Don't Let Your Thoughts Hold You Captive

How many times have you played a scenario out in your mind that never occurred? You waste time and energy. You may even lose sleep…over a thought. Recently I was involved in a challenging project. I’d exchanged emails and had conversations with someone but wasn’t getting anywhere. I received an email from the person with whom I was corresponding. I immediately jumped to the conclusion that the words in the email were going to be unpleasant and made a decision not to read the email until the following day. Well, all night I was imagining what was in the email and what my rebuttal would be. My mind was running rampant. When I read the email the next morning to my surprise it was pleasant.

What was I doing? I was allowing my mind, my thoughts to control me rather than me controlling them.

How often do we worry about things knowing that there is absolutely nothing worrying will accomplish?

We read in Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Many times when our minds are busy we are worried about, or thinking about things that we are concerned about. Things like our family, our finances, our health, or our future. We allow our thoughts to drive us, to control us, and even hold us hostage at times by preventing us from pressing toward our mark, or moving forward.

Romans 8:5-6 for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

We live in a fleshly body and have carnal senses, but when we live our lives according to our flesh and our fleshly senses we put ourselves in a position where we are governed by our flesh rather than our spirit.

We’ve just read to be carnally minded is death; this death is a separation from where God wants us to be in Him. When we allow our flesh, our emotions, what we see, what we hear and what we think to influence our behaviors and our actions we separate ourselves, or prevent ourselves from yielding to the Spirit of God which will give us life and peace.

The thoughts in our mind can literally make us sick when they don’t align with the word of God.

When we are worried, or stressed our blood pressure can become elevated, we may experience insomnia, or we may overeat or not eat enough because we’ve lost our appetite. We may even experience panic or anxiety attacks or have that sinking feeling in our stomach.

That’s not where God wants us to be. God has called us to peace.

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select Don’t Let Your Thoughts Hold You Captive

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

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Which Way Are You Going?

Are you moving, or are you stagnant? If you are moving which way are you going? Are you pressing toward your mark, Gods plan for your life? Are you moving backward, or the opposite of Gods direction for your life? Are you at a standstill? Are you in relationship with people who are not moving with you, people who don’t understand or support God’s plan for your life.

Give some thought to the questions I’ve just asked.

While we are pressing toward our mark it may not always feel like we are moving forward. As a matter of fact it may sometimes feel as though we are moving backward or not moving at all.

Sometimes our movement may be stunted or hindered by what I refer to as noise. Noise is the chatter, the voices the distractions in our lives, the things that throw us off of our game plan. The unexpected things. Things like a change to our finances, or employment status, a change to our marital or family status, relocation.

How do we deal with unexpected noise? Well the first thing we do is pray. God is our strength and our peace. It may also be helpful to journal or write down what you are experiencing. In situations where you need counsel seek Godly counsel.

I myself experienced divorce, relocation, and a change in my finances all at the same time. There was a lot of noise in my life at that time. It was challenging and stressful. I prayed without ceasing. I did a lot of robbing Peter to pay Paul, or for those of you that are not familiar with that phrase I had to juggle my finances. But God’s grace and mercy kept me during that time as he continues to keep me.

Noise can also refer to those things that we willingly or unwillingly allow in our lives. It can refer to relationships. It can also refer to crippling behaviors such as doubt, unbelief, and gossip. These are all things that can prevent us from moving forward.

I posted an Instagram message a couple of weeks ago which read If your comments do not edify the body, or bring glory to God, you should probably keep them to yourself.

If there are certain things you know you shouldn’t do because they will prevent you from prospering wouldn’t you stop doing them?

As innocent as some comments may seem we must realize life and death are in the power of the tongue. Remember God spoke the world into existence.

What are you speaking into existence with your words? What are you hindering either with the words you are speaking or the words you are not speaking?

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select Which Way Are You Going?

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 7 p.m.EST, Dial 641-715-3610 access code 215480

 

You Can’t Succeed if You Don’t Try

How many of you have quit before trying? Perhaps you’d made a decision to try a new eating plan. I prefer not to use the word diet. Maybe you were going to start exercising. Or, had you finally decided to change a behavior, such as getting angry quickly, gossiping, or procrastinating. Then, before even getting started you stopped. You decided you would wait until a “better time”, yet that better time doesn’t ever seem to come.

Well how can you succeed if you don’t even try? Everything that we do begins with a thought in our mind. If you’re anything like me, you have a thought, then tell yourself that’s a great idea. You begin planning, in your mind of course. You tell yourself, I’m going to do this, I’m going to do that. You’re excited. Then what happens? Either you act on what you have thought about, taking action steps, or you let the thoughts remain in your mind.

Well, this year I’ve decided to act upon everything I believe God has placed in my spirit. I’ve told you I’m a believer. I believe everything God says. I trust Him and I want Him to trust me. I’m seeking Him. I’m praying for direction and guidance. I’ve asked God for the Wisdom of Solomon and the favor of Joseph. I am persevering. As I’ve shared with you on a previous call, quitting is not an option.

I pray after listening to the quitting is not an option conference call you too have decided quitting is not an option. Let’s face it life often gets in the way of our movement towards our destiny. What do I mean by life? I’m referring to the day to day activities that we’d rather not do, but for one reason or another we must do. In many cases it’s our job. You know the one. It’s the job that pays the bills even though it may not be our passion. For some of us it may be things like going to the grocery store, cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry. It could be homework, a second job, and in extreme cases eating and sleeping. My husband gets so involved with his music that he practices for hours on end, then realizes the day is almost over and he hasn’t eaten. Now I definitely don’t condone this behavior, and I have spoken with him about ensuring he eats.

Sometimes we may become so involved and focused on our passion, or the desire God has placed in our hearts, that anything that takes time away from what we love doing feels likes it hindering us or taking up too much of our time.

That’s where balance comes in. Like it or not there are things in life other than our passion that require our attention. The key is to find time to do them all, while not allowing the things we are required to do to make us anxious, or consider them as a hindrance. Remember, they are part of our lives, and our journey.

We must remember that God will always sustain us and provide for us. He will enable us to use the gifts He has placed in us. He has a plan and will always bring it to fruition. Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Regardless of what is going on around you God will always make a way. 

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select You Can’t Succeed If You Don’t Try.

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

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