Merry Christmas 2019

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ;

Surprise! Aren’t you glad this isn’t a bill or junk mail/spam? Merry Christmas to you and your family from Denny and Hanny! Yes - this is a simple letter addressed specifically to you to let you know that we love you and we are thinking of you.

The purpose of this letter is meant to brighten your day and bring a bit of cheer and comfort to your heart right now as you read it. Its purpose is to remind you that you matter to us and we thank God for bringing you across our paths in this life’s journey.

We usually update folks on what’s been going on in our lives this year, and we will say a few words about that just to keep you in the loop. Right now we want to thank you for being our friend. We want to tell you how much we appreciate you and the God given gifts that were placed inside of you that makes you uniquely you, and a joy to know.

Like everyone else out there, you have your challenges and battles that you face in your day to day life. You want to see more progress and perhaps you need healing in your body or even in your heart. Maybe you need more money for your needs and to be free to bless others. Perhaps you have family members that are going through great trials right now and it grieves your heart.

Isn’t that when it is nice to know that someone is thinking about you and praying for you and those things that concern you? Before this letter went from our home to yours, we prayed for you. Yes, by the time this Christmas letter reaches you, the Lord has heard our prayers and the answers and breakthroughs are already in motion.

All you have to do is exactly what you did to read the words on this page - open it up and receive it. Like the gift that our Heavenly Father gave us that first Christmas morning, this card brings you the reminder that God loves you more than you could ever imagine.

That’s what that first gift of Christmas was meant to bring for you. Salvation from all your troubles, sins, sicknesses, diseases and poverty. Jesus came to give you life abundantly and we just want to remind you that all the gifts God has prepared for you before you ever took your first breath are there for the taking.

May this letter be a reminder for you right now as you read that you can look toward heaven and just say “thank You Father for loving me that much!” He is waiting for you to open up all your gifts this Christmas and then carry them to someone else who is hurting and struggling in life.

We all know someone who needs a prayer, a hug, or just a listening ear. We are sending you a hug right now from Jesus. So just take a moment if you will and wrap your arms around yourself and receive that much needed hug and a holy kiss on the cheek.

He is saying “I love you and I am with you. I will never leave you or forsake you. I can help you through everything that you are struggling with. Just give it all to Me and believe in what I can do for you!”

Denny and I had a very unusual year and we are grateful to God for all that He has done for us. Going to Africa for the first time to meet with and minister to the church in Liberia was a life changing experience. Many people received healing and revelation. We were more than surprised when the Lord made it possible for the pastors we work with in Africa to come here to the US. They came to stay with us for 2 1/2 weeks. God did amazing things during their visit.

We started our own insurance business. The company name is “Stearns Benefit Service Specialists” and the main focus is making our marketplace our ministry - like Paul in the book of Acts. We look forward to seeing how the Lord will expand this business as we honor Him in it. It’s a pleasure to help Seniors make the right choices for their Medicare coverage plans as well as other things with insurance they may need.

We truly hope that you have a blessed Christmas and a “2020 vision” New Year – a year that truly is better than ever. May the joy of the Lord be a strength to you and His presence bring your great pleasures as you go forward.

We love and bless you in Jesus Name!

With deepest love in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Denny, Hanny and Jesse Stearns

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Be Filled to Be Effective

Be Filled to Be Effective

Yesterday I opened to Matthew 25:1-30.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

When I woke up and started to pray, these words just came forth from my mouth – totally unplanned;

“Fresh oil and fresh fire.”

As I continued to proceed through the wee hours of the morning in my time with Jesus, there were many distractions coming my way, from where to go for business for the day to what to eat. I admit I caved into the kitchen and went to grab a quick muffin and protein bar, when really, it could have waited. That is quite unusual behavior for me. I usually wait until much later in the morning to eat, even though it isn’t necessarily wrong to eat then. But this day, the timing was off.

I remembered that Jesus deserves the best part of my attention and worship as I start my day, and even throughout the day.

I had to ask Him for forgiveness for allowing the distractions and start over by taking communion and getting back in sync with Holy Spirit. As I opened the Bible, I saw the verses named above.

In them, Jesus is showing us that the wise virgins took the time to get the oil – representing Holy Spirit. In other words, they took the time to get filled with Holy Spirit. To be filled is a necessity each day, because, as we all know, the things of daily life can drain us and leave us empty at the end of it all. So each day, we need to be re-filled. Their vessels represent their bodies – the temple of Holy Spirit.

We have a spirit; we have a soul and we live in our body. So, we carry the Lord around with us, but that fresh filling is so necessary. The foolish virgins didn’t take the time to get the oil they need to keep their lamps burning (that fresh fire that the Lord brought out of my mouth upon waking) for themselves. So when Jesus came back at an hour that was quite unexpected, they were asking those who were wise to give them some of what they had. But we can only get our own oil and fire. Nobody can get it for us, and no one can give us theirs.

I went on to pray and get the fire and felt the presence of Holy Spirit all over me. It was beautiful as I sang and prayed and worshipped, dancing through the house and making declarations that I am a woman who loves God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength!

I was reminded this past weekend that we have to continue to decree what we want to happen in our lives. Making Jesus my first love is at the time of my list, no matter how many times I fail to show that. It will come to pass if I keep saying it long enough!

When I went on to read about the talents the Lord had given to the servants, I saw it in the light of the gifts and abilities He has placed in me to be able to fulfill the destiny He has in mind for my life to make an impact in this world. As the time of fellowship with the Lord continued, I saw the real priority of any given day, regardless of how it actually plays out.

1.    Love on Jesus for who He is and get that fresh oil and fresh fire

2.    In giving God the best part of every aspect of my life, (a firstfruits offering) then I can invest what He plants in me so that it can be increased and multiplied many times over.

Hence, I had the overall message for this day. It was to be filled to be effective.

I was so encouraged when I heard the Lord assure me that I haven’t done everything wrong – glory to His Name. He also showed me that the ONE THING that is necessary is to choose the best part. Just like Mary who chose to sit at Jesus’ feet while Martha scurried about in the kitchen.

As I listened to the songs the Lord was bringing me in my iTunes library of hundreds of songs, the one titled, “My First Love” came right up on the list first. I don’t even pick the songs. I just go into my phone and it will show a “not playing” title on the song and when I hit play, Holy Spirit takes it from there. It never ceases to amaze me at the songs He brings at any given time. They are always spot on to what I am experiencing in my life and a particular day. He is AWESOME!

It was a hard rain outside in the morning during those hours I spent with Jesus, as if a pouring down of Holy Spirit. I certainly felt it tangibly. My legs were so wobbly, and I knew He was here with me.

For the past many months, I struggled, quite unnecessarily I’m certain, with what I should be doing with my time, when the Lord has already placed it all right in front of my nose! It couldn’t be any clearer. The thing I had to do was stop, ask and listen. Something that drivenness and distractions will choke, leaving a person feeling confused and depressed.

I see that I need to spend that time with Him, and even though it would be great to spend even more hours with Him in the day, a person; I’m talking about me here, has to get up and get out and make a difference. I think many times I have had a distorted sense of what ministry really looks like.

I thought of the many ministers that I really love and consider mentors of sorts, and how God is using them to have a worldwide and very effective ministry of winning souls, healing the sick, setting captives free and getting people delivered from demons. I wondered, “How do they do it all?” Well, as imperfect as they all may be while they are still in the sanctification process just like me, it all has to start with them placing Jesus before their ministry, their finances, their illnesses or family issues that they may be dealing with. We all have them.

They have had to seek Him for wisdom and direction in how to carry out the plan He has put on their hearts to do. And so it is with me and you. A daily process. Cleansing, refreshing, refilling and restoring. It is a process – amen!

I went through song after song that assured me of Jesus’ healing, the power of His Blood to forgive, and how to think good thoughts and have that peace that goes beyond anything we can understand. He reminds me that to live Is Christ (by living like He did – totally surrendered).

After all the songs, and my back and forth trying to remove distractions and be still in His presence, I left with the words that He reminds me often it seems these days…

It is all a balancing act! Wow. It’s keeping the ‘bubble in the level in the center.’ That’s a task I admit that is too big for me. Oh, but its not too big for Him – hallelujah!

More on this for the next blog. Why? Because the story continues. Praise God. I know He is not finished with me yet. How about you? I hope this encourages you. As a reminder, if there is anything I can do to further encourage you, please feel free to send me an email.

In the meantime, go get filled and go be effective in Jesus Name!

Hanny Lynn Stearns

Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

Hannylynn05@gmail.com

Loving Jesus For Who He Is - Not Just What He Does For Us

Loving Jesus For Who He is – Not Just What He does for Us.

 

Return to what you did to fall in love with Jesus!

The text for this blog: 2 Chronicles 16:9, Job 22:28 and John 4:20-24

2 Chronicles 16:9

For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His.

Job 22:28

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

John 4:20-24

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

If we are decreeing things and not seeing it, we are putting the healing as more important than the Healer.

I can decree that I am closer to Him than ever. I can decree that I am so close to Him that others can feel His presence when I entered the room. We can start decreeing that “Jesus is the First Love of my life - not just the blessings He gives.”

Make declarations that He is the love and purpose of our life. We fill the air with our own words every day. If I make a decree, He will confirm it and light will shine on my ways when I am doing the right thing. What hurts? What doesn’t feel strong?

On Friday, I spent the day looking at the word and seeing how people like Stephen, Paul and suffered for the sake of the gospel.

We must remember to just love Jesus! And receive His love and allow Him to do what only He can do in our life.

Keep the word going and all of that, but keep the love relationship first and foremost. Be real and be tender in your conscience toward Holy Spirit. We can make a decree that You are near me every day and I feel Your tangible presence.

He wants to meet our needs and things for the work and ministry, but it should never take the place of our love relationship with Him!!!!! Begin to make the right decree.

Job 22:28. What we say will be established…

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

Don’t be so selfish like it’s your healing and your money and ministry that matters. It leaves God feeling used! Take your focus off you and keep it on Jesus and just have fun doing what you need to do each day. It will be easier than you can imagine. (This is what I was hearing.)

No person or blessing can replace Him! Nothing. Not food, busyness or success. Don’t be all about my healing and chasing the money. Be all about Jesus and our love walk! That’s where it all belongs all the time!

Sitting with Him in the garden. Looking at Him. Adoring beautiful Him! Worshiping awesome Him! There is only One found worthy.

“I decree Your presence in my life and You talking to me. I decree more about You than me.”

He said “If I be lifted up”. Keep this journey about loving Jesus! Our Father who is awesome.

Get the whining and complaining and depression out of your spirit. Say “I’m thankful for the clothes I got and the place I live, etc.,” and just praise Him.

Jesus reminded me on Sunday morning… ”Trust Me with the food and trust Me with the schedule. You will enjoy all your work and your rest and above all your time with Me. The One who loves you more than anyone.”

Last night I opened to a verse that says just this…

2 Chronicles 16:9

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 

May that be said of me!

Saturday night, our pastor mentioned “it is not by might or power but by God’s Spirit” from Zechariah 4:6-7.

I opened to that very same verse in my time with the Lord Sunday morning. He wants me to see that I cannot get myself where I need to be with Him. I need to “declare a fast” of trying to do things my way.

I have to go back to just loving God, loving people and loving me through the process of sanctification. Keep loving on Him, let Him love on me and go my way and do my work as I yield to Holy Spirit!

Monday August 5

Last night was amazing at our healing service – as always! Praise the Lord! I wasn’t feeling to good, so I stayed back and my husband went on to the healing service while I rested and ate and then went. When I got there, the woodpecker appeared as if to remind me to not allow anything to chip away from my experience with Jesus. That’s the second little red headed woodpecker I had seen in a week. We don’t normally see those birds here in Florida.

The service was so powerful and Holy Spirit was moving so strongly - it was glorious!

My songs that the Lord brought to me was “To be with You” by One Worship and “Your Love Never Fails” by the Newsboys.

How grateful I am for His unfailing love.

Song: The Potters Hand – came to me as I was journaling tall this today. If we listen to that song, we see how he can…

·         Lead me

·         Walk beside me

·         Guide me

·         Use me

·         Mold me

I give my life into the Potter’s Hand!

All Jesus wanted was to be with me and it started off ok, but I went a little too soon to go eat, rather than lingering with Jesus because I have many things on my calendar to do today.

I was fighting the distractions; stopping to answer texts when they come in, regardless of who they are instead of turning off the phone and not letting the distractions come and interrupt my time with Jesus.

I opened to John 4 about the woman who encountered Jesus at the well. While the disciples went off to get lunch, Jesus stayed there to minister, and the woman got a drink that no well could provide!

What she got during that encounter was priceless! What I am learning is that the hardest thing for me to do in my own ability is to sit still and just be with Him despite everything in my the natural that is trying to draw my attention. If I let things continue to draw from my well, I will quickly run dry. In the natural, we can only draw natural things, but in His presence, we can get so filled that our well overflows - the deepest part of our souls that only Jesus can fill.

Now my heart heard that song that He brought to me earlier saying, “I just want to be with you.”

I had started off right with Him this morning, but as I ate and finished my meal which I didn’t even start until almost noon, And I proceeded to start laundry and go make the bed, I could feel something in my spirit that wasn’t right. Then I was led to come back and sit down and open the word of God and landed right here in the encounter with Jesus.

But how can we have an encounter if we won’t stop and drop the bucket long enough? I had to drop what I was doing and listen to what He wanted to say.

After last night’s powerful service of a move of Holy Spirit, the Lord wanted that to continue to flow into this morning with Him. But I was too busy “carrying my bucket” to stop and linger just a while longer - just to be with Him.

I was too focused on what time it was and what I had to do. I allowed that to steal our sweet time together, when Jesus must matter more to me than anything else in all of life – including my menu and “to do” lists.

It steals our fellowship with Jesus. It robs us of getting answers to the questions we have and the wisdom to know what and how He wants us to do things in our life that bring great success and victory in every area.

Who out there is struggling with being too distracted to spend quality time with Jesus? Do we love Him, really just for who He is? Or do we seek Him for just what He can do for us?

Like the song says, truly the measure of a man is the measure of his heart. In this life, did we learn to love? And who or what do we love the most?

Matthew 6:21

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Like our pastor said in the service on Saturday, we worship Jesus in Spirit and in truth.

It’s not where we worship - see verses 20-24. It’s a matter of the heart! ❤️♥️💕

John 4:20-24

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

In closing, I had a dream on Saturday night that I never got the answer for. It was about a waffle with strawberries on top and whipped cream. I had a tuna salad on my back in a backpack.

I never really understood the meaning of the dream all day. I had come to a conclusion in my own mind of what it meant, but it wasn’t that at all.

As I began to write this journal, a pastor friend of mine wrote a text to me about their experience on the way home last night from that powerful healing service we had all attended.

She tells about stopping at a fast food restaurant to get something to eat. In that event, they were able to pray for a waitress who had back pain and didn’t even know Jesus as her Lord.

By the time they left, they had prayed for her and she came back from the kitchen exclaiming that the pain was gone! She was so happy that she knelt down there at the table beside our pastor friends and she asked Jesus to be her Lord and Savior.

This text cut me to the heart! After reading that I thought about what my husband and I could have done last night to go get a bite to eat after the service. We were both quite hungry. Had we stopped at the local place that is open all night, we might have had another encounter similar to the one our friends had had.

It had happened a week ago where we were able to minister to a lady who served us for our late-night meal.

So why do I share my experiences like this with the entire world to see?

I believe that when we see what someone else is going through, it can be used by Holy Spirit to help others see and learn from their life’s events. So, if this ministers at all to you, or causes you to think, stop and drop your bucket to linger a little longer with Jesus, then I will consider the baring of my soul more than worth it. If I can encourage you while He is encouraging me, then I believe we already have the victory that He promises to give us – not by our own might or strength, but by His Spirit.

Be blessed as you wait. 😊

Hanny Lynn Stearns

Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc. 

Hannylynn05@gmail.com

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