Press On - Sunday October 22 2023

 

Sunday Message Oct 22 23 

 

 Press On 

 

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,” Philippians 3:13 NKJV 

 

These are difficult days in our world to say the least! Most of us are experiencing some challenge if not many. We are pressed, stressed and overly stimulated by outside things. We get tired and weary in the well doing. 

 

Today at our service, we were encouraged to keep on going to run our race and finish our course! Jesus called every one of us to do something to follow Him. And each one of us has a different calling. He didn’t say it would be easy. Even in His sinless human state before going all the way to Calvary, He felt the pressure from the enemy to just give up! It was an intense moment for Him. 

 

He had to remember that His Father in heaven had a will and a purpose that would achieve an amazing thing to bless many people with salvation if He would ride it out and finish His course. Today we were reminded that the journey isn’t supposed to be easy or convenient. It will be difficult and there will be battles. 

 

In the story of the runner who was injured, we see that once he tore the hamstring in his leg, he could no longer run to ‘win’, but as his father came out onto the track to help him run the rest of the race with excruciating pain and tears streaming down his face, he was able to cross the finish line. In the world’s eyes he may not have won, but the truth is that he won because he didn’t give up when all hope seemed lost! He crossed the finish line! 

 

Our loving Heavenly Father reminded me this morning before I ever heard the Pastor’s message today that He doesn’t give up on us! He lovingly comes out on the “track of this life” and holds us up so we can successfully run and finish our course. It might be through pain and tears, but we must not give up on ourselves! 

 

All of this spoke loudly to my heart and comforted me greatly as I thought of things I have experienced. This verse was in my Bible app this morning: 

 

Ps. 119:49-50 nkjv "Remember the word to Your servant upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction...". 

 

Abba Father is right there encouraging us and holding us as we go through it all! He will never leave us or forsake us. Jesus promised this. May the tough things be used to draw us closer and closer to Jesus and His heart; the Father’s heart ♥️ remembering that even as He allows difficult things in our life, He always leads us to victory if we don’t give up. 

 

Finally, here is what Paul said: 

 

 “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” II Timothy 4:6-7 NKJV 

 

I’m asking the Lord to encourage each of you as you read and apply this to your own circumstances this week and in the days that follow! 

 

Much love and blessings to you all in Jesus Name! ✝️🙏🏻🥰♥️ 

 

If you know anyone who might benefit from this blog, please to give them my number. This is an individual text so you may respond and it will be private. 🌸❤️‍🩹🌺

PRAYING FOR ISRAEL SUNDAY OCT 15 2023

 

Sunday Message Oct 15 23 

Praying for Israel 

today and every day, I was given this prayer this morning that we can pray for Israel and for ourselves. “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,” Psalms 17:8 NKJV Keep me as the apple of Your eye, hide me in the shadow of Your wings until these calamities pass by. Renew my strength and give me fresh fire to fight the holy fight of faith! Bear me up on eagles wings and cause me to soar high above my enemies! 

Cause my feet to walk on the mountains until they become level ground! May my enemies scatter far from me and may Your fresh wind blow upon my soul and come through as a cool summer morning breeze! Take my heart in Your hands and mold it into one that looks like Yours and may my desires be counted as effective investments in the kingdom of God and may all our ways prosper according to Your Word that never fails! We can pray that over Israel and our own life. 

I’m standing with you in prayer and we know it is powerful and effective in the mighty Name of Jesus! Have a blessed week as you pray and share Jesus with others! ✝️🙏🏻🥰 If you know anyone who would like to receive this blog, please share my phone number with them. ♥️ This is not a group text, so you can always reply to me individually. 🤗

Completely Surrendered

 

Sunday Message 10.8.23 

Completely Surrendered 

““You shall have no other gods before Me.’” For I, the Lord, am a jealous God. From Exodus 20:3, 5

🎼You Won’t Relent 

Today at church we were getting deep into the presence of God. At one point, our pastor ordered the lights to be turned off except for the backlit crosses hanging on the wall. All we focused on as we sang and worshipped was Jesus - nothing else! Sadly, I heard later that there was a lady and her mother sitting next to friends of mine and they were talking and laughing. One of them said they didn’t think it would be “like this!” The mother got up and walked out! 

What we keep hearing from the Holy Spirit of God is that He wants all of our heart. ♥️ He longs for us to love Him back as He loves us. A person might ask, “What does that mean?” All I can say to that is that we need to give Him our whole heart by keeping Him as our first love above family, friends, activities, belongings, etc. It means that He means more to us than anything and that we enjoy spending time with Him and reading His Word. It means that we will allow Him to lead and guide our daily life and be obedient to what He shows us to do. It means that His opinion of how we live our lives matters more to us than all others. 

We have gotten away from keeping Jesus first in the body of Christ. We have put the things we ‘do’ as more important than the One we supposedly do them for. I guess it would be like having a spouse or friend wanting to do certain things for us but they didn’t want to just spend time with us. That would hurt our feelings, wouldn’t it? God is a person too and He has feelings also. The bottom line is to start with our love relationship with Him first. Then, all the others can be appreciated and enjoyed after that. 

This week, we can repent and stop putting other things and people first and get to know not only the Words on the pages of the Bible, but get to know the One Who wrote it! I love and pray for you all! In Jesus wonderful Name! If you know anyone who would appreciate this weekly message, feel free to give them my number. Be blessed in His presence! ✝️♥️🙏🏻

Do It Again God!

 

"Do it again" 

I'm not sure what all you are facing or needing today, but remember all He has done and ask Him to "Do it again" 

Maybe you are in a pit, go back and read Joseph and ask Him to do it again Maybe you are barren go back and read Sarah and ask Him to do it again.

Maybe you are facing a giant, go back and read David and ask Him to do it again Maybe you are needing delivered from a situation, go back and read Daniel and ask Him to do it again Maybe your loved one has strayed down a bad path, go back and read the prodigal son and ask Him to do it again. 

Maybe it looks like there is no way, go back and read Moses and ask Him to do it again Maybe you are headed into something new, go back and read Joshua and ask Him to do it again Maybe you are feeling like you are just done, go back and read Elijah and ask Him to do it again 

Maybe you've lost your joy go back and read David in the Psalms and ask Him to do it again Maybe you've lost it all and are needing things restored go back and read Job and ask Him to do it again Maybe you are needing a victory go back and read Gideon and ask Him to do it again 

Maybe you are needing a flat-out miracle go back and read in the Gospels and ask Him to do it again He knows what you are needing, He knows what you are facing, He has done it before, He will do it again, ask Him...

Healing

 Sunday Message 10.1.23 Healing ❤️‍🩹

“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV  

 You may be dealing with a sickness or disease. Perhaps you have been going through a battle and need to get loose of it. Or, maybe you have an addiction of some kind that is keeping you from receiving all God has for you! If so, I have good news for you today! Today’s verse tells us that Jesus went about healing ALL who were oppressed of the devil.  

My friend, any sickness, disease or bondage comes straight from the devil himself. Today, if you need to be healed physically, emotionally or spiritually, you can count on Jesus! He wants you healed! We only need to call on Him and if we believe and receive by faith, we will be healed.  

 Just this morning I came across a lovely neighbor on our walk with Jesse. She asked us to pray as she said her cancer may have come back in her breast. I immediately prayed for her and took authority over the disease in Jesus Name! She was encouraged by Holy Spirit to raise her faith. “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Mark 11:23-24 NKJV  

 There we have it. Seems so simple doesn’t it? But it’s God’s eternal word and it never returns without accomplishing the purpose for which it was sent. “If God said it, I believe it, and that settles it!” Will you make this your statement of faith today? We have to believe it all the way through the waiting to receive it. Jesus wants you healed!  

 Be encouraged my dear friend and let me know if you have received a healing. You may share my number with others if someone you know might be interested in receiving these messages. Praying for you 🙏🏻✝️

We Are Free in Christ!

 

Sunday message 9.17.23 We Are Free in Christ! 

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”” John 8:32 NKJV 

Have you ever felt like there was an area of your life where you felt like you weren’t free? It could be anything where you don’t feel like you have complete control. For some it’s an addiction. It could be electronics, like spending too much time on the phone, computer, etc. It can be food addiction of some kind, or sadly, for some in the church even pornography or other things like alcohol, etc. I never struggled with food or sugar until I began raising kids. Then it got a bit out of control. 

I needed Jesus to set me free. I admit sometimes I get in the flesh and don’t always make the best choices but I thank God that He is patient with me! When we look at Jesus’ words in the verse today, we see that coming to Christ makes us free. He sets us free from those things and He fills us with His Spirit so we can be loose of those things. As Denny and I travel to Iowa this week, it’s my prayer that we will be a blessing to all with whom we come in contact and let them know how Jesus sets us free from all forms of bondage. Please pray for us to have a successful trip! 

The great thing is that when we mess up, He is patient and kind and gently and lovingly guides us back on track. He wants to always be number One in our lives, and that’s His greatest passion! He wants us to live free indeed! I am praying that you will be touched by this and helped any way you might need it. If you know anyone who might be helped by these messages, please feel free to give them my number. We love you all! 🙏🏻🥰✝️

Commitment to God's Will & Purpose

 

Sunday Message Sept. 3 

Commitment to God’s Will and Purpose 

“”But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause—” Job 5:8 NKJV “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:” Hebrews 10:36 NKJV 

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” Hebrews 12:28 NKJV 

Yesterday, the word commitment came to me for this week’s blog. In our lives today, we must ask the question, “How committed to God’s calling are we?” As you and I ponder this question, we must look at what’s got our attention the most in our lives. For so many, the list of distractions is endless. We each know what they really are. 

As Christians, we must continually look at our lives and reflect on what we are doing that is bringing us closer to God and fulfilling His purpose in our lives. It is really a labor of love to follow Jesus. It’s the biggest commitment we will ever make. How are you doing? Are there things that need to be changed in order to accomplish His work? Are you and I committed to running the race and staying committed to His purpose? 

This week, as we celebrate Labor Day, why not take a few moments and consider the verses mentioned above and see how you measure up on the commitment scale? Like me, maybe you will find some areas are fully committed while others need improvement. Let’s strive to stay focused on our commitment to God and be blessed as we do! It’s a labor of love. 

♥️ Praying for you 🙏🏻  

Love and blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord! Hanny Stearns 🙏🏻🥰✝️