Pressed On All Sides....But Not Crushed

When we were in our meeting yesterday, I remembered a blog entry from last year.  I went back into the archives and found it.  One thing I was thinking about after I read it was this:  We know God's word describes us as clay vessels.  We know that He has told us that His light is to shine out of us into the darkness.  We know that we get shattered by things in life which bring us closer to God, which increases His life or light within us.  We also know that He uphold or hold together all things even our shattered pieces.  Think about how visible light shines through cracks in things.  If we had no cracks His light would be hidden inside of us, and He states in Luke that no one hides a light.

Thank you all for allowing me to come in and share your lives with you.  Thank you for always being so real and the trust you extend.  Enjoy your Saturday, it is as beautiful as each of you are to me.

With Love,
Candace

Have you ever had one of those days when you said "God I can not take this one more minute?" I have had one of those days..and it is today!

Here it is the end of the day and guess what.....I am still here! As I sit here hanging my head in shame, moaning, whinning and telling my self to just stop it. I am reminded of Christ and a conversation I had with my daughter one day. She was having one of her own "moments" when being the funny mom that I "think" I am; I was trying to coax her out of it by saying "At least you do not have to die on a cross". Needless to say, she did not like my comedic irony or timing.

All this brings to mind a scripture where Paul was talking to his church. I have knowledge of this passage, but now I am experiencing it. I will just hit the highlights from Chapter 4 of 2 Corinthians vs 8:

We are his servants because the same God who said that light should shine out of darkness has given us light. For that reason we bring to light the knowledge about God's glory which shines from Christ's face. Our bodies are made of clay, yet we have the treasure of the Good News in them. This shows that the superior power of this treasure belongs to God and doesn't come from us.

In every way we're troubled, but we aren't crushed by our troubles. We're frustrated, but we don't give up. We're persecuted, but we're not abandoned. We're captured, but we're not killed.

It goes on to state: The following is written, "I believed; therefore, I spoke, "we have that same spirit of faith. We also believe; therefore, we also speak. We know that the one who brought the Lord Jesus back to life will also bring us back to life through Jesus. Our suffering is light and temporary and is producing for us an eternal glory that is greater than anything we can imagine. We do not look for things that can be seen but for things that can't be seen. Things that can be seen are only temporary. But things that can't be seen last forever.

I can speak of this psalm and sing it from a glad heart:

Who will stand by my side against troublemakers? If the Lord had not come to help me my soul would have quicky fallen silent in death. When I said, " My feet are slipping, " your mercy, O Lord, continued to hold me up. When I worried about many things, your assuring words soothed my soul.

In Psalm 109 King David said, "They surround me with hateful words, they fight against me for no reason. In return for my love, they accuse me, but I pray for them. Help me, O Lord my God. Save me because of your mercy. Then they will know that this is your doing, that you, O Lord , are the one who saved me. With my mouth I will give thanks to the Lord, I will praise him among many people, because he stands beside needy people to save them from those who would condemn them to death."

May we run to God, settle in his wings, rest in his sweet slumber of protection to rise anew in His Mercy each day.
Kisses,
Candace

Ministry in Word

Things Unshaken – Part 1

那不被震动的 – 第一篇

Hebrews 12:26-28 (NKJV)
希伯來書12:26-28

but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also  heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
当时他的声音震动了地，但如今他应许说：再一次我不单要震动地，还要震动天。这再一次的话，是指明被震动的，就是受造之物都要挪去，使那不被震动的常存。所以我们既得了不能震动的国，就当感恩，照神所喜悦的，用虔诚、敬畏的心事奉神。

Recently there had been major earthquakes in the world: first it was Haiti, and then it was Chile. Then I heard about the earthquake in the southern part of Taiwan. A couple of years ago it happened in China with great devastation. Of course, we are anticipating the “BIG ONE” in California; some had also speculated the next BIG ONE in the U.S. to be somewhere in Tennessee.
最近世上发生几宗重大地震：首先是海地，跟着是智利，然後我听到在台湾南部的地震。两年多前在中国的地震产生了严重的破坏。当然我们仍在等预料中加州的「巨大地震」；有人亦猜测美国下一个「巨大地震」会发生在田纳西州某地点。

People who had been in earthquakes said that it sounded like the coming of a freight train. I have never experienced an earthquake, but I can imagine it is a very scary experience. In a major earthquake buildings collapse, roadways buckle, bridges fall, and everything is shaken. There are different ideas on where in a building is the safest place during an earthquake. But I think when everything is shaken, when no part of the structure is stable, nowhere can be safe.
曾经经历过地震的人说它来势凶凶，听起来犹如火车。我从来没有经历过地震,但我可以想像那是多恐怖的事。在大地震中楼房倒塌，马路崩裂，桥梁掉下，所有东西都被震动。对于在地震中楼宇那里最安全有不同的看法。不过我认为当所有东西都被震动，结构的任何部份都是不稳固的时候，那里都不安全。

When I think about physical earthquakes in this world, it reminds me of the Bible where Jesus told His disciples that we would hear about many earthquakes when the end time is near. Are we in the end time?Nobody can say for sure, and Jesus told His disciples not to speculate when He would return at the end time. But for sure the world is shaken up more recently than in the past. However, in the book of Hebrews, chapter 12, verses 26 to 28, the Bible says something about earthquake like this “but now He has promised saying,‘Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’ Now this,  ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” In that day, not only the earth will be shaken, but also heaven. Now that is a great shake up. Everything under the sun will be shaken, and stars will be falling from the sky. It will be unlike any earthquake we know of. The purpose of this shake up is such that the things that are being shaken, which are the created things, may be removed and only the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
当我想到这世上的天然地震时，就让我想到圣经中耶稣告诉他的门徒说末世时我们会听到许多地震的消息。我们是否在末世中呢？没有人能肯定，而耶稣吩咐他的门徒不要揣测他在末世什麽时候再临。但世界被震动最近肯定比过去多。无论如何，在圣经中希伯来书12章第26至28节如此论及地震：「但如今他应许说：再一次我不单要震动地，还要震动天。这再一次的话，是指明被震动的，就是受造之物都要挪去，使那不被震动的常存。所以我们既得了不能震动的国，就当感恩，照神所喜悦的，用虔诚、敬畏的心事奉神。」在那日不单地要被震动，还要天被震动。这是何等大的震荡呢。天下各物都要被震动，星星都要从天空掉下来。它将会与我们所知的地震不同。而这震荡的目的是要使被震动的，就是受造之物都被挪去，使那不被震动的常存。

What are the things that will be shaken and removed, and what are the things to remain? Verse 28 has identified one thing which cannot be shaken, that is, a kingdom. This is referring to the kingdom of Jesus, the kingdom of God. So from this we can understand that the things that will not be shaken and will remain belong to the kingdom, which we as children of God are receiving. Let’s look at 10 different aspects of our receiving this kingdom.
什麽东西被震动，被挪去，什麽东西不被震动而能常存呢？第28节指明一样不能震动的东西，就是一个国度。这里指的是耶稣的国，神的国。所以从这里我们可以了解那不被震动的，常存的是属于国度的，那是我们作为神的儿女来领受的。让我们来看我们领受这国的十个不同的方面。

To be continued next week.
下周待续。

May we remain stable in God’s love and promises, knowing that God’s kingdom is unshakable.
愿我们在神的爱和应许中保持稳固，知道神的国是不被震动的。



Tom and Tehwan Tso
仲谋与德菀

“The outcome of your faith is the salvation of your souls.” 1Peter 1:9

“信心的果效， 就是灵魂的救恩” 彼得前书1：9

What's in Your Wallet?

This devotional is vital for us to understand. The reason we must face our behavior head on and not act as a victim is for our character, reputation and ultimately for the witness we are exemplifying. When we are responsible for our actions , physical or verbal toward another person; be sure to simply own up to your personal behavior. Don't be so quick to blame it on the person you are relating to. We feel this lets the other person off the hook. There is time to address how their behavior affected you, first do the right thing yourself. In a separate conversation address your concerns about their behavior. Be sure you have resolved any heated feeling that might push you to act impulsively before you enter into that conversation, otherwise you will be enlisting their ear to apologize yet again.

Philipians 2:14-16 (NAS)says this the best :
Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

With Love,
Candace

Credibility

READ: 1 Peter 2:11-21
[Have] your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that . . . they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God. —1 Peter 2:12

The recent global financial crisis caused people to pay closer attention to their credit report. When credit was easy to get, some people became careless about how they used it. They didn’t bother to save for what they wanted; they just borrowed. Being in debt was no big deal. But in a crisis, that is no longer the case. Having good credit is suddenly very important.

After an advertisement for a credit repair service, a local newscaster said, “Credit repair isn’t something you can buy; it’s something you have to work for.”
The same principle applies to the credibility of our lives. We can’t buy it; it’s something we have to work for. We may be able to “borrow” credibility for a while by associating ourselves with credible people, but sooner or later we will need our own.
Credibility has to do with the ability to elicit belief. The reason it’s essential for Christians is that our lives affect God’s reputation (1 Peter 2:12). When we call ourselves by Christ’s name, His reputation is tied to ours. If people have reason not to believe us, they may not believe God.

The way to earn credibility is to live honorably. Then others will believe and glorify God. — By Julie Ackerman Link

If we take care of our character, our reputation will take care of itself.

For Further Study-Look at these Scriptures about Christ’s life: Matthew 9:10-13; 20:28; Luke 6:12. How can you live the way He did?

"Creation is Groaning" isn't the same as "Murmuring and Complaining".

We have been talking about hope. Last night in Romans 8 we were reading these verses from God's Word Translation (20,21) Creation was subjected to frustration but not by its own choice. The one who subjected it to frustration did so in the hope that it would also be set free from slavery to decay in order to share the glorious freedom that the children of God will have.


We continued speaking about how we could not have hope unless God, who's image we were created in, had hope. This verses states that he does. In addition to this Philippians 1:6 states "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (NAS)" This assures us that God does have a plan, so our hope is to be established not in what we see happening around us but in the fact that God knows the struggles we must come through in order to form our personality, character, integrity and endurance to be transformed into His image.

I pray that we not be weak willed, that we percevere in His strength, through His spirit and demand that our spirit prosper even as our soul prospers. We do not have to sit back and wish....we can plow through with hope of reaching the finish line. I pray that we keep our eye on the road leading forward which is for our good, always asking for the correct path and following it.

With love,
Candace

Visions Become Reality

The parched ground shall become a pool . . . —Isaiah 35:7

We always have a vision of something before it actually becomes real to us. When we realize that the vision is real, but is not yet real in us, Satan comes to us with his temptations, and we are inclined to say that there is no point in even trying to continue. Instead of the vision becoming real to us, we have entered into a valley of humiliation.

Life is not as idle ore,

But iron dug from central gloom,

And battered by the shocks of doom

To shape and use.

God gives us a vision, and then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of that vision. It is in the valley that so many of us give up and faint. Every God-given vision will become real if we will only have patience. Just think of the enormous amount of free time God has! He is never in a hurry. Yet we are always in such a frantic hurry. While still in the light of the glory of the vision, we go right out to do things, but the vision is not yet real in us. God has to take us into the valley and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the point where He can trust us with the reality of the vision. Ever since God gave us the vision, He has been at work. He is getting us into the shape of the goal He has for us, and yet over and over again we try to escape from the Sculptor’s hand in an effort to batter ourselves into the shape of our own goal.

The vision that God gives is not some unattainable castle in the sky, but a vision of what God wants you to be down here. Allow the Potter to put you on His wheel and whirl you around as He desires. Then as surely as God is God, and you are you, you will turn out as an exact likeness of the vision. But don’t lose heart in the process. If you have ever had a vision from God, you may try as you will to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never allow it. - By Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

How Can I be Still, When I Need to Move?

During a time in my life when I was waiting on God I took the time to read many of the Psalms. It was a time of stretching my faith, pain of peoples choices, struggling with waiting on God's direction instead of running ahead of him. I needed someone to pour the tears of my troubles upon, thankfully I turned to God. I use this in galleries to share of experiences we all face in life.

"The Freedom of Wait"

Psalms 56:5 - "All Day long they twist my words and trouble my affairs; all their thoughts are against me for evil and my hurt."

When I think of the Psalms and how "human" they are, I cannot help but see my own face reflecting back at me in the many moments of mere humanity. How can we do anything but fall on our knees and thank God that we are blessed to be able to live beyond the Psalms. How fortunate are we to be able to lay the weight of our humanness at the feet of the cross, to wait expectantly for the Holy spirit that has settled down right within us to comfort, teach, lead, empower and show us the way out. There are days when I see the world from such a selfish view of how everyone is picking on me, but then I hear the Holy spirit whisper "but you know the truth and the truth has set you free - choose life and love them .....for ME".

Selah (pause and calmly think of that)!

Today -
I pray that we all trust God not our human emotions. That we allow our emotions to lead us to the feet of Christ where we will be willing to wait. I pray that we win the struggle to stay on our knees till he strengthens us to rise...in all His power, strength, courage and peace; then they victory is ours through Christ our risen reedemer.


Candace

Why Can I Not Follow You Now?

Peter said to Him, ’Lord, why can I not follow You now?’ —John 13:37

There are times when you can’t understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings a time of waiting, and appears to be unresponsive, don’t fill it with busyness, just wait. The time of waiting may come to teach you the meaning of sanctification— to be set apart from sin and made holy— or it may come after the process of sanctification has begun to teach you what service means. Never run before God gives you His direction. If you have the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt— wait.


At first you may see clearly what God’s will is— the severance of a friendship, the breaking off of a business relationship, or something else you feel is distinctly God’s will for you to do. But never act on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will cause difficult situations to arise which will take years to untangle. Wait for God’s timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment. When it is a question of the providential will of God, wait for God to move.


Peter did not wait for God. He predicted in his own mind where the test would come, and it came where he did not expect it. "I will lay down my life for Your sake." Peter’s statement was honest but ignorant. "Jesus answered him, ’ . . . the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times’ " (John 13:38). This was said with a deeper knowledge of Peter than Peter had of himself. He could not follow Jesus because he did not know himself or his own capabilities well enough. Natural devotion may be enough to attract us to Jesus, to make us feel His irresistible charm, but it will never make us disciples. Natural devotion will deny Jesus, always falling short of what it means to truly follow Him.
By Oswald Chambers

Are Your Knuckles White Yet?

If we are not clinging to our faith with a stronger conviction than the grip we have clutching our fears......then fear wins!   Remember in those moments what Christ said to us "I'm leaving you peace. I'm giving you peace.  I don't give peace that the world gives so don't be troubled or cowardly."