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

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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?

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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.

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I Knew You

God knew us before time began. He knew all about our birth including everything about our great grandparents, our grandparents as well as our parents.

We read in Romans 8:29 for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Our birth was foretold in Genesis as we read in Chapter 1 verse 27-28  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

²⁸ And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

We were to be part of that multiplication that would be used to replenish the earth. The command God gave to Adam and Eve. As you are well aware Eve was deceived by the serpent, and Adam joined her in partaking of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Thus causing their spiritual death or separation from God’s grace, mercy and covering, and were removed from Eden.

Then sin began. Adam and Eves introduction to sin was our introduction to sin, or our separation from God. If you read further into Genesis you read of God destroying the earth by flood. Noah, his wife their sons and their wives were the only people that were saved from the flood. After the flood waters receded they received the same command as we read in Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

We read once again of Gods desire for the earth to be populated when he tells Abram, his name at that time in Genesis12:1-3 get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: ² 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: ³ 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.

As we continue reading in Genesis in chapter 15 verses 5-6 God responds to Abram when he asks Him about the long awaited heir that has not yet come. Let’s take a look at Gods response.

God brought him (Abram) forth abroad, and said, look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. ⁶ And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

So we see our birth and our life was foretold way before any of us were even thought of by anyone other than God.

Not only did God know of our existence in the beginning of time. He also knew we would not be born in the Garden of Eden. He knew Adam and Eve would fall into Sin. He knew He would send His Son, His only son to die for our sins.

We read in Isaiah 53:5 but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Jesus Christ died for each and every one of us. I want to share with you a little bit about my inspiration for writing this song. I’ve always rooted for the underdog and have a heart for those that have a broken heart. I have a heart for people who are obviously broken and those that camouflage their brokenness. God has placed in me a desire for souls to be saved, healed, set free and delivered.

It grieves me greatly when people are depressed, oppressed, feeling hopeless or helpless. I’m concerned about people that believe no one loves them. It bothers me that both children and adults are bullied and that some are tormented so badly that they take their own lives.

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select I Knew You – Conference Call.

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Don't Be Defeated By Unforgiveness

I’m just going to ask you right off the bat. How many of you are carrying a grudge, anger or angst against someone? You may not even realize it. Sometimes incidents occur in our lives that we may brush off at the time, but they linger in the back of our minds and at that moment that we least expect these thoughts come back to us out of what appears to be nowhere and we ask ourselves where did that come from.

These feelings or thoughts may cause us to lash out at someone for no reason that’s apparent to us or the person to whom we lash out.

Have any of you had something said to or about you or done to you that has caused you so much pain that you have not, or feel like you cannot forgive the offender?

Perhaps you’re the offender. Have you said something to or about someone that you should not have said or done?

Have your thoughts about yourself been damaging? Have you caused physical damage to yourself?

Are you carrying feelings of guilt and unforgiveness? Oftentimes when we are angry with someone they may not even know it. As a matter of fact they may not even know that they have offended you. Don’t carry anger or unforgiveness in your heart. It only hurts you.

Think about a time that you may have been angry with someone, or had trouble forgiving them. This may even be that time. When you are angry you expend time and energy on thoughts and or behaviors that are unproductive. The enemy may even try to convince you of things that are not true. Have you ever caught the eye of someone that you may not have a good relationship with only to see them and another person looking at you? Did the enemy try to convince you that they were talking about you? Maybe they were and maybe they weren’t. He will use anything to distract you.

When we are distracted we lose focus, when we lose focus we get off track, when we get off track the enemy has us right where he wants us. We’ve taken our eyes off of Jesus as Peter did and we allow what’s going on around us to cause us to sink, to move us away from our goal.

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select Don’t be Defeated by Unforgiveness.

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Act Like It's So!

I believe that everything that occurs in our life is part of who God created us to be, the good, the bad, the ugly. The things that only God knows, as well as the things others know but you wish they didn’t. The journey is what gets you there. It’s part of your story and your testimony to encourage others. Besides, who can tell your story better than you?

We have all said and done things we wish we hadn’t said or done. We all have things we would change if we could, but if we changed those things how would God use them to testify of his grace, mercy and glory? I’m sure some of you may be thinking, well my story has so many things in it that I could have done without I’d gladly pass them along to someone else. Unfortunately that’s not the way God planned it. He is able to use every encounter to encourage someone else and prayerfully to prevent them from making some of the same mistakes, or as I prefer to call them opportunities for growth that you have experienced.

Each of us are walking in our own journey. Some of us may have progressed to points that have us closer to our destiny than others, but remember wherever you are you are still growing. I don’t believe any of us will reach the end of our journey until we meet our Lord and Savior, which is when a new journey begins.

But today we are talking about the journey, plan, vision and destiny God has for us on earth.

We have talked about different things that we encounter along our journey that may slow us down. We’ve also talked about how quitting is not an option.

Well here’s something I’d like you to think about. I’d also like for you to make a few notes and if you feel comfortable post your thoughts on the Sisters Steadfast in Faith Facebook page.

As I’ve mentioned our journey is part of our destiny. The last milestone that you reached is just as important as the next one. Now here’s my question. What things would you be doing differently if you were at the next milestone, or further into your journey than where you are currently?

For example, let’s say you have a product that you have created and you are sharing it on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. You believe God’s plan is for you to employ others to sell your product. Have you done research to find out what is required to have someone else sell your product? Is there someone you have sold your product to that continuously purchases, rants and raves about your products and provides you with referrals?

Maybe God wants you to share you testimony on a major platform to encourage others. Are you only sharing your testimony with Christians rather than with the people in the world that need to know Jesus?

Are you taking advantage of each opportunity He presents to you? Are you taking his talents and multiplying them, or have you buried them, afraid someone will steal them, or take advantage of you?

If you were at the next milestone or even further in your journey, what would it look like? How would your behavior change? Would you have more faith because you are further along? If your answer to this question is yes, then shame on you. Let me remind you of Hebrews 11:1 now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Regardless of where you are in your journey your faith should be the same.

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select Act Like it’s So!

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

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Don't Lose Focus

I pray that any of you that were contemplating throwing in the towel, or quitting are back on track. As you move forward I must remind you to stay focused. Keep your mind on what God says and not what the enemy tries to plant in your mind. Keep pressing forward.

For as we read in Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

How do you plan your day, week, month, and year. What are your short and long term goals? That’s a lot to think about, so let’s back up and take it one plan at a time.

What were your plans for today? Were you able to accomplish them? If not, why not? What distracted you, or interrupted your plan? Were you able to overcome the distraction or interruption and get back on course or will you have to use time allocated for another task to get back on track.

Things don’t always go the way we plan. Sometimes it’s a good thing, and sometimes it may not be a good thing. What’s important is that you don’t allow distractions to side track you, or prevent you from moving towards your goal.

We’ve talked previously about how fear of success can be just as crippling as fear of failure. When you see the doors you’ve knocked on being opened, when you receive what you have asked for, when you find what you have been seeking, don’t become afraid of the success God is bringing your way. Not only is this what you have been diligently praying for it is also your destiny.

Many times when we are getting close to a victorious moment the enemy will cause us to start doubting. He will send those fiery darts towards your mind. The ones that say, this can’t be real, I’m not good enough, they must have made a mistake. He may even try to convince you that the thing you have tried so hard to achieve, along with your efforts to achieve them are worthless. He wants to convince you that you will not succeed.

Matthew 14: 22-32 and straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.  But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.  And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

I want us to take a look at a few things here. First, there were several disciples on the boat. Why was Peter the only one that asked the Lord to bid him, or enable him to come to him on the water? Why did Peter want to walk on the water in the first place? Why didn’t he just allow Jesus to come and join them on the ship?

My thought is that Peter had faith, He believed that it was Jesus walking on the water. He also believed that because it was Jesus he could command him, or enable him to walk on the water. When Jesus said come, Peter didn’t hesitate. He went down out of the ship and began walking toward Jesus. Peter wasn’t walking towards the shore, or walking around the boat just to see if he was in fact able to walk on water. He had a goal in mind. He was walking towards Jesus.

Are you like the rest of the disciples in the boat, or are you like Peter? Are you bold enough in your faith to say, if it is you bid me to come? Lord, if this is your plan for my life enable me to walk in it. Equip me with the faith that I need to walk towards my destiny, to reach my goal.

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select Don’t Lose Focus

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

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We will not have a call Thursday February 25, 2016, join us again Thursday March 3, 2016.