Stop Procrastinating!

Let’s dive right into some of the most common procrastination excuses I hear – and well, also excuses that I make myself!

“I Don’t Really Need To Do It Right Now … “

The grand daddy of all procrastination excuses.  So seductive, because there is a little truth to it.  We don’t have to do it, although we may suffer a bit down the road.   That’s just a risk we take…right?

When we make this excuse, what we’re really saying is - “I don’t want to do this, and I’m secretly hoping that it’ll either go away, or I’ll eventually feel motivated to actually do it.” Many of us use this excuse knowing full well we’re procrastinating – waiting for that excitement and adrenaline rush that’ll push us through that all-nighter, and “successfully” finish on time.  Other common phrasings include “There’s plenty of time” and “I can always do it tomorrow.”

“I’ll Start After …”

Sound familiar? I know I’ve been there. Some of my favorite examples of this excuse include “I’ll start…” -

• … right after I do the dishes
• … right after I clean my desk
• … right after I make one last phone call

This is procrastination, plain and simple – we don’t want to do the difficult tasks that we really should be doing, and we put things off by making excuses and doing “just on more thing.” Surprise, surprise – for me, that “one more thing” often ends up being one of my little procrastination hangnails.


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You Have Skirted This Mountain Too Long!

Zerubbabel was a descendant of King David (1 Chronicles 3:1,19 - see also Israelite Dynasties) who led a large group of Jews back to Jerusalem after their seventy years exile in Babylon.

Zerubbabel was given the task of doing what could not be stopped because The Lord cannot be stopped: He was given the commission to re-build the temple.

So he answered and said to me:
“ This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘ Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts. ‘ Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone. With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “ The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple;His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.” Zech 4:6-10

Is there a mountain before you this day? Does it appear insurmountable? Like the children of Israel, have you taken your journey into the wilderness and skirted Mount Seir for many days? Hear the word of God to Moses, saying: "You have skirted this mountain long enough, turn northward.

To Zerubbabel He said : "Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit says the Lord of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of "Grace, grace to it!"

Let that be a word for you today! God will cause us to triumph. With God, there is always a way out, a way around, or a way through the wilderness and a way into His promises. He is the way, the truth and the life; He is the door. He's the how, the when and the where of it all!

Despise not the day of small things, for even as the eyes of the Lord rejoiced to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel, He will rejoice over you when he sees you holding that thing you have believe for.

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© Candace House 2007, All Rights reserved.

No Unsung Heroes

This morning I started thinking about an incident that happened to me. I was reading a verse of scripture when this came to mind.

“God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.”
—Hebrews 6:10

I remember when I implemented a program in a former church years ago to have a variety store for the poor. I went and set up an account with Second Harvest, a food warehouse where you pay pennies on the dollar for items. I solicited the help of my best friend who was a minister in the church as well. We asked the pastor for space in an industrial park the church owned to set up a free store. He said yes.

We stocked it with food, medicine, personal hygiene products, clothes, furniture and toys. My girlfriend and I were the ones who went and picked the items up and unloaded them. Furniture and heavier items we had delivered.

We worked the store 2 days a week. We also traveled 2 hours one way to pick up food for a couple of years before they would send a truck our way. Never asked for gas money, and half the time paid for the food. We did this at least twice a month.

We made these items available to people that had fallen on hard times for free. People that came in for assistance traded time working in the store for items given. It made them feel good to be able to contribute. During this time we had the opportunity to share the Love of the Lord with them.

Many came to the Lord through this outreach, and joined the church as well. After a year the pastor wanted to re-evaluate whether we needed to continue with this project and if it brought "any value" to the ministry. After fighting with him on this issue, at the end of two years we handed it back over to him to do with as he wished.

Someone else joined the church a little later with like vision and went to him and said how the church could get publicity for the store. He went for it. Mind you the church had been getting publicity all along on a local level. He wanted "his" "name" recognized regionally.

When it was all said and done, the pastor credited this person to the media for piloting the program and doing all of the work. My girlfriend and I were never mentioned.

I don't know if you have ever experienced this before: you do the work and turn in a great performance someone else gets the credit. They may not have done all that much to earn it, they were just there at the right time or simply knew how to "suck up" to the “people that matter.” They get the credit deserved by others who end up forgotten.

As Christians, this leaves us in a tough position. We don’t want to be selfish and egotistically toot our own horn. But it hurts. It’s not fair. It can lead to discouragement, anger, and resentment. I know it did with me for about a year I held on this.

When we find ourselves in this situation, I believe it is helpful to remember two things. First, we don’t work for our employer, teacher, manager, or boss or pastor: we ultimately work for the Lord. (see Ephesians 5:6-8)

If He is pleased, then we should be proud of our work and feel our goal has been accomplished even when we are not pat on the back. Yes, we all need some affirmation for a job well done, but sometimes it doesn’t come until the Father says, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

Second, God who sees will not forget what we have done. He knows who really did the hard work and who deserves the credit. He will be the one to reward us for doing His work for His Glory even if no one else knows or cares. So if you’ve found yourself in this situation, IN GOD’S FAMILY, THERE ARE NO UNSONG HEROES!


Shalom,
Candace

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2007 Candace House, All Rights reserved. Email info@candacehouse.org for permission to use.

Can You Bless Me Please?

One of the things we do not do that is vital to our well being and the well being of others is to speak blessings over other's lives. We are to Bless and not Curse. We Curse our own lives and the lives of those we come in contact with by the words of our mouths. On the other hand we also Bless others and our selves with same mouth.

A lot of us are not aware that we are doing so, becuse we take words so lightly. Anything you say that is negative ends up being a curse. We need to be deligent to watch what we say.

The Power of Words: Guard Yours! The New Testament is rich with examples of Jesus speaking with power?and things changing because of His words. Then He gives us a stunning bit of information about our words:

Matt 12:36-37 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Jesus is making the point that words are so much more powerful that we have ever realized. They are a power source that has almost been overlooked.

I read where Neuroscience is beginning to come up with explanations of why this is true! As we look at this, you and I, we start waking! What you and I have been saying is actually shaping our worlds.

We are given the opportunity and privilege to speak out words of power and life in the Spirit of Prayer?. To speak out words that originated in the heart of God and carry his life-force in them. To speak light into the darkness, to speak order in the chaos.

Ps 33:6 By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made and all their host by the breath of his mouth. (Ampl)

Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the Word of God so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible. (Ampl)

We have the opportunity, as God did in the beginning. The world awaits our stepping up to the plate. Therefore my brothers and sisters I thank my God for this opportunity to bless you;
Dear One, listen with your spirit to Colossians 1:12-13 "?giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of Light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves?"
.

I bless you with sharing in and with a family of faith who lives in the light. I bless your spirits with being flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future He has promised you.

I bless you with knowing your dominion over all the power of darkness. I bless you with the eyes of your heart being enlightened to know your Father's incredibly great power for you, the same working of His mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms.

I bless you with knowing with certainty that He is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given in this present age. Dear friends, you are blessed that God has put all things under the authority of Christ and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church., which is His body. You are blessed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, Yeshua Ha Machiah, who fills everything everywhere with His presence. Amen.

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2007 Candace House, All Rights reserved. Email candace@ruachchayah.org for permission to use.

What Defines Us?

When God breathed a soul into human flesh, He separated us from all other beings, giving us a sense of destiny, a need for meaning in our existence. In so doing, He guaranteed we would be drawn to something greater, more inimitable than our humanity affords.

Almighty God, who was and is and is to come, instills in each of us a longing that can only be fulfilled in seeking first His kingdom. He promises one day we'll hear Him say: "Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34).

But the pride of life compels us to conclude that we are our own destiny. Slogans are every where that reflect this attitude: Just Do It, Have it Your Way, Break All the Rules. As self-made women and men, we glory in our achievements, and take comfort in our status in mans eye on this earth. And most of that achievement and status is measured by what we possess.

Eternity is not in our vocabulary as we determine to prove ourselves, and obtain the applause of men.

Messages from the media assure us hundreds of times a day that we can be a little better than we are. The lie that our homes, our cars, our careers, our clothes, and even our physical appearance defines our destiny, keeps many of us restless

We must consider our ways.


When the Israelites were settled safely back in their homeland after years of captivity, they began to enjoy unique prosperity. But all was not well. Through the prophet Haggai, God painted a graphic picture of their real condition:
"Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?" Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways! You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes." (Haggai 1:4-6, NASB)

As with the Israelites who neglected the temple, we may be starving our souls while stuffing our selves with the treasures of this world. We must consider our ways.

What do our deepest longings and daily drives tell us about the condition of our souls? Are we settling for toys and empty experiences when the unfathomable, God bids us taste and see that He is good? Are we building a kingdom destined for destruction, when a city awaits us whose architect and builder is God Himself?

God has been dealing with me concerning loosing weight. My mother was diagnosed with diabetes a couple of years ago and she told me to be careful of what I ate. I was addicted to the candy, DOTS. I would eat them morning noon and night. I also would use 7 packs of sugar in my coffee every day. Every where I turned someone would say, you need to cut back on your sugar intake. Of course this irritated me to no end because I needed that sugar. I relied on that sugar as a booster to my emotions.

One morning I was lead to read Jeremiah 2:12-13. What in the world did I do that for? When I read that scripture there wasn't any excuse left for me.

God was calling the heavens (the stars, suns, moons, planets, and galaxies)to be appalled and desolate because His people (Me) have forsaken Him, the Fountain of Living Waters, hew out for ourselves (Me), cisterns. Not just any kind of old cisterns but broken ones that can hold no water.

Now if that is not enough to give us pause I don't know what is.

Broken cisterns are the idols of our heart that we use to feed our starving souls.

He led me to another scripture, Psalms 81:10 " I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the Land of Egypt;
OPEN YOUR MOUTH WIDE AND I WILL FILL IT".

He said in the next verse " But My people would not heed My voice"

What might be the broken cisterns we run to? What are we feeding our souls?

It could be reading several hours a day, hours upon hours of television, listening to music, shopping, sports, volunteering, church ministry, working long hours,or just plain busyness.

Whatever it might be we need to determine for a time to give it up. Instead of rushing to fill up the empty places we need to wait on the voice of the Lord.
We are desperately needy and may not even know it. We have turned to broken cisterns instead of turning to our Father and the only way out of this bondage is through repentance.

There is only one guarantee of fulfillment and that is our all-satisfying God who ever live to fill us with the knowledge of Himself.
Because He is our Shepherd, we shall not want. Daily He sets before us the bounty of His goodness. He promises we'll never hunger or thirst again. This is the secret of being content with what we have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU" (Hebrews 13:5).

So let us not settle for anything else!!


Candace House

www.ruachchayah.org
2007 Candace House, All Rights reserved

When Is Religion A Hinderance?

In Need Of Prayer

Okay guys I need prayer. Seriously. I was so MAD yesterday I couldn’t think straight. A friend of mine called me concerning a young woman that is battling anorexia in her church. She has been battling this disease for close to 4 yrs. While going through this process she has been an active member in this particular church which calls itself a healing and deliverance ministry.

People come from all over to be in these healing services. The Pastor teaches the Word concerning healing first. He then ask those who are in need to come and get prayed for.
There are miraculous testimonies that come in concerning people’s healing. Doctor reports are authenticated to give credence to these events. There is no doubt that some of the people are healed there.

There is a problem here. After a certain period of time, people who haven’t been healed, are asked to sign a waiver concerning the church’s liability in their healing process.
The pastor refuses to speak words of healing concerning them. And would rather they leave the church because the people become too much of a burden on them.

He will preach from the pulpit concerning healing, but not speak healing scriptures over an individual person. I understand in a lawsuit happy society that people are more conscious about what they say. However, when it spills over into the church and preachers are afraid of getting sued because they speak the Word of God, Words that bring Life, then we have a problem.

The tragedy is no one has ever threatened a lawsuit. He is just trying to prevent one.
Since when do we as Saints of God and Ministers of the Gospel, walk around in fear of saying what “Thus Saith the Lord?”

The thought of people not feeling welcome in a church because they are not measuring up to an image, is despicable to me. This young woman is crying out for help!!! She has eating disorder counselors that she is working with as well. But she still needs the church!!

The minister that called me concerning the young woman, was in tears. She had been told by the senior intercessor, the pastor’s mother, that they were tired of dealing with this girls issues and they wished she left. She had become too much of a burden for them. This young girl was made aware of how the church felt about her. They felt she should have been over her issues by now.

Did not the Bible teach us to “Go and make disciples of men?” Not just witness to them.
A disciple is one that is mentored. Mentoring is a long process. It involves coaching, guiding, advising, training, tutoring, counseling, sharing confidences with another.

This young woman is not only battling this disease, she has been raped by uncles and her father’s friends for years. Her Grandmother, who is a witch, wants her to be her successor. This young girl has been marked as one for the enemy. But God is saying , “NOT SO!!

The Scripture says “ The thief cometh not but for to steal, kill and destroy. I Am come that they may have Life and have it more abundantly!” ( John 10:10)

“The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day [a]when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound.(A) ( Luke 4:18-19 )Amp.

The I AM has come and made His abode in us as believers. He is saying, “ I AM what ever you need me to be in your life.” If we need strength, then I Am is Jehovah Tsur. If we need healing, then I Am is Johovah Raphe. If we are in need of provisions, then I Am is Jehovah Jireh. If we are in need of peace, then I Am is Jehovah Shalom. If we are in need of victory , then I Am is Jehovah Nissi. If we are in need of a Shepherd then I AM is Jehovah Rohi. If we are in need of sanctification, then the I Am is Jehovah M’Kaddesh.

It is only when we lean to our own understanding that we get weary. If we allow I AM to work through us we can do so much more in the Lord and people wouldn’t fall to the wayside.

Jesus implored us, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will [a]ease and relieve and [b]refresh [c]your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest ([d]relief and ease and refreshment and [e]recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.(A) For My yoke is wholesome (useful, [f]good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne. (Matt 11:28-30) Amp.

There is a prophet in every Spirit -filled Christian. Not all are called to the Office of a Prophet, but there is an prophetic anointing in the hearts of God’s people. A prophet is God’s mouthpiece, one who speaks for another. There is an anointing, an ability within you to declare God unto men.

There is also a priest in every Spirit-filled Believer. A priest is one who brings men unto God. There is a priestly anointing, an ability within you to release the mercy and compassion of the Lord, to love people and to bring them unto Jesus.

There is also a king in every Spirit-filled Christian. A king is one who rules in the Name of the Lord. Where the word of a king is, there is power. There is a kingly anointing , an ability within you to rise up and take authority over your circumstances and your surroundings in the Name of Jesus!

God has poured the Spirit of His Son into our hearts that we might become containers and then dispensers of the life of God.

[It is He] Who has qualified us [making us to be fit and worthy and sufficient] as ministers and dispensers of a new covenant [of salvation through Christ], not [ministers] of the letter (of legally written code) but of the Spirit; for the code [of the Law] kills, but the [Holy] Spirit makes alive.(A) ( 2 Cor 3:6 ) Amp

Are rivers of Living Waters coming out of our bellies? Or are we producing bitter springs of death? When the Holy Spirit comes in, out of man’s belly would flow Devine rhetoric, Faith filled words! “He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.”(John 7:38) Amp.

The Ministry of the Son of God is ministry without condemnation. He has come to release all of the ; Beggars(the poor), Brokenhearted, Bound(captives), Blind and the Bruised.

This is the call. This is the invitation. There is enough of the nature of God to swallow up all of that death! And all with out fear of contamination. Oh Lord God give us Your grace!

You as Saints of the Most High God, Please Pray for Jessica. Because God said “Not So!” I am standing on His Promises. Won’t you stand with me?

Candace
www.ruachchayah.org © 2007 Candace House, All Rights Reserved

THE SEED THAT CANNOT DIE

The Seed That Cannot Die

In Genesis God promised Eve a seed,

“And I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” Gen:3:15

This verse was dealing with the birth of the promised Seed which is Jesus.
Matthew Henry Commentary says
15. thy seed--not only evil spirits, but wicked men. seed of the woman--the Messiah, or His Church I will put enmity between thee and the woman--God can only be said to do so by leaving "the serpent and his seed to the influence of their own corruption; and by those measures which, pursued for the salvation of men, fill Satan and his angels with envy and rage." thou shalt bruise his heel--The serpent wounds the heel that crushes him; and so Satan would be permitted to afflict the humanity of Christ and bring suffering and persecution on His people. it shall bruise thy head--The serpent's poison is lodged in its head; and a bruise on that part is fatal. Thus, fatal shall be the stroke which Satan shall receive from Christ, though it is probable he did not at first understand the nature and extent of his doom.
And Christ's sufferings are continued in the sufferings of the saints for his name. The devil tempts them, persecutes and slays them; and so bruises the heel of Christ, who is afflicted in their afflictions. But while the heel is bruised on earth, the Head is in heaven. 3. His victory over Satan thereby. Christ baffled Satan's temptations, rescued souls out of his hands. By his death he gave a fatal blow to the devil's kingdom, a wound to the head of this serpent that cannot be healed. As the gospel gains ground, Satan falls.

Eve conceived what she thought was going to be the seed which turned out to be Cain who was evil. Then she produced Able who ended up dead.

Cain killed Abel in a fit of jealousy.

Can you imagine how she felt?
The promise that she would have seed seemed impossible.
She was supposed to be the mother of all living.

But her seed was dead.

One son was on the Lam and the other was Dead

I am sure she wondered if the promise did not come because of what she had done in the Garden.

There are times in our lives when all hell breaks loose, and we don’t see the promises of God being made manifest. And we question is the promise delayed because of my past?


I stopped by to tell you that no matter what you are going through:

Your children could be acting crazy.

You could have lost a love one.

Your health or the health of someone you know may be at risk.

Your marriage may be over or is in serious trouble.

Your job situation or business is not in the best shape.

Your finances may be affected.

Your friends might have left you.

Your ministry is not advancing like you wanted it to or it is in trouble.

You could be in a situation and you don’t know how you got there.

But God who is Sovereign knows and sees all!!
He will bring to past what He has decreed!!

“And Adam knew His wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew” Genesis 4:25

God’s plan was not aborted when Cain killed Abel. His plan for your life has not been aborted either.

That doesn’t stop the evil one from trying to delay the fulfillment of what God has said about your life.

However he can’t stop it!!!!!!!

The name Seth means substituted.


It may not come like how you thought it would, or through the person you thought it would.
Eve realized that if God made a promise to bless someone, He will find a way!!!!!!
Even if it means appointing a substitute.

Candace
www.ruachchayah.org
© 2006 Candace House