Friends: You've got to be one to get one!

It is true…to get friends you must first be a friend to others. The Bible tells us to put others before ourselves and to look for ways to lift each other up.

“And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities,” Hebrews 10:24 (Amplified Bible)

If you find yourself sitting around wondering, “Why doesn’t anyone do anything nice for me?” or, “I really wish I had friends.” You can make a decision today to pick yourself up out of that self-pity party (I’ve been there. I know the feeling.), and make a decision right now that you are going to start being a friend and trust God to bring you the friends you need. You cannot give others the responsibility for getting and keeping you happy. It is not fair to them. That job should belong to the Lord, who alone is the “lifter of my head.” (Psalm 3:3)

You focus on taking care of others, and let God take care of you! There are many practical, simply ways to do this. Who is the first person who comes to your mind right now? OK, take a minute and write a note to that person, encouraging them. Just let them know that God brought them to your mind today. Maybe tell them something you admire about them, and let them know they’re in your heart and prayers. And put that note in the mail. Yes, I said mail, as in envelopes and stamps and such. J I know email is quicker and easier, but it is just that. Taking the time (and it is very little time) to actually write out a note and put it in the mail will show that person that they were worth that time. And in a day when the mail is mostly junk and bills, just imagine what a special treat it will be to find a personal, encouraging note in the stack. Or you can bake some cookies for someone, or give them a call (not a text!). There are many simply ways to reach out and impact someone. Don’t sit around and wait for someone to do something for you. Set about doing good and blessing others. (Acts 10:38) In the process you will begin to feel much better as you take the focus off of yourself and reach out to others in love.  

“So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them,” Matthew 7:12a (Amplified Bible)

A friend is a precious thing, and if you surround yourself with others who love the Lord you will find that He will use them to minister to you when you need it the most.

“As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17 (NKJV)

Thank you, Jodi for inspiring this post!

Everywhere but here!

So today they are calling for snow storms. I love snow! The more the better! I was getting hopeful until I looked as the radar yesterday afternoon. It is like the snow is making a complete circle around our house! There is snow on every side of us, but nothing right where we are. L

Do you ever feel like everyone around you is getting what you want? Maybe even the things you really believe that you need? Take comfort in these scriptures:

“A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 (NKJV)

“Many plans are in a man's mind, but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 (Amplified Bible)

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (Amplified Bible)

A few years ago, based on these verse and others like them, God gave me a confession, if you will, to speak over my life. “God will not let me miss or mess up any of the plans that He has for my life as long as I am truly seeking Him.” (Insert sigh of relief here.) You see? God loves us! He wants the best for us, and we can trust that He knows what that is far better than we do. (Ecclesiastes 5:2)

And furthermore, as our Father, He takes pleasure in blessing us (Psalm 35:27), and He loves to give us gifts (in all forms, whether a beautiful day or our favorite song coming on the radio just as we get in the car).

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11 (NIV)

Get that? He knows “how” to give, not just “what” to give! Wow, is He awesome or what! So my friends keep seeking Him and His plan for your life. You can trust Him with the details and rest in the assurance that He loves you and has great plans for you! (Jeremiah 29:11)  

I challenge you to make a conscious effort to look for God’s hand and blessings in your everyday life. I promise they are there. And as for the big things…If we act like spoiled kids and try to put God on our time table, stomping our foot and demanding what we want when we want it, we could be robbing ourselves of blessings beyond our wildest dreams!

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,”  Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV)

Untapped Power

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

I just received a very encouraging email from a friend regarding what the Bible says about the power available to us in Christ to heal and restore and much much more. She referenced Acts 1:8, and I was also keeping in mind Mark 16:17-18, which the Lord led me to a couple of days ago, when I replied.  

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:17-18

Now, I am not suggesting that we go around picking up serpents or drinking poison…as Jesus himself said in Matthew 4:7, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ But what I am saying is that I firmly believe that far too often we, as believes, put our human limits on God and do not even begin to tap into the power of the Spirit that is at work within us! (Ephesians 3:20)

I know that this is an area where the Lord is growing and challenging me right now. I truly believe we need more believers to take Him at His word and be bold in our prayers for healing and much more. I believe that then we would begin to see a moving of the power of God in people's lives the likes of which has not been seen in some time. Somewhere along the way the church (believers as a whole not all) got scared or embarrassed and started to kind of sweep some of these powerful scriptures under the rug, so to speak. I think it is time to dust them off and begin standing on them again! But as the Lord has shown me over the past few days, it is going to take a lot of time with Him to restructure our way of thinking. Perhaps the key is to believe more and think less.

Prayer for Bro. Rick Miller

 Today at 12 noon (central time) the congregation of Symsonia Baptist Church in Symsonia, KY will be laying hands on their pastor, Bro. Rick Miller and lifting him to the Lord, believing God, based on the verses below and many others, that today Rick will be touch by God in His power through the name of Jesus and will be healed of his kidney failure and restored, that God will be glorified!

Bro. is the Pastor who married my husband Tim and I, and he is an extremely close friend of my family, Bro. Rick is experiencing sudden and very serious unexplained kidney failure. He is only 50 and has never had any other health problems. His first grand baby was born in August (on my daughter Mikaela's 1st birthday), and life was all great. Just before Christmas, test results form a well check-up came back abnormal. Now his kidneys are functioning at less than 20%. They have found no cancer, and after many tests they have told him that the damage is done and is irreversible. Things are getting increasingly worse, and they are prepping him to begin dialysis in a few months and at that point he will likely go on the donor list.

Above all, of course we want God's will to be done in this situation and for Him to gain the most glory. But the scripture does tell us that we can go boldly before the throne of our mighty God and ask whatever we will. Jesus said that whatever we ask in His name will be done. And we know that if we humble ourselves and call out to Him, He will hear us and will heal our lands! So let's take God up on this. Let's unite together as believers and lift Rick to the Lord, asking for complete and immediate healing, for a miracle so great, sudden, and unexplainable that there will be no choice but to confess that He is Lord!

 "And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive." Matthew 21:22 (Amplified Bible)

"Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven." Matthew 18:19 (Amplified Bible)

 "And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son." John 14:13 (Amplified Bible)

 Lord God, I come to you today in the name of your son and my savior, Jesus Christ. Lord, we know that there is power in the name of Jesus and that you have told us that whatever we ask in His name, truly believing, You will do for us. God, I believe you know. I believe You, Lord for the healing of Bro. Rick. God, in Your mighty power in the name of Jesus, I pray that You will reach down today and touch Rick's body and heal his kidneys. I'm believing You for this in the name of Jesus. I thank You for Your work of healing and pray that Your name be glorified. Thank You, Lord for Your mighty works and for Your unfailing love. You are so awesome! I pray that even now Rick will feel a fresh stirring in his spirit. That his body feels refreshed and restored and that as people gather all over the country today to lift him to You that the heavens will be filled with our petitions. I pray that as believers lay their hands on Rick this afternoon that Your healing powers will enter his body and overwhelm his spirit that he will feel Your touch and presence as never before. I believe You for a healing so great and so complete that there is no other explanation but that You are Lord of all and Your hand has been at work. Lord, fulfill Your promises to us as believers that say You will do what we ask in Your name when we believe and that when we lay hands on the sick they will be made well in Your name! We pray, ask, believe and give thanks for all these things and for the mighty work You are going to do today, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and savior. Amen! 

Thank you all for your prayers on this matter! We serve a mighty and awesome God!

First Post

I'm finally blogging!

Our God is so awesome! The Bible is full of practical, to the point stuff that, if accepted and applied diligently, has the power to transform our lives and impact our world through His power working in and through us. I look forawrd to using this blog as a means to share what God lays on my heart and teaches me through His Word, other believers, and the ins and outs of marriage, motherhood and everyday life.

For those of you who have been a part of my memorizing team over the past year, welcome to the new out for my "Jenny Sermons"! :) Our first verse for 2011 is:

 "And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24 (Amplified Bible)

Your day and your year will only be as good as your attitude! Focus on taking care of others and let God take care of you!

More to come...(bear with me as I'm new at this! :) ) Be sure to sign up to follow my blogging journey!!