Ever Hooked Yourself When Fishing?

However, I'm afraid that as the snake deceived Eve by its tricks, so your minds may somehow be lured away from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3

I must apologize for the long pause.  But I guess it took 7 days for me to grasp the depths of the topic we are Honestly venturing into.  We last discussed how our soul lures us away and yet we must not allow ourselves the luxury of choosing to be naïve.  Knowing that guilt and condemnation have no place in our relationship with God through Christ, we have the advantage of holding our soul accountable while casting down it’s false, vain perceptions.  There is such a vast array of wisdom written for us on the topic of self deception, vain wisdom, and lethargic learning.  It is my opinion that learning through others flailing, falling or flying is what makes it real – not theology.  Not that we don’t need both; otherwise we would simply be foolish leaders luring others into harm’s way. 

Today we are going to glean understanding as we compare some pieces of Peter and Isaiah’s journeys.  Both of these men LOVE, LOVE, LOVED God – but Peter had the wonderful experience of actually being able to walk alongside Jesus Christ.  WOW….my heart leaps when I ponder what those experiences must have been like; but also, how devastating it must have been to Peter when he followed the lures his mind casted at times.  Talk about an abrupt HIGH / low experience!

To review:  Perceive means to be aware or discern while Deceived means cheated or mislead.  The common denominators are these two are: information, decision and right of free will.  Holding this variable equation together is our one and only ultimate constant; God’s purpose and personality are at the helm of the universe, not randomness. 

We stopped last with Peter wanting to go “right now” with Christ.  Can you imagine the fear that must have been luring him as he thought about Christ leaving him to go it alone?  Not to mention that Christ validates Peters fear by telling him (my paraphrase) Hey Pete, I know you THINK you would do anything, but I will let you SEE how unrealistic you are about the depth of your devotion to me.  I won’t even be far out of your view and you won’t be able to stand the pressure, much less let me REALLY be gone.  I thank God that we have these true tales to walk through, or else I would feel like an utter failure at times.

Now let’s look at a few moments in the life of Isaiah: chapter 6: 8-13  Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send and whom will go for Us?  Then I said “HERE I AM…send ME!”  and He said Go and tell this people: keep listening but do not perceive, keep on looking, but do not understand, render the hearts of this people insensitive their ears dull and their eyes dim; lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and return and be healed.  Then I said “How Long?” and HE answered.

Do you hear any insecurity or second guessing in Isaiah?  I heard passion for supporting THEIR cause and a perseverance to WAIT on God’s direction. 

Today I want you to think about the contrast of each individual’s purpose, personality and continence. Consider these thoughts:

Could it have been a hindrance to Peter’s faith maturing because Christ was in His presence?

Could Isaiah have been at an advantage to step up because he had not been walking alongside Christ therefore alleviating self defeating thoughts of comparison?

It is my prayer for us today that in all ways we receive the good which God extends to each of us as we strive to bring honor to Him, glory to His son and unite in His spirit to testify the might of His ways.  I pray we are faithful and that we will not shrink back, but lean in and be girded up to be one with His patience.  May we be strength to those whose faith is not as strong, may we lay ourselves aside and be concerned with our neighbors and the good things that will build their faith.  May we be like Christ who did not think only of himself but allowed the insults of others to fall into the hands of God’s mercy and grace.  May we learn from those that witnessed before us so that we could perceive their endurance and find encouragement to continue to stand.  And lastly, I pray that it is God’s good pleasure to give us all this same endurance and encouragement so that we may live in harmony with each other as we unite to live out the fulfillment of all things to the maturity of Christ.

With Love,

Candace 

©Candace Huffmaster, 2011 All Rights Reserved

Kaleidoscope Butterfly Inc™

“Trip; Flail, Fall, Fly”

Flail: N.- a hand threshing implement consisting of a wooden handle at the end of which a stouter and shorter stick is so hung as to swing freely  V.- to strike with or as if with a flail / arms flailing the water /to thresh (grain)

One common theme we use for the purpose of imagery throughout our sojourn is “Trip, Fall, Fly”. After working through these segments with groups for so many years, the most accurate analogy would be this: We are taking a trip through out which we “Fall, Flail, Fly”. But when we fall, we get back up again. The Toby Mac song “Get Back Up” is all about pressure, perseverance, patience and the process. If you are able click on the link and be encouraged, be moved forward and up by the energetic spirit he pours out for your taking.

Toby Mac, Get Back Up Again - All Rights Reserved forefrontrecords

As we discussed yesterday, it is one thing to have knowledge of what something is supposed to look like on paper. However, it is quite different when we pick that knowledge up and start to utilize it. All of a sudden our emotions, our struggles, our past, our faith, our memories attack the sound words we chose as truth. This would the “orange” we are selecting to put in our apple basket.

Let’s say at this point you might suffer from a bit of buyers remorse. You simply want to put it back and grab another apple. You know how to make things with your apples…..but every thing you have tried with your new orange has been disgusting! So do you throw your orange out? Or do you try again? Or do you simply try to acquire the taste for something because you know it is good for you, and just put up with it because to try and improve your ability is too overwhelming?

Most of the time we do a little of all the above – Trip, Fall, Flail……but if we keep up this cycle long enough we will gain new skills, new understanding and one day when we attempt it….We’ll Fly.
But therein lies the dilemma, we do not have what it takes to keep up this agonizing process without hope. We just don’t! Today, we are going to talk about what this process looks like based on Galatians:

Know in Advance:
Your soul will get weary / weak waiting for God to show up at times
You will go back to the word in hope of His promises resuscitating your soul
You will read endlessly, dig deep seeking relief, energy, breakthrough; possibly to the point that your eyes become strained.

Be aware that this pause is placed on your journey to make you stronger. If you cannot make it past this point in faith which grants you Good Eye Sight, the faulty vision of fear will offer you some glasses to “help you out a bit”. When you grab those goggles you flail; if you do not steady yourself you will fall off into the gutter.

 Here are some bumper pads for protection:
Try to see where you first noticed that you were in control
· FYI, usually it will be a place of familiarity, where you were comfortable. There usually is a space where all of a sudden you unconsciously tell yourself “and God” – Thanks, but I got it now, I’ll let you know when I need something.
God allow you to go exactly where you are taking yourself – off course.
Yet just as the gutter beside the lane, it is right there and the ball is protected, but there will be absolutely no productivity and it is a bit embarrassing. Think of it as continually throwing the ball down the lane and it continues to go straight into the gutter over and over and over. Think about each of the following as when your ball comes up from the return. You pick it up, walk to the line, take your best stance and throw.
Your emotions start wailing, which is a reaction to the flailing. And we cry out, “What happened, everything was find and now I am struggling again?“
All your conversations with yourself and others seem to talking about how warn out you are, how hard you’ve worked, how you know what God promises but what if……
You start conversing with God reminding Him that you gave up _________ and you are all in, so what’s going on?

o Are we trying to convince God, manipulate Him or humbly ask Him to sit with us?

o You remind Him of all the bad that has been done to you

o You remind Him that you did not take matters into your own hands

o You remind Him that you followed what you thought was right

o You remind Him of all the “Laws” you have followed (not so much those you didn’t)

You start looking at what others have or are experiencing then comparing yourself to them.
You remind God that when others had more or a better life you were gracious with your “little”. (but were you really, or were you tolerating it thinking any day you’d have yours and then they would be envious of you?)
You begin to make request that God make good on His promise:

o Justice brought upon those who harmed you

• As you remind Him of their every perceived intent, arrogance, and defiance toward Him
• As you remind Him of your great LOVE for Him

~ You have now aligned with the accuser!

We will pause here today for you to take a good look at your continence. I leave you with this:

Genesis 4:6,7 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it."

I pray that if your countenance has fallen, that you “Get Back UP again”. I pray that your faith not fail, and I pray that you not be lead into temptation, but as you go through trial that you allow the Spirit of the Lord to grow you up into the Master of it. Now “that” is Brilliance!

Kisses,
Candace

©2011 Candace Huffmaster, All Rights Reserved

™ Kaleidoscope Butterfly, Inc

The Radical Cowboy

Cowbody Take Me Away! 

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

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

http://youtu.be/yucqyRaB8bA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Candace

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

Their Road is Wide Open - Why Isn't Mine?

2 Peter 1:3-11


3He gives us everything we need for life and for holy living. He gives it through His great power. As we come to know Him better, we learn that He called us to share His own shining-greatness and perfect life. 4Through His shining-greatness and perfect life, He has given us promises. These promises are of great worth and no amount of money can buy them. Through these promises you can have God's own life in you now that you have gotten away from the sinful things of the world which came from wrong desires of the flesh.


5Do your best to add holy living to your faith. Then add to this a better understanding. 6As you have a better understanding be able to say no when you need to. Do not give up. And as you wait and do not give up, live God-like. 7As you live God-like, be kind to Christian brothers and love them. 8If you have all these things and keep growing in them, they will keep you from being of no use and from having no fruit when it comes to knowing our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if you do not have these things, you are blind and cannot see far. You forget God saved you from your old life of sin. 10Christian brothers, make sure you are among those He has chosen and called out for His own. As long as you do these things, you will never trip and fall. 11In this way, the road will be made wide open for you. And you will go into the holy nation that lasts forever of our Lord Jesus Christ, the One Who saves.

We have been speaking about road blocks, casting down false imaginations, truth, trust and transformation. I have said this before, and will probably state it again –“I do not believe anyone chooses to have a difficult life, I think they don’t understand how to do life differently – they need help not condescending scrutiny from pious people. But then again – those people I believe are doing the best they can as well. So let’s give each other a break –Okay?" Let’s try to give a hand up when a brother or sister is down – we all fail at this so let’s stop pointing fingers so much (somebody might sprain a wrist )

Adding to what we have been reflecting on, let’s look at what might cause us to “trip”. * Go back and read information on The Stones You Are Holding. If you do not have that – let me know and I will forward it to you. I can say from experience of my life and those we work with it's usually FEAR.  Pop psychology will talk about our emotions beneath a seemingly placid surface then the ice cap above, which is labeled anger. While this is valid, if we were ever willing to look at what we fear, why we give up our peace, then before too long there would be no propellant inciting combustion.  Peace is the only thing we can cling to, while we look through these emotional puzzle pieces, which will extinguish the sparks.  But it has to be REAL peace, not something we manufactured to psych ourselves out.  When we put the squeeze on those things they will crumble - Only God's promises can be clung to without crumbling.

When we do not have something to ground us – we as humans get confused. We have no idea where to turn. Then we gather too many ideas and become panicked. God is loving and kind. He does not want us to worry. He wants us to “pray”, “trust”, “prepare” – but in peace. He tells us everything we need to know in advance – the good, the bad and the ugly! Why? So that we are not caught off guard – He even explained this to us.

We are going to start looking at what He promised us and asked us to believe in faith that He is faithful. So plan yourselves and get ready to grow. Then we will start our engines and GO about our days with peace and joy.

So Today, continue writing about what you believe.  It will make for fascinating reading one day; I promise!

My love to you all – may His peace permeate you in all ways…..ALWAYS,

Kisses,
Candace

Taking Our Frustrations Out On Objects

“They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them, and that rock was Christ.”
 “We shouldn’t put the Lord to the test as some of them did.”

In 1 Corinthians 10 these verses are speaking of God's people as they were being led by Moses.  God was imploring them to learn from others experiences. The old testement is filled with many trip, fall, fly experiences.  Christ came so that we could see the difference between doing life through "the best of our abiliy" verses "the best of God's ability".  Yet we still want to "do it OUR way!"  Why?  Believe me when I say I pose this question to myself as much as anyone else here.

Think about when Christ was in the desert being tempted. Satan suggested that Christ turn the stone into bread. Christ knew he had to trust the love of God, not test Him. He followed that by stating God’s word, “Man cannot live on bread alone but from every word that precedes from the mouth of God”.

I have often pondered and conversed with God about the reason Moses didn’t get to enter the promised land but only see if from afar. I believe that God desired him to exemplify that we are to converse through relationship, love. Striking that rock was a complex reaction. I think it probably stemmed from Moses’ frustration with the people and feeling a bit out of contol of the situation.  He was lashing out. He wanted to demonstrate power…But.his power or Gods?”

Think about this - Christ is our rock, through Him we are delivered, rescued, saved eternally for relationship.  If Christ is our rock would it be as if Moses was striking Christ himself?  That is a bit brutal to think - but it offers us a parallel.  To me,  that would make more sense as to why Moses was not allow to enter in. (But that could be way off base ya know- just pondering)

How would if feel to want to be seen as loving and giving, only for someone to make it look as though it took their brute force to MAKE you give it?  How do we act as though we are forcing God to give us something He was already going to freely give us?  I can only imagine how that must make God feel. There is no liberty or joy in that.

God tells us "where there is Christ, there is liberty". Gods idea of having Moses speak to the rock explaining God's love and provision while the water starts bursting forth would have been magnificent. . That being said, I cannot begin to wrap my mind around all the pressures that Moses must have been under. So I am going to just thank God for getting him through it all and allowing Moses to see the promise even if from a distance. Moses must have been elated knowing God had delivered them so he could get finally get some rest.

I pray that we not tolerate insecurity and pride, but that we allow His spirit to transform us as we walk through out the emotional reactions we subject ourselves, others and His kingdom to. May God be glorified as we trust in Him to provide as He sees fit and in His timing. Let us exemplify this rock as our altar - where we lay our ways of accomplishing things down to do it the way God has requested.  Knowing that by this - His life may pour out and all may come to the knowledge of His saving grace.

Enjoy this day….it is a gift directly from His hand. And you didn’t even have to force Him to give it to you, did you?
Kisses,
Candace

Pieces of Peace

My peace I leave you - Not as this world has but the peace of my Father.  If you knew my Father you would know me - You have seen me, you have seen my Father.  God first loved the world and gave His only begotten Son ~ God is Love. Love is the highest calling...............

If we believe all the above pieces of scripture - how does Fear even have opportunity to enter into our thoughts???  Satan and his angels fell, they now spend their whole existence trying to make us believe we too are going to fall.  Those angels made a choice,  their choice was to enter into this spiritual battle with God. 

God created us to be pieces of His peace - right here on this plane.  He told us His story, who's we are to be "if we choose to accept Him".  Today as we are thinking deeply about the roads we have traveled and the thoughts we were thinking along the way, won't you take a step outside?  Go outside the walls of your home or work even if just for one moment.  Go outside the walls of your own thoughts if just for one moment.  Look up into this magnificent space above us.  Realize if just for this one moment that you are connected to all life.  All that you see - you are a piece of it and it of you because it is part of the God of the universe and you are a piece of all that is. 

No matter how we might try we cannot disconnect from life.  Even in death God says we still exist.  Today, think life, think love, think bigger than any problem you have had, will have or face during your waking hours today.  They are but passing moments and you have made it through so much - that alone should prove to you that you CAN make it - Just don't quit, give up or lay down.  Take a rest - sure! But praise God in your rest and He will raise you up with more courage, power and vision of victory through Love.

I also added a devotional by Os Hillman - addressing forgiveness - I know you will understand the reasoning. 

If you can't get outside -or the day is not as pretty where you are - watch this video from U2 - Magnificent.  I hope it encourages you to find your voice and raise it to our Lord God Almighty ~and go ahead sing out with that original voice God gave you for him to enjoy (don't worry if no one else enjoys it =D)

My love to you all today and forever,

Candace

Learning the Art of Forgiveness
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2 by Os Hillman
Tuesday, March 01 2011



"Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us" (Luke 11:4).

"I'm sorry for speaking to you harshly last night," I said. Then the Holy Spirit reminded me to add the second and most important part of my admission. "Will you forgive me?" Without this request we have only partially repented of our sin. It is important to humble ourselves before those we sin against. This is repentance. If we only say we are sorry we are only stating remorse for our actions.

Jesus modeled this in the Lords Prayer: "Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us" (Luke 11:4). When I owned my advertising agency I once filed a lawsuit against a client who refused to pay a $140,000 bill. However, the Lord instructed me that because I had also sinned in the situation, I was to drop the suit. My next move was to talk to my former client. I tried phoning him, but he wouldn't return my calls. Finally, I reached his secretary and said, "I want you to take this message down and give it to your boss, word for word - no changes: 'I have sinned against you. I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I ask your forgiveness for filing the lawsuit against you. You are no longer obligated to pay the balance you owe me if you don't feel you owe it.'"

I could hear the secretary begin to cry on the other end of the line. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. About an hour later, my former client called. We hadn't spoken for six months. We reconciled the relationship.

The next few years were incredibly difficult because of the financial setback I suffered, but God provided for my needs. Looking back, I realize that this was my Judas Test. I passed the test when I let go of my resentment and asked to be forgiven, and God was glorified in the situation.

Want To; Have To; Ought To: What To Do???

Good Morning All,

Again, what a glorious day - isn't it.  Open a window, or roll one down...(or if you don't know what I'm speaking of press the window down button -haha) - now take a big wonderful WHIFF - that's what I'm talking about!  Sunshine, Whimsy, Freshness.....spring is in the air isn't it!

So with all this freshness and new life abounding - let's talk about putting some dead things underground and planting things that will show beauty in it's place. 

We are going back to Genesis for the day - maybe two who knows??  We stopped with "God's Story Being Told in Genesis 3 where God was enforcing "But, you must never eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because when you eat from it you will certaily die".

God tells us that WE choose a blessing or a curse - this is what Adam did. God "had to" enforce what He put in place.  Genesis 3:22-24 (GWT) states:

Then the Lord God said, "The man has become like one of us, since he knows good and evil.  He must not reach out and take the fruit from the tree of life and eat.  Then he would live forever."  So the Lord God sent the man out of the Garden of Eden to farm the ground from which the man had been formed.  After he sent the man out, God Placed angels and a flaming sword that truned in all directions east of the Garden of Eden.  He placed them there to guard the way to the tree of life.

Let's think through the chain of events here - Adam and Eve were just livin' the dream.  THEN (da, da, da, DA) enters the slimmy serpent. " Look at the pretty piece of fruit EVE"  "Don't you want it" "Oh, you know you want it"  "You have got to taste it - it's like nothing you've ever tasted before".  The thoughts start...

We "want to" hold it, taste it,  experience it (whatever it may be).  BUT we know what we "have to" do in order to be following the rules.  Rules, guidlines, authority, regulations do you feel the heaviness and rigidity coming on when you read those words.  But they are necessary to keep everything moving and flowing without calamity.  Then comes the accountability when the two extremes battle it out and our higher self realizes what we "ought to" do.  This causes anxiety due to the pressure of our will.

At this moment we find ourselves paralyzed walking through the middle of this intersection.  Vehicles are entering from each road:  A convertible coming down  Want To Lane, a minivan on  Have To Drive and a crossover at Ought To Road -  when a SUV from "What To Do Parkway comes tearing up to the intersection .........  Are we just going to stand there and let these cars run us over or are we going to move?  What makes us choose which way to move?  Is it just fate?

How do we make a decision in such a crisis?

Let's go back to Adam and Eve.  God told Adam there were going to be elements to protect against.  He had already framed where Adams mind set should have been focused.  He had told Him this one thing NOT to do - or he would certainly die.  God told him "What To Do" there should have been no pause to begin with - BUT Adam "Wanted To Do" something different. Wanting to do something is much different than actually doing it.  Wanting is part of the process of figuring out who we are, what we look like in comparison to those rules, regulations, guidlines and authority.  That is the reason it feels heavy.  That is what the law of God was set for.  Remember, the law brings death. 

Be very aware of this: If you park on those things you are going to be road kill!  They are just road signs along the way.  So today, park yourself in your puzzle box.  Just pick up one piece and ask God to help you perfectly place it.  Ask Him to help you understand what He meant when He whispered to me:

"The Sojourn IS the answer....The Question an Endless Plight"

Today I pray for us all to "Be Still, and Know He Is God".

One last thing in reference to sweeping out debris or organizing our puzzle pieces - Think about how upset we as moms get when we really do a great spring cleaning and everyone comes in dropping stuff, tracking things in and cooking in our fresh perfect house.

Can you imagine if God allowed that to go on in Eden. We would be recreating this world with all the frustrations we go through ETERNALLY.  So let's thank Him for His patience, mercy and grace as we the houses of our mind!


With the Love of our Christ,
Candace

Daddy....Are We There Yet???

Most of you know me.....you know how quirky I am, how I really enjoy my sense of humor - and at times I am the ONLY one laughing. "And yet, I still laugh!".  Most people say I am incredibly confident, or secure in my own skin.  I usually will disagree with that to some degree, because I know me.  Maybe what people see is that I am not afraid to do or say something even when I am shaking in my shoes. 

There is another side to this however, that if someone does not know me very well they might misinterpret.  When I state something, it is my view from where I am looking, what thoughts I have merged with what I see and the events that have lead me find experiential knowledge.  When I speak, I expect others to give with their best perceptions as well.  I do not know how else to seek solutions, solve problems and grow respectful relationships. I am seeking to correct my point of view if I am incorrect. Sometimes I get a bit befuddled  because I assume people know that if I am taking the time to engage in conversation with them then I believe what they might add from the same has great value! If I so show a confidence of sorts, it is only when I am basing my best and thought filled pondering on God - which brings me to Daddy...are we there yet?

I am closing in on 50 years now of tripping, falling and flapping till I fly....if only for brief moments in time.  My Daddy has been with me every step of the way and I know that.  These past 25 years have seen me whining at time "how much further"; "I'm bored"; "We aren't ever gonna get there are we"; "I gonna wet my pants if you don't stop"; "I'm hungry and car sick"! But God has known when to stop.  He knows when to switch highways, change vehicles, fuel up  all I have had to do is decided to go the miles with him and try to not be so difficult...and possibly - dare I say it - engage Him along the way :0 

I wish I could say there are not still day when I say....Dad, come on ..REALLY I have to still go further?  Don't you think you are expecting a bit much from me?  We both know who I am and what you are working with here.  But then he reminds me....You CAN do this, because I am in you, and you are in me and ALL things are possible because I AM.

Today, look in the car that you are riding in.  Maybe it has to be a bus because of all the people crammed in there with you - it shouldn't be though......

Think about that as you enjoy what Os has to say today, I did!
With love to each and everyone of you,
Kisses,
Candace

Hindrances to Christ's Rule - by Os Hillman

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:4


The Bible says when Christ comes to live in your heart, old things are passed away, all things become new (see 2 Cor. 5:17). The Lord has put a new Spirit in us. Previously, I could not understand why so many of us who proclaimed Christ had such little impact on the kingdom of darkness. It seemed to me that our culture should be impacted much more if His children walked in the light as Jesus did. Jesus impacted His culture like no other man.



I saw many workplace believers, who proclaimed Christ, living no differently than a person who had not claimed Him as Lord. These men and women had a form of religion, but little power that reflected Christ's rule in their lives. Then one day God took me through a time of testing that led to a discovery of generational influences that impacted the way I viewed people and circumstances on a subconscious basis. I discovered this was a stronghold that had been implanted many generations earlier. Because the stronghold operated on a subconscious level, it was not easily recognizable. Strongholds keep us from being free to reflect Christ in and through our lives because they require allegiance until they are dealt with. Strongholds can often be so hidden that we would not even identify them as evil. A stronghold of fear, control, rebellion, insecurity, idolatry, pride, or bitterness may be hidden until it is revealed through circumstances.



All strongholds are built in our lives as a result of seeking to meet one or more of seven basic needs God has created in us. Once we believe a lie that God cannot meet a need without our effort, we open our spirit to a stronghold. The more lies we believe, the more we invite these strongholds to take root in our lives. Are you ineffective in your Christian experience? Are there besetting sins that seem to recur in your life? You may find that satan has built a fortress in your heart that has been there many generations. You must ask God's forgiveness for entertaining this stronghold, and you must renounce it. Then as Christ renews your mind and heart, you will see Christ's power released in your life like never before.