anything to do with the value of items or even the act of stealing. It stems from mood disorders, addictive personalities or insecurity / lack of control. It is not thought out or planned it is more of an unconscious compulsion.

God explains how to get on track:

• Get conscious
• Look at what you have
• Look for ways to do good for others
• Get busy doing good for others

Think back about how Jesus related to people. Did he fix their discomfort by filling their lives with material comforts? No, he gave them truth, told them how to obtain what they needed. But when people had no other resource and it was a crisis he did give them physical things. 

 

I pray for God to keep our eyes on where we alone need to grow and being accountable for our own actions and walk so that we can be a lovely catalyst for tranformation of our communities.

 

With Love,

Candace

 

 

 

 

 

 

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."
                                   _______________________________________________
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

Are You Free to be Delivered?

Yesterday we were thinking over the promises made to us through God's word to be rescued.  Think back across the scriptures that speak of  "your faith" being the catalyst for the change to happen.  Today we are going to look at some Hebrew words and be sure we understand the translations of scripture fully. 

Chacah is translated  Refuge - meaning to take shelter

Natsal is translated  Rescue meaning to escape or physical deliverance

Bayith is translated Stronghold meaning physical provision of a structure but also a net, snare or grave to fight for you.

Yasha is translated Save meaning to be open wide or free to be delivered, saved, get help, give victory, to take vengeance or to preserve.

Yasha is also where the word Savior is derived and the word Hosanna is directly traceable to this word.

In the old testament the word pointed to a physical deliverance from a very real enemy or catastrophe.  Later however "save" developed a theological meaning.

As we think over these meanings let's remember that God is concerned about:

• Our physical well being
• Our emotional status
• the salvation of our soul

As we remember these points choose to believe that God has the ability to save us from anything which would harm us.  Tell yourself with faith that "God's love and action IS salvation".

Isaiah 49:6, 52:10

There is none outside Him, it is an everlasting salvation which was coming and is already here.

Is it too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel, I will also make you a light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.

It goes on to talk about how we will be brought forward and out of darkness out of lack - God has laid the road before us - His road.  He desires for us to be comforted by His compassion for our condition and circumstances.

God will not force you to accept anything He has laid before you.  That is the reason he keeps beseeching us to choose what is good, holy, lovely and pure.  He wants us to have it but He is not a bully - it's a gift.  You and I free to be delivered from all things......the question is will we see that to be true? 

I know these things to be true and I truly wish I could give you my eyes, mind and heart to see what I see. But I have faith that just as He was able to change my vision, mind and heart He also will do that for your when you allow Him to. 

Even if you don't believe me...please write a little something about your it today  - even if it is your doubt.  I pray that He heals you of any doubt this day. 

With the love of our Christ,
Kisses,
Candace

Childs Play and a Watchful Eye

Thinking deeply, perfectly placing our thoughts is what we are striving to obtain through this journey of our minds. We are kicking the dust and debris methodically. Not only will it do us no good, but it will do much harm if we simply continue in our haphazard ways of navigating through the moments of our lives.

Our thoughts God tells us are like the words that created them – wonderful seeds. At least that was His intent. So what happened?? We know the answer to that – Satan! Perversion of truth, distortion of reality, however you want to classify it takes a marvelous helpful plan and slowly, methodically grows poisonous or weak plants that cannot be used and are even dangerous to our very life if not aware.

We also are looking at being still, closing the flood gates on the chaos trying to force us to panic, get up, run or hide. There is nothing to worry about unless we have gotten ourselves in a crisis situation. However crisis in an impact point when we have gotten off track and too many harmful elements are pressing in on us. Most of the moments we deal with are not “true” crisis. We often react as if they are – which is the reason why we have to be methodical, patient, faithful instead of impatiently reaching out to grab fear, panic and always trying to trash “all” things to just be Rid Of IT.

We must understand that if we are going to glean experiential knowledge of information, ideologies or biblical truths we have to “use” them. We must “trip, fall and fly a little” – Get down and dirty with it – roll around with it, sometimes even break things a bit because we are experimenting. It’s all “Good”!!

I had a great conversation with our Dad the other day he explained some things to me about this. He has everything monitored. It’s like an educational play zone for kids. We are padded from the sharp corners, baby gates at kitchen and stair, outlet covers, the works. However, sometimes we get a bit too smart for our britches and want to see what is behind those things and get hurt. And there you have it the crying starts baby gets a booboo.

I am not meaning to minimize the hurts and pains we go through – but that baby, even though we are alarmed and that bump may be hideous to look at we all make it okay – right?

God was also explaining to me that the things (material things etc) are kind of like the things we buy for babies. They are necessary as well as useful but mostly functional. They are not things we keep forever, they have a purpose. He was telling me that the things of this earth are like the items we sell at a garage sell. We still believe they have value and they are desirable but we let them go so that others may have what they need. We donate them at times when people need and we have more than enough.

This is why He tells us not to cling to our “stuff”. He wants us to remember, this is our baby stuff. Our adult and eternal things are waiting for us in our future, where we will be all grown up and can’t harm it due to our needing to trip, fall, fly and shattering it all.

So today, I desire for you to think and hopefully draw or write about one of your “play time” learning experiences. Look around at the children in your midst today and give your selves as much of a break as you give them when they are learning. I thank God that He see us, loves us, protects and provides for us all the while knowing that we are precious babies just learning – and one day we will hear Him say “My, my you have gotten so big sugar!” Let’s just pray He’s not a cheek pincher – not that there’s anything wrong with that =D.

Kisses,
Candace

Do Not Lean on Your Own Understanding - Stand Upright on His

It is vitally important to understand how God works verses how man thinks. We avoid suffering at all cost. We feel entitled to have what we perceive "everyone else" has. We do not understand why we have to do without when we see others that are no better than we are getting "good things". I wish I could say,as a generalization, that we are comforted in these situations knowing that Christ and many others did not receive here on earth what they deserved. But sometimes we get cynical and think God must be punishing us, if He wasn't mad at us we would be getting everything we want. (Kinda like spoiled brats don't ya think?)

The truth is, just what we thought about yesterday. There is a reason things happen like they do. A really GOOD reason. When things like this happen, remember we are the lights in the pits of earthly lives. Think about this: What if God allows you to go without because He trusts you to show someone that is weak or lost that those "things" "positions" what ever it might be, are not the most important thing. They are not worth loosing moments, hours, days, years of peace and joy. Or worse yet loosing your eternity in heaven with Him.

God calls us His Delight. He does not call us His Dark and Doomed. I pray that we can have His heart, Hear His words and Feel His Spirit as it fills our continence. They I pray that we all our Little Light to Shine in the pits of this fallen world. Share his mercy today and you enjoy His grace.....

Write about it, below is a Psalm by King David be mused =D
With Love -Kisses
Candace

Psalm 62 (GWT)
For the choir director; according to Jeduthun; a psalm by David.
My soul waits calmly for God alone.
My salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my savior—my stronghold.
I cannot be severely shaken.
How long will all of you attack a person?
How long will you try to murder him,
as though he were a leaning wall or a sagging fence?
They plan to force him out of his high position.
They are happy to lie.
They bless with their mouths,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah
Wait calmly for God alone, my soul,
because my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my savior—my stronghold.
I cannot be shaken.
My salvation and my glory depend on God.
God is the rock of my strength, my refuge.
Trust him at all times, you people.
Pour out your hearts in his presence.
God is our refuge.
Selah
Common people are only a whisper in the wind.
Important people are only a delusion.
When all of them are weighed on a scale, they amount to nothing.
They are less than a whisper in the wind.
Do not count on extortion to make you rich.
Do not hope to gain anything through robbery.
When riches increase, do not depend on them.
God has spoken once.
I have heard it said twice:
“Power belongs to God.
Mercy belongs to you, O Lord.
You reward a person based on what he has done.”

"I Spy with My Little Eye"

Can God Heal Your Vision without Lasik’s?

I can put this in a nutshell for us – Yes, because vision does not start with what is in front of you. It starts with the building blocks of yesterday. We only see what we believe is really there! Once we no longer believe what we thought we saw - we now see what we "believe is really there" and so on and so forth.  Crazy or sane?  What does God say?

We live by faith, not by sight. Yet faith comes by hearing – or so I have heard and read. I chose to believe those statements even when I had no proof yet.  And that is what my dad used to say is “proof in the pudding”.( I still don’t actually get that saying – ha-ha. )

We have had so many discussions about the science of interpreting the things in our midst and the snapshot our mind portrays as the full sight, so I will not regurgitate all that again. (I know…hold your applause).

The reason we are going here yet again is because God’s wisdom on “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” is so multifaceted that we can’t drain His knowledge on the subject. Today, our purpose is to some handy tools of His trade as we tinker with our segmented thoughts / conversations which are running non-stop in our minds.

We have been trying to discern the promises of God on which we can build our faith. We know we have to plant them in our mind in order to counteract the misinformation which has been stored. I know you all have been diligent about doing this EVERY day – Right!

That’s awesome…so today, take out some of those “Conversations with YOUR Dad” after you read this. Write another conversation with Him. Write your thoughts if you choose. Ask Him some questions and be amazed at how He responds through situations, things you read or what others say. You might even be able to hear Him whisper the answer to you before any of those things actually take place.  If so,  He will simply use these encounters to confirm that you are indeed hearing His voice - so that you will believe.  Isn't He awesome!

To help us out,  we are going to look at one of Isaiah’s “Conversations with My Dad”. Isaiah is much better at conversing with our Dad than I am.  But I'm not going to get self conscious about that - I am just going to keep listening and believing He created us for conversation and relationship.  Why else would He have said "I do not desire sacrifice, but a body to call my own?"  All this today,  should put so many thoughts into perspective.

Remember as you are reading these verses that the Lord is talking about triumph. As you read it you might possibly have to remind yourself, segment upon segment, to have hopeful thoughts. And we are only reading it – no doubt, this is similar to some of our lives at times.

We begin in Chapter 24:1(GWT)

The Lord is going to turn the earth into a desolate wasteland. He will mar the face of the earth and scatter the people living on it. The same will happen to people and priests, male slaves and masters, female slaves and masters, buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, debtors and creditors.

The earth will be completely laid waste and stripped because the Lord has spoken. The earth dries up and withers. The world wastes away and withers. The great leaders of the earth waste away. The earth is polluted by those who live on it because they’ve disobeyed the Lord’s teachings, violated his laws, and rejected the everlasting promise.

That is why a curse devours the earth, and its people are punished for their guilt. That is why those who live on the earth are burned up, and only a few people are left.

New wine dries up, and grapevines waste away. All happy people groan. Joyful tambourine music stops. Noisy celebrations cease. Joyful harp music stops. People no longer drink wine when they sing. Liquor tastes bad to its drinkers. The ruined city lies desolate. The entrance to every house is barred shut. People in the streets call for wine. All joy passes away, and the earth’s happiness is banished. The city is left in ruins. Its gate is battered to pieces.

That is the way it will be on earth among the nations. They will be like an olive tree which has been shaken or like what’s left after the grape harvest. They raise their voices. They shout for joy. From the sea they sing joyfully about the Lord’s majesty. Honor the Lord in the east. Honor the name of the Lord God of Israel along the coast lands. From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise that honor the Righteous One.

But I kept saying. “I’m wasting away! I’m wasting away!” “How horrible it is for me!” “Traitors continue to betray, and their treachery grows worse and worse.”

Disasters, pits and traps are in store for those who live on earth. Whoever flees from news of a disaster will fall into a pit. ‘Whoever climbs out of that pit will be caught in a trap. The floodgates in the sky will be opened, and the foundations of the earth will shake. The earth will be completely broken. The earth will shake back and forth violently. The earth will stagger. The earth will stumble like a drunk, and sway like a shack in the wind. Its disobedience weighs heavy on it. It will fall and not get up again.

On that day the Lord will punish heaven’s armies in heaven and earth’s kings on earth. They’ll be gathered like prisoners in a jail and locked in prison. After a long time they’ll be punished. The moon will be embarrassed. The sun will be ashamed, because the Lord of Armies will rule on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem. He will be glorious in the presence of his respected leaders.

Did you stick with Isaiah long enough to hear the Gospel? Do you know what I mean? The Gospel is the good news which follows the bad news – the Gospel is “always in all ways” the reason for our Hope. And He made a request of us – to ALWAYS be ready to give them a reason for our hope.

 So here was Isaiah’s, in Chapter 25:1-9 (GWT)

O Lord, you are my God. I will highly honor you; I will praise your name. You have done miraculous things. You have been completely reliable in carrying out your plans from long ago.

You have turned cities into ruins, fortified cities into piles of rubble, and foreigners’ palaces into cities that will never be rebuilt. That is why strong people will honor you, and cities ruled by the world’s tyrants will fear you. You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rain, and shade from the heat. (A tyrant’s breath is like a rainstorm against a wall, like heat in a dry land.) You calm the uproar of foreigners. The song of tyrants is silenced like heat that is reduced by the shadow of a cloud.

On this mountain the Lord of Armies will prepare for all people a feast with the best foods, a banquet with aged wines, with the best foods and the finest wines. On this mountain he will remove the veil of grief covering all people and the mask covering all nations. He will swallow up death forever!

The Almighty Lord will wipe away tears from every face, and he will remove the disgrace of his people from the whole earth.

The Lord has spoken. On that day His people will say, “This is OUR God; we waited for Him and now HE will save us.”

I thank God for Isaiah; for his Love and diligence to “write for God”. I pray that we believe, write, paint, sing and profess what we believe to honor of Him. I heard Him whisper to me once’ “If it is so, so it is and soon they will see it to BE”. I request that we “see by faith”, because His son made this request available to us. I request that our “voices join together” as the ONE in the wilderness even this very moment. And I request that we “run toward what we hear” so that we will be there to usher Him in with the praise He deserves, as ALL eyes See, bend their knees and receive.

For this is Gods good and pleasing will – that none should experience his anger. Instead, that we put on faith and love as a breastplate and our hope of salvation through Christ as a helmet. Now clothed in our Glorious armor let us fight with the joy in our heart. May we pierce them with the Loving truth which brings life – not death which their weapons bring.

In Him we can DO this – honest!
In Him we are ONE and Risen INDEED!

Kisses,
Candace

Praise in Pros for our Lord’s Prayer

Conversations with My Dad:
What a glorious, magnificent, joy filled day Dad!
My heart, mind and soul entwined in your spirit indeed
You are the first, the everlasting
And I am your child, set free

Seeking always your kingdom
Before I search for anything else
Your face, your words, your friendship
Is my truest and deepest desire

You loved me and called me – to hold me
To heal me from all this life’s fate
Now that my Savior has risen
All days ahead are well

Teach us to know your good pleasure
Keep us as we test what we know
Stir us to lean in to your lessons
To strengthen even to the marrow of our bones

Join us together to blanket
The universe with your incorruptible Love
Save them from the disasters surrounding them
We’ll reach in so that you may reach through

Bind us together in your spirit
Break all the bondage which decays
You are Zoe life everlasting
Not of us ~ they are delivered by your hand

Send in the armies of angels
Provide where there once was lack
All things, in you, come together
All things are whole, strong and sound

Release your breath for the helpers
Release the provision for all needs
Release those held down and broken
As their redeemer is seen in the redeemed

You are Hosanna in the highest
Yet you choose to dwell in mere men
Out of darkness you have empowered us
Leaving us here ~ yet not leaving us at all

You promise to never forsake us
We must choose to seek your face
Your face is constantly around us
In those who do not hide in the masquerade

Expose the common misconceptions
Heal their eyes to see
Melt their façade in our presence
You promise to defeat EVERY foe

Let us have mercy on their condition
Scared and exposed they must hide
They do not believe in the Savior
So they must find a way to survive

Lead them not into temptation
But deliver them into your peace
Your presence now available through Jesus
Behind Him is their safe place from harm

Thank you for the strength of your body
The knowledge of your incomprehensible mind
The might of YHWH our Father
The power of Elohim bringing joy
The divine entrance of all by El Shaddai

All Glory falls to you, our redeemer
The Lover of our very soul
You sustain and transform us
All for the cause of “true love”

In Christ Jesus name
All things here are accomplished
On earth as it is in the heavens above.
Hallelujah - Shalom
~Candace Huffmaster

Today I ask that you all find a time to fill your heart with these words, raise your voice speaking them our loud, and believe in Him to accomplish all things in always ~simply because He love us.

Thank you for being One with us all,  today and forever, as we do the work of the Father ~All over the world, and "to infinity and beyond" as Buzz Lightyear would say.

Kisses,
C

Praise in Pros

Conversations With My Dad:
Journal Entry Monday March 14, 2011

Good Morning Daddy~

I thank you that all that you are is more than enough for all our needs.  I praise you for loving  us unconditionally.  The joy in my heart raises my eyes to see, that nothing can come between us due to your divine care.  Circumstance or situations will never command my will to forsake you in fear of their strength.  The only voice I will follow is your voice which rescued me.

The others are your enemy and from them you protect all.  Your body cannot be harmed ~ and I am cupped in your strong embrace.  Your mighty arm lifts me high above where they are bound.  Your Kindgdom each day comes to save us from this place.

Be alive and well in each of us this day.  You are - the Great I Am.  I Am, becuase you are.  I believe in what you have said, spoken in compassion and Love.  Your son came to deliver all.  May He live in Spirit through our souls.  He is our head and Way, your Spirit increases in strength.  Together we are the One, Leading all into your Shekinah glory and grace.

Shine bright this day my Lord.  May I help you prepare their feast.  The words that give life in full: their salvation, their provision, their peace.  Fill their minds, etch their hearts,bind around their wrists, adorn their necks ~ cover them in your Love.  Oh, the joy that will spill into our streets!

Lord God Almighty reigns.  He is alive in the moments of this day.  Look for Him as you go on your way.  Merge with Him as He serves.  He is feeding the masses in many small ways.  Sometimes He requests your voice, other times the glance of your face.  Always the prayers of your lips and the gentleness of your able hands.

Nothing He asks is too small.  Nothing He gives will fall short.  Always an ever present help.  Never forsaking their needs. 

Our God is King of Kings.  Our Lord is Lord of Lords.  His Spirit is Almighty in all ways.  Let us humble ourselves as we participate, in the delightful work of His will.  Hosannah in the Highest ~ yet a mere servant amidst human forms.  This is the King that we serve; this is the Mighty I Am.

Live strong in us; raise us up.  Perch our ears to hear you speak. Clutch our soul within your Spirits strength.  Move us in harmony and peace to achieve your grand plans.  Your vision is all that we need.  Our obedience is at your command. 

Let it be done to us one and all; as you will provide and delight.  For this day is your alone, and you give it so all might be blessed.

In Christ alone, we are with you.  Through all you are, we are One.
Amen,
Candace

Letters, Words, Phrases of Praise

Good Saturday Morning my lovelies,

I know you are already writing - but if you are blocked I jotted a quick poem to stir you.  Remember, you don't have to write pros.  It doesn't even have to be original - adapt something and make it your own.  That is exactly what we do with the bible ya know.  God just asks us to think on it, meditate on it and then let it take on your life and you it's. 

So to day, walk around in your cloak of letters, words and phrases that praise God.  Write them, speak them, sing them.  Reach through someones chaos and touch them with them.  Let God be in every moment of your day - because He is you know!

That is my prayer for us all today,
Kisses in Christ,
Candace

Letter, Words, Phrases of Praise

Writing and thinking; thinking and writing
Fills the lines of this day
As my thoughts go
So goes my life
This is the truth that I say

The glory of God
 Fills the letters that combine
The words come together to praise

All moments are His
This day he has blessed
Glory to His name on High

By Candace Huffmaster

Confidence In Numbers - by Oz Hillman

Continuing our thoughts on growing our faith think on what Oz has to say on our Deeply topic:
I have great confidence in all that God is doing within each of your lives. I know I will have great bragging rights as to how each of you encourage me to keep on with what I do by the way you grow in your understanding and stand tall in your faith.


I thank God for each of you,
Candace


Confidence in Numbers
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Wednesday, March 09 2011

"David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, 'I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O Lord, I beg You, take away the guilt of Your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.'" - 2 Samuel 24:10
It just seems to be human nature. As we grow in wealth and ability, our confidence moves from complete trust in the Lord to trust in our resources. King David decided one day that he needed to know how many fighting men he had in his army. This was a grievous sin in the nation of Israel. God always made it clear to the nation that He, not their army, was their source. It was against the law of God to number the troops. David's general, Joab, knew the serious nature of such an action.

But Joab replied to the king, "May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?" (2 Samuel 24:3)

Joab knew that David was treading in dangerous waters when he brought up the idea to him. But David had it in his mind that this is what he was going to do. And he did. The result: God judged David for this sin by smiting the nation with a plague that resulted in the loss of 70,000 lives.

Recently, I was having lunch with a former stockbroker who lost everything in the 1987 stock crash in the United States. He made an interesting comment. "You cannot know how to fully trust the Lord in the financial area until you really have to. When I lost everything, I was forced to trust Him when I knew I could not pay my next bill unless God provided. This was the time I learned to trust God. I never had to trust God before I lost my money because I had plenty. We don't willingly enter this level of trust with God."

Ask God today to keep you from trusting in your own resources. Ask Him how to balance trust and blessing from Him this day.