Tag: spirituality

Unreasonable Resolution

On By happyreignIn Reflections & Musings1 Comment

Resolution: the act of solving a problem; the end of all disputes.
Eliminating any lingering shade of doubt over your mind or heart, leaving nothing left to second-guessing where we stand before God.

Romans 5 Faith Brings Joy
Therefore since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith God has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 1-2

And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 9-10

Ephesians 6
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. […] In addition to these hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 13, 16

The shield is our joy that we carry as a direct result of our faith in Christ.
“Hope will heal your mind.” Dissipate the weight of negative illusions your mind brings to your heart by remembering hope. By being hopeful. By hoping for good. By expecting good. By remembering promises. By remembering God’s sovereignty in bringing his dreams for your life to pass. Remember his fellowship, his nearness that Christ has brought us into. Remember his favor, his peace, and his fun. His steadfast goodness in covenant with us, remains our portion in any storm, real or unreal.

Romans 4
Oh what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin. 7-8

Our record has been expunged, as if it did not exist, no longer bearing the guilt of past offenses.

Remember the joy of your salvation and extinguish, resist, that which comes against that joy in your heart and mind. Defend the joy that Christ has deposited in your heart. Wear a helmet of hope over your mind. And enjoy your day going about life with Him.

Heaven is a Person

On By happyreignIn HeatherLeave a comment

Heaven is a Person and Hell is a Perspective. Heaven, being thought of as a place in all of its splendor and beauty, means nothing without Jesus being there. We could have all these eternal spiritual good things but without the presence of God they all would be meaningless. When Jesus primarily teaches about the kingdom of heaven being near while he was here on earth, that topic is primarily highlighting the KING of that kingdom but in a humble manner. This king who IS peace, love, joy, freedom, etc, is freely accessible to you as you dwell inside of his authority and leadership. The only place I want to live eternally is as close to Jesus as possible. I don’t care where this, what this place looks like, what I have, what others have, who is there, as long as I am as close as possible to his heart and his face. Nothing else matters being he is my heaven. He is my only refuge, my only hope, my only strength. He can determine anything about my reality because it belongs to him, he created it and its for his glory.

The worst part of existence in this lifetime, although I realize is for my good and for my growth (to learn to rule and reign as he does), is when my perspective lies to me and communicates anything other than heaven being here with me now. I am accepted right now, I am saved right now, I am God’s eternal dwelling place right now, I am in union with Christ right now. Just because I lose sight of those truths doesn’t change this reality, my lack of ability to see these truths affects whether or not I experience these realities from the inside out. The bible teaches the kingdom of heaven is righteousness, peace, and joy. These become our experience in this life as a result of submitting to Jesus’ rule on a daily basis; our faith and surrender allow us to participate in this eternal goodness while on earth. The work of the devil, as outlined in Jesus’ teaching to steal, kill, and destroy. My conjecture from this lesson, is that the devil’s aim is to interrupt our experience and participation of God’s kingdom while we are here on earth, and he does that first by interrupting our perspective, which, in turn, interrupts our experience, by resulting in changed behaviors.

The devil wants to sow the opposite of God’s kingdom into your experience. The opposites of righteousness, peace, and joy are sin, anxiety, and depression. Do you see the fruit of any of those perspectives in our society around us or in your own life? If that is the case you may be a victim of spiritual theft, death, and destruction. This is because you are a unique creation of God’s beauty and expression, full of life, love and divine purpose. You are powerful and Christ loves to live with you, through you. You are a gift to this earth and a bright shining star. Have you forgotten this, or been reminded about this yet today?

Heaven is available to you to experience today, because Jesus is available to you, to be with you, near to you, close, in relationship today. May your perspective actively stand against every thought which opposes what Christ has purchased for you with his blood that he died to return you to as a gift, freely given. Return to through rest and faith in your living savior to the power of heaven and the purpose of God in your life right now because Jesus displayed his ultimate love for you by dying for you on a cross, and chose to give up his life so you could fully live yours. Happy Easter.

The Sword of Goliath

On By happyreignIn HeatherLeave a comment

This word is about a week late to posting.

Last week, closer to the turn of the new year, I felt like not only had things we had been dealing with over recent months shift and release but almost as if the chapter of the last decade of our life had also turned.

In the bible there is a story from the life of David where, his earlier major victory of rising up to face a giant and defeating him occurred. From there he went on to do other things, minister to the king, made new alliances and gained new best friends. He walked in a new level of exposure and authority for this season. He even married into the kings family. But eventually hardship overcame his new circumstances and he could no longer remain where he was at anymore. David could not control this, despite his calling and anointing.

The very person he had gained favor with by defeating Goliath had grown the desire to eliminate David. David remained the same but the season and circumstances around him changed. This was the Lord’s doing and was a necessary part in David’s growing process. The coming hardships are what forged David’s character to lead in Christ, through Christ, and with him,

Despite his previously achieved positions of influence and authority, David needs to leave this place. David leaves empty handed with nothing and no one into his next season. To the naked eye, one could not see his calling and the fact that he had previously already been anointed King. He visibly carried nothing with him into his next season, but what he DID carry was the only thing that mattered, his history in God, his calling and his anointing for it.

I’m almost to the point in the story I’ve been getting to. David arrived at the temple of the Lord at the time while fleeing (the first place he ran to was God’s dwelling, the place of God’s presence) and while there, God had two things for him. The bread of God’s presence, Christ crucified’s living word to nourish, sustain, and feed David. And secondly, what I’ve been aiming at, it that it seems to me a season where God himself is handing his people back, and placing in their hands again, the sword of authority they gained a decade ago when they slew the giant, that big thing from your past that you gained victory in that’s been wrapped in your mantle and hidden away for some time. You may have wondered even it even really happened or if it even mattered since it feels like it was sitting in an unvisable room in your life. It feels like God is saying, I need you empty handed and with me for this next season. Here, I’ve created circumstance where you are only getting sustenance from my words to you, and in this place I’m bringing out your distant past great victory with me and I’m calling that history and authority to the forefront again to pick up, carry, and walk with into your next season.

David asked the priest do you have any weapons–what can carry in my hands to be useful with now? The priest said I only have one weapon here to give to you, your own sword back, the sword you slew Goliath with. Let me hand your beginning, the thing that started it all, your history of victory in God, back to you, it is the mantle you will walk in again. David–alone, disposed of, and running away from the city toward the wilderness again (his old stomping grounds)–was handed back directly from God’s presence what had always been stored and kept there safely all along.

Change is in the Air

On By happyreignIn Heather, Reflections & Musings1 Comment

I promise this piece is not about a new administration, but that new administration is part of what I’m referring to. I love to write about what I observe. Within the last two months there are 8 significant people in my life that are having significant shifts in jobs regarding their long labor of love, destinies, and increase in authority and influence. This is a new season! I observe things but never think about naming them because I know their purpose is as transient as the wind in God’s work in orchestrating the hearts of men. “Upgrade” sounds cheesy and christian dumb but it is all that is coming to mind. I also know that overtime, faithful labor commonly results in reward increase, its just natural in the flow of life, but I’m telling you I don’t talk to a bunch of people and when eight of them are experiencing this how can one miss it?!?

I LOVE change. I love risk. I love the undetermined and the uncertain. It feels like traveling but I don’t even leave town. Ironically we did abruptly leave town to care for some family, but often when there is significant change God peels my whiny-souled fingers from gripping anything tightly and I recognize his hand taking mind and relax once again to rest in watching him work, only aiming to be authentic to myself and what I communicate in the process, being sure to never never never manipulate an outcome. Who wants to be the disappointing Saul as he ascended into leadership? No one. Manipulating the affections of men, feels stinky to my soul and if anything I have to intentionally avoid swinging too much in the opposite direction and not shut down my authenticity in some way.

One thing I do know is that I sure appreciate the verses that relatively say. God is in control over bringing about the calling on your life and the purposes of why you were made. I don’t even know why I’m made or what the point of everything is, but I do know what it feels like to spend my days executing things I am especially competent for or excited about. I hope you are operating in your niche. Don’t worry about what that looked like in past seasons, you’re not meant to carry your yesterday identity into today if God’s not calling for it. I often remember old versions of myself but those illusions don’t exist now. They used to, but are intangible. Just think how much bs I no longer put up with because of this glorious wisdom I came across through grand failure?

All I keep trying to focus on seasons of change like this is operating out of love. What else really matters? God is going to position us where he wants us. There will be challenges that are uncomfortable –that’s called growth by the way. But what can I control? How I interact with people and how I carry my heart regarding people in my internal world. How kind can I be? What does extravagant kindness cost me? Does love really cover all in my life? If so, where doesn’t love cover all in my relationships with other people? Don’t get me wrong, in my tired moments or sensitive areas, I can still be a jerk, but often even that is magnified in my head and is a position of my heart I have to change my mind about because it’s obviously not working, or at the very least, not fun.

If you are going through uncertain change, know you are not alone, there is a wave you are riding that you cannot control, and you have been prepared for this. Take rest in his sovereignty, his plans, and his goodness, whether or not you understand it or whether or not you have the answers you want right now.  Blessings!