Choosing Right - This is a 7 part series - Part 2

As human beings, disobedience is something that comes natural to us. When we were children, no one had to teach us how to break the rules. Something inside of us tells us to go when someone tells us to stop. 

Today we begin to take a holistic look at disobedience. There is a desire in all of us to rebel when people in authority tell us what to do. God’s Word tells us that those that truly know Christ do what He says to do. It also says that those who continually disobey Him are not truly followers. 

So we must discover how to overcome the side of us that wants to go against the guidelines that have been given to us. Our lives are filled with opportunities to make right and wrong decisions. When we choose to be disobedient, we are making a decision that goes much deeper than we could ever realize. 

Today’s Challenge: Make sure you focus less on what you cannot do and more on who God is. We all have sinned. We all have a sinful nature. The truth is sin and disobedience can seem natural, so the more you focus on what you can’t do, the harder it can become to do the right thing. The example used is, “Don’t think about a pink elephant.” What came to your mind? More than likely, you pictured a pink elephant. 

Today, chase after God. Read more, discuss more, and fill your thoughts with Him. The more you do, the more natural obedience will become. 

Leadership Thought: “Obedience is an act of faith; disobedience is the result of unbelief.” - Edwin Louis Cole

You are Bound No More. 

I Want To Be Authentic But How? This is a 7 part series - Part 1

What Is Real?

The Christian life that is real will display several “essential features” giving evidence of a changed person. These features are very clear in I John, where we see several “tests” that compare our lives to that of Jesus Christ… the “original”.

So what does it mean to live the authentic Christian life? Many try to make it a very complicated issue, but God’s Word makes it very clear. It does this by giving us a model for our lives. Jesus Christ was clearly an original.

Think about the immense influence He had during the short time He walked on this earth. He is the model for all believers to follow. We can know who Christians are by how closely they resemble the “original”. John had a deeper understanding of the original because he had seen, heard, and touched Christ. Through this life-changing encounter, he was compelled to live in a way that reflected the mission of Jesus!

Today’s Challenge: Think about just one feature of Christ you wish you had (His patience, His joy, etc.). Hone in on that one attribute over the next few days. Pray that God will reveal to you specific adjustments that can help you display more of this characteristic.

Doing this successfully will ultimately display more of who Christ is. You will impact and inspire more people than you could ever imagine. The kicker is people will sense the difference without you saying or telling them since it is becoming a natural part of your life.

Leadership Thought: “People don’t always remember what you say or even what you do, but they always remember how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

What shift will you make this week to help others see Christ in your life?

The Bleeding Woman

I was reading my daily devotional and thought I would share this with you. It blessed me and I pray that you also find a blessing in it. It is my desire that you are encouraged that your situation is not impossible for God. 

The woman with the issue of blood can be found in Mark 5:25-34. It is also in Matthew and Luke, however for this lesson they choose the Mark account of the story.

Looks can be deceiving. It’s easy to live a life that appears perfect but lacks a desperate need for Jesus. We can know the Bible, have godly spouses and be involved in church, but sometimes it takes significant pain to force us to fall at the Lord’s feet. God is merciful enough to let us experience that pain so we can better understand His grace. Sometimes we best see God’s mercy through pain. 

In Mark 5, Jesus encountered a woman who was driven to Him by her own weakness. For years she had lived with the same problem. She was ostracized by the society in which she lived. She was not considered fit for marriage, and would not have been welcomed by the “church people” of her day. Though it was likely difficult for her to recognize, all of this was God’s way of drawing the woman to Jesus. 

Jesus changed this woman’s life on the spot. At some point, many of us have believed the lie that we need to clean up before coming to the Lord. We have lived in fear that God wouldn’t be able to handle the mess we have made and that we would be left to begin the cleanup process alone. What God asks of us is to seek His help and the help of His people. God welcomes our mess, and often His voice is the clearest when our lives are the messiest. 

1) What messes are you dealing with today? 
2) What could God be trying to teach you through your pain? 
3) Are you willing to seek the help of other Christians in this area? Why or why not?

Update For Bound No More Series

Bound No More Series has been postponed. Initially we were going to start June 28th. However due to the content of the material and information we will cover, I wanted to make sure we have time to promote it well. If you know anyone that is struggling with abuse of any nature, Please connect then to me. This series is going to be powerful and if this weekend was any indication of what will occur OH my my my... Its going to be liberating and full of God's demonstration of his power over the enemy (The Devil) and his love for each person there.

Now let me say this...

It is my hope that as God directs us to be more compassionate towards his broken hearted children that he will give us strategies that will not only allow us to be more effective in the healing and deliverance ministry that this series will become but that God will teach us how to better serve one another through love. 

It is said hurt people, hurt people. I am a living witness of this and I understand how devastating that can be. It is my prayer that if you feel a desire to be apart of this ministry, that you will contact me. We need volunteers in every area of service. We want to have a very present online and in person ministry. That means, I can not do it all alone. 

There is a balm in Stockton, CA and it is spreading across the nation and even the world.

You are Bound No More!

Pastor Linda Hillman 

(c) 2014 Living Above Hurt Ministries 

(209) 565-4055 

Pastorlindahillman@hotmail.com