Do We Run After "BIG NAMES" and Avoid the "NO NAMES"?

Now let me say this, this is not a blog to trample on the feet of men and women I admire. NO this is to ask you a few questions.

A friend of mine had a conference a few years ago and we were talking about how slow her registration had been. Even her friends who said they would register to support and live in the same city had not done so. When she asked why, One response was: "Well I just found out "Big Name" Preacher is doing something that same weekend so I am going to that instead. I'm praying for your event though. Girl, I know God is going to do a great thing at your event." WOW for real, that is like a slap in the face. Lord, help your people today!

It is my belief that she meant every word. But let's look at what this message is really saying. First, we as Christians have become just as star-studded as the world. We hear Prophet, Evangelist, Bishop, Apostle or Pastor "big name" is going to be somewhere and we will almost sell our children into slavery to get there. While our Pastor, at the church we attend, can't get us to come to a prayer meeting. We will hop from state to state or city to city to see "Big Name" singer but our church musical struggles to have 100 people in attendance. Now I am not saying this because I have not done it myself, but that will not stop me from speaking the truth and shaming the Devil. I will repent along with you.

Second, her statement shows that she does not uphold her word. She gave her word she would support and then she chose not to keep her word in spite of circumstances. My Bible tells me that all liars will have their part in the lake of fire. (Rev 21:8). Harsh, maybe but it's the truth. If we give our word that we are going to do something we should keep that word. If we look at how God views His own Word, that would give us an understanding on how we should handle our words. The Bible says: 

I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame. (Psalms 138:2)

It seems to me that we need to watch what we say and only say what we truly mean. Now I am not saying a person can't change their mind, however, it struck me that this dear Sister was not going to tell her "friend" that she was not going to come to her event. If she had not called her she would have been expecting her to show up. I mean after all she had said she would. Things do come up and plans must change, but call up the person you told you would do something and let them know. Treat them the way you want to be treated. 

I know the hard work behind setting up a conference and trying to follow God's direction for the conference and then you have to worry if anyone will come to hear the word of the Lord...Now it's a shame that many times the life-changing word that I have received did not come from the "Big Name" preacher,  I ran to see, but the "No Name" preacher in the little church on the left-hand side of the street in the neighborhood no one wants to witness in. Not always but it is the case many times. I have been in a service where a "big name" was scheduled but for some reason they did not preach or was delayed at the airport, etc... and the replacement preacher, if you will, preached a Rhema word for me that changed my situation. On the other hand, I have listened to a "BIG name" preacher and shouted but left in the same bondage I had come in. The reverse is also true. But let me make my point, please!

Which makes me think, are we putting too much in a name?

Lastly, If God has called someone to preach His word and he esteems His word according to Psalms 138:2 as He does...Why would we think that the Word that comes from the "No name" preacher is any less than the Word that comes from the "big name" preacher. Let me ask you something...When was the last time you heard a sermon that you can still talk about today. Not who preached the Word but what the Word actually was. I have heard many sermons from "BIG name" preachers and to save my life I can remember one point. Then there are some that I can remember and probably even re-preach if I had to. I kid you not, I have more sermons that I remember from Bishop Rufus K. Turner, (My Bishop). I know someone might be saying WHO, but that's my point, He has spoken into my life more and I remember more of what he said than I can remember from Prophetess Bynum, Paula White, Bishop Jakes, Pastor Jamal Bryant or Joyce Meyers, just to name a few. These are anointed men and women of God, however, they are messengers just like I am a messenger of the Gospel.

Let me say this again, this is not to make you stop going to hear "BIG Name" preachers, but it is to bring your attention your motives. Remember, this friend said, "Girl, I know God is going to do a great thing at your event." My thought is this, what if the deliverance you need is at the small "no name" conference, but you are at the "big name" conference with others who are just as star-studded as you are. The Spirit moves and stirs you but doesn't change you... However, the other conference, the Spirit of the Lord is there changing lives, breaking bondage and putting the Devil on the run... there is power and manifestation, not emotional feel good stuff. Now this can happen at any conference (the emotional feel good stuff, that is) but I think we need to check our motives. 

It might be that God wants us to go to the "BIG NAME" conference but did you even inquire of the Lord. I think when God has anointed a person to plan a conference and they are being led to have certain speakers, it because God has something special He wants to do in that assembly of folks... We must be mindful where the Lord wants us to go and what He's trying to do in our lives.

Go where the Lord leads you but do not forsake the "no name" conference because you are thinking "who is that? I have never heard of him/her" or "who else is going to be there?" Remember God can use anyone or anything to bless you. He is the one who knows what you need. Inquire of Him and if He tells you to go... GO... whether "BIG NAME" or "NO NAME!" You may just receive the Word you are looking for because you were obedient.

Now as I close, let me say this too. We preachers whether BIG NAME or NO NAME need to stop prostituting the Word of the Lord. Going to the highest paying church and putting on a show. If you have a Word to deliver, deliver the Word and let God deal with the other. I am one who believes that a preacher SHOULD be paid for bringing a life-changing Word. Especially those in full-time ministry, however, stop this madness of I can't preach for less than $$$$.$$ (Fill in the blank) amount of dollars. 

The Gospel was given freely to you so freely give and let God touch the hearts and minds of the people. I know many churches will not pay or pay very little but the word says my God shall supply all your needs according to HIS riches not the saints. Churches need to pay or allow you to take up a love offering but stop demanding credit card numbers, large deposits and large sums of money for something that came to you freely. Now this is not to say that you can't have a set amount...but remember this is the Gospel and not some cheap speech! Okay, I have said it all.

BTW - for those who are wondering, yes I am in full-time ministry and yes I have a suggested honorarium that I charge to preach, however, I also listen for the voice of the Lord and will make the adjustments he tells me to make. No, I don't consider myself a "BIG name" preacher but I do know if I show up to preach, there is a Life-changing, bondage breaking, set the Devil on the run - WORD from the Lord for the house.

You are Bound No More. 

Pastor Linda Hillman 

(c) 2015 LAH Ministries International 

Booklindahillman@gmail.com 

Get Your Copy Now 

Will You Be Made Whole

In The Meantime

Why So Much Suffering? Does any one really Care?

Nearly 450 million people suffer from mental or behavioral disorders. Nearly 1 million of those who suffer from such disorders attempt suicide every year and of those 40,000 are successful on their first attempt. Here's another staggering thought, the greatest number of deaths of the 40,000 that are successful, are among men. Surprised?

Let me ask this, how many of the individuals that attempted suicide reached out for help? How many asked the silent question, "Would you care if I killed myself?" How many sat in our churches, on our jobs, in the doctor's office or walked by us as we lived our lives. How many did we dismiss as "Oh that's just ________, they will be alright." Did we let them know that they were loved, respected and needed? Did we take the time to notice their pain? How many ended their lives and there was a solution to their pain but it was never offered to them? 

Are you one of those that will consider suicide this year. Are you one that will attempt to end your pain with such a final solution? Suicide is a real option for some and the only option for others. So it's time we stop acting like this is something that will go away and help the hurting heal. 

Living Above Hurt Ministries is looking for men and women who understand and want to help those who are hurting. Not just those hurting in the world but those that are feeling as thought there is no place for them to go and they are already in the Body of Christ. They sit in our churches hurting from past failures, hurts, habits and hangups, they have been abused, misused and mistreated. They have lost hope.

We want those that are hurting in the Body of Christ to know there is a way out of the pain. You can rise above the pain and live again. We do care about your pain, anguish and frustration. You voice does count.

Join me in ministry or join me in being healed. I once suffered from thoughts of suicide and even planned it out but God. Now I am ready to talk to those that need to and want to live about the hurt. this ministry is not for the faint in heart but it is for those that care about the pain of others and have survived their own hell. 

Don't let another wounded soldier die...not on our watch.

You are Bound No More. 

Pastor Linda Hillman 

You are Valuable!

We are all God's children. Brothers and sisters in many sizes and colors. We are His prize possession. So the greatest lesson we can learn from our Father is simply, as He hung dying on the cross he utter the words..."Father Forgive them for they KNOW not what they do."

Let me try to explain myself and tie this all together. If we have been hurt, betrayed, scorned or what have you by someone in our lives then we have to work on forgiveness. Forgiveness does not let the person off the hook but it does open the door for you to grow to levels otherwise unknown.

The fact of the matter is that if we could remember that we are all God's children then we may not be so quick to hurt one another. There are no big I's or little u's. No race or weight differences. No social or economic differences. No educational or geographic differences. We are all the same. Just like I would not dream of hurting or devastating my biological sisters or brothers, and when I do I am quick to repent and seek forgiveness and visa versa.... thus is how we should be toward our spiritual brothers and sisters. When they believe in your God or not. Whether they call your God....God or not.

So what if that brother that raped you, or that sister that slandered your name, that brother that abandoned you or that sister that betrayed you understood that they were hurting their family.... would they have done it. What if the world understood the significance of the bond that connects us. Would they we able to hate me because of the color of my skin or the size of my body or the texture of my hair. If they knew hating me meant they hated themselves because we are the same would they do it?

So I end this thought with this simple song from Sunday School.... Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow, brown, black and white, they are precious in His sight. JESUS loves all the children of the world. 

You are Bound No More. 

Pastor Linda Hillman 

(c) 2015 Living Above Hurt Ministries 

Why Be Made Whole?

Many people are walking around with emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, and financial baggage. They carry it from place to place - relationship to relationship. Most importantly they make decisions based on their past hurts and hangups. The one thing that I know to be true is that you don't have to be that way. You choose to be that way. Yes, I said it YOU choose to walk around and play the blame game.

Just think about the last time you had a real good laugh? A good meaningful conversation where it did not turn into an emotional blame game? Can you think back that far? If you answered: No, I can't remember the last time a really laughed or sat down and had a good conversation without blaming others for my current circumstances... then I am here to help you. Just consider me your own private coach for healing.

For many years, I thought that being "me" was being rude, resentful, evil, a gossip and saying what was on my mind no matter who it hurt. I thought I was keeping it real. As the young people say, "I was keeping it '100'". however, I was living a lie and truth be told I was miserable. I blamed everyone for what I did not have and what I thought I could not get. I was my worst enemy. In my book, "Will You Be Made WHOLE" I share a formula that helped me to see that I could be and do anything I wanted to do but I had to be healed of the things life had dealt to me. I had to release on the things that were not meant to be in my life. I had to realized that there was a different me YELLING on the inside of me... Hey sister, let me out. I'm suffocating in here and I can make things so much better.

If you are tired of living in the pits of hell that you call a life. Then let me help you. I promise, you can blame me for the satisfyingly delicious life you will experience.

You are Bound No More. 

Pastor Linda Hillman 

(c) 2015 Living Above Hurt Ministries 

Loss of Identity - Redefining Yourself through Faith

Having a relationship with Christ is not a religion, it is a lifestyle and identity. You live it, breath it, wear it and eat it day in and day out. It is the very reason we are called Christians.

A Christian is to be Christ-like. It means to have the mind of Christ in you, causing you to live with a higher awareness of love and faith. You operate not as the "normal" would have you respond but as the Spirit would lead you.

The unfortunate things is many of us of us have been indoctrinated into a religion. This indoctrination began at birth or conversion, and continues throughout your whole life. Religious beliefs and doctrines get internalized and adapted into your own identity, often to the point of suppressing your real authentic self in favor of the "group-think identity" of religion. For many who thirst for a more meaningful experience, they must lose fundamental parts of their identity. This can cause an identity crisis of sorts which can be quite painful at times, yet freeing and euphoric in the end.

Because doctrines are internalized to such a great extent, the persecution complex arises quickly and naturally to any information that is critical or challenging to those beliefs or teachings. New information isn't seen as just critical or challenging to the Dogma of religion, but as a personal attack in many instances. This is why you see many fighting over the letter of the law and hating what does not look, believe or think as they do. Once a person decides to stand for authentic relationship with Christ it can prove quite difficult to be embraced by those that still uses the defense mechanisms of legalism. However, it can also leave those of us who do cleave to Christ in relationship to feel a sense of loss with a church shaped hole in our heart and feeling like we don't know who we are anymore. After all, some of the greatest life-questions of philosophers were given to us with surety through great men and women of the cloth. We knew who we were because they told us, where we came from and where we were going after this life, if we followed their path. As long as we dont let the touchy-feely, sloppy agape come near us.
One of the more painful experiences we may have in leaving legalism is losing the identity we so deeply internalized and invested in. For many of us, there is a mourning process that we go through to weep over the loss of our beloved companion, "the church", and all that it fulfilled in us, or that we believe fulfilled in us. It is okay to mourn this loss. Not everyone goes through this though and that is okay too. Mourning can help release some of the religious or church programming and identity though, making room for God's truth to shine through. His truth that church is not a building we attend but who we are and we all are not a islands based on our beliefs but the body of Christ jointly fit together. We are all one!

You see the internalizing of beliefs into our core identity is what gave legalism (Religion) so much power over our thoughts and minds, and also the potential to hurt us on our way out through the loss of identity. Despite all of this potential for hurt and mourning from the loss of identity, you now have an opportunity that many go their entire lives without ever experiencing, and that is being able to consciously define your new identity. This can be a freeing and empowering experience. It can also set you up for further hurt if not done cautiously. When it comes down to the words and phrases by which we identify ourselves, the more emotionally invested we are in those definitions, the more potential and power we simultaneously give them to hurt us if or when that identity dissolves. Any identity-definition can be internalized and believed in so heavily that should it fail, causes us great pain, suffering and further identity crisis. The key to preventing any further identity crisis is to limit how emotionally invested you become towards any one identity-definition you may have for yourself, or that you adopted from outer sources. 

With all that said, the only source that we should look to for a definition of who we are is the one who created us. He thus, created us for relationship with him. To be loved by him and to love him. To allow our faith to accomplish what the world says is impossible. Not be our own strength but the strength that comes from Him. So let go of the religious beliefs that limit the God you serve and you from becoming a new creature in Christ.

Embrace the fact that transformation, requires you to lose your old ways and take on new ways. To think differently and understand your purposes as it pertains to the whole. Strive to be in relationship with Christ. Thus your identity will be made clear and your faith pure!

You are Bound No More!

Pastor Linda Hillman

(c) 2015 Living Above Hurt Ministries

Pastorlindahillman@hotmail.com

Residue

Residue, what is residue?

First let's look at how the dictionary defines it. Residue is a small amount of something that remains after the main part has gone or been taken or used. So what got me thinking about residue is the PAM cooking spray commercial. You know the one with the ghost of food past. He basically describes himself as the definition found in the dictionary but with a twist. He says that you combines with the new food being cooked. So the residue from the old is now affecting the new.  Yes, someone just got that.

So what does it mean to us in our journey to be free and delivered from our past.. We have to apply the word of god to use and be washed thoroughly. no residue can remain. if it does we will be tainted from the past in every new situation, choice, and relationship. 

Have you ever asked yourself after an argument or an outburst: "Why did I do that or why did i say that?" or maybe it was "where did that come from?" or "I thought I was over that." these statements alone gives us a clue that residue is there. the Bible says:

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

This weekend I learned from Evangelist Rein Johnson that to be IN Christ means to be encompassed (See clip below). In order for us to remove all residue we have to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. we have to allow the Word of God to change how we think. We have to forget the former things as Isaiah 43:18 says and move on the the newness that comes from being transformed. We have to press into the things of God and not allow what happened to us to hinder us. It's not pretending that it did not happened but it is sitting with a journal and allowing the truth of your situation and past to teach you the lessons you could not learn at the time.

It's freeing yourself, let liberty and redemption happen. It's forgiving yourself for thinking you could have done something different. For thinking you could have made a different choice or said something differently. It's understanding that you are who you are because of what you have gone through and that does not make you a bad person or less than. It's not getting over stuff and pretending it did not happen but it is understand that you went through it. In going through it you must let the word wash over over and cleanse you so when you step out one the other side you are a new creature.

Let me end with this. Getting rid of residue is a simple process. Let's take a look at a butterfly and the transformation that occurs when it is ready to covert from a caterpillar. 

First, the caterpillar digests itself, releasing enzymes to dissolve all of its tissues. If you were to cut open a cocoon or chrysalis at just the right time, caterpillar soup would ooze out. But the contents of the pupa are not entirely an amorphous mess. Certain highly organized groups of cells known as imaginal discs survive the digestive process. Before hatching, when a caterpillar is still developing inside its egg, it grows an imaginal disc for each of the adult body parts it will need as a mature butterfly —discs for its eyes, for its wings, its legs and so on. 
Once a caterpillar has disintegrated all of its tissues except for the imaginal discs, those discs use the protein-rich soup all around them to fuel the rapid cell division required to form the wings, antennae, legs, eyes, genitals and all the other features of an adult butterfly. 

This process is a natural look at what takes place supernaturally in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Everything that God needs for us to be whole and complete is already in us but we need to get wrapped in our cocoon called Christ and let him completely transform us to be NEW. He will then make sure that all residue is done away with. That you will become exactly what he intended you to be and all old ways are destroyed and done away with. No more Residue!

You are Bound No More.


Pastor Linda Hillman 
(c) 2014 Living Above Hurt Ministries
Pastorlindahillman@hotmail.com

A Tribute to Dr. Myles Munroe

Dr Myles Munroe was a man that I admired and desired to meet one day. Gone to soon is what I can say about him. Not only did he change how I viewed purpose and prayer. He helped me to define how prayer would play out in my ministry and life.

“People generally fall into one of three groups: the few who make things happen, the many who watch things happen, and the overwhelming majority who have no notion of what happens. Every person is either a creator of fact or a creature of circumstance. He either puts color into his environment, or, like a chameleon, takes color from his environment.” ― Myles Munroe, Understanding Your Potential

“When purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable” ― Myles Munroe, Understanding the Purpose and Power of Woman

“You must decide if you are going to rob the world or bless it with the rich, valuable, potent, untapped resources locked away within you.” ― Myles Munroe, Understanding Your Potential 

These are just a few of his quotes that spoke to me and helped me to want to be a better woman, minister and overall person. there are not many times that we can be touched emotionally, spiritually and intellectually by someone we have never met but when it occurs, it is something special. Dr. Munroe did many things intentionally, one of which was to build up the people of god and make leaders become more accountable for our actions and lives.

I want to say he challenged us all to be more like Christ and to under the unity of the Body. He was an unselfish leader that taught the masses to be cherish the gift on the inside of them but to understand the bigger picture and share their gifts with the world as it pertained to their purpose.

I pray that in the time that I have had to gleam from this man of God through his sermons, teachings, books and articles of interviews that I will be able to pass on to the next generation a legacy as rich as the one he passed on to me.

I'll see you on the other side Dr. Munroe! We will meet in Heaven and I will tell you how your life inspired my own! RIP til we meet.

Know for Sure - This is a 7 Part Series - Part 3

What do we know is certain? We all have a deep desire for certainty. People search in different areas of life just to find out something for sure. As you look at God’s design for our lives, true certainty comes from only one thing. In Hebrews 11:1, the Bible defines faith as being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Isn’t it amazing that the one thing God told us we can be certain of, an eternal life through Christ, is something we can’t physically hear, see, or touch?

What we do have is a promise in His Word. Authentic believers live this life certain of one thing: we can overcome this world through Christ believing that our eternity comes from knowing Him.

Today’s Challenge: Today you can declare to devote your life to the truth. Though we cannot truly predict what the next hour will bring, we know the One who holds the future. His name is Jesus Christ. The more we trust that, the more it will be evident in everything we do. When it's true in our hearts, our actions can't help but to begin to follow. Jesus tells us the greatest commandments are to love God and to love others (Matthew 12:29-31). From this day forward, declare to live your life with these commandments at the top of the list as you become the authentic follower of Christ.

Leadership Thought: “Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

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?