Living Exceeding Abundantly Above

God Is Greater

2022-03-27T13:16:00.003-07:00

We are faced with the issues of life daily. All we must do is turn on the television and we are faced with violence, from armed robberies to home invasions to gang violence and violence in our schools. If we do not turn on the television, we are still faced with our own personal struggles. We may be faced with unemployment or underemployment. Homelessness, or facing foreclosure or eviction. We may be faced with failing health or concern about family or friends who are facing the situations I’ve just described.

What we must come to realize, remember, and remain steadfast on, is the knowledge that God is greater than everything we may face.

We read in Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

God does not promise we will not face or be impacted by the trials and tribulations of this world, but He does promise He will deliver us from them all.

As difficult as it may be to execute, God does not want us to be stressed, worried, or overwhelmed by the issues of life. He tells us in 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you. Easier said than done you may say, and you are correct if you are trying this on your own. John 5:30I can of mine own self do nothing. God wants us to be completely dependent upon Him. Proverbs 3: 4-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

When we are bogged down with the issues of life, it becomes difficult for us to focus on our purpose, or God’s purpose for our lives. We become distracted. Rather than looking at God, we look at what is going on around us. I’m reminded of Peter’s actions in Matthew 14:30. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. As long as Peter’s eyes were fixed on Jesus, he was not concerned about the violent winds tossing the water to and fro. Was Peter aware of the winds? Of course, he was. Verse 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

Just as Peter and all who were on the ship with him were aware of the waves and strong wind, we too are aware of the turmoil that sometimes surrounds us. It is important our eyes are fixed on Jesus, as Peters eyes were fixed on Jesus. It is when we waver and our gaze moves from Jesus to our circumstances that we begin to sink into distress, worry and anxiety as Peter began to sink into the sea.

Oftentimes we allow our emotions to rule us. We allow what we feel to control our state of mind and our actions.

We read in 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. God does not want us to be worried or stressed. He wants us to give Him everything that concerns us. Does He know our state of mind and what’s on our mind? Of course, He does, but when we speak to God and tell Him we are turning whatever it is over to Him, we are saying God, I cannot handle whatever it is. We are saying to Him, Lord, I trust you to take care of it. Trust is the operative word. God wants us to put our Trust solely in Him.

We are not equipped to carry our own cares. If we were, God would not tell us to give them to Him. When we hold onto our cares our emotions take over. We begin thinking with our carnal mind rather than with the mind of the spirit.

As we continue reading verse 8 of 1 Peter chapter 5, we read be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Thinking with the carnal mind invites the adversary in. Our mind, by use of the fiery darts the enemy is sending our way begins to have thoughts that are contrary to the word of God. Thoughts of worry and doubt.

Remove the emotion. Keep your focus on God. He is greater than anything you will face in life.

Lord, Deliver Me From Me

2021-10-17T14:50:00.002-07:00

Romans 7:15-20 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Lord, deliver me from me. As Paul so aptly stated, it is our flesh, our carnal thoughts and behaviors that get us into trouble every time.

So many times, I’ve decided to do one thing and end up either doing something else or doing nothing at all. Why, because I allow the thoughts in my mind to override my spirit.

Sin does not always have to refer to an inappropriate behavior. It is whatever we say or do that is contrary to God’s will, His word and His purpose for our lives.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

As I often confess, I am a dreamer and a believer. If it is in the word of God, not only do I believe it, but I expect all of God’s promises to manifest. God’s word is true and will not return void.

Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

And then there’s me. What is my part? I must put works with my faith.

James 2:17-26 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

What are the works that I need to put with my faith? The works that are the evidence that I have faith in what I believe God has planned and purposed for my life. You see, I believe God wants me to share His word with you and encourage you to Liv by Faith. But what if I believed that is what God wanted me to do and never did it? What if I never shared His word with you? Not only would I not be fulfilling God’s purpose for my life, but my behavior would also say God I don’t trust You to do what You said you would do.

The enemy will use the voices in our head, whether they are our own voices, or the voice of someone else to convince us we are defeated. What we must remember is that the enemy is defeated and he is trying to project his future onto us.

Oftentimes we are our own worst enemy.

Rather than protecting our mind by wearing the helmet of salvation; protecting ourselves from what we see and hear. Taking the shield of faith to stop the darts of unbelief. And using our sword, the word of God to defeat the enemy within. We allow our mind to dwell on thoughts and words that are contrary to the thoughts and words God says about us.

Ephesians 6:16-17 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Thoughts of fear, doubt, anxiety, procrastination, slothfulness. Fear of rejection, fear of failure are not thoughts of peace. They are evil in nature as they are harmful and do not bring us hope. These thoughts do not align with God’s word.

Do not think it, do not speak it, do not believe it. If the words you hear are contrary to God’s will, His word, and His purpose do not give them life.

2Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Focus on who God says you are. You are victorious.

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Don’t Talk Yourself Out of It

2021-06-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

God has just given you a great idea. You are beyond excited. What do you do next? You write it down.

Habakkuk 2:1-3 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Why write it down? Writing it down makes it real. It serves as a constant reminder. It provides clarity, helps you create a plan, set a goal, and of course all of this is done while seeking God for direction.

Psalm 37:4Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. When you are spending time in God’s presence, seeking Him for direction, He will direct your path. The thoughts or ideas that you think are yours will align with the thoughts and plans that He has for you.

I liken getting a word, thought, idea, or plan from God to the parable of the sower sowing the seed. Whether the thought or idea is God’s plan for your life, your desire to make a change in life such as going back to school, taking better care of your health, or making a career change, the enemy will try to distract you.

In Matthew 13:19, Jesus explains the parable to the disciples.

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

When you hear from God, the enemy immediately comes to try and steal what you have heard. He comes in many ways. If, in all your excitement, you share what you have heard from God or your ideas with others, there may be someone that tries to discourage you. They may even question whether you have heard from God, or why you desire the change you seek. They may cause you to doubt your desires or what you have heard.

Verse 20-21 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

We’ve talked about how excited we are when we hear from God. We’re ready to act and move forward. Then the voice in the back of our mind, you know the one that tells you that you can’t do it, begins to speak to us.

Jeremiah 1:4-6 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

Verses: 7-9 But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

When the Lord spoke to Jeremiah, Jeremiah flat out said I can’t do it. And the Lord replied yes you can. He told Jeremiah not to be afraid. He told him He was with him. And finally, He told him, He, the Lord God Almighty had placed His words in his mouth. When God gives you a word, or an assignment He will prepare and equip you to do whatever it is that He wants you to do.

Matthew 13:22: He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

Let’s say you’ve heard from God. You didn’t listen to the naysayers nor the voice in your mind that told you that you couldn’t do it. You’re moving forward. Then the enemy throws another monkey wrench your way called life. Relationships, other commitments, family obligations and let’s not even mention finances, or the lack there of may distract you from your plan or goal. These are distractions and they are real. How do you overcome them? You seek God for guidance. You also prioritize and exercise time management. If you are unable to commit 2 hours a day to your goal, commit 1 hour a day, or 2 hours per week, whatever works best with your schedule. If you lose a source of income or have an increase in expenses, become creative. Have a yard sale. Barter your services. Cut down on entertainment or eating out. Determine what’s most important to you.

Verse 23: But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Ah, this is the place we all want to be, receiving seed into good ground and bringing forth the harvest. There may be some people that are able to go directly from concept to manifestation with few or no distractions. If you are one of those people, I commend you. The truth is, many people, me included fall into one of the 3 categories in the parable. People whose seed, vision, dream, goal, or desire is hindered by the voice of others, the voice of oneself, or the cares of life. To that group of people, I say stay focused. God will not place in your heart, whatever He places there if He has not already made a way for it to manifest.

The enemy is going to try every trick in the book to prevent you from moving forward in God’s plan for your life. Don’t let him do it. You are the one that can stop him. God has already prepared the way. Just as He said to Jeremiah “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee…” He is saying the same thing to you.

Remember your purpose. Think about who will benefit from what it is that God has predestined for you to do. Don’t talk yourself out of it. Let your passion be greater that your fear. And as we read in Habakkuk,… for the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

By Faith

2020-05-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

The phrase by faith appears 15 times in Hebrews chapter 11. We read in Hebrews 11:38…the just shall live by faith. But what is faith? The Oxford Dictionary describes faith as complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Complete trust or confidence. I love this definition. It so aligns with our belief in Our God. We have complete trust and confidence in Him. We also read in Hebrews 11:3 that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. In essence, what we see is made from what we do not see. Faith is invisible. It is the hope that we have for what we expect to manifest.

Have you ever hoped for something, or had faith for something that manifested? How did it make you feel when the thing you were hoping for was manifested? You probably praised God. Those around you who may not have had faith, or may not have known your journey, may have thought what you saw as a blessing as just something that happened. They may not have known the prayers, the sleepless nights (although God tells us we should not stay up late worrying Psalm 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.) and sometimes even the tears that you shed while you awaited the manifestation.

Well if God does not want us to worry while we wait, what should we do? We should thank Him for what we are seeking and act as though we have already received it. Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Paul summarizes the behavior we should exhibit in Philippians 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. He tells us to be content where we are, never losing site and expectation of where we want to be.

Hebrews 11:8 by faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Imagine if you will, being told to leave your home, a place where you are comfortable. A place where you are familiar with the land and your surroundings. What would you do? Would you have faith like Abraham, or would you lean unto your own understanding as we so often do?

Genesis 12:1 -5 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

The promises God made to Abraham are simply amazing. They are exceeding abundantly above all Abraham could ask or think, Ephesians 3:30. The second portion of the scripture reads according to the power that worketh in us. What power is the scripture referring to? It is referring to the power of God, His Holy Spirit and His Faith, the faith that He has given each of us. Romans 12:3…God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

God has given us the measure of faith. You cannot say you do not have faith. Recognizing and acknowledging that you have faith is key. You must also use your faith.

Hebrews 11:6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. What is diligence? According to the Oxford Dictionary, diligence is careful and persistent work or effort. Careful, done with thought and persistent. Continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. Yes! Let us diligently seek The Lord.

When I think about persistence, I am reminded of Luke 18:1-8. Talk about persistent. The widow in this parable was nothing if not persistent.

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Where is your faith? Do you have faith like Abraham to venture out when God gives you direction without knowing where you may land? Are you diligently seeking what you desire, like the widow woman?

Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

By faith you shall receive.

DO YOU KNOW THAT GOD HEARS YOU?

2020-03-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

How many times have you sought the Lord? I mean really sought the Lord. Perhaps you were on your knees praying. You may have been in the midst of worshipping Him or praising Him and felt an insatiable desire to cry out to God, to be in his presence. Maybe you were studying His Word. Or, you may have been sitting silently, listening for that still small voice. Regardless of the method you use to seek God, we read in 1John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. Is it Gods will for us to seek Him? Of course, it is His will. As a matter of fact, He says in Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. We are to seek Him first. We’ve established that He wants us to seek Him, and because seeking Him is His will, when we seek Him we can be confident that He hears us. Not only can we be confident, and know that He hears us, whatever we ask, and again, this is according to His will, we will have the petitions, those things that we desire, or ask of Him.

Do you know that He hears you? This is a rhetorical question. I am telling you God does hear you. He hears you when you ask according to His will. I don’t want to simplify this, but I want you to think about a time you placed an . You found an item you wanted to purchase, you placed your order and you received it. Let's delve into this a little deeper. After you placed the order you expected to receive it. If you had tracking information you may have checked to see when the item would arrive. Depending on the item that you ordered, you may have made plans for how you would use the item. Barring there was not a problem with shipping, you had no doubt your item would be received.

Again, I’m not trying to simplify, nor am I trying to equate seeking God to placing an online order. What I am telling you is that you can take God at His word. We read in Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. His word will not return void, but will accomplish what He sends it forth to accomplish. If Gods word is true and will not return void, I dare say it is our unbelief that prevents us from receiving what we seek. Gods timing may not always align with our timing. But His timing is always perfect.

What are you seeking? Is what you are seeking according to Gods will? If your answer to these questions is yes, then my next question is do you know that He hears you? If you have again answered yes, as simple as it may sound, place your confidence in Him and expect God to fulfil his promise. Expect to receive the petitions, or the desires that you ask of Him.

Don’t Allow Your Circumstances to Steal Your Joy

2018-03-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Every now and then, I find myself in not so ideal circumstances. Sometimes by my own creation and sometimes not. Either way, I always look to God to bail me out. What I’ve learned from this last circumstance is to look at the big picture. As I began to critique my own actions pondering the steps that landed me where I was, I thought about my old standby. One of my favorite scriptures, Romans 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. All things means just that, all things. It doesn’t mean just the good things. It doesn’t mean the things that are so, so, where no one profits, and no one gets hurt. It means all things.

But let’s take a step back. Before my epiphany, I felt the pity party trying to start. All the usual guests started showing up. Guilt, sorrow, disgust, anger, and oh yes, regret. What kind of pity party would it be without regret? Would’ve, should’ve and could’ve showed up. You know they always travel together. But then someone else showed up just as I was closing the door getting ready to start the party. It was Mercy. Mercy quickly walked in and evicted the other guests, saying there’s no pity party here. Not while I’m here. I immediately grabbed Mercy by the hand, thankful for the reminder. Instead of playing songs of sorrow I began to play songs of worship to the God that already knew I would be right where I was at that time. And just as Mercy reminded me, God began to give me that peace that surpasses all understanding.

When I look at the big picture, the reason for the circumstance was also coupled with many blessings that I could never have imagined. I was right where I believe God wanted me to be for the blessings to occur, and I will even go as far as to say for miracles to occur.

Things don’t always go as planned even when there is a blessing tied to them, but what I don’t think we always consider is that God is always in control. The best example I can think of is Jacob. Jacob connived his way into getting his brothers blessing. He was duped by his future father-in-law. He feared retaliation from his brother. What Jacob did not know, was that it was Gods will all along for him to receive His blessing.

When we fall into those not so ideal circumstances, the thief is standing right there to pounce. His job, that he does oh so well, is to steal, to kill and destroy. He robs us of our peace, our sleep, our health. He can, when he is working his hardest, and we do not have the strength to put on our armor, even rob us of our life. His tactics may cause us to lose relationships; material things such as houses and cars. How does he do this? It’s simple. When you go into a battle you must be prepared. You can’t start preparing after the battle. You are sure to lose. Have you ever watched how a prize fighter prepares for a fight? The fighter will change their diet; their exercise routine, they prepare their weapons, their body and their mind. We must do the same. We must prepare.

What are our weapons? We read in 2Corinthians 10:4 -5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

We are also admonished in Ephesians 6:11put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil and in verse 17, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Take the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. In other words, the way to prepare for battle is to arm yourself. Read the word of God. Study the word, meditate on it day and night. When you read, study; meditate on the word it becomes a part of you. It becomes the helmet of salvation enabling you to cast down imaginations.

Let’s pause right here. How many of you know when those not so ideal circumstances come, your mind begins to imagine the worst-case scenario? You begin to have those thoughts that are contrary to the word of God. You forget about Gods promises. Fear enters in. The enemy has his foot in the door. All he wants is your mind.

Think about it. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, Ephesians 6:12. Our battle is against an enemy we can’t even see. But guess what? The battle was won over 2000 years ago on Calvary’s cross. It’s up to us to maintain our stance. It’s up to us to stand our ground. Isaiah 59:19(b) When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Your word filled mind coupled with the Holy Spirit reminding you of what God has told you, as well as what Jesus did on the cross is all you need to conquer the enemy.

It’s always better to be proactive than reactive. Too often we wait until those not so ideal circumstances arrive before we put on our armor. Imagine those fiery darts coming at your head and your helmet of salvation along with your sword of the spirit are on your beside table, or in your car. You’re defenseless.

One of the great things about our God is that He is always there. He always hears our cries. Even when we haven’t prepared for the battle and the enemy is trying his best to topple us over. When we cry out to God, as I stated previously our God will lift up a standard against the enemy. We may suffer a couple of bumps and bruises since we entered the battle without our armor, but we will survive.

When the enemy tries to steal your joy, it’s up to you to stop him. God inhabits the praises of His people. Change your song. Instead of singing woe is me. Begin to worship the Lord. Sing praises to His name. When you are worshipping God, your mind cannot think about your circumstances. You will be consumed with the love of God. Don’t allow the enemy is any form to steal what is rightfully yours. Proclaim your victory.

Just Say Yes

2017-12-31T16:58:00.001-08:00

I was texting my cousin the other day and said in my text that I was declaring 2018 as the year of yes. I don’t know about you, but I have been known to procrastinate when it comes to what I believe is Gods will for my life. Unfortunately, from time to time, I have also allowed “real life” to stand in my way. What do I mean by “real life?” For me, “real life” refers to my day to day living. Like many of you that are pursuing your passion or what you believe is God’s will for your life, I work a full-time job. My full-time job often spills over into late night and even weekend hours. The time, my time, which should be reserved for doing what I want to do, or in my case, what I believe God wants me to do as of late has been dedicated to my 9-5. Don’t get me wrong. I am thankful for my job, but I can’t help but to ask myself where I would be if I committed the same amount of time to my passion that I commit to my 9-5.

As I look towards 2018 I’m looking for a new beginning, a new opportunity to say yes. We automatically say yes to those things that we feel we don’t have any control over or those things that are expected of us. I’m employed. It’s expected of me to not only give 100%, but to give my all. I have a family. It’s expected of me to commit myself and go over and above for my family. But what about Gods purpose for my life? Are my job and my family part of God’s purpose for my life? Of course, they are but so is the passion that God has placed in me.

I’m one of those all or none people. I don’t like to start something I can’t complete. I don’t want to commit to something that I cannot see through to the end. This is a challenge for me because life happens. Obstacles appear out of nowhere. I become frustrated with myself when things get in my way that prevent me from moving forward. Those of you that follow my blog probably noticed I was blogging less frequently, then I finally stopped. Well it was the ole 9-5 that was taking up my time. I have been working nights and weekends. Because of my personal work ethic, I don’t see things in my 9-5 changing in the immediate future. I have however decided to make changes. My commitment to my 9-5 ensures I excel in the work place, but what about the souls that are being neglected because I don’t have time to pursue my passion?

In 2018 I’m saying yes. Yes, Lord to your way and yes Lord to Your will. I believe when I rest in the Lord, acknowledging Him in ALL that I do, that He will direct my path. I’m going to seek God. I’m going to listen. I’m going to be still long enough to hear from God. I’m going to accept that He knows my heart and the desires of my heart because He has given me those desires. In doing so, I am going to understand God will also bring my desires to pass because He is the only One that can. I am going to recognize that a little bit is better than none. Whatever the Lord gives me to share in whatever format I can share it is better than not sharing it at all.

I can’t expect everyone to understand nor support my dreams but I can have faith that the God that has given me those dreams will bring them to pass in His time.

A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. Proverbs 16:9

I invite you to join me in making 2018 your year of yes. The year of moving forward in all that God has prepared for a people that will move themselves out of His way, removing all barriers so that He can move mightily through them as He gets all the glory.

DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE WHY

2017-07-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we get so caught up in why things are happening that it immobilizes us and prevents us from moving forward. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to ask God why, but He may not always answer. If He doesn’t answer, or doesn’t provide the answer we are seeking we must still move forward. When you get caught up in why something has happened you may feel sorry for yourself, have a pity party, walk around with a woe is me mentality. A woe is me mentality can be described as a feeling of distress, sadness, or grief, all of which we know God does not want us to wallow in. As a matter of fact, He wants just the opposite for us. He gives us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. We don’t always see our way clear while in the midst of a storm, but once we get through the storm we always recognize and acknowledge it is God that has brought us through the storm. It’s my opinion, that when we start thinking we could have done something to prevent something from happening, or we try to fix something that has happened we are being prideful. I’m not saying we shouldn’t take responsibility for our actions. What I am saying is that when we think we could have changed something that was beyond our control we shift our confidence from being in God to being in ourselves. We know we cannot change what has already occurred, so instead we seek God for wisdom. We ask Him to give us guidance and instruction, while at the same time giving us the peace and strength that we need to get through whatever we encounter. We can’t allow others to blame us for things that are not our fault. If you train up your child up in the way in which they should go, and they commit a crime it’s not your fault. If you do everything you can in a situation and things do not go as planned it’s not your fault. Don’t let people goad you into thinking something is your fault when it is not your fault. Once again you are getting caught up in the why. We can either get caught up in “the why” and literally make ourselves sick, with headaches, high blood pressure, knots in our stomachs and restless nights, or we can decide to seek God and His peace, recognizing that what’s done is done and worrying about what has already occurred will not change it. Change the way you think. Instead of thinking about why, think about who. Think about who can bring you comfort, who can bring you strength and who can bring you peace regardless of why. Think about Jesus.

How Quickly We Forget

2017-06-18T07:40:00.001-07:00

When things are going well we may not think about how we are faring. It’s almost as though we take our state of being for granted. Sure, we have our occasional aches and pains. We may overcook a meal, arrive late for an appointment, or get angry when we get stuck in traffic. We have those aw man moments, but we quickly get over them. Life is good. We are walking by faith. But when things in our lives are not going the way we have planned, the way we expect them to go or the way we would like for them to go we can become discouraged. When our brief aw man moments linger we may sink into despair. We may have doubt, or even question whether we are in Gods will. We may even say to ourselves this is too much. Don’t allow your emotions to keep you from your destiny. The enemy will try to convince you that you are not qualified for what God has told you that you are qualified. He will use whomever, or whatever he can, including your own thoughts to persuade you into thinking that you are not going to make it, that you are incapable of reaching your goal or achieving your destiny. The enemy wants you to forget that your life is predestined. He wants you to forget that God created your destiny before you were born. He wants you to forget that what God has purposed no man can stop. Today may be bright and sunny, we are out and about, enjoying life. But when the storm comes we run for cover. We pull our heads into our shell like a tortoise. We may even shut down. Instead of praising God like we were when it was sunny, depending on the severity of our storm, we may barely open our mouth to pray. Where’s our faith? We read in James 1:23-24 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. Are you forgetting who you are? If we are walking by faith only when things are going well, are we really walking by faith? I believe we are as the man James has described. When things are going well we are standing on Gods promises, proclaiming them to the world. But when things go awry rather than Gods promises being in the forefront of our mind we allow our situation, the cares of the world or whatever the enemy is using to distract us to take precedence. We forget whose we are, children of the most high God, and we forget who we are, a royal priesthood, a chosen generation, the righteousness of God. God is saying to you this day “I have given you my promise, and unlike man I cannot lie.” 2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Whatever God has promised you will come to pass. Don’t give up on the you God created you to be. Stand firm on His promises. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You are more than a conqueror. Overcoming is your destiny.

Today is Your Day

2017-06-10T06:24:00.001-07:00

When people around you seem to be content where they are, you may need to move away from them to get to where you need to be. You can’t allow people, places, or things to stunt your growth. God has a plan for your life which you will only achieve by being in motion; pressing towards His destiny for your life. Every one of us has been placed on this earth for a purpose. It is your right and your responsibility to fulfill your purpose. Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. We must make a conscious effort to pursue our purpose. Nothing happens when you do nothing. Everything takes effort. It takes effort for you to listen to or read these words. It takes effort to decide to change where you are and what you are doing. It takes effort to create a plan to move forward. It takes effort to make steps in a new direction, or continue in the right direction. And it all starts with you. No one can do it for you. Words can motivate, people can encourage and inspire, but you must make the effort. Don’t depend on someone else to join you or pull you along the way. It’s great to have someone in your corner to cheer you on with each step, but you must keep moving. Even when there isn’t anyone physically there, God is always there. Oftentimes we depend on validation from man to know we are moving in the right direction. What more do we need than the encouragement of The One who placed us on this journey in the first place. Just as the Lord God said to Joshua in Joshua 1:8, He is saying the same thing to you and me. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Now is the time to move forward. Now is the time to make a decision to follow the path that has already been laid out for you. Now is the time to put the past behind, gird up your loins, move forward and not look back. What are you going to do today to make a change in your life?

Believe and Execute

2017-04-09T15:25:00.000-07:00

Before you were born, God equipped you with everything you would need to excel in His predestined plan for your life. Not only did God equip you with everything you would need to excel, He knew every thought you would think, every word you would speak. He knew every time you would skin your knee, fall in love, be hurt by love. He knew when you would be angry, sad and happy. He knew all about you. He cared and still cares about everything that touches your life. Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Jeremiah was ordained a prophet unto the nations, but what has God ordained for your life? Jeremiah 29:1 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Whatever God has ordained He has an expected end, a predestined plan, a plan filled with peace and good, not of evil. Let’s talk about believing and executing. Believing is having confidence in the truth, and we know that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. In essence, we are saying we have confidence in Christ, or in Gods ability to carry out His plans for us through us. The word execute can be defined as to carry out, or accomplish. To perform or do, to produce in accordance with a plan or design. When we follow or execute Gods plan for our life, we are in fact producing, bringing forth, or giving birth to the plan or design that was created specifically for us.

The Helmet of Salvation

2017-03-29T17:24:00.000-07:00

There are so many things that can cause us to worry, to be distracted, to be stressed and depressed. But because God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind I believe that He protects us from the many things that could cause us to have fear, to be worried and distressed, but because of His love, His mercy and His grace He keeps our minds in perfect peace, even when we don’t even realize it. I believe God places that helmet of salvation over us when we confess Him as Lord and Savior. But the enemy tries to tilt our helmet to the side or knock it off of our head by launching his fiery darts at us, allowing our mind to be exposed from time to time. We know the tricks of the enemies. Just like he knows which buttons to push, which darts to shoot as us to distract us and take our attention off of the comforter, the Holy Spirit that resides in us. We also know our own weaknesses. We know what will rock us. Knowing this we need to put up guard. We need to remain steadfast in faith and prayer.

Great Expectations

2017-01-08T12:33:00.000-08:00

We are looking for a mighty move of God in in 2017.

Isaiah 43:18-19 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

As we move into a new year expect God to do a new thing. Expect Him to do exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or think. Join us each month as we explore what God has in store for us as we remain steadfast in faith and prayer.

What are you expecting in 2017? What are you believing God for? I’ll bet you have a list that goes on and on. You may be believing God for health for yourself and loved ones, maybe a better or different job, a financial breakthrough or perhaps to discover your purpose. And don’t forget salvation for your lost loved ones. These are just a few of the things that most of us want. We want and expect God to come through for us, to be committed to us and rightly so, He says in Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

But what about our commitment to Him? Let’s face it. Oftentimes we start off the New Year with a renewed zeal. We are gung ho, whether our commitment is to a new eating plan, to exercise, to change an unhealthy lifestyle or to renew our commitment to Christ. We may even start the year with a fast, but what happens after the first month or two? Our enthusiasm and our commitment begin to wane. Why is that? We make plenty of excuses ranging from not enough time, which I believe is our biggest offender to I’m going to do it tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes.

Procrastination – did you know procrastination is a form of fear? Fear that you may not be able to whatever it is that you want to do, fear that you may not be as successful as you would like to be, so you put things off and sometimes don’t even attempt to do whatever it is. Sometimes our procrastination comes from fear of success. What if I’m successful? What happens next? Will I be able to keep it up? Will people find out I’m really a fraud. These are just the fiery darts the enemy uses to keep us from our destiny, from the exceedingly abundant life God has created for us. Have you ever closed your eyes and saw yourself doing everything you God has gifted you to do, or placed in your spirit that you can be? If you haven’t, I recommend that you do just that today.

Write the vision and make it plain. See yourself the way God sees you. He doesn’t see you as a failure. He doesn’t even see your sin. He sees you as the masterpiece He created you to be. Don’t allow the enemy within, your own thoughts, or the enemy without, the naysayers to sidetrack you from what God has for you. God wants you to have great expectations!

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IS IT THEM OR IS IT YOU?

2016-11-06T16:05:00.000-08:00

How many of you expect people to behave the same way that you behave? How many of you have certain expectations of people or certain behaviors that you consider as suitable? I think we all have a few expectations when it comes to others. For example, if you are a hard worker you expect others to be hard workers. If you are happy go lucky, you expect other people to be happy go lucky. Sometimes it may be difficult to understand why other people’s thoughts, behaviors and values differ vastly from our own. But when our expectations are not met, are we not judging others? Are we not finding fault with others thoughts, behaviors and values because they differ from ours?

Just because someone does not agree with us, or their thoughts, behaviors and values differ from ours does not make them wrong and us right, or vice versa.

One definition of self-righteous reads

Confident of one's own righteousness, especially when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others. Ouch!

It may not be intentional, but sometimes our behaviors may be considered as self-righteous.

Each of us strive to walk in spirit, to exhibit the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. However, our flesh as we know is enmity against our spirit and causes a war between the two.

Paul said in Romans 7:19-20 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

It’s the flesh, the carnal nature that is quick to act, to judge, to condemn, to think and speak things that are contrary to the truth, or the spirit.

James admonishes us in chapter 1 verse 19 to be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

Why does James say this? He says this because it’s the nature of our flesh to do just the opposite. Oftentimes we begin our rebuttal, our answer, or our solution while someone is still speaking. How can we hear if we are thinking about what we are going to say? Sometimes we speak without even thinking about what we are going to say. We just react without weighing our thoughts. Unfortunately our reaction at times may even be out of anger, because we have not been swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.

Do you count yourself among those that speak without knowing the entire situation? I think most of us do at some time. How could we not? Only God knows everything.

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Chosen

2016-10-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

God has created each of us as individuals to make a contribution to the kingdom. If He had not chosen you, you would not be here. If you do not remember anything else, please remember this. I cannot say it enough. No one can do what you can do exactly the way that you can do it.

God created you for a specific purpose.

Each of us have our own journey in life, our own God given and God purposed assignments, gifts and talents. Our own portion.

What God has for you is for you and no man can take it away from you.

In 1 Samuel 16:6-7 we read And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart. How often a judgement, a decision or a choice is made based solely on an outward appearance. I am so glad God knows each and every one of us. He selects us based on His knowledge of who He has chosen and created us to be. Samuel didn’t know anything about Eliab, but in his mind, or with his rationale, or carnal way of thinking, he just knew Eliab was God’s anointed. A decision based solely on his appearance.

It doesn’t matter what you, or anyone else sees in you. What matters is what God sees in you, what God says about you and what God knows about you.

You are Gods choice. You were not chosen by man, nor did you appoint yourself. The only qualification God is looking for is your faith, your obedience to His call. Your willingness to follow His path for your life, to go where He sends you and to do what He has chosen for you to do.

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Why Ask Why?

2016-10-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

Have you ever asked God why me, or why now? Have you ever been so overwhelmed, bogged down or stressed out by things that were not your own doing, or perhaps they were your own doing, but either way you feel like you are hanging on by the skin of your teeth. God wants me to tell you to let go. When you feel like you are hanging on by the skin of your teeth, just let go. When you are hanging on by the skin of your teeth you are relying on your own strength and your own ability. When you let go, you are relying on Gods strength and His ability and we all know that He is able, more than able. He is more than capable. Whatever your situation, He knew you would be right where you are, as well as when you would be there. And He never allows you to be in a place where you are not under his mercy, grace and protection.

God wanted me to share these prophetic words with you.

“You are chosen for a purpose and everything that you go through is meant to strengthen you. Count it not strange, the things that you endure, for you are more than capable as I am with you to carry you through. You can, and you will make it through. Trust in Me and believe. I am always with you. It's all in My hands. I am the answer that you are searching for.”

Psalm 37:34 though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

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It's Not Just About You

2016-10-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

As difficult as it may seem at the time that you are going through trials and tribulations, what I want you to understand, is that the trials and tribulations you encounter on your journey have a dual purpose. Part of the purpose is to strengthen and mature you and your relationship with Christ. The other part of Gods purpose is your testimony. Sharing your experience with others so they may be encouraged.

We must always remember that people are watching us. Everyone that is watching you is watching because of the Christ in you, but the motives people have for watching you may differ. Some may watch in awe because of your countenance, your peace, your joy, your faith, your strength. Others may watch because they are waiting for you to fall or fail. The enemy, usually unbeknownst to them is having his way in them, using them to wreak havoc.

As you continue on your journey and are faced with trials and tribulations, rather than think about yourself and what you are going through, think about how your testimony will help someone else, weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

Morning is when you see the light. When you recognize that whatever you are going through Jesus Christ is your hope.

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Wait On The Lord

2016-09-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

Have you ever prayed for something then decided God was taking too long? Or, maybe God wasn’t doing things the way you wanted them to be done, so you decided to help him out.

Well, believe it or not, God never has and never will need our help.

Now I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I hear from God I want to see, and expect to see results immediately. As a matter of fact one day God said to me, you can be excited, but don’t be anxious. I guess He knows, well of course He does. He knows how I am. He knows that I can be impatient, and He wants me to learn to wait on Him.

Psalm 24:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Oftentimes the decisions we make are out of desperation. Our heart may be weakened from stress, or worry. We don’t know how a matter may turn out, we are concerned, so we act based on fear of the unknown rather than waiting on God.

Psalm 37:34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

Psalm 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

God will bring to pass what He has in store for us, and we will witness the demise, or ill will that may come to those that mock our belief in Him.

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 49:23… and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

When we wait on God things will come to pass exactly the way He wants them to come to pass. We will not be ashamed, disappointed or embarrassed by the outcome that He has for us. We will be strengthen by our trust in God. We will persevere and we will prevail.

God’s plan is God’s plan. It doesn’t matter how we try to help him out or manipulate things. Lamentations 3:37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

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Determination

2016-09-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

Last week we talked about believing is doing, and how when we have faith or believe, we will do. We will place action behind our faith or what it is that we believe.

Several weeks ago we talked about the sower sowing the seed, and how when the seed is sown the thief comes immediately to steal it. As you hear the word each week and make a decision to act on what you are hearing don’t be surprised if the very thing you hear you will be tested on. For as we read in Mark 4:15 and these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

Don’t let the words that you hear be taken away by Satan. Be a doer and not a hearer only.

How many times have you made a decision that you were going to do something, or that you were going to act on the word that you have head. You say to yourself or maybe even someone else, this time I’m serious, or this time I’m sticking with it.

As we talk about sharing what you are going to do with someone else I want to say two things. Oftentimes it helps to share what you are going to do with someone else. That person can help hold you accountable. It’s easy to disappoint yourself, but not quite as easy to disappoint someone else. We never want to hear I told you so, I thought you said, or when are you going to.

I’ve shared with you how I would tell my mother all of my great ideas, and how she would ask me are you going to finish it this time.

Her words are still with me today, and when I speak with her sisters they remind me of her words, and how proud of me she would be to know that I am pressing forward.

The second thing I want to say about sharing what you are doing is, be careful with whom you share. Everyone is not going to be as enthusiastic as you are about what you are doing. Some people may not even understand what you are doing or why you are doing it. They may even try to talk you out of doing whatever it is you are going to do. Never allow anyone to dissuade you.

Romans 8:30-31 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

For a guide on how to share and with whom you can share safely I recommend the Power to Speak Out Loud guide which can be found in my book, Secret Thoughts, Things We Are Afraid To Say Out Loud.

Determination is the act of coming to a decision or of fixing or settling a purpose.

If we have made up our minds that we are going to act out on our faith or what we believe, that we are going to be doers and not hearer only, then we must be determined and hunker down and do so.

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Believing Is Doing

2016-09-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

Are you a doer or just a believer? If you believe without following through are you really a believer?

As Christians we are often referred to as believers.

One definition of believe is to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so.

Well we know Jesus is the way the truth and the life and our confidence is in Him. I’m going to change this definition of believe somewhat to read the reliability of someone instead of something, with that someone being God. And I will replace without absolute proof that one is right, because our faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. And as believers, we are right in having our belief or faith in God.

We read in James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, or act on what you have heard, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. You’re not fooling anyone, you’re only fooling yourself when you are not acting on what you hear, or what you say you believe. And you’re certainly not fooling God.

It’s kind of like me telling myself I’m going to exercise when I come home from work. I am morning person. When I exercise I exercise in the morning before going to work. I can count the number of times on one hand that I have actually exercised after work. It’s just not going to happen, so why waste my time even saying I’m going to do it. I’m only deceiving myself.

What about you? Are you deceiving yourself? Are you hearing the word but not acting on it, or acting like you believe it?

We also read in James 2:26 …so faith without works is dead also.

If you don’t have works, or place action behind your faith or belief, then your faith or belief has no merit.

When you truly believe you will act, or as I like to say, you will act like it’s so. I must say I’m guilty of not always acting like it’s so. I have my moments of believing without acting. But when you think about it, what do you actually have to lose by putting action behind your faith? You have nothing to lose, and a whole lot to gain.

You see, we can’t act on what we believe without knowing in whom we believe. Our belief represents our faith and as we read in Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

As I just mentioned, you have a whole lot to gain!

Now let me ask you this. Why is it so easy for us to place action behind what we think we know rather than what we believe, or what our faith tells us?

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We Win

2016-09-04T15:39:00.000-07:00

Would you approach your journey, the roles you are given, your job or jobs, career or tasks, your relationships differently if you knew how each of them would turn out?

Well I’m going to let you in on a little secret…we win!

Over two thousand years ago, long before any of our ancestors were born, someone that knew all about us gave His life for us. This person knew every thought we would think, every word we would speak, and every step we would take. He knew everything that we would do, the good, the bad, the illegal, and the immoral. He knew the victories and the pitfalls that would come our way. In spite of all each of us would do that was contrary to who He is, He knew us, He saw us, He forgives us and He loves us.

To hear more about God’s unconditional love for us I recommend you get a copy of my spoken word track, I knew You.

God wants us to know that the time has come for us to take our rightful place in His kingdom. He wants us to recognize who we are and whose we are. He wants us to walk in the victory that He willingly gave His life for us to have.

We are not worthy in ourselves of His great sacrifice, but His grace enables us to receive the sacrifice and justifies our worthiness through His shed blood. When we ignore, or refuse to accept His sacrifice we commit a huge injustice.

You may say, well I do recognize Christ died for me. Are you living in victory, or are you living in defeat? Do you have the same mind that is in Christ Jesus? If you are walking around doubting your victory, saying I can’t do this and I can’t do that. If you are saying you don’t know how you will make it, but will not say “Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief,” then you are refusing to accept Christ’s sacrifice.

We live in a carnal body with carnal thoughts, so of course when there is a physical ailment, or when the enemy sends his fiery darts towards our mind there will be times when we may think or even say ‘this is too much.’ But even during those times, even when things seem to be impossible we still have hope. That hope is our ever present help. That hope and that help is Jesus.

You see, Jesus is never further away from us than we are from ourselves. What does that mean? It means He lives within us, so He is always present, and nothing can separate us from His love, which is Him.

Paul said in Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select We Win

http://www.gretahillman.com/#!audiovideo/cd8l

Join the Sisters Steadfast in Faith meetup group at http://www.meetup.com/Sisters-Steadfast-in-Faith/ RSVP for our Empowered 2 Excel Calls Thursdays at 7p.m.EST, Dial 641-715-3610 access code 215480

I’m Okay

2016-08-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

Our journey may not always be easy, but it is our journey.

There may be times when we feel like we are not hearing from God.

There may be times when we think there are things, such as everyday occurrences in life, or circumstances that are preventing us from moving forward or doing what we think God wants us to do, but if He has allowed those things in our life they too are a part of our journey.

As previously stated. We must learn to accept our assignment.

How many of you know that once you accept something it enables you to move through it. It may not make it easier, but acknowledging what is going on around you empowers you to accept it, do whatever you can do, and continue moving.

I have mentioned to you that part of my journey, as you are aware is to encourage others. I love sharing Gods word and helping people to understand that He truly is the way, the truth and the life. I want the world to know about the God we serve, but like many people I’m not comfortable speaking in front of people.

Well one of things that I’ve had to do is accept my assignment. I have to realize that in order for me to do all God has called me to do, and be all that He has called me to be I must acknowledge that my role, my journey includes public speaking. I have to realize that God anoints, appoints and equips each of us to excel in everything that He has called us to do.

Does it make it easier, no, not really? But, my confidence is not in myself or my abilities. It is in God and His abilities. So, I tell myself just as I tell you, to let my passion be greater than my fear.

The journey may not always be pleasant, but even during those unpleasant times God is with us. He never ever leaves us.

When we are able to give it all to God it makes it much easier for us. Think about a time when you relinquished a task or responsibility to someone else. Not just anyone, but someone you knew you could trust to take care of it, someone that you knew could actually do a better job than you could do, an expert. How did that make you feel? You probably felt relieved. You probably knew whatever it was would be taken care of and you did not have to worry about it.

That’s exactly how God wants us to feel. He wants us to have that same confidence, faith and trust in Him. When we are able to do this we have the peace and comfort that we need during our journey, and we can say I’m okay.

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select I’m Okay

http://www.gretahillman.com/#!audiovideo/cd8l

Join the Sisters Steadfast in Faith meetup group at http://www.meetup.com/Sisters-Steadfast-in-Faith/ RSVP for our Empowered 2 Excel Calls Thursdays at 7p.m.EST, Dial 641-715-3610 access code 215480

Accepting Your Assignment

2016-08-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

What is your assignment? What has God tasked you with?

Well, we are tasked with serving Him, with worshiping Him and praising Him.

We all have a purpose and a journey on earth until we meet God in heaven.

Our journey contains our assignment which is to have faith and trust in God regardless of what we face, what we encounter, what’s presented to us, our roles, jobs and status in life.

For example, as we are all sisters. Our roles are female, we may be mothers, wives or siblings. So we have relationships, relationships that come with responsibilities.

We may be caregivers, caring for family members or friends.

We may be wage earners either employed by someone or self-employed.

We live in a world that is not our home, so we have to make adjustments to survive. When we encounter things that are uncomfortable for us we must adjust.

We also live in a body that is a temporary home so again we have to make adjustments. We have to adapt. When our body suffers a physical ailment we must adjust. When our body experiences changes we must adjust.

And through everything that we encounter, the good, the bad and the indifferent we must remain steadfast in our faith. And why must we remain steadfast in our faith, because without faith it is impossible to please God.

Each of us is chosen by God. Chosen for blessings and eternal life with Him if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, as well as chosen for whatever He has planned for us in our temporary home while here on earth.

Let’s take Job for example. Job was a husband and a father. He loved the Lord and eschewed evil. He was a provider for his family. He was living the life God created him to live. He was going about his business raising his family. He offered burnt offerings continually in case his sons sinned and cursed God in their hearts.

He was similar in many aspects to you and me. We don’t offer burnt offering for our children but we do pray for them. Job was keeping his assignment. He had faith and trust in God. Then one day.

Have you ever had a then one day? Everything is going well. You go to church every Sunday, you may be active in the ministry. You go to work every day, you’ve got a little money in the bank.

Then one day….Your then one day could be a physical illness, it could a loss of income or a job, it could be a family tragedy…whatever it is, it is something that’s unexpected, and may prompt you to ask why me, why now. It may even cause you to question God.

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select Accepting Your Assignment

http://www.gretahillman.com/#!audiovideo/cd8l

Join the Sisters Steadfast in Faith meetup group at http://www.meetup.com/Sisters-Steadfast-in-Faith/ RSVP for our Empowered 2 Excel Calls Thursdays at 7p.m.EST, Dial 641-715-3610 access code 215480

Confident in Christ - Know That You Know, That You Know, That You Know

2016-07-18T17:17:00.000-07:00

There are some things that we just know.

We know there are 24 hours in a day. We know there are 365 days in a year, unless it’s leap year of course. We know grass is green and the sky is blue. If someone told us we were wrong we could argue until we were blue in the face that we are right. I’d say we were sure or confident.

Confident can be defined as having strong belief or full assurance.

Now let me ask you a question.

You know you were born and you know that God gave you life.

You know that God enables you to walk, to talk, to breathe, to think.

To reason and make decisions.

When we think about it, it’s God that gives us the ability to do everything.

So here’s my question. Knowing all that we’ve just said that we know, why is it that when things feel – here we go with our emotions and our flesh. Why is it that when we encounter things that we feel are beyond our natural ability we lose our confidence? We begin to doubt.

We quickly go from God can, God can, God can, to I can’t, I can’t, I can’t. Well you couldn’t in the first place.

It’s been God all along.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing

Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select Confident in Christ

http://www.gretahillman.com/#!audiovideo/cd8l

Join the Sisters Steadfast in Faith meetup group at http://www.meetup.com/Sisters-Steadfast-in-Faith/ RSVP for our Empowered 2 Excel Calls Thursdays at 7p.m.EST, Dial 641-715-3610 access code 215480

Carefree Living

2016-07-10T15:55:00.000-07:00

I’m a person that is naturally concerned, prone to worry or anxious. My concern is usually about someone else, wanting to make sure everything is okay with them.

I’ve learned over the years how to temper my concern for others, while at the same time realizing my concern when tempered is also my gift. It is the gift of exhortation or encouraging others to be all that God has created them to be as they live according to his word.

I think each of us have a natural makeup, or way of being.

Some people are naturally happy and joyful, while others seem to be angry. Some people are suspicious while others are trusting.

Who are you? How would you describe yourself? How would others describe you?

I believe our natural or pre salvation behaviors become tempered and aligned with God’s will when we become saved.

For example I’ve told you I’ve always been a believer and trusted people, expecting them to be true to their promises. With salvation and the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit my trust is no longer misguided. My trust is in God and not in man. I may believe man or a person is capable of doing something but I understand that whatever they can do it is because God has predestined them to do it.

My over concern for my fellow man has now been channeled into praying for those that are oppressed, or need change, as well as providing Godly counsel rather than trying to fix the person or fix circumstances.

Yet, at times I still struggle with carrying burdens that I shouldn’t.

I want to talk to you about being careful, or anxious, carefree, and careless.

Would you say you fall into any of these categories?

Careful or anxious can be described as full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger, or I would say perceived danger or misfortune as sometimes the danger or misfortune that we fear is perceived. Oftentimes we may not know what is going to happen, but fear the worse.

Careless may be described as not caring or troubling; having no care or concern; unconcerned.

And carefree is without anxiety or worry.

I’m striving to be carefree. That’s where I believe God wants all of His children to be. Carefree doesn’t mean you do not have compassion. It means you don’t allow your compassion to overwhelm you, causing anxiety and worry.

A carefree life is a life of rest. A life of resting in God. When we learn to rest in God we are able to cast our cares and truly live a carefree life. What kind of life do you want to live?

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select Carefree Living

http://www.gretahillman.com/#!audiovideo/cd8l

Join the Sisters Steadfast in Faith meetup group at http://www.meetup.com/Sisters-Steadfast-in-Faith/ RSVP for our Empowered 2 Excel Calls Thursdays at 7p.m.EST, Dial 641-715-3610 access code 215480