Faith, Love, Hope

John 3:16, 20,21  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. ~ For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light lest his deeds should be exposed. ~ But he who practices the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.

We must: work in faith, labor in love and be steadfast in hope because of the Lord Jesus Christ and our security in the presence of God, our Father.

We must be fully convinced that these beliefs of our mercy and grace through Christ was His choice and His choosing so that we were Able to receive the full gospel (meaning empowered and alive because of the Holy Spirit).  Otherwise all this is no more than mere words as any other story being told. 

It is the Holy Spirit which gives us the full conviction ~ which also proves what kind of people we are.  It is for this reason we have the mercy and grace in order to withstand the number of our days ~ in order that we might grow into the person He divinely desired and created us TO be.  But the choice to receive is as free as the gift of life we equally received.

This day what does your soul choose - Life or Death?  Be aware that you may choose eternal life and be saved - but live the moments of your day as if you have chosen death.  What a grievous life is that choice lived. 

I thank God for His benevolent pity for the misery brought about by our sin and His pitying love which came before His saving grace.  His mercy continues on with us because His grace does not alleviate the consequences of our sin.

I pray that we all allow God's grace to remove the quilt and power of sin upon our life so that our misery is alleviated, in order that we may have joy, feel compassion and exercise mercy toward others in their time of need.

I hope your new year has started well,
In peace,
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.”

The Faithfulness of God - TGIF Devotional- by Os Hillman

"The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down." Psalm 145:13b-14

Have you ever had a relationship with someone who was faithful? You knew you could depend on that person to do what he said. You learned that his word was completely trustworthy. If he said he would call you, he would. If he said he'd be somewhere at a certain time, he'd be there. In fact, if he was late, you began to wonder if he had an accident because it was so contrary to his nature. It's great to have friends who are faithful.

God is faithful. He is faithful to fulfill every promise in His Word. Sometimes we think God isn't faithful because it appears He has not fulfilled a desire that we have. Sometimes we think He is not faithful because of a crisis event that seems to say God isn't faithful. We must remember that God is more concerned about accomplishing His ultimate purpose in the life of every believer than giving us the desires of our heart. Sometimes this results in hardship.

The Bible is full of accounts of God's faithfulness that was often accompanied by hardship. He brought Joseph out of slavery to be greatly used in a nation. He delivered the people from Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land. He gave Abraham the son of promise late in his life. He delivered David from his enemies and made him a king. In story upon story, we learn of God's faithfulness. Are you a faithful man or woman? The workplace needs faithful men and women. Take an inventory of your life today and ask God if you have been faithful with what He has entrusted to you.

Today before I opened this devotional I was trying to prioritize my responsibilities for the day.  I prayed that the mercy and grace of God cover me.  I know I will make mistakes and I know that if others don't understand what is going on with the organization and all the situations that God has us supporting so that women, children and businesses do not fall into temptation, crisis etc they might easily get offended thinking they are being put off, overlooked or not cared about. 

God basically told me to test his faithfulness to cover me...the organization and hearts of everyone He desires for us to help.  So I am.  He tells us to give what is due others, to serve as thought we are serving Him and to love above all else.  That is my prayer for all of us to day.  Also not to worry, because it will not add joy or another minute to our lives. 

With the love of Christ I ask this for us all.....above all else.
Kisses,
Candace

Sometime to Give Someone a Break is Not Enough...Put Yourself Out There and Give 'em Your Hand

Before we move from Genesis 1:9 I want to be sure we look at these verses from Matthew 21.  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

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.’ 29“His son replied, ‘I don’t want to!’ But later he changed his mind and went. 30“The father went to the other son and told him the same thing. He replied, ‘I will, sir,’ but he didn’t go.
31“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. 32John 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.

A Story About a Vineyard—Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19
33“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.
34“When the grapes were getting ripe, he sent his servants to the workers to collect his share of the produce. 35The workers took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned a third to death. 36So the landowner sent more servants. But the workers treated them the same way. 37“Finally, he sent his son to them. He thought, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38“When the workers saw his son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him and get his inheritance.’ 39So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40“Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those workers?” 41They 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.”

42Jesus 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’? 43That 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. 44Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken. If the stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person.”

A Shadow of Things to Come

Colossians 2:17 states:


"These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts the shadow belongs to Christ."

I decided to go back to the beginning and see if I couldn’t find something resembling the first shadow. We have been speaking about things going before Christ. However, we know that God is the beginning and the end. This must mean that He went first, then we Go, then Christ Goes. This is such a great ebb and flow. It is the perfect example of how God is in all things and fulfills all things.

God is behind all things….so it stands to reason that everything else must go before His presence.

We will be pulling from segments of past conversations and blending them with new pieces of information. Get ready to sit with God and allow your shell to burst….your roots to grow down…and His life to sprout.

I preface this journey of enlightenment with 1 Corinthians 2

A letter from Paul:

Brothers and Sisters:

When I came to you, I didn’t speak about God’s mystery as if it were some kind of brilliant message or wisdom. While I was with you, I decided to deal with only one subject – Jesus Christ, who was crucified. When I came to you, I was weak. I was afraid and very nervous. I didn’t speak my message with persuasive intellectual arguments. I spoke my message with a show of spiritual power so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power. However, we do use wisdom to speak to those who are mature. It is a wisdom that doesn’t belong to this world or to the rulers of this world who are in power today and gone tomorrow. We speak about the mystery of God’s wisdom. It is a wisdom that has been hidden, which God has planned for our glory before the world began. Not one of the rulers of this world has known it. If they had, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory. But as Scripture says:

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.”

God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, especially the deep things of God. After all, who knows everything about a person except that person’s own spirit? In the same way, no one has known everything about God except God’s Spirit. Now, we didn’t receive the spirit that belongs to the world, Instead, we received the Spirit who comes from God so that we could know the things which God has freely given us. We don’t speak about these things using teachings that are based on intellectual arguments like people do. Instead, we use the Spirit’s teachings. We explain spiritual things to those who have the Spirit. A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the teachings of God’s Spirit. He thinks they’re nonsense. He can’t understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them. Spiritual people evaluate everything but are subjected to no one’s evaluation.

“Who has known the mind of the Lord so that he can teach him?”

However, we have the mind of Christ.

I thank God that we are not left to flounder like we were lost and unloved.

Be still and know He is God…and that He loves you deeply, honestly, passionately and freely.

Kisses,

Candace

What is In-between?

In thinking about shifting shadows, I went back into some of my older journals and found a questions I had asked God to help me understand.  This is a great time to ask you a simple question.  When you ask God a question do you expect an answer?  Do you expect it immediately?  I hope I am not out here alone when I share my anwers to these.  When I was a child, I did not know to ask Him anything.  I knew He was God and that our family believed in Him and that Christ was our savior.  I never even questioned that - it was not an option.  Not that I ever desired one, I simply believed and liked the safety that I felt in knowing that.  As I got older, I did have questions.  I knew that our Sunday school teachers and ministers would take the time to answer them.  I also had my bible which I could discover how God thought as well as what He instructed.  When I was in my twenties I actually started talking to God, telling him my thoughts, desires and shattered hope (mostly the shattered stuff).  I would tell Him of my confussion and tell Him what I wanted to be different...but did I really expect Him to answer?  Honestly I do not know.  He was more of an ominous journal I think.  With that being said I hope He has those journals locked in the vault since all our words are recorded for eternity.  Surely there is a confidentiality clause!  Anyway, back to topic -

This was a process through the years of relating to God.  People do not become best friends over night.  We take steps, share things, learn to trust ...or not.  God has nothing but time, and whether or not we know it, He is in control of the time we have here.  He promised not to cut it short.  He desires for us to have a fully mature relationship with Him.  He has GREAT boundaries that are for our growth.  So with that I will tell you what I wrote years ago.  I did not understand it then, He has taken about 3 years to get me to this point of understanding; which of course is only part of it.

"There is but light and dark, we are the movement inbetween"

Defined, in-between means, lying between two extremes in time or space or state; an intermediate.

Think about all the scriptures speaking of light and dark.  God saw light was good.  God seperated light from darkness. We are under the heavenly lights, we move within the light and dark.   He brings light into darkness.  How dark is that darkness?  Darkness will overwhelm me, and the light will be my night. The one forming light and creating darkness. 

These are only a few.  So where are we in the light and darkness?  Another verse to throw into this mix is Hebrews 9:5 (KJ) "And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly."

In this passage they were not going to go there..but we are.  Take the time to look up some of these points, sit with God - whether you think He will answer of not - and ponder some of these things.  I pray you go for the "Ask".  I belive you will hear His voice resonate deep within the midst of your soul.  That is where the gift was placed...the gift of truth, counsel, wisdom; this is the Holiest of Holiess where His spirit calls Home.

With Love and Light in Christ,

Candace

Shifting Shadows..Are they real?

We are focusing on Shadows for the next few day.  Colossians 2:17 states:
"These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts the shadow belongs to Christ."

There are so many avenues we can go in with this topic.  We spoke about who we are listening to.  Now I would like to broach the subject of accountability on our part.  We know that individuals have free will.  God chose this and said it was good.  So people have the right to do things their way and say what they desire to speak.  People do it all day long ....all the time.  We have to chose if we think it is truth or not.

There is a greek word Neoeo which means to perceive or observe. One of Kaleidoscope Butterfly's purpose statements is to give others the information needed to "have a conscious life, understanding words and giving proper knowledge to suspect, suppose, surmise with understanding". Listed below is a poem as well as scripture. Think on these things, we will start there tomorrow.

With a holy kiss, in Christ,
Candace


My Shadow

Let me write something pretty for you, Lord,
Let me raise my voice high.
Stir my spirit to praise you, glorifying my King.
The valley I did travel, the journey many years long,
At times I had no vision, the walls too close to see,
No feeling of compassion along my dusty road.
Hear this, my lonely traveler, My words shall persevere!
They are pounding on the pavement as feet running to be at your side.
Patience… please stop running; you are abandoning all your help!
My plan was set in motion when your first tear hit my hand.
I am your way, my sojourner; your road is up ahead.
Make plans after you’ve listened; not while you are trying to understand.
Willful dispositions, glide on the surface like glass,
The reflections are all around us; the image of each man.
My image is why you were created as my father said it was to be,
Mighty men with wasted power ‘til my reflection is what is seen.
Trials and tribulations focus the eyes to see,
Whose reflection is in the mirror?
Judging what is to be…
Focus placed on the superficial, mirrors life gone by,
In the valley of destruction, shadows still reflect
Until challenge breaks the mirror, casting fragments out of reach.
Moving forward now takes decisions,
The eye and mind unite within ,
The heart discerns the image…
Showing a reflection of the true man.
Look past the day you’re traveling,
To the hands holding back the storm,
No valley will overtake you,
No journey will be too long.
I am the Man, and you, my shadow,
I walk through the valley first,
I rose and now you’re with me,
No matter what we’re passing through.
I cast my shadow with purpose,
Made from blocking harsh light,
Harm can only come to the person,
I am that person, your Christ.
The reflection is not tangible, nor the shadow that has been set,
This is just as the spirit, transcendent of the flesh,
Reality is a lesson, the mind a tool to tame.
The learned are My inspiration… My leaders among all men.

By Candace Huffmaster ©

Psalms 103 (GWT)Praise the LORD, my soul! Praise his holy name, all that is within me. Praise the LORD, my soul, and never forget all the good he has done:

He is the one who forgives all your sins, the one who heals all your diseases, the one who rescues your life from the pit, the one who crowns you with mercy and compassion, the one who fills your life with blessings
so that you become young again like an eagle.

The LORD does what is right and fair for all who are oppressed. He let Moses know his ways. He let the Israelites know the things he had done. The LORD is compassionate, merciful, patient, and always ready to forgive.
He will not always accuse us of wrong or be angry {with us} forever. He has not treated us as we deserve for our sins or paid us back for our wrongs. As high as the heavens are above the earth— that is how vast his mercy is toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west— that is how far he has removed our rebellious acts from himself. As a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him. He certainly knows what we are made of. He bears in mind that we are dust. Human life is as short-lived as grass. It blossoms like a flower in the field. When the wind blows over the flower, it disappears, and there is no longer any sign of it. But from everlasting to everlasting, the LORD’s mercy is on those who fear him. His righteousness belongs to their children and grandchildren, to those who are faithful to his promise, to those who remember to follow his guiding principles. The LORD has set his throne in heaven. His kingdom rules everything.

Praise the LORD, all his angels, you mighty beings who carry out his orders and are ready to obey his spoken orders. Praise the LORD, all his armies,his servants who carry out his will. Praise the LORD, all his creatures in all the places of his empire. Praise the LORD, my soul!

Luke 1: 74-79 He promised to rescue us from our enemies' power so that we could serve him without fear by being holy and honorable as long as we live. "You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High. You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way. You will make his people know that they can be saved through the forgiveness of their sins. A new day will dawn on us from above because our God is loving and merciful. He will give light to those who live in the dark and in death's shadow. He will guide us into the way of peace."

"Good Grief"

Who of us is not trying to start off this year on the best foot possible.  We all do!  A new year is new hope, just as our hope should be new each and every day.  God is so gracious, he give us new mercies and grace each and every day.  How do we forget that?  But we all know there are days when even that we can find a way to whine about.

It is my prayer that we mature to the point we will go to God before we act on our own thoughts. Please pray that with me today for us all.
We were saved so that He abides within us, He does go everywhere with us. We must silence his voice in order to not hear it. Think about the scripture that implores us to "not grieve the Holy Spirit". We say we are trapped in a life we do not desire at times, think about how the Holy Spirit must feel trying to train us up. Yet we look around us all day long thinking how much others still need to grow - even there, we are grieving the Holy Spirit....we have so much to learn; let's try to lift each other up so it is not so difficult each day.

On a scale of 1-10 let's strive to make 2010 all 10"s.....moment by moment, day by day!

My love and prayers over each of you.

Candace

The Life of Power to Follow

Jesus answered him, ’Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward’ —John 13:36

"And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ’Follow Me’ " (John 21:19). Three years earlier Jesus had said, "Follow Me" (Matthew 4:19), and Peter followed with no hesitation. The irresistible attraction of Jesus was upon him and he did not need the Holy Spirit to help him do it. Later he came to the place where he denied Jesus, and his heart broke. Then he received the Holy Spirit and Jesus said again, "Follow Me" (John 21:19). Now no one is in front of Peter except the Lord Jesus Christ. The first "Follow Me" was nothing mysterious; it was an external following. Jesus is now asking for an internal sacrifice and yielding (see John 21:18 ).
Between these two times Peter denied Jesus with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69-75). But then he came completely to the end of himself and all of his self-sufficiency. There was no part of himself he would ever rely on again. In his state of destitution, he was finally ready to receive all that the risen Lord had for him. ". . . He breathed on them, and said to them, ’Receive the Holy Spirit’ " (John 20:22 ). No matter what changes God has performed in you, never rely on them. Build only on a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the Spirit He gives.

All our promises and resolutions end in denial because we have no power to accomplish them. When we come to the end of ourselves, not just mentally but completely, we are able to "receive the Holy Spirit." "Receive the Holy Spirit "— the idea is that of invasion. There is now only One who directs the course of your life, the Lord Jesus Christ. By Oswald Chambers