God Is Greater

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 5:30 I 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.

DO YOU KNOW THAT GOD HEARS YOU?

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.

I’m Okay

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 

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Carefree Living

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

Who’s Looking Out For You?

Sometimes we are so busy being busy we don’t take time for ourselves. You may have time allocated for work, shopping, spending time with family and friends. You may even have time allocated for exercise and a spa day. But with all of these scheduled activities are you really taking time out for yourself?

If you are a caregiver or a giver that cares you often put others before yourself. In Philippians 2:3 we are admonished to esteem others higher than ourselves, but we also read in Proverbs 11:1 a false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight. Anything that we do disproportionately is a false balance even when it comes to caring for others.

It’s unfortunate, but many times when caring for others we neglect ourselves. We put the welfare of others before our own welfare, but what we must take into consideration is what if we were not there to care for this person or these people? Who would care for them? It’s important to take care of yourself while caring for others. Not only must you consider who will take care of those you are caring for but you must also consider who will take care of you if you are in a situation that requires care.

A false balance can occur when you overextend yourself in any area of your life. Are you devoting too many hours to work? Are you devoting too many hours to play? Are you devoting too many hours to sleeping? Are you spending too many hours on habits that are counterproductive?

Take a close look at how you allocate your time. How much time do you spend in prayer or just sitting quietly? Are you too busy to listen to what God is saying? Many times when we say we can’t hear God it’s because we are not listening. We are too busy being busy. You may be thinking well if I don’t do this it won’t get done. Perhaps it won’t, but just remember all you can do is what you can do and you can’t do everything by yourself. Solicit help. Don’t ever think you are alone. Share what you are going through. Sometimes all you need is a listening ear or encouraging word to motivate you or strengthen you. There may be other times however when you require assistance. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Requesting help does not mean you are unable to complete a task. To the contrary, it means you are smart enough to realize when assistance is required.

Take time for yourself, set realistic goals, don’t place undue pressure on yourself. Remind yourself daily I can of mine own self do nothing, (John5:30; Philippians 4:13) but I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Cast all of your cares and rest in God. Casting your cares does not mean you are not concerned. It means you know your limits and you are leaving things in the hands of the only One that can handle them. You will be amazed at the amount of peace you will have when your trust is in God instead of in yourself.

Who’s looking out for you? God is looking out for you. Allow Him to do His job!

 

Take God’s Word Literally

How often do you read the word of God and say that you believe it, then do something that clearly indicates you do not believe it? I think one of the biggest areas that our behavior does not represent our belief in God’s word is in the area of casting our cares, worrying about things over which we have not control. We are told to cast our cares because He cares for us. He says come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

 

I think sometimes we may think that's it is actually easier to worry than to trust in God. Think about it. You don't have to give a second thought to worrying. It comes naturally, but it requires effort to actually trust God and believe He has everything under control. Your effort is mental, and occurs in the same mind that you are using to worry.

 

Unfortunately I have been known to worry on an occasion, or two, or three even though I try not to worry. Recently I was faced with a situation that would usually cause me to worry, but God worked things out so what I thought I was going to worry about became a moot point. All I could say was He really does love me. The God that gave the life of his only Son loves me so much that He does not want me to worry. That's incredible, but then He is incredible!

 

Talk about the peace that passeth all understanding. When you truly understand that God is in control, that He loves you and that He does not want you to worry you will have that peace that passeth all understanding. Have you ever been concerned about something then felt relieved when what you thought might happen didn't happen, or have you ever said to yourself that wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be and felt relief? Well just imagine having that feeling of relief at all times.

 

Some of you may not even allow yourself to feel the peace that comes with knowing that God is in control and will never allow more that you can bear. You may feel as though you have to help God. God doesn't need your help and quite frankly I don't know of anything that we can do to help God. As a matter of fact what we think of as helping may oftentimes become a hindrance and prevent or delay God moving on our behalf or on behalf of those we are trying to help. The next time your mind prepares to worry allow God to take control.

Many times our worry comes with family matters or with our relationships with others that we love.  You've probably heard the phrase you always hurt the one you love. The other side of that is those that are closest to us are the only ones that can hurt us. If you are not in a close relationship with a person chances are what they say or do will not cause you to worry and will not cause pain. This is not to say that you are not concerned about that person’s welfare but they cannot evoke the same emotions in you that a person that you love can evoke.

 

By the same token someone that is close to you can cause your feelings to be hurt as well as cause you to worry when things are not the way you want them to be. Notice the use of the words “things are not the way you want them to be”. We all want the best for those that we love, however our choice of how we want that to happen may not be the same as what occurs. We do not know and cannot guess how God is going to work things out for those that we love but we can be assured that He will. What we must learn to do is to trust God and rest in His assurance.

 

We read in Matthew 6:27 which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? When was the last time your worry caused a situation to change? Worrying cannot change anything other than your own health. It can cause an increase in blood pressure, headache, as well as a lower immune system. Stop worrying and start believing. Believe that God will do what He said He will do. Believe God will keep you in perfect peace if you keep your mind on Him. Believe that great shall be the peace of your children. Believe that God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Just as Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue after being told his daughter is dead be not afraid, only believe.

 

Trust in God

A few years ago I had knee surgery for a torn ACL and meniscus, injuries usually associated with athletes. I however injured my knee while bowling, certainly not what I would ever have expected.  My rehabilitation included four weeks without putting any weight on my knee. Although I had crutches I actually found the easiest way to get around my home was in my wheeled office chair. My chair enabled me to move from room to room with the ability to carry things which I could not do while using crutches.

After four weeks of not bearing any weight on my knee which also meant not placing weight on my foot, I was able to place a small amount of weight on my knee. During this entire time I was undergoing physical therapy to work on range of motion and strengthening exercises.

When I was finally able to bear the entire weight of my body on my knee I was afraid. The doctor said I no longer needed the crutches and for me to walk without them. After not bearing any weight and gradually adding weight I did not feel comfortable without the crutches that I had become accustomed to using. I actually thought if I put my weight on my knee I would fall.

After a few minutes I stood without the crutches and walked without any problems. It felt strange, like I was learning to walk for the first time. Initially I was apprehensive but quickly became confident in my ability to stand and walk.

Sometimes we have the same experience with our faith. We stand strong in our faith until it’s tested. Before my knee was injured I walked, ran, jumped and bowled never giving any thought to how my body weight was being supported. After I was injured I was afraid to trust in what I previously had never given a second thought.

How has your faith been tested? How have you responded to the test? God allows certain things to occur in our lives to increase our trust in Him. He wants us to be in a position where we trust in Him before we think. The fiery darts however that the enemy uses to attack our mind are used to place doubt in Gods ability to do what He says He will do. The enemy wants us to think first, wonder if God can or will do what He has already promised He will do, try and figure out how He is going to do what He says He will do, then be on guard, watching and waiting for the manifestation of what we believe should happen. If we do not see the results we expect then the enemy tries to convince us that God is not with us, which is completely contrary to His word.

We read in Matthew 28:20 …and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Hebrews 13:5 reads… for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. And finally Isaiah 55:11 reads 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.

My mother had knee replacement surgery. During her rehabilitation she used a cane. She became dependent upon the cane and against her doctor’s advice continued to use her cane and never walked without it.

I could have been so afraid to put weight on my knee that I altered the way I walked placing more weight on the knee that did not have surgery but I didn’t. I chose to balance my weight on both knees.

Are you trusting fully in God, or are you leaning to your own understanding, as we are advised not to do in Proverbs 3:5, depending on your own abilities as a crutch, or safety net because you don’t have complete faith in God?

Just as I chose to place my full weight on my knee I place my full trust in God, the only sure and steady foundation.