Jennifer N. Buczynski's Blog, page 3

He has given our prayers power.

I’m currently reading a 100 day devotional called, “Growing in Prayer,” by the founder of the International House of Prayer, Mike Bickle. This book has been absolutely fantastic in encouraging me to pray, daily. I committed to writing 2 pages of prayers every day this month in my prayer journal. There are times when I have not felt like doing it. But I have a difficult time staying in prayer when I am just thinking or even praying aloud, and when I write, my ideas become clear and my prayers purposeful, with direction. So the time it takes to write out my prayers is worth it. In reading this devotional I have been reminded of the power within our prayers to accomplish God’s will on the earth. I am going to share a quote from this book whenever I am inspired to do so. Today is day 40:

” As we speak God’s Word, we can release strength to a friend’s heart. We call it “encouragement” because it gives him courage, or strength. Our prayer is God’s way of releasing His power so that the friend can overcome condemnation or discouragement or other trials in his life.” – page 81

God has given us power to wield His strength on the earth to accomplish good. I pray you will be reminded of the power of your own prayers today and spend some time praying for those who need Him today.

“I have put My words in your mouth.

See, I have this day set you over the nations

and over the kingdoms,

to root out and to pull down…

to build and to plant”

(Jeremiah 1:9-10).

Where are You Running?

This is what I hear the Lord saying today:

Hide in my heart. There is space in here for you. I am your safest space, the place you can hide from danger, from evil, from chaos. I will shield you from the storm and I am your strong tower. 

Where your treasure is, your heart will be also. You will soon see where your idols are. Come to Me, repent and ask Me to remove your desire for those things and replace it with desire for Me. Seek My face. That’s another way to say “seek My presence.” I will be with you, always. 

 

Colossians 3:3 “your life is hidden with Christ in God”
Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Psalm 18:10 “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”

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What idols are being revealed in your heart during this time of staying in? Where do you go for comfort when things get tough, scary and stressful? Food? Sugar? Online shopping? TV? Do you run to the Lord? I want to run to the Lord when the going gets tough. I pray you choose to run to Jesus too. 

God Speaking During COVID-19

I want to keep track of the encouraging words I’m receiving from God, through His word and through other people, as well as what I’m hearing from Him in the Spirit during this strange time in my life. So I’m going to be recording here. Sometimes my thoughts will be haphazard, but I hope it will be a comfort to you too as we go through this.

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March 19

Today I was encouraged by a meme reminding me how long Anne Frank lived in a 475sq ft apartment with other people for 700-some days. It’s not so bad living where we can go outside and freely live in our own 1200sq feet without fear of someone catching or killing us. 

While I read Exodus tonight (ch 7) I saw God telling Moses & Aaron “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.” The Egyptians had no idea that their lives were going to change. Suddenly, all the water in the Nile turned to blood and people had to dig around the Nile in the dirt to find water. Probably not how they pictured spending their time! They had never had trouble finding fresh water!

I did not picture this year that we were going to spend time quarantined in our homes. I was planning vacations. I was planning fun trips and time at the pool. Now it’s becoming clear that I didn’t see the future, and I still can’t. I don’t know how long things are going to be different but I want to be open and flexible to what God has in the future for us this year. Not to mention my entire life. It’s a nice reminder of Who is really in control and nothing on earth is always going to stay the same. I want to use this time well, and be able to help and be willing to change my life for the work of God’s kingdom, no matter what this looks like. I do know things could be a lot worse. So my main focus is to remain positive and thankful for where we are, that I have a yard for my kids to play in, that it’s getting warmer, that I have plenty of yarn and books stocked up and that we still have grocery stores to buy food and allergy medicine.

You are God-sufficient

I just came across this message I received from the Lord in January 2017. Thought maybe it would bless some of you 

“Be a source of love. Let love flow through you from Me and out to others. Let Me be your strength, you were designed to need Me. You were designed to rely on Me. You are not self-sufficient, you are God- sufficient. I will make the way, not you. Trust Me. Lean on Me and I will make your paths straight.”

He is so gracious toward us.

I am currently writing out the book of Revelation, and the things I’m noticing are amazing and so encouraging! Here’s something God revealed tonight while I copied Revelation chapter 3 about the church of Laodicea.

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:15)

Jesus says that the members of this church in Laodicea were:

wretched
poor
pitiable
blind
naked

But they thought they were:

rich
prospering
needing nothing

The people of His church thought they didn’t need anything else. They were all set, rich, prospering, awesome! But Jesus had news for them. He threatened to spit them out of His mouth because they weren’t hot or cold. After announcing their true spiritual problems, instead of condemning them, He “counsels” them!

“I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” (Revelation 3:18)

He kindly told them to BUY from Him:

Gold, refined by fire

– “so that you may be rich”
white garments

-“so that you may clothe yourself”
“Salve to anoint your eyes”

– “that you may see”

I love that Jesus saw what they thought they had, and what their actual conditions were, and then He cut through their false self-image and told them what they were and then told them to buy what they needed FROM HIM. He didn’t just say, “Okay, had enough. I’m done with you.” Instead He explained their problems. And then He told them what they could do about it. They could fix their problems by coming to Him. Their issues didn’t disqualify them from a relationship with Jesus. Instead Jesus called them nearer. Buy from Jesus. He said He will provide!

He sees what we don’t; because we are blind to our own spiritual conditions. And then when He opens our eyes to see how pitiable we truly are, and He invites us back to Himself. He holds the words of life. He has the keys to life. He is life! Go to Jesus, with all your needs, even the ones you don’t know about. He will open your eyes and then He will draw you closer to Himself in love.

 

This passage is a great example of Jesus modeling this verse: Psalm 145:8-  “The LORD is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.”

Love Anyway

(Originally written down in my journal on 7/29/19)

I’ve been thinking about love. It feels like it’s going to take a lot of energy to write this out. But I think it’s important.

Sometimes love means allowing something that makes you uncomfortable. Choosing to love can make you vulnerable. But over time it’s little bits of love that add up together as proof of great love, God’s love. Do you choose to put yourself at a disadvantage and put others ahead of you? Just to show them love? Do you look past their problems and into their hearts? Sometimes it just takes a smile, an invitation, a birthday wish, a card, a gift, a text, a step into someone else’s else’s world to change your relationship. I call recall examples when doing one of those things made a vast difference in my relationships with a large variety of people.

I have sometimes wondered to myself, “Why do I even give so-and-so a gift? Do they even appreciate it? Would they notice if I didn’t?” Or “Should I bother texting happy birthday? I never hear from them on mine…”

But the problem with these questions is that they are selfish! It’s not about love anymore. Then it becomes about me instead. Why bother continuing to show love? Especially to those who don’t reciprocate?  It’s because love is all about giving.

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Jesus loves us so much that He didn’t wait for us to reciprocate. He died because He loved us.
“Love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

Let’s all keep giving love. Not to receive love back but because we reflect God’s love. Because God is love and we are becoming like Him.

What is the Measure of a Man?

What is the measure of a man?

You can measure him in kindness, in good deeds. In prayers piling up in golden incense bowls before the Lord. The Lord measured King Belshazzar in the book of Daniel, and he was found “wanting”. He was lacking before the Lord.

I often measure myself by the standards of other people. I measure myself against impossible standards that I imagine others are judging me by. But the only one whose opinion really matters is the Lord’s. He measures and weighs me by His own standards, which were impossible for me. But Jesus could fulfill all the laws and meet the holy standards, and He did. God measured Him and found Him to be perfect. The perfect sacrifice for all of my sins.

How does God truly measure me? Does he stack me up against His anointed ones and compare? Does He see what Sally is doing and say to Himself, “I wish Jen would get her act together and be like Sally.” Even though I hear these lies and they lead to comparison, the truth is God sees me just like Jesus. I’m in the clear because Jesus has covered me with His perfect blood. So when God measures me, He sees Jesus and I am not found lacking. Hallelujah.

 

{Today’s five minute friday writing prompt was, “measure”.}

Five Minute Friday: Search

This is a link up post with fiveminutefriday.com where bloggers write for five minutes on a topic with no editing. Today’s topic is “search.” I set my timer for five minutes and ta-da.

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“Search”

‘You will find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.’

It’s hard to keep searching sometimes. It’s easier just to let it go, let the desire to know God or know truth or get to know His word, to let it drift away because it’s HARD. Looking for a missing library book (ask me how I know…), searching for the right word to say, seeking for the right choice in our next steps. It’s not easy to keep searching. I want to give up when I don’t find it in the first couple of minutes. But this searching for God, it’s lifelong. I find that hopeful because it’s not like I can find Him today and be done. No, this God, He hides. He conceals, as God that is part of His job description. And me, I’m to seek. I’m to search for truth. I guess it’s better that way. We humans like rewards. When I find that missing library book, or that sippy cup that has been lost for weeks, it’s rewarding. It feels good to solve that mystery. And so all throughout our lives we can seek God’s presence and seek His purpose for our lives. And we will be rewarded with His presence, the feeling of YES! I found Him! I love those moments when I read something in the Bible and I’m confounded. Then I seek and search and long to know what it means. Keep going, keep searching, keep seeking. Isn’t that what the parable of the woman did with the lost coin did? She didn’t give up. She kept searching until she found it. So the shepherd who lost one sheep. He kept searching for his missing sheep until he found it and rejoiced!

 

 

God Will Carry You

This is a message God has given me different times. He gave it to me again today! [this is written from God’s perspective]

I Am holding you in My hand.

Don’t be afraid. It’s not what you think.

John 10:28 – “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.“

Isaiah 49:16 “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before Me.“

Hold onto me…trust Me that I will turn the tide and my plans will be accomplished. I will not fail you; I will not drop you. I will carry you through the difficult times.

Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you, when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

Isaiah 46:4 “even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.”

“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” Isaiah 40:11

I am compassionate. I am kind. I will not leave you or abandon you; I will not even abandon you to your thoughts. Look to Me, trust Me. Even when your world seems to be spinning off its axis. I am in charge. Seek Me continually.

“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” 1 Chronicles 16:11

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1

The Lord Directs Us!

While reading Proverbs 16, a few passages stuck out to me:

“The lot is cast into the lap, but it’s every decision is from the Lord.“(Proverbs 16:33)
“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:1)

Proverbs 16 has long been one of my favorite Proverbs. One summer I tried to memorize it. I made it about halfway! But got distracted before I finished. These verses clarify for me how in charge God really is,

Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but it’s every decision is from the Lord.”

Even every “decision” that the lot makes is from the Lord! In case you didn’t know, casting lots was like rolling dice. It was a tool of chance for making a choice. The lot was used to divide the land of Israel, to choose and arrange workers for the temple, and the disciples used the casting of lots to choose Judas’ replacement among them.

Ultimately, the Lord decides!

Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

Can we trust that when we make plans, God can (and does!) still intervene?

It’s not a bad thing to plan. God encourages planning in other places in the book of Proverbs. For example, He praises the ant for thinking ahead and gathering the harvest before he needs it in Proverbs 6:6-8. But we need to plan while leaving space for God’s plans.

This reminds me of James 4:14-15- “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.‘

And also of Psalm 139:16 – “And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”

This brings me freedom from fear about the mysteries of the future, or whether I plan “correctly” or not. I must always hold my plans loosely, because, praise God, He is ultimately in charge. And I am thankful!