Disappointments

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. - Proverbs 13:12

Life is filled with disappointments. Many of God's greatest servants experienced deep disappointment in their journeys of faithfulness to God. Joseph, after spending years as a slave and in jail for crimes that he did not commit, revealed deep disappointment when he was forgotten another two years in prison. John the Baptist, when awaiting execution, doubted whether Jesus was, in fact, the Christ because he was sitting there awaiting his death. Elijah, losing all hope and despondent to the point of death, asked God to take his life in the desert; and Peter, who left his fishing business and invested three years of his life only to watch his Savior crucified, wondered whether the purpose of those three years could be justified.

When life doesn't add up, it leaves the heart sick. When we have done all we know to do and the formula has not worked, it leaves us questioning. These are times that try the very souls of men. There is no human sense to be made of it. We are left with a choice: to cling or not to cling. There are times when holding on to our Master's robe is all that we can do. It is all that He wants us to do.

The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not obtained by sudden flight;
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.
Standing on what too long we bore,
With shoulders bent and downcast eyes,
We may discern-unseen before-
A path to higher destinies!
~Longfellow

There is only one answer to life's disappointments. Like the psalmist, we must "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken" (Ps. 62:5-6).
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I know for each of us we have lived through many seasons of life.  We have known good times where we had so much joy and peace we felt it could never be snatched away.  However we also have been, or may are right now, in that place where our soul is begging for rest.  It is important to remember that God tells us to receive His promises and gifts.  That takes action by us.  Remember that God tells us to kick the dust from our shoes when we are among those that do not desire to share in the peace we offer and then to "take" our peace with us as we leave.  These are also actions initiated by us.  Christ told many individuals that they were healed by their faith not by rituals done etc.  Again, this is prompted by an action of the individual.

We are constantly reminded of Ephesians 6 with our groups ( go into the archives and or search area and type "stand" for more encouragement).  I prayerthat we all be empowered by His will and that the supernatural presence of His spirit enables our success'. Along with this I am copying Ephesians 6: 14-18 (GWT) this is the action we must take!
With Love,
Candace

So then, take your stand! Fasten truth around your waist like a belt. Put on God’s approval as your breastplate. Put on your shoes so that you are ready to spread the Good News that gives peace. In addition to all these, take the Christian faith as your shield. With it you can put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Also take salvation as your helmet and the word of God as the sword that the Spirit supplies. Pray in the Spirit in every situation. Use every kind of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert. Use every kind of effort and make every kind of request for all of God’s people.

......And the Question Will Flee!

As I took my own advice yesterday journaling some of my questions, this is what He said to me. 
"My hands hold the answers to your questions in all. In all ways trust Me…..the questions will flee."

I know this is what "the sojourn is the answer; the question and endless plight" means.  Speaking of meanings we are moving on with "The Story Being Told" today.  Verse three of Genesis 1 states "Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.



God Said.....is where we are parking our cars today.  We are going to get out at this overlook and SEE the sights before us. Let me open the door for you....

God Said is EVERYTHING.  It provides in all ways.  This is all we ever need to know.  Therein lies the question.  It poses "itself" mighty and strong, in its self righteous stance.  It is taunting, as it asks the question......."do you even need to get out and look"?     Let me assure you that as this taunting shadow of darkness is standing over you, God is hovering over -  covering (which is why until we make the choice Satan is "crouching" at our doors.)      God is wooing us with his Love  simply asking ..."Do you?" "Do you feel propelled to get out and look or do you see a  wall or vast darkness where I see all the beauty of the mountains, valley's and horizon?"  

So today, I am opening this door. I am sitting here with you.  We are talking a bit before we broach the answer.  Remember there is a time to not speak as well.  Just because someone poses a question do not always feel propelled to justify it.  Think of  the times Christ just stood holding His words.  For now... let's just ponder some things.

The question posed "itself" Do you believe "God"?
Do you believe IN him, Of him, About him.? For you teachers out there - God is the great Preposition and we are the object (of His desire)
If we do not believe "God" then what ever He said is a mute point.
However, I am not going to let you off the hook that easily.
I am going to tell you what Said means in Hebrew.  This my friends IS the sojourn and why all questions are an endless plight.

"Amar" has a much more complete definition than simply "said".  It has forms such as to say, speak or utter.  However it also means to answer or to say in one's heart.  It compiles the essence of to think, promise, command as well as intend.  It means "to be told", to be said, to be called as well as to boast and to act proudly. It also means to avow. In case you are not sure what that means - It means to acknowledge openly, boldly, and unashamedly; confess as in guilt. There is a second meaning of stating positively. This is a derivative from the word advocate. Avouch means to declare the provable truth or validity of; affirm:

We will pick up here tomorrow..


Today I pray that we think of him as the Great Preposition and ourselves as the object of His desire: that  we see His face and  like a whimsical butterfly we fly to Him, around Him;  that we will be with Him and glean from His wisdom, counsel, patience, peace, joy and love; that we flutter out from His presence with a changed mind, whole, complete, restored, liberated and free and yet that we not seperate our self from His position or fly from His view.

With Love in Christ,
Candace

Will We Rise to the Occasion?

Just for the record, it goes without saying that Oswald Chambers challenges me to judge myself. There is no doubt that Mr. Chambers, like David, is a man after God's heart, who will do all His will. I know I am not alone in what I am about to say, due to conversations I have had with other servants of God. So I share with humility in hopes of allowing others to discern, open up their hearts and encourage others as well.

There are times when God is stretching me to take the hard steps of giving sacrificially. I am not speaking of finances, which are not a challenge for me. I am speaking of energy, patience, perseverance and strength. The casting aside of giving in to being human and having limitations is a sacrifice. I now realize that the times I have to reach beyond what I can do to be His presence when I might not desire to is the point that He is trying to increase me...or more accurately, to increase HIM.

I pray that we acknowledge that when we come to this point we see the truth. The truth is that when we do not have enough of something to get the job done, we are to use that as an offering of sacrifice. We know that when we give a tithe God uses it to multiply and care for many. In Malachi 3:10 God says to test Him in this and we will see that He is God and He does not change, His will always provides and comes to pass.

I believe this to be true, I believe God is faithful and that Christ has risen for our redemption...indeed!

Candace

My Utmost for His Highest

By Oswald Chambers

All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen . . . —2 Corinthians 1:20

Jesus’ parable of the talents recorded in Matthew 25:14-30 was a warning that it is possible for us to misjudge our capacities. This parable has nothing to do with natural gifts and abilities, but relates to the gift of the Holy Spirit as He was first given at Pentecost. We must never measure our spiritual capacity on the basis of our education or our intellect; our capacity in spiritual things is measured on the basis of the promises of God. If we get less than God wants us to have, we will falsely accuse Him as the servant falsely accused his master when he said, “You expect more of me than you gave me the power to do. You demand too much of me, and I cannot stand true to you here where you have placed me.” When it is a question of God’s Almighty Spirit, never say, “I can’t.” Never allow the limitation of your own natural ability to enter into the matter. If we have received the Holy Spirit, God expects the work of the Holy Spirit to be exhibited in us.

The servant justified himself, while condemning his lord on every point, as if to say, “Your demand on me is way out of proportion to what you gave to me.” Have we been falsely accusing God by daring to worry after He has said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”? (Matthew 6:33 ). Worrying means exactly what this servant implied— “I know your intent is to leave me unprotected and vulnerable.” A person who is lazy in the natural realm is always critical, saying, “I haven’t had a decent chance,” and someone who is lazy in the spiritual realm is critical of God. Lazy people always strike out at others in an independent way.

Never forget that our capacity and capability in spiritual matters is measured by, and based on, the promises of God. Is God able to fulfill His promises? Our answer depends on whether or not we have received the Holy Spirit.

Happy Easter

There are several verses that come to mind when reading this devotion.  The first is about casting down false imagination and the second is He will never leave us not forsake us, the third is do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

I know these must be self explanitory however you all know me....and my propelling propensities!

The reality is Christ came so that we would never be alone.  He knew it was to be treated that way....HE lived it and died it.  We will never be put through that....because He first loved us.  Which is my last point: He died for us, gave it all up for us and lived a sacrificial life.  He then asked us to do it unto others.

May you all feel the warmth of the Son in His all embracing ways this day....He is Risen Indeed.

Love,

Candace

The Way to Permanent Faith

Indeed the hour is coming . . . that you will be scattered . . . —John 16:32

Jesus was not rebuking the disciples in this passage. Their faith was real, but it was disordered and unfocused, and was not at work in the important realities of life. The disciples were scattered to their own concerns and they had interests apart from Jesus Christ. After we have the perfect relationship with God, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, our faith must be exercised in the realities of everyday life. We will be scattered, not into service but into the emptiness of our lives where we will see ruin and barrenness, to know what internal death to God’s blessings means. Are we prepared for this? It is certainly not of our own choosing, but God engineers our circumstances to take us there. Until we have been through that experience, our faith is sustained only by feelings and by blessings. But once we get there, no matter where God may place us or what inner emptiness we experience, we can praise God that all is well. That is what is meant by faith being exercised in the realities of life.

".. you . . . will leave Me alone." Have we been scattered and have we left Jesus alone by not seeing His providential care for us? Do we not see God at work in our circumstances? Dark times are allowed and come to us through the sovereignty of God. Are we prepared to let God do what He wants with us? Are we prepared to be separated from the outward, evident blessings of God? Until Jesus Christ is truly our Lord, we each have goals of our own which we serve. Our faith is real, but it is not yet permanent. And God is never in a hurry. If we are willing to wait, we will see God pointing out that we have been interested only in His blessings, instead of in God Himself. The sense of God’s blessings is fundamental " ..be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" ( John 16:33 ). Unyielding spiritual fortitude is what we need. by Oswald Chambers.

I Should be Dust by Now....but God........

We all have days..and yes, some of us even years, when we just do not think we can take another day like the one we have just lived through. But there you have it....we DID lived through it!!


Makes me kind of giggle at myself when I see how weak I "thought" I was and yet here I am; despite myself. THAT is God..He shows up and shows out in our weakest moment. Apart from Him we probably would just crumble into a million weary pieces. With Him we CAN pick up our weary pieces and move right on.

Praise God it is a new day...and He gives us the Mercy and the Grace to get through this one too.

My prayers over you all for His victory in all things to race upon you, move through you and set the path ahead of you,THIS day!

With love and faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ,
Candace

Taking the Initiative Against Despair

Rise, let us be going —Matthew 26:46

In the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples went to sleep when they should have stayed awake, and once they realized what they had done it produced despair. The sense of having done something irreversible tends to make us despair. We say, "Well, it’s all over and ruined now; what’s the point in trying anymore." If we think this kind of despair is an exception, we are mistaken. It is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize we have not taken advantage of a magnificent opportunity, we are apt to sink into despair. But Jesus comes and lovingly says to us, in essence, "Sleep on now. That opportunity is lost forever and you can’t change that. But get up, and let’s go on to the next thing." In other words, let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ, and let us go on into the invincible future with Him.

There will be experiences like this in each of our lives. We will have times of despair caused by real events in our lives, and we will be unable to lift ourselves out of them. The disciples, in this instance, had done a downright unthinkable thing— they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus. But our Lord came to them taking the spiritual initiative against their despair and said, in effect, "Get up, and do the next thing." If we are inspired by God, what is the next thing? It is to trust Him absolutely and to pray on the basis of His redemption.

Never let the sense of past failure defeat your next step. By Oswald Chambers