Saturday, August 22, 2009

Comfort in a Hard Place?


Recently my friend Maryann, shared pictures of her family on a recent camping trip to the Sequoias. When I saw the picture of her son- resting soundly on the rock, I thought...how could he be comfortable???? He must just be worn out!


I was reminded of the account of Jacob(Gen 28)...who, leaving a dry place (Beer-sheba), slept on a rock- symbolizing Christ. That is when he dreamed, saw the gate of Heaven and God at the top of the ladder and received the Covenant promise that ALL families of the earth be blessed (Gen 28:14)!!!!

We have to rest on the Rock. It makes no sense to find comfort in a "hard" place. But when we are going through stuff- that Rock is our only hope.

Are you in a hard place? Are you worn out? Sick and tired of being sick and tired! Do things look hopeless?

Rest on the rock. That means being real with Him. He knows it all anyway- so go ahead and lay it at His feet, tears and all. Stop trying to fix things yourself, it will never work.

Jacob had manipulated situations for so long- trying to accomplish things in the flesh- his way. He had to get to a place where he was out of schemes...an uncomfortable place.

The greatest dreams God gives us come from the hardest times in our lives. We never get a revelation of the supernatural as long as things in life are easy. He shared that if you hang in there, the awful place becomes the awesome place!!!!

The hardest place can become the place you find rest in Him and where Covenant promises are revealed!

Pray this prayer (or something like it):

Lord I thank You for who You are. Please forgive me for trying to do things my own way. You know it all- You are sovereign. I want to rest on the Rock. I want to be aware of Your majesty in every aspect of my life. I want Your plans, Your promises for my life and Your purpose fulfilled. I lay _________ ( you fill in the blank-hurts, problems, sadness, sickness, disappointments etc...) at Your feet. I know You are big enough to handle it. I put my trust in You, for surely You are with me (Matthew 28:20) and I know if I put my trust in you and not in my flesh You have promised to direct me(Proverbs 3:5-6). In Your name I pray Jesus. AMEN

You are blessed in Jesus name! Praising Our King Today-love, jananne
(photo used with permission- thanks Maryann!)

Friday, August 14, 2009

A Thousand Miles...No other answer


My high school friend, Kevin, is fighting the battle of a lifetime. Stage four liver cancer. I shared this video on Facebook today and this is what Kevin wrote:

"WHAT A BLESSING J. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS SONG AND HOPE IT WILL TOUCH SOMEONE ELSE...

WITHOUT HIM J WE WOULD BE NOTHING. I HERE DAILY TESTIMONIALS FROM PEOPLE WE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH HOW THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR LIVES. I THINK ABOUT OUR HIGH SCHOOL DAYS AND THE THINGS WE DID BACK THEN AND HOW WE ARE LIVING OUR LIVES AND THERE IS NO OTHER ANSWER BUT CHRIST. GOING THRU THIS BATTLE HAS MADE MY FAITH SO MUCH STRONGER AND MADE ME REALIZE DAILY HOW I HAVE TO RELY SOLY ON CHRIST AND HIS SUFFICIENT GRACE." (shared with Kevin's blessing)

Jesus will transform you, there is no doubt...in a way that is unexplainable. Kevin- thanks for the life lessons you are teaching us all. And Jesus...thanks for always being more than enough.
UPDATE 8-25-09 To all my friends who have been praying for Kevin- he got this report today: "GOT REPORT FROM DR FINK TODAY ONLY 1 TUMOR LEFT AND ITS LESS THAN 1 CM IN SIZE WHICH WAS 30 X 6 CM IN ORIGINAL SIZE. GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS. CAN I GET AN AMEN !!!"



Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Facebook & Faithbook


My mom doesn't have a Facebook- but she does have a Faithbook!!! And she puts Words from it on her "wall"!

Not sure how many Facebookers I'm sharing with today- I said I would never, never, never get a Facebook...well. It's true. Don't ever say never, ever.

Cause I got one.

But I was reminded the other day as I read my mother's "wall" in her house that even better than Facebook- which I am truly enjoying, there is a Faithbook called the BIBLE that we need to check in with even more often than Facebook!!!!

Every answer, every truth, every bit of hope...every promise...it is all there, in your Faithbook!
Jesus is our personal trainer! And He has given us the best instructions and encouragement available. And you don't have to have big bucks to hire Him!!! He is available 24/7!!!!!
I travel in my car with a small Bible... I want His Word everywhere my feet trod and my wheels roll! And this trainee does a lot of rolling.
My daughter's dear friend, Rebecca gave her the idea of putting key Scriptures on colored index cards to hand to friends as encouragement. Staples has the cutest index card holders that fit right in your purse.
I've already shared with some that my friend, Tonya, gave me the idea to keep a spiral index card book handy with key verses. I print mine on shipping labels- just the right size for an index card and that way I share them with friends.
And my mom, who is my faith mentor...keeps His Word, literally on her wall!
Did you know you can write with a dry erase marker on glass? Like on your good morning mirror??
One of my favorite Scriptures, "Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, For I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, For to You I lift up my soul... Psalm 143
Wake up to that each morning!!!!!! I love it!!!! Going to go write it on my mirror!
Praising Him for my Faithbook!love- jananne

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Prayer, Disappointment & Healing

A loved one dies…a friend is diagnosed with cancer…a child is tragically killed.

This morning I was struggling a little bit. A loved one dies… Hopelessness?

No- we have a blessed hope Titus 2:13. Don’t believe the lies.

And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:13

There is an appointed time for us all to go home. Ecc 3:2

There is no way to comprehend all His ways. He is sovereign- everything that happens is filtered by His mighty hands. He has eternity in mind- and He loves each of us with an everlasting love.

God I don’t understand.

Jananne it is not for you to understand. Just be obedient. Keep the faith.

And faith never dulls feelings. So if you need to sob, sob. If you need to get mad, get mad. He understands. Need to scream, scream. Just don’t pull away from the Savior…

So, we think, I’m just not going to pray- my prayers don’t matter. Look what happens. People suffer anyway.

Pray, an action verb, occurs 313 times in the KJV of the Bible. The word prayer occurs 107 times, prayers, 24 times.
I think God is trying to tell us something. We are called to pray…He is the one who hears and heals.

The prayers of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16.

I use to think I couldn’t pray because I wasn’t righteous enough…well- we are only made righteous by the blood of Calvary…I heard a pastor once share that he hadn’t been with Jesus all day…his usual quiet time had been interrupted, he had grown impatient with someone…etc…at the end of the day he didn’t even feel like he could open his mouth to pray and he heard Jesus say…stop trying to pray in your own name and pray in MINE!!!!

My NC pastor, Branson Sheets, shared a message on Powerful Healing Prayer and one on Hope a few years ago. Two messages I will never forget. This morning, I had a nudge from the Holy Spirit to listen to them again- truth and grace. He also mentioned that this message may offend some- well- that's ok too. I tend to grow the most when I'm offended!

Branson reminded us that in the Word of God, sick people came to Jesus and Jesus healed them. He told his disciples to go in His name and heal the sick.
We are His disciples. We should also pray that the sick will be healed in Jesus name. You may think that you don’t have faith like that…

The Word says we are all given a measure of faith (Romans 12:3) and Jesus also shares that it can be as small as mustard seed (Matt 17:20). God puts the miracle grow on it!

He is the source of all divine healing.

In his message, Pastor Sheets investigated the reasons people don’t pray…

I’ve already covered one reason…we haven’t wrapped our brains around the name we are praying in! Your personal worthiness has nothing to do with it. Only by His grace, is His power living in you as a believer. His authority. In JESUS name.

As I was searching yesterday, I thought about this verse…John 14:12-13 He that believeth me on me, the works I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father.

He’s talking about us there…

And there is the fear of failure…I don’t know what to say… what if he/she doesn’t get healed?

So you pray a safe prayer. Here it is…Lord, if it is your will make this person well.

It is His will, according to His Word for a person to be healed. Spiritually and physically. Read the Lord’s prayer- the ultimate example. On earth, as it is in heaven. There are no sick people in heaven...and He says on earth as it is in heaven...that means His will on earth...is for you to be healed. Again, there is an appointed time for all to go to their eternal home…but while we are here- He wants you well.

In His Word it is clear that God wants His best for us. If you find yourself praying a weak prayer- stop, take a breath, refire…

I just know that He calls me to pray.

And He does promise that He will use all things- even unimaginable loss for good, for those that love Him. Romans 8:28. I have seen countless families deal with an unbearable loss and give God the glory for carrying them through it all.

I heard a testimony from a mother this summer from our GA church. Her son was killed in a car accident on the way to our church Easter Sunday several years ago...but still she had the Joy of the Lord in her heart. She gave her son's testimony. He had accepted Christ as his Savior just months before at our youth conference. She encouraged parents that day to get their kids into a good church and put a priority on things like youth conferences instead of just soccer camps. The conference that her son attended (Forward) turned out to be the most important day of his life.

Think of the depth of Christ's compassion for us. Christ wept at the tomb of Lazarus and He knew all…John 11:33-38.

Reinhard Bonnke shares this:

“Jesus saw in this scene of sorrow the agony of all bereavements. Death did not merely affect His friend Lazarus. It was not for His own circumstances that He showed such deep feeling. “He had no tears for His own griefs but sweat drops of blood for mine,” wrote songwriter Charles H. Gabriel. Jesus saw every funeral at that moment, and the king of terrors that haunt mankind with death. It was because He possessed this profound compassion that He went down into the caverns of death and conquered it.

This is the love, the gospel, and what we the Church, are all about. This is the Gospel the world needs.” August 5, 2009

The compassion of Christ placed Him on Calvary…for you and for me.

Back to prayer… if you feel like you don’t know how to pray, know that our prayers don’t have to be fancy.

Think about how Jesus prayed.
Get up (John 5:8)(Mark 5:41)
Be healed(Mark 1:41).

Speak the Word of God over the circumstance.

The Word shows us that OUR faith can play a part in healing…the woman with the issue of blood(Mark 5). It also demonstrates that a friend’s faith can bring us healing through Jesus Christ. Think of Jarius interceding for his child and the friends raising a roof to lower their buddy to Jesus. It was their faith that got their friends to the Father!!! My dear friend Mary Alice reminded me of this truth in His Word just recently!

So- the point is, pray believing, in the name of Jesus, with His authority- not yours.

I have seen miracles first hand. I have also see precious, God fearing, faith filled folks lose a loved one unexpectedly.

I don’t understand. Only God does. He has eternity in mind, always.

He calls us to pray. Praising Our Savior-jananne

Monday, August 3, 2009

Lily Pad Faith


I saw the most beautiful lily pads when we were in Florida this summer- A wonderful example of how God is in the details! If you ever see a pond without lily pads you will know it- it will more than likely be covered in algae, a yucky muck. Lilies act as a biological water filter. They also provide shade for the fish swimming in the hot sun. Lilies oxygenate the water, which is important for pond fish and other pond creatures. Not to mention they are beautiful.
And while we were gazing at this beautiful pond of lilies l saw a little frog “be-laxing” as Selah would say on the lily pad and then jump off and swim under for protection.

And the Lord whispered… I am your covering… I provide protection, rest, I give you breath… I am your filter… I am your hiding place…

I love to be reminded of His goodness and seek Him in the ordinary. The very breath of God in you...can you wrap your brain around that? Job 33:4, Isaiah 42:5

I was also reminded how life was without His covering- and how life can be when we try to do it on our own. Frogs, I mean friends…we have to hang out in the pond with the lily pad! He has provided everything we need and in Him, there is peace- lily pad peace!

The issue is that we frogs put our trust in other things! We cover ourselves with the things of this world… maybe we turn to alcohol, self help books (I have read everyone that was published prior to 1998),we seek other frogs that feed into our fears rather than point us to our covering…we over eat,we under eat, we shop till we drop… and I am just mentioning some of the things THIS frog did to self medicate… there are many other ways to cover yourself in algae!

The issue is this…these other things are only temporary and Jesus is extra- ordinary! His covering will never leave you, He will protect you, heal you, give you peace, rest, and restoration with His very breath…He will give you a new life…whew- that’s good news!

And when trouble and tragedy arrives in your pond- you can always count on Him to be there. Always. He doesn’t put you on hold. He never forgets to return your call. Ever.
You just have to choose to trust in Him.

I tried it on my own for a long time. I just about, literally wore myself out. I didn’t know I had such an awesome covering. Such a hiding place.

Pastor Kevin, our NJ pastor recently shared an illustrated message about Jacob wrestling with God(Gen 32). Jacob said- I’m not going to let you go until you bless me. This has always been one of my favorite accounts because I have wrestled with God too! I want Your blessing God!

What touched my spirit, was when Pastor Kevin explained that as they were wrestling…God hit Jacob's flesh…when He did- Jacob…fell into His arms. Visualize that for a second...

God said… “What is your name?…” “Jacob”(as if God didn’t know, Jacob was probably thinking)…No- God said.. “Your name is now Israel…”

No longer named Jacob- which means schemer, manipulator. God’s blessing, the punch in the flesh- which represents our attachment to the world, our own sinful ways and desires,our "try to do it on our own mentality" …caused Jacob to fall into the arms of the Father with a new name!!!

That is so good to me! Fall into His arms. Accept His covering- stop trying to do this thing called life on your own. We are new creations in Christ…with a new name…a new inheritance…
I don't want to put my faith and trust into myself or anything other than Jesus. I don't want to be covered with algae!
Check this out:

Deuteronomy 32:37-39 (King James Version)
37And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,
38Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.

None of our efforts can measure up to the protection of the Father's arms... He is our lily pad and more!

"If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says GOD,
"I'll get you out of any trouble.
I'll give you the best of care
if you'll only get to know and trust me.
Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times;
I'll rescue you, then throw you a party.
I'll give you a long life,
give you a long drink of salvation!"
Psalm 91:14-16 The Message