3rd John 2 Program - A Week in Review

A Week in Review

It has been a few days since I have sent out a journal. Not because I didn’t want to. I went through another week of unusual battles that I see now I really didn’t have to participate in. I guess maybe when Joshua and Caleb took the promised land, it may sound a bit more glorious than it actually was – I don’t know. One thing I do know from my current point of view is that taking it does not mean the milk and honey will be the only thing we will encounter when we get there.

Until we leave this planet, there will always be those slimy snakes crawling around and giants trying to get in our way. But, oh but for the grace of Almighty God – we can take it! This battle between us and the devil(s) belongs to the Lord. When I think I can fight it on my own, I am in 100% pride – which God hates.

I just spent the entire week last week looking at the pride the Lord was showing in me as I listened to the teachings on the subject of pride verses humility. I could see how it has reared its ugly head in my life in so many ways. The only problem I had when looking at these things was a lot of self-condemnation. That is not of God.

Learning to be corrected without feeling condemned is a BIG deal. While I saw God trying to reveal things that needed some course correction for my life, I kept leaning toward this one thing with what I was eating from old thoughts of supposed bondage to food. That was not the real problem. The real problem was learning to let go of the steering wheel and allow God to do the driving.

It is allowing Him to lead me on what to eat, asking Him to help me and then doing what He says. It is asking Him to show me what to focus on first in my day as I go to my work after spending time with Him. It’s not being afraid to let Him take the lead. He will never take control. He will only lead. If we choose not to follow, He is a perfect gentleman and will let us try on our own, until we fail enough and come to the end of ourselves.

I was shown the life of king Nebuchadnezzar last week and what happened to him in the wilderness because of his pride. When he finally REALLY understood who God is and His power, he finally submitted to it and he was restored.

I was shown the life of Job and how he had been prideful – self righteous and not thinking he had to correct anything because of all his good works. Wow! How many of us think we are in good standing with God because of our “good works?” I will be the first to raise my hand. I have been trying to do this and that in an effort to get healed and prosperous, all for nothing.

Through dreams and visions the Lord has shown me that I needed to take my sticky little fingers off of the steering wheel long enough to say, “OK, I give up God! I can’t do this my way. How do You want to do this?”

I saw the life of Daniel whose unwavering commitment to God and his refusal to bow to serve or worship any other God earned him tremendous favor and promotion. I was reminded of the long wait in a dreary dungeon where Joseph was tucked away for 12 years while God watched how he responded to the difficult and un-preferred circumstances he found himself in. All that time Joseph refused to complain and get bitter. Instead he honored God right where he was at and one day – ALL OF A SUDDEN, he was let out.

In those years, Joseph had been tucked away and protected by God while other things were being lined up to set up the perfect day for his release and promotion where God would use him to save a nation. It makes me think of Esther. A slave girl sent before a king to be used to set the nation of Israel free from annihilation.

As I looked at my life and the way I have treated people out of pride, I had to be real with myself and realize that even pride toward people equals pride toward God. He HATES it! When we don’t honor those in authority over us, or we don’t listen and show respect, we interrupt people, act selfishly, all kinds of things that can boil down to stinking pride, I certainly confess I have been guilty.

On the positive side of all this, I went to our church meeting last night and God had shown me before I ever arrived to be ready to receive. I was and I did! It came at me from every direction from the people in the ministry we serve in. It was like God was firing darts of love and answers at me from every direction. People making comments that showed they were glad I was there and missed me when I’m not, to yet others telling me encouraging words and how the Lord is touching them through this blog. Sometimes it is good to know we are loved and appreciated without really needing that at all. We must remember that God loves and appreciates us as we labor for Him. That needs to always be enough.

After all the down moments I have unnecessarily experienced recently, it was like God was using His mighty arms to wave His love over me in streams last night. I went out of there so encouraged that I could hardly believe what just happened. There’s no way to explain it all here – you had to be me and you had to be there in that moment. But I believe if we are paying enough attention to the Lord, we will hear Him and see Him trying to speak to us and to woo us closer to Him.

This past week He spoke to me through animals, people, His word and circumstances, all of which were pointing me closer to Him and giving me correction as well. The thing I had to stop doing was looking at that correction through a single lens and thinking it was this when it was really that. In fact, my glasses even dropped and one of the lenses popped out. How odd is that!

A week ago, a man of God was used to show me that it was OK to have something to eat that I don’t normally have. I had it and went on. No big deal. The real deal was that Jesus was trying to show me that I am free. In that freedom, there is healthy choices and boundaries to maintain a healthy weight and keep our insides functioning well.

Today, when we unexpectedly went to a brunch at a golf course, I had things I would not normally eat, and I enjoyed them. I fought the fear that tried to come and had a great meal. As good as it all was, I would not ever choose to eat like that on a daily basis - been there and done that and it nearly killed me – literally. A poor diet and not enough exercise will take anyone down to the grave after a period of time.

But the whole premise of what this program is named after – 3 John 2, is to learn to live a life of balance in ALL things. What we think, what we say, how we listen, how we submit to the Lord and others; how we treat others, how we work and treat our own family, and how we treat ourselves. It includes rest and quiet time. It includes fun and vacations and ministry to the people around us who need an encouraging word or a helping hand.

When I first started blogging back in 2016, the purpose was good, but my focus was off. It was centered around eating addictions. I was foolishly convinced that the food was the problem when it really wasn’t. When we have a problem with eating too much, or too little, we are only trying to cover up the real thing that is eating us. That can be many things and different for each one of us based on our past experiences and current circumstances. It all has a root of FEAR! A hundred people can hear the same message in one church service and each one will get something different out of it if they choose to receive what God has for them.

My bigger issue was not being able to sit and listen to the Lord and WAIT on Him. It’s a big deal, for without Him, we really can achieve nothing that will be good and lasting.

Last night’s message focused on what we say and how God will do for us what comes out of our mouth…

Numbers 14:26-28 AMP

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “How long shall I put up with this evil congregation who murmur [in discontent] against Me? I have heard the complaints of the Israelites, which they are making against Me. Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just what you have spoken in My hearing I will most certainly do to you; 

The meeting was all about how we speak and the power of our words. In the verses above we see how the people complained and God said He would do what THEY SAID. In all the battles I have been engaging in lately, I have not been speaking out the confessions that will help me to be free and stay free. But in reality, we must continue to meditate on God’s word; to speak it and agree with it.

This is what helps us because His word is a sharp sword. But God is the Word! He is the strength in what we say. These things won’t happen without His help and He helps us by giving us promises, prophecies through the right men and women of God and He speaks to us in our heart. All these things need to be what carries us as we go along with Jesus to get to the other side of our storms.

Yesterday, as I concluded the series on Pride verses Humility, I was shown how we need to yield to Holy Spirit. He will lead us and show us in one way or another if we are on the right path or doing the right thing.

All we need to do is yield – in other words, do what He is putting in our spirit to do. When we are not sure, we can ask, and He is faithful to help us. Hallelujah! He makes it ever so easy. So I got up and stirred myself up yesterday and went to praising Him, worship, praying and crying from my heart to God. I stopped just sitting in the chair like some weakling who had been whipped in a battle. I got up and stirred myself up. I danced and enjoyed being with Him! It was glorious.

I just hit the play button on my iTunes on the iPhone, and Holy Spirit took it from there. Every song that played next were songs of God’s goodness, His love and His purpose for me. He was comforting me and lifting me, and I was so blessed.

So why am I sharing all this? It is because I was prompted of the Lord a long time ago to bring others along with me. I didn’t know how that would look. A recent healing meeting showed me that no matter where I am in my walk, I can bring someone else along. I am hearing from strong men and women of God about allowing God to get me to the destiny He has planned and to be a problem solver for others in this world. By investing in others, I know God who is a covenant keeping God will sow that back into me.

As He pours into me, I can release it to you and have faith that He will use it to bless you in the way you need to be blessed and encourage to keep going on in faith toward the goal He was for you – hallelujah!

In conclusion, I opened to the same thing I saw at the church meeting last night…

Lamentations 3:21-26 AMP

But this I call to mind, therefore I have hope. It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, Because His [tender] compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion and my inheritance,” says my soul; “Therefore I have hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait [confidently] for Him, to those who seek Him [on the authority of God’s word]. It is good that one waits quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

I am trusting that this will bring God’s blessings to you in the very exact way He intends for you today.

Love and blessings in Christ!

Hanny Lynn Stearns

Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

Hannylynn05@gmail.com

3rd John 2 Program - Humility Waits

Humility Waits

I had a marvelous day yesterday! I felt so free as I worked and started tackling the pile of work that I have had building up for weeks.

I had a dream Sunday night that looked like a mass exodus of people coming along with a bunch of stuff, like dishes. It was as if they were leaving Egypt. And I was walking along with them. But the Lord was trying to show me something further that I am just now seeing. Keep reading…

I started my day with God’s help and got started on things. I had a nice light lunch and rested while I listened to more of the humility teaching the Lord has directed me to focus on this week. I am seeing where I have had a lot of pride in my life and this is really helping me. My hope is that as I bare my journal to you, it may help you in some way too; so stay with me if you will.

This teaching is not making me feel condemned, but it is helping me to look at how I respond to the Lord and people. Even how I treat my husband is already changing. I am learning to show more respect to the Lord as I show more respect to him.

Yesterday, when I asked the Lord for help, He is faithful, and He helped me. When I asked Him a question, as I waited and got an answer. I acted like I never went through all that battle previously with all that struggle over what I eat or what I do each day. I went to the gym and came home worshiping the Lord as I bathed and got ready for the day. It was glorious and very powerful. I could tangibly feel the presence of the Lord! Magnificent! 😊

We had a nice dinner. I ate what I felt was good as I sought the Lord for help. The Lord helped me to finally make that homemade mayonnaise He was been wanting to help me with and it turned out great! He knows how to do everything perfectly if only we will seek Him and get the answers.  

However, in all that He is showing me, today I was sensing that there was something wrong. As I went out and walked a bit, I began to listen more. I started hearing some things about how being driven to achieve things will stop me from really waiting on the Lord so I can hear what He REALLY wants to say, rather than being in a prideful hurry and listening to what my flesh wants to hear.

Today I opened to this...

Lamentations 3:21-26

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

AMP

But this I call to mind, Therefore I have hope. It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, Because His [tender] compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion and my inheritance,” says my soul; “Therefore I have hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.” The Lord is good to those who wait [confidently] for Him, to those who seek Him [on the authority of God’s word]. It is good that one waits quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Yesterday as I asked and waited, I was led. I got answers. There were some things regarding my diet that I wavered on as I am learning to eat in freedom but not be out of control or let it have any hold on me. Today, by the grace of God, I am seeing more of what He is trying to show me. He is showing me that while some things may be ok for me to have, not all of them are for my good.

So, when it comes to food, some things are better saved for when a person eats out. For example, we wouldn’t want to bring ice cream in the house if we used to be addicted to it! The same principle applies to everything. What used to have a hold on us must be kept under. Our flesh can be a much louder voice than any devil we think we are fighting.

When we wait, we get answers. When we ask, we get help! God showed such mercy to me yesterday and helped me with so many things; even while I was in pride and rebellion to things He has set as a standard for me previously.

As He has worked diligently to break me free of the stronghold that food and eating has had on my mind, He is also trying to show me that I must continue to have boundaries. I have to surrender the plan for eating to Him each day and He will show me what is best for that day. He will never go back on what He has shown us to do in the past! He WILL give us the grace to do what He has asked us to do.  

He is so good!

I woke up this morning with the thought of King Nebuchadnezzar. God was speaking to me. He has been trying to get my attention ever since Friday night when I had an unusual experience that I won’t mention here.

I didn’t know why, until now that is. Praise God! I had opened to the book of Daniel yesterday but didn’t really know what the Lord was showing me. I gravitated toward how the Lord has rescued Daniel from the lion’s den. I thought of how God has rescued me. And He has, from so many things. My husband sent me a picture included in this message. 

I thought about how God helps me to fight my battles and the thought came to me from Holy Spirit that I have been fighting with this enemy as if I have been all on my own doing it - as if it was up to me to get the breakthrough I needed from the terrible stronghold I have been under in my thinking about food and also about not being able to sit and listen to the Lord!

Praise God! It is all being knit together by Him this morning. When I thought I would come back into my office to journal and look at the word before bed, I was led to just go to bed. I had run a bit over on work, so it was late and I was grateful that He told to “just go to bed!”

I got up today with answers for my work in the marketplace and the thought of king Nebuchadnezzar, wondering what it could mean. While my mind tried to go down a negative path for a brief moment, I captured the thoughts and kept focused on the positive. Sitting this morning and following the leading of Holy Spirit, He led me to open the word.

That’s when He has me focus on the compassion and mercy of God and how it is good to wait for and hope in the Lord as highlighted in the Lamentations verses!

As I did, I continued to hear more. In fact, as I raced out the door to keep what I thought should be the schedule for the morning, I began to hear even more. Then when the Lord directed me to come in to prepare this for the blog, He began to speak even more.

So how does king Neb fit into all this? He was rebellious and very prideful.

Well if I think about how the teaching on humility is affecting me, I see there had been a lot of pride in my life. One of the ways that pride shows its ugly ways in life is through impatience and interruption.

God hates pride and it’s a word we shouldn’t even use. I had learned that previously. But what I had not yet learned well was how to recognize pride in my own life. This pride can severely block the flow of God’s blessings for His people.

Well, I look honestly at myself and see that I have been very impatient and not waited on the Lord for my answers like I should have. As a result, I am sitting here with a very long list of questions that I desperately need answers from Him for in order to proceed.

Also, in that impatience, pride interrupts. It can’t sit still long enough to listen to what the other person is saying. How can I show respect to the Lord God Almighty who created all things if I can’t sit still long enough to wait for the answer I just asked of Him? How rude!

If I asked a teacher at school a question and then turned and walked away, wouldn’t they be rather offended at our rudeness to ask and not wait for the answer? Indeed they would. And if we think we wouldn’t treat a human that way, why would we treat our God Most High this way?

I began listening to a series about humility this week on the prompting of the Lord from a meeting I attended this past Friday. It was a powerful night! He gave me such breakthrough regarding a stronghold that I have been fighting for far too long! In addition, He pointed me to this teaching I am hearing about humility through the man of God who was speaking, and I am listening to this as I go through the week.

I am seeing the things I need to see as I have prayed that the Lord would help me to see pride in my life and help me by His grace to get rid of it. I have been in pride all these years and wondered so many times why I had not gotten the breakthroughs that I have been looking for on several levels. I have spent far too much time fighting all the devils as if it were all up to what I do to get the victory.

Yes, we have to do our part, but Jesus does the greatest part. He is the One who brings the breakthrough. So today as I look at the past weeks and months and how yesterday played out I see Holy Spirit tying all these things together in the most awesome way only He can! I continue to stand amazed!

From the teaching that was given from our own pastor on Saturday evening about all the time we spend fighting with the devil every day which is tormenting and a terrible waste of our valuable time, to the teaching on humility about how to recognize pride, to the fact that it is God who is fighting our battles for us, I stand completely blessed and grateful for God’s amazing grace and mercy that is new every morning. Indeed, His faithfulness is great.

King Neb was a prideful man. Reading the book of Daniel, see Daniel chapter 4, where we see the king’s prideful boast and what came upon him for several years. Then look at what happened when he came to the end of his foolish prideful ways and recognized God for Who He really is. We see him giving God glory, honor and praise.

Next, we see the mercy of God and how the Lord fully restored the king to even greater blessings than he had had before! Glory to God!

This morning as I sat here and continued to seek the Lord, He began to really show me what I needed to see – once He got my flesh out of the way.

In Lamentations 3:40-42… (It would be good to read the entire chapter to really get a grasp of the sin and rebellion that was going on then and still goes on now with God’s people. All of which is the nature of the devil and we must repent!

Let us test and examine our ways, and let us return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands [in prayer] toward God in heaven; we have transgressed and rebelled, You have not pardoned. (AMP)

Once I really listened after crying my heart out to the Lord and repenting, He was able to show me how I have caved into temptation and my flesh these past few days. He sent people to me to draw my attention to the teachings I needed to hear. He spoke through my husband, who even brought a teaching to me from a preacher on You Tube who was calling out to God’s people to destroy the flesh and come back to the Father and get right with Him.

All weekend God was trying to help me, and I was allowing myself to go my own prideful and rebellious way. Here I sit on Tuesday morning and it is time for me to be at work. I couldn’t go any further until I knew things were right between me and God.

Finally, I heard! Finally, I got the breakthrough! Finally, I heard the song come back in my heart that He gave me yesterday. The words say that “In You I will Remain.” His presence is where I belong, He is my home. I should not be wandering around in some pig pen as a rebellious child who has run off to live a riotous life! I had to come running back into His arms again.

There is amazing grace! If we will humble ourselves and pray and seek His face, another song and another verse from Sunday that He was bringing to me, then we will obtain mercy! If anyone thinks that God is not speaking, we must think again. The problem is the reception! Are we WILLING to hear what He has to say? Will we show Him the respect of waiting and listening until we do hear?

He is far more gracious than we ever give Him credit for. MY friends, I hope this inspires you to search your heart today and ask God to show you any pride and rebellion in your life that may be blocking the flow of healing and blessings that He has for you. Then watch the floodgates of heaven open and the things you may have been in faith for over a long period of time will start to pour in like we have never seen! Praise His holy Name and be blessed as you grow in Jesus Name!

Hanny Lynn Stearns
Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.
Hannylynn05@gmail.com

3rd John 2 Program - The Samaritan Woman - The Well Is Deep

The Samaritan Woman – The Well Is Deep

Waking song: I just wanna be with You!

After sitting at the feet of Jesus I started the music 🎶

This song....

Do you remember the time your heart was moved to tears?

Do you look back on the moment after all these years?

On the moment love broke through and heaven seemed so

Near?

Do you remember the time your heart was moved to

Tears?

Do you remember the day you first let Jesus in?

How he gently and tenderly washed away your sin -

Don't you know that he still cares the way he did back

Then?

Do you remember the day you first let Jesus in?

Keep holdin' on, never letting go.

We're not far from the end of the road.

Keep holdin' on, never letting go.

We're not far from the end of the road.

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Keith Thomas / Amy Grant / Vince Gill

Do You Remember The Time lyrics © Dimensional Music Of 1091, Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, Vinny Mae Music, Grant Girls Music LLC

Song: The praise is Yours - Elevation Worship

That first day at the well for me was at Northridge Church. I thought about what that was like for a moment. I had spent 49 years on this earth living in the natural way this world does things. I was carrying my ‘clay pot’ but it never got filled. I seemed to come up empty every time I tried to get the love, affection, approval or attention I so longed for.

It seems I ran to my own “wells” to get filled. Those wells were food, alcohol, drugs, the affection of men, affection of supposed friends, my children, shopping, entertainment - work and extreme busyness. Anything to get that fulfilled feeling that never seemed to come.

I went to a counselor looking for help desperately. I knew my life was out of control at the time and felt like a volcano ready to explode. At our initial meeting, after hearing the details of my life, she looked directly at me without hesitation and dais, “You are trying to love yourself.”

No one had ever said that to me before. I sat back in my chair and just thought about that for a moment. Oh, how I needed love. Oh, I longed for that in the deepest part of me but didn’t even realize how deep my ‘empty well’ really was.

As I listened to the songs that Holy Spirit brought to me this morning, and I will share them here, I could hear the Lord speaking to me in a BIG way!

Song: Lord You are more precious than silver, Lord You are more costly than gold. Lord You are more beautiful than diamonds. Nothing I desire compares to You. You’re so wonderful.

At that moment I was soaking in His presence and receiving what He wanted to say to me. Then the next song…

“He is Lord (He is Lord), Christ has risen from the dead and He is Lord. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

The songs took me back to that first day I hit my knees and realized He is Lord! It was that moment when I began to realize how precious Jesus is!

The following song reminded me of who He is what He does for me in my life…

Song: I will bless the Lord forever. (Hillsong) I will trust Him at all times. He has delivered me from all fears. He has set my feet upon a rock! I will not be moved. You are my Shield, my Strength, my Portion, Deliverer, my Shelter, Strong Tower - my very present help in time of need.

Who have I in heaven beside You! You have made me glad and I’ll say of the Lord – You are my…

Shield

Strength

Portion

Deliverer

Shelter

Strong Tower

My very present help in time of need!

The next song reminded me that there are things I have to deny myself of to take up the cross He has called me to bear, like my own agenda for the day!

Song: Music by: Selah

He said come, anyone who wants must deny himself, take up his cross, follow Me, no matter the cost, be My heart, My hands, My voice.

How are we living for Christ? Following Him we will sacrifice, but are we willing to die?

God gives the strength that it takes. He knows the price that you pay, the life you’ve been called to, will not be in vain, so don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid.

When you are shackled in chains, imprisoned for sharing His Name, if you should suffer for righteousness sake, don’t be afraid; don’t be afraid.

Whoever wants to save his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

I was assured by Holy Spirit that He will help me get past all this. The total surrender of what I do and when.

Song: All the glory, by Terry Macalmon. Check this out on You Tube. Terry brings us beautiful worship music to really help us bask in the presence of the Lord.

The next song really helped me to feel encouraged.

Song: Uncontainable Love By: Elevation Worship

Your love is deep enough to reach the deepest part of me.

The woman at the well said the well is deep...

Jesus’ love was able to reach the deepest part of her that day when she first encountered Jesus. Like the day I first encountered Him at the well (Northridge Church). That day when I first saw Jesus for Who He really is - in some measure at least!

Yesterday didn’t go like the Lord had planned for exactly. A lot of it was great. Just a couple of bumps along the way. I saw this last night and understood it by the grace of God.

There were many devils along the side of the road as I drove toward meeting my first appointment. That devil was eating. I thought I wasn’t supposed to eat breakfast when in fact the Lord showed me in the morning to have my meal at home and soup later. I forced myself to eat at noon with my lunch guests, rather than telling them I just was  not hungry.

At the end of the day as I wondered about the soup along my ride home, Holy Spirit gave me the recipe for what I had at home to make a wonderful soup. As I ate I didn’t feel great because the fish I had for lunch was too much since I was not hungry after eating breakfast.

His plan was better for me. My first meeting with a lovely lady who owns an international food store said, “You need to gain 20 pounds” and yet I wondered how when I limit my carbs. Last night I believe I saw that Holy Spirit had a perfect recipe that was perfect for me.

God gave me so much grace as I went along trough the day. I guess in my mind I have continued to restrict myself based on old ways of thinking, eating and going about my day. But this is what I heard from Holy Spirit as we sat together…

“You are freer than you think. You just need to believe that. You know you don’t have a problem with food. You’re not one who likes to overdo and be so full it makes you feel sick. The bigger issues are what has gotten in the way. Time to hear and understand the plan for the day. You have faith when you know what it is - and you are willing to know because the truth sets you free.”

That was profound for me to hear that. He encouraged me to look at the verses in Proverbs 1-3 today and seek His wisdom about things BEFORE making a move that might otherwise cause regret.  

See proverbs 1:20 through 3:1-8

He is showing us that we must PAY ATTENTION to what He tells us! Had I done that correctly yesterday I would have pulled over off the side of the road and asked Him why I saw all those buzzards. To me they represent the presence of the enemy! That should have caused me to stop immediately and ask! I showed up early enough for my lunch appointment and had plenty of time to seek the Lord on that before I went in. But, I allowed myself to be distracted with busyness. That’s what really blocked the reception.

Whenever I do things in my own strength, aka, use my ‘clay pot’, I don’t seem to get what I am really reaching for which is that deep connectivity to Jesus! Busyness allows for distraction which robs me of that deep place of love with Jesus when I really come to Him and just linger at His well of everlasting life! He is showing me that it is not a food problem I have. It never has been. It has been all the busyness that drove me to near insanity and kept me from drawing from His well of love.

I heard Him lay out a plan for my day today as well as what I will eat, yet when I went to eat I heard Holy Spirit bring up that song from yesterday, saying, “You were there to catch me every time I fall, that Je loves right through it all.”

Then I wondered if I should be eating at all. There was fear and I had to resist it. He helped me to hear from Him as I ironed my clothes quietly continuing to prepare for the day ahead. It wasn’t the food I ate; it was the timing. That’s why I didn’t feel good about it when I had breakfast. That inner knowing.

Then I knew that the words I heard earlier this morning about the Samaritan woman’s experience at the well, that “the well is deep.” That well is Jesus. Time with Him at the well, alone, while the disciples were off seeking lunch. Jesus was there seeking a poor soul who needed to be filled with HIS water!

Jesus is that well of living water. Food and water take care of a natural need and we must have it to live in our natural bodies. But Jesus wants to fill our wells with His life giving water. So for me today, it wasn’t about not eating. In fact, I went from an over eater many years ago to almost anorexic. Now I need to gain 20 pounds but wonder how I can do it because I don’t eat that much volume anymore. Holy Spirit is trying to help me with that.

So what would have been my best choice this morning? It would have been to linger ‘at the well’ with Him a little while longer to get filled to overflow for my day. I was just thinking in my journal today that I would really like to have a day - just one day where it all seems to go just right. And then to be able to build on that each day afterward. He can get me there.

I do have much work that He wants me to do. A mountain of it! But first things first. If we think we are too busy to take time with Jesus at the well, then we are too busy! Our priorities are way out of whack. For apart from Him we can do nothing – nothing that’s fruitful or effective that is.

Instead of beating myself up over not hitting the mark today, I will choose to meditate on the wisdom I first opened to this morning starting in Proverbs 1:20 and going all the way to Proverbs 3:8.

If we will really, really, really incline our ears and eyes to His teachings, then we will walk in His ways to the glory of His holy Name - that Name that is above busyness and all the distractions that daily life certainly brings. How about you? Can you relate to this? If this helps or encourages you or someone you know in some way, then it makes all my openness in sharing these things well worth it! Pun intended. Send me a comment to let me know how it has blessed you.

Have a marvelously blessed weekend at the well!

Hanny Lynn Stearns

Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

Hannylynn05@gmail.com

3rd John 2 Program - The Samaritan Woman - Sticking It Out

The Samaritan Woman – Sticking It Out

 

The Lord reminded me of the Samaritan woman again this morning as we focused on how living a fully surrendered life to Jesus will cause many to walk away. As the thoughts of my relationship with my husband came to mind yesterday and the amount of responsibility of caring for our precious little dog Jesse; I was not feeling adequate in handling either one very well, while the thought of losing my relationship with Jesus especially is gut wrenching. But losing my husband or puppy would be terrible also.

The Samaritan woman went from one relationship to another. I was reminded this painful morning about how I went from one relationship to another in my earlier years when things got tough. I didn’t stick it out when the going got tough!

These verses in John 6:60-71 hit this matter right where it counts!

John 6:60-71

Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.

And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

I bolded the part where Jesus had asked them if they too were going to walk away. The whole point the Lord was bringing up this morning is that when the going gets tough; many get going… right out the door in the other direction, that is.

That’s been my pattern. It has to be dealt with. Today I’m asking the Lord to heal this in me! When our pastor delivered the ever so powerful message last Saturday evening, he said that the Lord needs to reopen old wounds so He can heal them. Honestly, I knew I was in for something along this line in the coming week, but I had no idea of what that would mean.

As I thought of these things, I know how true it is. I didn’t realize that it had not been fully dealt with yet. I knew that as a young teenager, I had developed the habit of running away from relationships when they didn’t seem to be going well and things started to seem ‘too hard’.

As I move into the 6^th year of the best marriage to the best man, I have to be honest and admit to myself that it is not as easy as I has dreamed it would be. Does that mean there is something wrong with my husband? Absolutely not. For each marriage I have been involved in contained one common component – me!

When I couldn’t handle the challenging moments, and every serious relationship has them, I would simply run away to ease the pain and stress. But things never seemed to get better. I always kept running into me!

I have been blessed to be married to and exemplary man of God and he is a blessing to all who know him. Frankly I was quite surprised that God would give me a man of such high quality. I never felt I deserved anyone like him. I always went with the so called “losers” even though in my sight no one is a loser as long as they are alive. Jesus can touch and heal anyone!

So today, as I dashed out the door to run appointments for the day, It really sank in that Jesus is not only asking us if we will walk away from Him, but if we are going to walk away from yet another relationship or situation just because the going gets a bit rough.

And my answer was this…

I refuse to give up! By the grace of God, I will press in even when it is not fun. When it seems too hard to go another step. When the road seems too rough to travel - I refuse to give up. And for what? More time to myself so I can be with the Lord without bringing someone else with me?

Oh, how deceived we can be when we think the grass will be greener in another pasture! If we can’t handle the grass in the yard we have; what makes us think we can handle anything else? I was reminded by Holy Spirit that where your heart is, that’s where your treasure is also. He also reminded me of the verse that says this…

In all labor, there is profit… Proverbs 14:23

So the question is this: “What means the most to you?”

Are you willing to surrender IT ALL to Jesus? Are you willing to go the distance with Him even when it’s hard and the cost to your flesh is high?

These things are being brought out so they can be healed once and for all. Otherwise the problem will continue on in an endless spin cycle that will go nowhere but down to the gates of hell. The Lord wants to heal all that junk way down deep in our trunk.

I must admit that it is not easy to bring the world around me into these issues as I look at my life through the lens of the scriptures, but this is my testimony. The Lord has brought me through so much. I daily continue to see and learn of better ways I could do things as Holy Spirit brings things up through visions, dreams, and His word.

I hear Him speak through the pastor, through my husband, through friends, through our sweet puppy, and even through the animals. If we are paying attention and sensitive to Holy Spirit, we will discover that He is always speaking to us in one way or another.

The big question is, “Are we listening?” And, do we really want to be changed and go the distance with the Lord to fulfill the assignment that He has for our life. Sometimes we can turn to being busy with other things without waiting on the Lord long enough to see what He wants to tell us.

If we will not give up – we will succeed in getting to know Him better. He wants us to enter into that “inner court” with Him – behind the veil of obstacles that this life presents. He longs to be close to us and enjoy us while we snuggle up to Him and enjoy His presence more than anything else. Can you relate?

I hope this blesses you in some way and helps you to draw closer to the presence of Jesus.

Hanny Lynn Stearns

Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

Hannylynn05@gmail.com