The Backup Plan

A few weeks ago we talked about acting like it’s so, acting like we are already wherever it is that God wants us to be. I asked you what you would do differently if all obstacles had been removed. I asked you how your behavior would change.

The other piece of acting like it’s so is trusting that God will do what He says He will do. In order for us to act like it’s so, we have to believe that it’s so. In order for us to believe that it’s so we have to have faith in God’s ability to do what is required for whatever it is we are believing Him for. Notice our faith and belief must be in God’s ability, not in our own ability.

On our own we can do nothing, but with God all things all things are possible.

Most of us when asked if we trust God would say yes. When we truly trust God we do not have a problem acting like it’s so because we know that it is God that is making all things possible.

For example. Let’s choose a promise taken directly from God. A promise that applies to all of his children. One that we can readily read in his word.

We read in Proverbs 2:3-6 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

For those of you who say well that’s in the Old Testament, I want you to understand that the Old Testament foretells the New Testament. Turn with me to the book of James, chapter 1, verse 5. It reads If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

We’ve just read a promise directly from the word of God that applies to all of his children. God tells us if we lack wisdom, or cry after or search for knowledge and understanding He will give it to us.

Let’s simplify this even more and look at a promise that each of us as believers readily believe and have received. We are all familiar with John 3:16 for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior I’m willing to bet that you are convinced of your salvation, and rightly so. That’s exactly what God has promised us.

I believe God’s promise of everlasting, or eternal life is His greatest promise. It’s the reason He sent His son to earth. It’s the reason for our being If we can readily accept Gods promise of eternal life why is it so difficult for us, and maybe I’m just talking about myself here, but why is it so difficult for us to accept all of Gods promises? He is Almighty God. Nothing is impossible for Him. He can and will bring all of His promises to pass.

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select The Backup Plan.

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Gods's Plan, Your Plan, or someone Else's Plan

My plan after graduating from college was to get into someone’s management training program then move up the corporate ladder. Well things didn’t quite turn out the way I planned. Rather than getting into a management training program my first job was as a bank teller and my vocation has been in the financial industry.

I think what I’ve enjoyed most about working in the financial industry is interaction with people from all walks of life. I consider myself to be a people watcher. I observe people. I wonder what people are thinking, as well as why they behave in certain ways. I wonder what motivates people to do certain things. I think this comes from my desire for everyone to be okay as well as the gift of exhortation that God has placed in me.  

Outside of my 9-5 in the financial industry I have provided financial counseling based on my vast amount of experience in the financial industry. My passion however is for souls to be saved, healed, set free and delivered so people can live the exceeding abundant life God has prepared for them on earth as well as receive His promise of eternity with Him.

Recently I was sharing with someone the scope of my responsibilities and skill set for my 9-5, hearing this the person stated he would like for me to assist him with the financial aspect of his business. I politely declined. Although I could do some of what he was asking me to do, my heart would not have been in it. Now, if he would have said to me, I’d like for you to give a motivational speech to my employees, or if I’d sensed in some way that he was discouraged, I would have been all over it. I love, love, love, what I believe God has placed in my spirit to do. Sharing His word and using it to encourage others. Exactly what I am doing right now… did I say I love what I’m doing? Okay, enough of sharing my passion.

I’ve shared with you that people that know of my financial background assume that it’s my life plan. Many times well-meaning people may make career recommendations, or encourage you to set your goals based on things that you have done or are doing, me in the financial industry, or for you, things that you do well. I believe God gives us multiple gifts. My husband picks up many things easily and naturally, but God has called him to full time ministry. Now believe me, he’s tried his hand at different things utilizing the gifts God has given him and he has been successful, but his passion, as he has finally accepted his call, is ministry.

I say this to say, there is no limit to what you can do. I believe your greatest peace comes with following Gods plan for your life. I believe as you delight yourself in the Lord, and He gives you the desire of your heart, that your desire becomes the desire that He has for you.

Parents, grandparents, family and friends, pray over and for your children, grandchildren and those whom you love. Ask God to guide them and you in the direction that He has chosen. Ask Him to give you wisdom and understanding, to nurture and encourage them in growing the gifts He has placed in them.

Don’t try to force your desires for your children on them. Don’t allow anyone to force their desires on you. Always seek God prior to making any decisions. We read in Proverbs 3:5-6 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.

We are advised when we make large purchases to get at least 3 estimates. We’re consulting someone that knows more about a certain product or service than we know. When making life decisions why wouldn’t you consult the Giver of Life before making any decision?

To listen to the message in its entirety click on the link below and select Gods Plan, Your Plan, or Someone Else’s Plan

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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.

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

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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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