Giving To The Lord

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution. And this is the contribution which you are to raise from them: gold, silver and bronze, blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, rams’ skins dyed red, porpoise skins, acacia wood, oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones and setting stones and setting stones, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. And let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:1-8).

Then Moses assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and said to them, “These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do. For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.” And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded, saying, ‘Take from among you a contribution to the LORD; whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the LORD’S contribution: gold, silver, and bronze, and blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goats’ hair, and rams’ skins dyed red, and porpoise skins, and acacia wood, and oil for lighting, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense, and onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece. And let every skillful man among you come, and make all that the LORD has commanded’” (Exodus 35:1-10).

There are many details concerning the contributions of the people in this account, but for our purposes we shall attempt to focus our attention on some of the more general characteristics of the contributions to the tabernacle. Consider the following characteristics:

(1) Israel’s contributions were voluntarily given. There is an interesting comment given to us in verse 20 of chapter 35 which reinforces the voluntary aspect of Israel’s gifts. After Moses had given God’s instructions to the people, explaining the opportunity that each had to make a contribution, he dismissed them: “Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel departed from Moses’ presence” (Exod. 35:20). It is not until later, after the people had been dismissed, that the people began to bring their offerings to the Lord.

A number of modern-day fund-raisers would never think of dismissing a congregation until after they had made a commitment to give a particular sum. They would have pressed the Israelites to make an on the spot commitment. They would have passed out pledge cards to sign, so that the enthusiasm of the moment was not lost. Moses dismissed the people, so that they had time to themselves, apart from outside pressure, to determine what they could and should contribute. This insured the fact that the gifts were indeed voluntarily donated, and not obtained under some kind of emotional or psychological duress.

(2) Israel’s gifts were willingly and joyfully given. God instructed Moses to collect an offering from “whoever is of a willing heart” (Exod. 35:5), and the text frequently informs us that this was the case (cf. 35:21, 22, 26, 29). Every indication of our text is that the people gladly gave their gifts so that the tabernacle could be built.

(3) The gifts of the Israelites were abundantly given. The excitement and enthusiasm of the Israelites is evident by the abundance of their gifts. In fact, the text informs us that the gifts exceeded the need, so that Moses was requested by the workers to command the people to stop giving (Exod. 36:2-7). This is the first time in the history of mankind that I know of that people were told to stop giving because all that was needed was given. Today, there might have been a proposal to enlarge the tabernacle, so that donations would keep coming in. How wonderful it would be, just once, to be told not to give.

(4) The giving of the Israelites was unanimous. While all were free to give or not to give, the text strongly suggests that there were few, if any, who refused to have a part in contributing toward the construction of the tabernacle (cf. 35:23-28).

(5) The giving of the Israelites was proportionate. While virtually everyone gave something for the tabernacle, each one gave in accordance with what he or she had to give.

Everyone who could make a contribution of silver and bronze brought the LORD’S contribution; and every man, who had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it. And all the skilled women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue and purple and scarlet material and in fine linen. And all the women whose heart stirred with a skill spun the goats’ hair. And the rulers brought the onyx stones and stones for setting for the ephod and for the breastpiece; and the spice and the oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. The Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work, which the LORD had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a freewill offering to the LORD (Exod. 35:24-29, emphasis mine).

Those who were wealthy gave what only the wealthy would possess—the finest stones and gems, the most precious oils and fragrances. Those who had lesser means gave what they had.

(6) The giving of the Israelites included both material goods and technical services. The building of the tabernacle required two essential elements: goods and services. That is, there must be the raw materials from which the tabernacle and its furnishings were to be constructed. This included gold, silver, precious stones, animal skins, spices and ointments, and fine cloth. Then there must be skilled workers, both men and women, who would fashion these raw materials into objects of beauty. Some of those who gave to the tabernacle gave of their goods, while many others gave of their skilled abilities, to create a place of great beauty and worth.

(7) The contributions of the Israelites were of the highest quality. The tabernacle was to be of such quality and craftsmanship that it would befit the God who was to dwell within it (cf.Exod. 25:8). Thus, the materials used in building it were the finest that were available (cf. 35:6-9). So, too, with the craftsmen who were to create the intricate and beautiful works of art within the tabernacle (35:30-35). God was given the finest men had to offer, and all of these fine things, whether goods or skills, were God-given in the first place.

Many people say that they don't like church because they are always asking for money. The point is that when God wants to do something in the midst of His people He will give them an opportunity to be blessed. 

He told Moses to only accept the offering from those who had a willing heart to give. To me, it means not everyone gave but those who did give were a blessing to the project that God ordained. To the point that Moses had to ask them to stop giving. No pulling teeth... no hostage situation. 

Just ask and let God do the rest. I also liked the fact that he asked and The Bible says those that had gave. No one was made to feel bad because they didn't have. No one was pressured and no fake (false) rewards were promised. If you are willing and able changes the framework of how we give and why.

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

Do you hear the Sound of Crying? by James May

Do You Hear the Sound of Crying?

Everywhere we turn there are voices shouting in our ears and each one has its own message to deliver. Satan loves to Shout in your ear! He is the accuser of the brethren, constantly standing before God to point a finger at the wrongs that we do. Every time we make even the slightest mistake, there he is, sitting on our shoulder, shouting in our ear with the same voice of the serpent that deceived Adam and Eve in the garden. His cry makes the heart tremble unless we are close to God enough for faith to answer Satan’s taunts. You are nothing but a hypocrite and a sinner! You’ll never measure up or be good enough. You are lost and serving God is impossible. Satan’s greatest weapons are deception and fear. By deceiving us into thinking that he is right, he creates the fear that paralyzes us so that we are unable to obey God.

We also Hear the Cries of the World!

There is so much pain and suffering in this world where we live. There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t hear of some great tragedy or suffering somewhere. The world cries out because of its pain and suffering, its heartache, the absence of real love, loneliness, hopelessness, and poverty. Men’s hearts are failing them for fear of an uncertain future. They cry out for help, for someone to show them the right answer, and for someone to care, but, no one seems to answer the grand call of humanity as they speed toward the precipice of hell.

We hear the Cry of the Lost Souls!

Where can I find the answer for my sin? Who can deliver mankind from destroying himself? Who will help us to find the right path to walk? I am convinced that even if 20% of the world were really Christians that would leave about 5 billion people on earth right now who will spend eternity in hell. If we look around our own community of approximately 67,500 people I don’t think that 2 of every 10 people you meet are saved. You would be hard pressed to find more than 2 or 3 out of 100 people who are truly born again.

We hear the Cry of the Heart of Man!

The heart of people is breaking or already broken. Men cry in the streets for more comfort and less pain. The cry around the world is for peace, but there is no peace to be found without Christ. People cry out for recognition as if to say, look at me, I count for something while the world ignores them and time marches on into eternity. The heart of man is crying out for someone to stop, to care and to help them.

We hear the Cry of the Family!

Our families are in grave danger of annihilation. Same-sex marriages and gay and lesbian families are still in the minority, but they are gaining ground every day. God help the children that are raised in such degenerate surroundings. How can the children ever have a normal life when they are raised in filth and immorality to think that this is normal.

Our families are crying out for time for one another. We live in a world that requires so much of Mom and Dad that they seldom really have time for the kids who have to fend for themselves, live on the streets and face life alone while the devil is doing his best to destroy them even as children.

The normal setting of a home where there is one mother, one father and two sets of grandparents are almost nonexistent in our society. Divorce, remarriage and unfaithfulness are the hallmarks of marriage in our day.

We hear the Cry of our Children!

First of all, there are those children who cry from their mother’s womb because they are never given the chance to experience life. The safest place in the world for a baby used to be inside of its mother but no more.

Why Are Children Aborted?

The Alan Guttmacher Institute (the research arm of Planned Parenthood) states: * 1% are victims of incest or rape * 1% had fetal abnormalities * 4% had a doctor who said their health would worsen if they continued the pregnancy * 50% said they didn’t want to be a single parent or they had problems in current relationships * 66% stated they could not afford a child *75% said the child would interfere with their lives.

While I am diametrically opposed to the murder of unborn children through abortion, I sometimes think that these babies are really the lucky ones.

Too many of our kids are what used to be called, “Latchkey Kids”. Their parents both work or are never home with them and these kids are left to their own devices for survival. They are left to roam the “hood” and fight for survival of the fittest like some wild animal.

These kids are crying out for someone to notice their condition and to really care about them. Our so called, Child Protection Agency often does more damage to destroy a child than to help. I am glad for the few they help but so much more is needed. Man’s pitiful efforts in solving the problems of sin in the family are futile at best.

Our kids are crying for safe places to play, to go to a safe school, and a safe place to grow up without fear of being hurt, kidnaped or killed.

There Are Even Cries Within The Church!

With so much deception and false teaching, the cry of the church is for Truth and not fantasy. The church should be crying more than we are, for we have the only answer but we aren’t concerned enough most of the time, to cry out to God on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our cry is for the real fire of the Holy Ghost and not just voices that come from the lips of burning embers who have very little anointing and power left in them.

Christians cry out for Truth in relationships with other Christians and not for just some superficial, uncaring program that purports to reach out to them. The church should be crying out for workers who will enter into the harvest fields to reach souls in these last days but we are crying out for personal wealth, personal gain, and have little concern for the lost souls. Yes, there are many cries that can be heard in the earth, but what cries should we be listening for? We must cry out to God for all of our problems and not to other people who cannot even help themselves.

Psalms 18:3-6, "I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears."

The church should be calling out to God for boldness and for a new vision of lost souls that we can deliver the message of the gospel of salvation to a lost and dying world. Man needs to hear the message from Romans 10:13-15, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

But this same passage also says, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?"

God is like the Marines, He is looking for a few good people who stand up and be counted and answer the cry of the world by shouting forth the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What can we say to a lost and dying world that is hurting and suffering that will bring the answer to all their troubles?

2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

In the days when Satan in screaming into the ear of even the most faithful of the people of God that they will never make it, this is what David wrote in when he faced the same finger of the devil as it pointed into his face:

Psalms 61:1-3, Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy."

The cries of the world, of families, of children, of the lost and of the church are very real. God hears those cries but unless all of us decide to obey His Word, there is little that God can do to deliver.

But, if we will only cry out to God in repentance; if we will only obey His Word; if we will only run to Him as our High Tower and our refuge, then God can answer our cry and give us the life more abundantly that His Word speaks about.

Meet Pastor Linda Hillman

Many of you have read my blogs and maybe have asked yourself... Who is this lady? Well, Let me take the time to introduce myself to some, to present myself to others and to remind yet more of you that I am just a Woman saved by grace. There is nothing special about me but my Love for the Lord and his people. Ministry is truly my life. I pray that this helps you see a part of me that will help you make it through your struggles. I am an open book so that deliverance can be administered.

So here it goes!

Well, I have had my share of ups and downs. My childhood was not perfect and I have since learned that it was not as bad as I thought it to be during my childhood. There were a few things worst than what occurred to me. I grew up in church, but that did not stop the Devil from tempting me with the "Life". At an early age, I was involved in gang violence and if it had not been for a praying mother, I would have been lost to that life. BUT God's purpose for my life was not my own. I thank God I never really got involved in the drug scene and drinking just was not in the cards for me. However, lustful desires would cause this church girl to get involved in something just as addictive as drugs and alcohol. The desire to please my flesh and that I did in every way possible. Let's just say, anything you heard about Church girls being bad, well I might have written the book on it.

At the age of 14, I was tired of running from God and my calling and went to a Catholic Church and asked God to show me what He was really like. I needed to know Him for myself. I was no longer satisfied with the stories in the Bible or the testimonies I had heard from others. I wanted to know God as my Personal Savior. Two weeks later, while visiting some friends in Loomis, CA. I was in a back-slidden state of mind and during a Sunday night worship service, with the power of God all over me, refused to praise God unless I was going to praise Him for real. I did not want to be a hypocrite. That night, I had a dream and I saw Christ clearly. His face was so close to my face that I could have touched Him and He said, "Linda, I died for you, I love you. I have called you to prophesy, preach and teach My word." Those words, as simple as they were, revealed so much to me. God knew MY name and he knew where I was. If God, who created the universe and all that we know to be real, could pay me a visit, then I would acknowledge Him. 

The next day, I completely started a new. I went back to the things I knew as a child. I started getting more involved in our Youth Department, I got on the Bible quizzing team, I studied His word and began to let the hatred and malice go. The word began to wash over me. It was more than words to memorize, it was my lifeline. I began to love the woman I was to become. I have never looked back again. I am not perfect, but I know that I am truly free, forgiven and healed of all past sins. I have learned that releasing things to God allows you to walk out your destiny in Him.

God blessed me to start a ministry called W.H.O.L.E. (Women Healed Of Life's Experience) Ministries in 2005. This ministry is for women who have experienced life in a damaging way and feel that they are broken. They feel no one can love them. It is a ministry for them to become W.H.O.L.E. again. I focused on people in the community and those not of the household of faith. I understand that believers had a balm in Gilead but the unbeliever didn't know nor did they understand God's love for them. They needed someone to show them the way.

Later in 2009, I started a subdivision of W.H.O.L.E. Ministries called Living above Hurt Ministries, this subdivision was offered only to the Body of Christ. After hearing horrific stories of people that had been hurt in the Church and spiritually, emotionally, verbally, mentally abused by other saints. I knew that W.H.O.L.E. Ministries was not the place for them and created Living Above Hurt to be a safe haven for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

My passion in life is to be pleasing only to God. Sometimes that means that those around me cannot understand why I do certain things. I am now aware, this happened to Jesus and when people talk about me, I know that I am walking in His footsteps. Right now I am not tired, I am running this race stronger than I have ever ran. I see and feel the passion when I teach, preach and prophesy God's word to the unbeliever and the saint alike.

My favorite saying is God show yourself mighty in this place. I have yet to see him fail when the request is made.


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 

Yeah I Know All That But...

In ministry, I am confronted with all kind of test and trials. Sometimes they are easy to endure but other times they tend to knock the breath out of me. In those times, it is almost as though, God is teaching me what it must have felt like in the garden for Him, when he prayed: "Not my will but Thy will be done."

I have tried to live my life as an example to those that have a relationship with Christ and to those who would consider it. I am not perfect, by a long shot, but I don't like to burn bridges so, I pray that God gives me wisdom as I learn to be what He intended me to be from the very beginning of time.

With all that said, here's some thought for you. Have you ever been in a situation, where you have been going through life and from out of nowhere a situation comes along and buckles you. The first thing you may do, or at least what I do, is say, "God , Why Me?" then you have those few friends that will come and tell you all the encouraging scriptures in the Word. You know the ones, "God knows how much you can bare," or "he will not put more on you than you can bare", then there's the old faithful..."All things work together for the good..." These are ABSOLUTELY right. Yeah, I know all that. As a human I tend to not want to suffer at all. Maybe I am the only one that feels that way but I think not.

God in His Mercy and His grace deals with me ever so patiently, Can I just be real for a moment... we all go through trials whether we are in the church or not. We all go through tough, hard and sometimes devastating times. As a youth in SF, our Youth Choir used to sing a song, "Give Them All To Jesus". In this song it stated that God never promised we only see sunshine and He never said there would be no rain but he only promised a heart full of singing at the very things that once brought pain. So what exactly does this mean to you and I. Well, I am so glad you asked that question. In life you will have things come up but know this, you have a strength within you that will help you overcome any hard trials.

So what if you don't know God in the fullness of His joy and love, get to know Him now. And those of you that are going through and Yeah you know all this but this situation is different or you just want it over with. Remember we must know Him in His Joy and in His suffering. While that may not comfort you right now, be comforted in this, That He DOES know how much we can bear and He THINKS enough of us to set us up for success.

Jeremiah 29:11 is not just a wonderful thought but it's a prophecy about your life, my life and the lives of those to come. So why not walk in His grace and mercy and let God be God because He DOES know what He is doing better than we know what we are doing. He knows us BETTER than we know ourselves and...and He knows how to take care of us.

So to those of you who said, well you did not say anything new. I already knew all that...If that statement is true THEN act like it. Stop murmuring and complaining about the situation and get to living and walking in abundance in the midst of your struggle.

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

Defining Church Hurt

There is a term that floats around in the Christian arena...it is called Church Hurt. What exactly is church hurt? well, I am glad you asked this questions because it has several answers. However, for the purpose of this ministry and blog Church hurt is defined in this manner:

Church hurt is all offenses that take place in church while doing ministry by other Christians, saints, and especially the clergy. So in other words, if you have been in church and things have happened to you or those you are concerned about that left a bitterness in your heart, maybe even caused you to leave a church to attend another, or even worst you stop going to church altogether. I asked that you know this is a safe haven for you. You can tell the story, no one will belittle you or make you feel like your feelings don't matter. However, understand this, this is a place of healing so we will help you work through the pain, anger, bitterness and unforgiving to get you to a place where you can begin to breathe again. It's our desire to get you to a place of healing and restoration.

No it does not mean that you will have to go back to the church you left but you will have to forgive them and release them and yourself from the jail that you have built. It means you will have to trust again. You will have to open yourself up again.  I know now it seems like you cant, but through the testimonies of others and my testimony I know you will see how it is possible to live in forgiveness.

So, just give this ministry a try...I know you will see that we care you and your soul and we truly want you to live in freedom.

You are Bound No More. 

Pastor Linda Hillman 

God Can Heal Your Wounds

The real question is will we let God heal us? 

A lot of us have difficulty in relating to others because of hurts in our lives. These affects the way we communicate and also the way we handle ourselves. This is one reason why we intentionally or intentionally hurt others. Not until we are healed from our pains, we  will always have difficulty in facing life. God's desire and will is to heal us from our hurts as part of His plan in restoring us. However, we must be willing to let Him work in our life.

Life's Realities ...

• Wounds in our heart take place when we allow Sin, Unresolved Past, Unforgiveness, discouragement , Feelings of Rejection control our lives. Hurts in our hearts will be revealed during conflicts in relationship and times of crisis.
• Jesus is near to the brokenhearted. He understands our pain. He is willing and able to heal and restore us.
• A healed heart will always result to a contented and joyful life. It makes us generous in every area of our lives. It enables us to handle conflicts in relationships properly.
• There is a connection between a healed heart and a positive attitude ( Proverbs 17:22 ).
• God has provided for our healing but we still have a choice if want it or not. If we decide to be restored then we must be willing to let Him have it His way.

Steps to Freedom our damaged emotions

A. Receive comfort from God by surrendering our hurts to Him.
( Matthew 11:28; 1 Peter 5:7 )
B. Confront your past with God's Forgiveness .
(Isaiah 1:18; Matthew 18:21-35; Acts 3:19; 2 Corinthians 7:10)
C. Refuse to believe that you are product of your past experiences.
(Proverbs 24:16; Philippians 3:13-14)
D. Focus on your identity in Christ and build on it..
(Philippians 3:13-14; 4:13)
E. Choose not to be hurt when you are
offended by receiving and walking in the love of God.
( 1 Thessalonians 5:11; James 5:16 )

You are Bound No More. 

Pastor Linda Hillman 
(c) 2015 Living Above Hurt Ministries

Silent No More!

In Isaiah 58:1 it states that we are to "Cry aloud and spare not. Lift up thy voice like a trumpet." It continues to say "And shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." When I think about this as it pertains to the hurting and abused, it is clear to me that we as the body of Christ have not done all that we can to help those that are hurting.

What happens to: If one hurts we all hurt. Isn't that what Paul was talking about in Romans 12? When he say in verse 15, "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." Yet we allow our brothers and sisters to suffer day in and day out. We challenge them to speak about what has occurred to them and if they do we label them as problems. We rebuke them for voicing what occurred and how it made them feel. 

I remember all to well speaking about being molested and watching my Pastor roll his eyes and become extremely uncomfortable. This reaction cause me to shut up and suffer in silence. Not only did I shut out my voice for seeking for help with my emotional wounds, i shut off God's healing virtue in these areas because I felt it was something I had to suffer with. It happened to me because somehow, as a six year old child I had asked for it. I mean, that how I was made to feel. Now don't get me wrong, no one actually said it to me but actions DO speak louder than words.

In their attempts to hurry up and get me healed (whole) they told me to just get over it. It happened so many years ago and now you are an adult. Stop living in the past. I laugh now. But let me say this... telling someone that is hurt to just get over it is causing that person to assume guilt and blame themselves. the first question that is asked is: Why cant I just get over it? followed by I must have done something to deserve this behavior? and finally...this is my burden to bear alone.

Dear hearts, we are the body of Christ. NO one should have to suffer in silence. NO one should cry themselves to sleep, or have suicidal thoughts, or try to ease the pain with anything other than God's love. Let me say this, the first way for an abused person to feel God's love is through those who call themselves saints. 

The church is a hospital. A hospital is a place where the sick, abused, tattered and torn can come and be mended. No one should come to a place of worship and leave the same way they came. 

I don't know about you but I am tired of Church being a fashion show, a routine, a social club and anything but a hospital. No one says, Hey let's have girls night at the ER tonight, I'll bring the popcorn. I understand that we have events and evangelism to get the unchurched to come. I agree with this wholeheartedly, but I say this if you are going to get them in the doors have something there to offer to them when they come with REAL issues. Deliverance is available, if we the body of Christ would get our flesh out of the way and serve the Lord as he intended. Just look at Jesus, he was our example. he did ministry in a real hands on way. No one that met Jesus ever stayed the same. That same Jesus is now on the inside of us. No one should ever leave a service with their needs not being met.

Healing is available. Let's stop playing church and be the church. The body of Christ needs to be healed and delivered and that can only happen when we are real with ourselves and take responsibility for and to each other.

Man down on the field...will you help them get up?

You are Bound No More. 

Pastor Linda Hillman 

Why or How Come?

“What does not take me out, makes me stronger.” 

Many of us say the phrase after we have come out of a trial or hardship. We tend to get a sense of empowerment from this statement. The real question here is do we truly believe this statement. Is this just one of those statement that sounds good after a period of stressful situations. What if you are still in the midst of your dilemma, can you say this phrase? Can you claim the triumph even then? Do you ask “Why” me, why did I have to suffer? Do you harbor bitterness and unforgiveness?

You see many of us are so preoccupied with the “WHY” something happen that we may never get to the “HOW COME”. With that said, the question becomes, “How come this occurred and what am I suppose to learn? Exploring this can be daunting, so here are a few tips.

You need to ask yourself what is my pain. A doctor prescribes medication because of the symptoms the patient says they are experiencing. More simply put, when you go to the doctor with a pain in your stomach, you describe it to the doctor and he does an examination. With the information you have given him and what he finds through his examination, he then prescribes a medication regiment that will allow healing to occur. Now, it is understandable that the medication itself does not heal the body but what it does do is cause the pain to subside. In the absence of your discomfort, your body can then heal itself. What a concept, the medical profession has taught us to get rid of the pain so the process of healing can happen. If you ask yourself this question, do not use other words like what is the problem or who is my problem. Stay focused on you. Moving from what is my pain to what is the problem, you are minimizing your discomfort. It is like taking an Advil for a toothache. You may feel okay for a while but eventually the pain is going to come back because you have not dealt with the real issue and no healing is occurring.

Knowing what your pain is will lead to, “Why am I stuck?” Many will try to brush past this. If you have ever had an open wound, you know that it must heal from the inside out. This process can take a while and if you are not careful, the skin will begin to close on the surface but the wound is not total healed underneath. When this occurs, you have to reopen the wound to allow the healing to take place correctly. The same is true for inner healing. You must allow the inside to be healed before it will show on the surface. No facades that will hide the festering boil underneath. Being stuck in a rut and not understanding why things happened, can only lead to repetitious behaviors. These behaviors will keep you living in misery and regret, making one bad decision after another because you have not learned how to avoid it.

This is when you have to define the how come. The “how come” is logical reasoning. The “how come” will bring the change in your behavior you have been looking for. It will help you learn the lesson life was teaching you. For instance, maybe you were in that bad situation because you needed to learn self worth. The “how come” only comes with clarity of vision and after you probe deep inside yourself.


You are Bound No More. 

 Pastor Linda Hillman 
(c) 2015 Living Above Hurt Ministries 

Healing the Hurts

Here's a lesson from a recent Women's Conference I attended. Be blessed with this one.

• Emotional Abuse
• Christian wounds
• Hurt in the church
• Domestic Violence
• Harboring negative feelings
• holding grudges. it hurts ourselves more than others

Someone once said that holding a grudge is like drinking poison and hoping that it will hurt the other person. But yet many of us do it and cant see that we are really killing ourselves.

You can choose to hurt or Heal

You can choose your happiness or sadness in life. One way to do this when you choose whether to continue to nurse a hurt you have received in life, or to heal yourself and you relationship with the person that hurt you.

In reaction to our emotional hurts we often erect protective structures to avoid dealing with them or allowing anyone to touch them. Over time these structures become comfortable. Before we cna heal the hurt, these structures must be acknowledged and dealt with. this will often mean honestly facing our pain and anger and resentment choosing to forgive, YES forgive those who have wounded us instead of resenting them, and determining to risk opening our hearts to others again. It also generally involves a slow and difficult process not a quick fix. Like peeling an onion, it usually happens one tearful layer at a time.

Definition

A wounded heart occurs when someone or something brings hurt to your emotions. "The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they fo down into the innermost parts of the belly." Proverbs 26:22.

Sources of Hurts

1. Result of Offense brought to us from others People say things or do things to hurt us. Prov 18:8
2. Result from our won sinful behavior. Not all hurts come from without. sometimes they can be the enemy within. Prov 17:19, Psalms 25:18 II Sam 24:10
3. Result from a calamity where one is overcome by the experience. Job 3:25-26
4. Result from the sins of forefathers (ancestors) Exodus 34:6-7
5. Result from drug and alcohol use. Proverbs 23:29-35
6. results from occult involvement Leviticus 20:6

God's Provision

1. God cares about your broken heart. Ps 34:18, 51:17
2. God healed David's heart and He will also heal yours. Ps 147:3, Heb 13:8
3. Jesus was sent to heal the broken hearted. Luke 4:18
4. Jesus, Himself, suffered all the hurts that one could suffer. Isa 53:1-12, John 1:11. Luke 22:57, 23:35-37, Matthew 27:46
5. Through the suffering of Jesus, God has provided the healing for your hurts. Isa 53:5
6. It is God's desire to heal your hurts. I Peter 5:7
7. God must have control of your whole heart before He can heal it. Jeremiah 29:13, Rev 3:20

Steps of Preparation

1. You must give your heart to Jesus letting Him become your lord. Roman 10:9, Phil 2:9-10
2. If you have offended someone else, then you must confess your offense and ask them to forgive you. Matthew 5:23-24, I Peter 3:16
3. You must forgive (RELEASE) the person who has hurt you. Matt 6:12, 14-15
4. You must put their judgement into God's hands and then ask God to forgive them for their offense toward you. Luke 23:24, Acts 7:60
5. You must yield your rights to God (possessions, respect, honor, family, expectations). Matt 19:21, I Peter 5:5-6, Luke 18:20, Mark 8:34-37, Psa 119:165

WARNING: A wounded heat that does not receive healing is an open door for evil spirits. Esp 4:26-27, I Peter 5:8, Genesis 4:4-7, Matt 18:21-35

How to Receive Healing

1. Make a list of your hurts (begin with the greatest list)
2. Ask God to cleanse your heart of all wrong attitudes (anger, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, lust, hate, revenge). Isa 1:18, 51:10, I John 1:9
3. Picture your experience ob being hurt in your mind
4. Now picture Jesus suffering the same hurt for you and overcoming it by his own death and resurrection. I Peter 2:24
5. Next picture in your mind the resurrected Jesus offering healing to you. Luke 4:18-19
6. In faith ASK God to heal your heart in the name of Jesus. Ezekiel 36:26, John 16:23.

As God heals your hurts, He will also give you a tender heart that will be sensitive to the hurts of others. Ezekiel 36:26, II Cor 5:18, Mark 5:19

Remember: God can change that which was meant for evil into good. Genesis 50:20, Duet 23:5 Romans 8:28, I Peter 5:8-10 and II Cor 1:6

GREAT News!!!!

Our next Live Bible Study in San Francisco will be November 19th @ 6:30 PM PST

We will also start to have Bible Study VIA conference Call at 6:30 PM PST every Wednesday evening! 

Call (605) 562-3140 Access Code 987737#

Now you don't have to miss Bible Study at all!

You are invited to Join Us

On September 3rd, I started hosting Bible Studies in the city of San Francisco. It all started at the tender age of 14 when God told me that I would Pastor. He told me that people were waiting for me to begin to speak and he would lead those he assigned to me. For years I ran from the call on my life because I felt unworthy of such a great responsibility in the Church.

However, in my running away I was really running to my call. Here's how that works. Even though I was not ready to Pastor. I learned how to study God word. I learned how to hear his Voice. I learned how to teach others to depend on God. I learned how to pray and fast. I learned that sanctification was a process and though I was not always the best person I could be, God was still in control. I learned how to love God's people.

I began learning from Older and more seasoned ministers how to rightly divide the word of truth and to entreat God's people. I took classes in Ministry and counseling. NO, I was not trying to accept my call to Pastor but God had me on a journey that would lead me to his divine will for my life.

I have gone through so much pain and suffering in my life but I understand now that it has all catapulted me into the woman of God I am now. It has helped to define the ministry that would flow through me. It has helped to make me more sensitive to others that may be experiencing the same hurt and know how to effectively minister to them to help healing and restoration begin.

After years of trying not to do what God called me to do, I am right in the the middle of his will for my life. I am ready to experience what God has for me and watch as he does exactly what he said he would do. On Sept 3rd a pressure that was on my chest lifted as I sat and taught my first Bible Study. Sometimes we don't even know that we are experiencing half of what God intended until we experience the whole of the matter.

New Life Ministries is God ordained and will become what God says it will be. I hope that if you are in the city of San Francisco, CA or know someone in the city, and you or someone you know is looking for a church that you will stop by on September 24th and join us for Bible Study.

New Life Ministries
Bible Study - Wednesdays 6:30 PM

We meet at IT Bookman Community Center 446 Randolph Street, San Francisco, CA.



You are Bound No More.

Pastor Linda Hillman
(c) 2014 Living Above Hurt Ministries
 (415) 754-3365
newlifeministriessf@gmail.com

Healing The Hurts

• Emotional Abuse
• Christian wounds
• Hurt in the church
• Domestic Violence
• Harboring negative feelings
• Holding grudges. It hurts ourselves more than others

Someone once said that holding a grudge is like drinking poison and hoping that it will hurt the other person. But yet many of us do it and cant see that we are really killing ourselves.

You can choose to hurt or Heal

You can choose your happiness or sadness in life. One way to do this when you choose whether to continue to nurse a hurt you have received in life, or to heal yourself and you relationship with the person that hurt you.

In reaction to our emotional hurts we often erect protective structures to avoid dealing with them or allowing anyone to touch them. Over time these structures become comfortable. Before we cna heal the hurt, these structures must be acknowledged and dealt with. this will often mean honestly facing our pain and anger and resentment choosing to forgive, YES forgive those who have wounded us instead of resenting them, and determining to risk opening our hearts to others again. It also generally involves a slow and difficult process not a quick fix. Like peeling an onion, it usually happens one tearful layer at a time.

Definition

A wounded heart occurs when someone or something brings hurt to your emotions. "The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they fo down into the innermost parts of the belly." Proverbs 26:22.

Sources of Hurts

1. Result of Offense brought to us from others People say things or do things to hurt us. Prov 18:8
2. Result from our won sinful behavior. Not all hurts come from without. sometimes they can be the enemy within. Prov 17:19, Psalms 25:18 II Sam 24:10
3. Result from a calamity where one is overcome by the experience. Job 3:25-26
4. Result from the sins of forefathers (ancestors) Exodus 34:6-7
5. Result from drug and alcohol use. Proverbs 23:29-35
6. results from occult involvement Leviticus 20:6

God's Provision

1. God cares about your broken heart. Ps 34:18, 51:17
2. God healed David's heart and He will also heal yours. Ps 147:3, Heb 13:8
3. Jesus was sent to heal the broken hearted. Luke 4:18
4. Jesus, Himself, suffered all the hurts that one could suffer. Isa 53:1-12, John 1:11. Luke 22:57, 23:35-37, Matthew 27:46
5. Through the suffering of Jesus, God has provided the healing for your hurts. Isa 53:5
6. It is God's desire to heal your hurts. I Peter 5:7
7. God must have control of your whole heart before He can heal it. Jeremiah 29:13, Rev 3:20

Steps of Preparation

1. You must give your heart to Jesus letting Him become your lord. Roman 10:9, Phil 2:9-10
2. If you have offended someone else, then you must confess your offense and ask them to forgive you. Matthew 5:23-24, I Peter 3:16
3. You must forgive (RELEASE) the person who has hurt you. Matt 6:12, 14-15
4. You must put their judgement into God's hands and then ask God to forgive them for their offense toward you. Luke 23:24, Acts 7:60
5. You must yield your rights to God (possessions, respect, honor, family, expectations). Matt 19:21, I Peter 5:5-6, Luke 18:20, Mark 8:34-37, Psa 119:165

WARNING: A wounded heat that does not receive healing is an open door for evil spirits. Esp 4:26-27, I Peter 5:8, Genesis 4:4-7, Matt 18:21-35

How to Receive Healing

1. Make a list of your hurts (begin with the greatest list)
2. Ask God to cleanse your heart of all wrong attitudes (anger, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, lust, hate, revenge). Isa 1:18, 51:10, I John 1:9
3. Picture your experience ob being hurt in your mind
4. Now picture Jesus suffering the same hurt for you and overcoming it by his own death and resurrection. I Peter 2:24
5. Next picture in your mind the resurrected Jesus offering healing to you. Luke 4:18-19
6. In faith ASK God to heal your heart in the name of Jesus. Ezekiel 36:26, John 16:23.

As God heals your hurts, He will also give you a tender heart that will be sensitive to the hurts of others. Ezekiel 36:26, II Cor 5:18, Mark 5:19

Remember: God can change that which was meant for evil into good. Genesis 50:20, Duet 23:5 Romans 8:28, I Peter 5:8-10 and II Cor 1:6

You are Bound No More. 


Pastor Linda Hillman 
(c) 2011 Living Above Hurt Ministries
(209) 565-4055 
Pastorlindahillman@hotmail.com

Relational Health: Being Peacemakers - This is a 7-part series Part 4

Stress and burnout can cause us to project our pain and exhaustion on others — usually those closest to us. Some people respond to burnout by lashing out in anger and storming around in a rage as their lives are falling apart.

Exhaustion can cause us to shut down and stop communicating with our spouse or our friends. And by “communicating,” I mean both talking and listening. We no longer feel connected to those around us, and we begin not to care about nurturing those relationships that God has placed in our lives.

After not communicating for a while, resentment can develop. Our spouses or friends may not feel comfortable opening up to us anymore, and bitterness can be formed and directed toward us, toward the church, and even toward God.

In Matthew 5:9, Jesus directs us to be “peacemakers.” It will take effort and intentionality on our part to bring balance back into our relationships. We are to make peace and strive for unity.

Have you cut off communication with people because you’re feeling burned out? Write down their names and a trait you admire about each one of them. Then write down a date you will contact them, making amends if necessary.

You are Bound No More. 

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?

Bound No More

The one thing we need but many of us struggle to get is respect. In life, we will go through some hard times and if we are lucky, we will be able to come out on the winning side. However, what about the one that are caught in the cracks. Is there hope for the woman whose been abused (emotionally, mentally, physically or socially)? Who is there to let that woman know there is hope in her hopeless situation?

We hear so much about sisterhood yet we are set apart. We gossip about one another steal each other men and if we get the chance, we will ruin another’s reputation so we look good. Now does this sound like sisterhood? More importantly how are we being good examples for the girls and women to come after us? Are we allowing them to find hope for their situations? Let me share my story and may be, someone will see there is hope and make a change for the better.

As a teenager, I suffered being molested, verbally abused and lived in a house raging with domestic violence. I grew up with anger issues and never tried to deal with them. I had relationship after relationship fail. One day I came to the realization that the life I was living was just a shadow of what could be. I did not have to live with the pain, frustration and depression. I could rise above it. I could be free. However, I knew that it would take some restoration of my inner emotions. I would have to learn how to look at life differently, not using my own reasoning because it was skewed and fragile.

I sought help from counselors and coaches that help my see past the hurt, habits and hang-ups. I was able to start a relationship on a healthy note and those negative friends – well I was able to influence them to be more positive. This did not happen over night it only started with a single step.

The first step can be the hardest however, if you are truly ready for healing to occur in your life then you will allow this step to take place, including removing all negative and unhealthy influences in your life. Many times, it is what we allow in our lives that hinder us the most. I had to deal with the past in order to maintain my present and secure my future.

We learned in history that if we do not learn from history it is bound to repeat itself. Well, this is true even in our lives. If we are not willing to learn from bad decisions, our fears, our failure and, even more importantly, our successes then we are bound to repeat them. Dr. Susan Jeffers says, “Life is not a struggle but an opportunity”. Additionally, you only get a single opportunity to make it count. Do not live with regret and remorse. Not to make light of the experiences you have been through, Nevertheless, if I can learn to let go of the pain and anger, then why not you?