In the Stillness

Sometimes life can feel like a battleground. There are times when it feels like we're in the heat of a battle and suddenly, in the spiritual sense,we can't tell the good from the bad, or the bad from the good.

"How then do we fight, when it's hard to determine who the enemy is?" I asked the LORD.

 "You don't," came the reply.

"Say what???" 

As I listened further, I felt like God was saying:

You don't, because Jesus already did. Remember the battle is not against flesh and blood but against those things that enslave, capture, oppress and allure My people into captivity and away from the freedom My Son's death already bought. You see a battle with people on two sides, but I show You now, the greater truth: There is only One side.  Whilst you see two-sided opposition, I see what becomes the betrayal of one ...it all comes down to that. Turning on one another.  It doesn't matter what the reason...only that what you've done to them, you've done to Me.  Brother against brother, Mother against sister, Father against son, neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend ....in such a civil war, the only way to peace is to look to Peace itself; surrendering each his own will in favor of unity and harmony amongst brethren. 

In battle mode, each man is an island fighting to stay afloat on a sea of discord. In unity, each man is the strength of a hundred men, for the foundation of one is connected to and supported by 99 others; with each subsequent person a strengthening and a bracing of a unity not easily broken and an advancement of the Kingdom that moves across the face of the earth." 


“Let us trust God, and our better judgment to set us right hereafter. United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.”  ~ Patrick Henry, 1799

"So do we never fight?"

"Oh no, You don't fight. You war. You war with the weapons that aren't carnal but are mighty through Me for pulling down strongholds...the beliefs that are more important than love, the ideologies that are more important than one another. You stand and you resist that which would ever "lead you astray to betray," and in that stillness, where you've triumphed through the wisdom, power and revelation of My Word, know that I am God.

Gina Higgins

Carrying the Weight of Glory

We all fall short of the glory of God. 

Yet He has created and entrusted us to be vessels of honor and carriers of His glory. 

As walking epistles, ambassadors and defenders of Spirit, Life and Truth -- we all carry a particular "zeal" for His glory that He has uniquely placed within us.

Some of us have a particular zeal for Christ and His bride; others for purity, freedom or presence. All worthy, noble and needed - as long as submitted to the Giver of good and perfect gifts, who rightfully determines each person's measure of zeal and it's proper applications. Un-submitted, zeal can look like friendly fire from a loose canon - and that is never God's heart. 

The precision needed to carry zeal can only be carried out in perfect submission. Carried in our own strength, it easily over targets and becomes it's twisted forms: fanatical extremism or it's lukewarm counterpart: apathy. 

However, the weight of it's passion released to the LORD, it becomes a magnificent, "on the mark" spark; a catalyst for change, the heart of the Father and the Word revealed in power.

Father God,

Teach us how to be wholly and fully submitted unto you that we might carry our measure of zeal in Your righteousness and by the power of Your spirit. You bring all things into order LORD, and as a body we submit to Your perfect order as You have ordained and established it. May we recognize the wisdom that comes from heaven for what it is: first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ~ James 3:17

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Gina Higgins

Ordained Seasons of Growth

There are certain times when we may feel like God has "shut us in"...asked us to disconnect from the outside world for a while and spend time in His presence. 

These particular times are not avoidance, hiding, rejecting community or preferring isolation.  

They are a time set aside by God for His purposes.  

A time where He has purposed to bind all of our brokenness after a season of wrestling and unrest...A final step to an ordained "season of growth" where God could be saying, "Come up here. There's so much I want to show you."

If you're here...don't despise the time...He will redeem it. Before long, you may find the mountain has become a plain... for the One who loves you has shouted grace to it on your behalf.

Father God,

Thank You for the power of Your Spirit that contains a river of fresh oil for Your people. Thank you that we are Sons and Daughters of fresh oil. Anoint us with the oil of joy, gladness and unity.

In Your Son's Name, Yeshua Ha-Mashiach,

Amen

Gina Higgins

Got Faith All Figured Out Yet?

Yeah.
Sure.
Absolutely.
Without a doubt.
Totally
And Completely.
Have no clue.


                 

God,

We think You hide Yourself and that our acquired knowledge "uncovers" Your presence.
Yet it is the pure in heart; those with a child-like faith that "enter in" and see You.
Out of the mouths of those so fresh from heaven, You have ordained praise.
Do You just wish we'd turn and recognize You?
And approach You...
And be healed?
Forgive us for getting caught up what in what we know, versus sitting at the feet of who we know.
May we never get it "all figured out," but instead "trust more completely" in the One whose life "laid it all out."
In His Name,
Amen

Gina Higgins

How Shall We Guard Our Hearts?

How great is the goodness
you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
blessing them before the watching world.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence,
far from accusing tongues.

Praise the Lord,
for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.
He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
~ Psalm 31:19-21 New Living Translation (NLT)


How we guard our hearts is important.

It becomes either the place we seek His refuge or the defensive stronghold where we self-protect. One offers healing through inferior vulnerability and surrender. The other offers power through superior strategy and an elevated vantage point.  One bears the fruit of righteousness and the other of battle scars. The fruit of righteousness is love. The fruit of battle scars is callousness.




Sow righteousness for yourselves,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the LORD,
until he comes
and showers his righteousness on you.
~ Hosea 10:12 NIV

A harvest that has God’s approval comes from the peace planted by peacemakers. ~James 3:18 God's WORD Translation


For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
~ Matthew 13:15 NIV


He heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.
~ Psalm 147:3 NLT

Heavenly Father,

May we go to you when our hearts need guarding, for only Your love can cast out the fear that makes us afraid to trust. Thank you for the balm of Gilead You place on our wounded hearts that softens and protects at the very same time. Thank you for a love that never fails. Give us hearts that always heal.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Gina Higgins

With What Eyes Are You Seeing Today?

 The lamp of the body is the eye, if, therefore, thine eye may be perfect, all thy body shall be enlightened

Matthew 6:22

Are they the "eyes of offense" from yesterday's painful slight?
Are they the "eyes of control" that can only see to criticize?
Are they the "eyes of pride" that can only see their own way?
Are they the "eyes of envy" that find reason to judge and covet?
or
Are they the "eyes of grace" that see the hope and not the wreckage?
Are they the "eyes of love" that cover sin so that there be no shame?
Are they the "eyes of boldness" seeing in faith?
Are they the "eyes of wonder" that smile?
Are they the "eyes of compassion" that heal?
Are they the "eyes of a servant" gentle and lowly in heart?

The Kingdom of Heaven we see in ourselves and others depends greatly on the
eyes with which we see.

Heavenly Father,
Give us Your eyes LORD so that we might have true sight and heavenly vision.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen

Gina Higgins

Father, What Do You See When You Look At Our Hearts?

I see the hopes and dreams I placed there... and all the things that you believe.
I see the thoughts you think, the things you meditate upon.
I see your joys and your sorrows.
I see the capacity it can "hold" and the potential it has to "be."
I see the depth of your devotion, the height of your strength, the width of your love and the breadth
of your sacrifice.
I see where you need to receive...and where you need to give.
But most of all, I see the pure and undefiled you, the beautiful "un-jaded" and "fearless" you.
That is where, I see -- Me.
Sometimes I'm in the outer chamber just waiting to be let in.
Sometimes I'm buried, pushed down under all your cares.
Sometimes I'm free, like a dove, to soar ...and comfort... and lavish My love upon you.
Sometimes I just want you to look in the mirror and "take to heart," that I am with You.
For if you believe I am for you, who can be against you?
And if you believe that...how can you ever fail?
For with Me, even the impossible...
Is possible.
If you believe.

Gina Higgins

"Father, Forgive Us..."

Forgive us when we turn toward the source of our fear rather than toward the substance of things hoped for.

We are not to live in reaction to the devil. We are to live in response to God.

~ Bill Johnson

Forgive us for thinking we are ever righteous enough to judge "righteously."

Forgive us for thinking our Christianity entitles us to judge, when all you've asked us to do is follow. 

God never violates His word. But He’s quite comfortable violating our understanding of His word.

~ Bill Johnson

Forgive us when we are frustrated and experience unrest because we think we deserve answers. 

If you want the peace that passes understanding, you have to give up your right to understand.

~ Bill Johnson

Forgive us when our own issues deflate the little risings of hope, that others may have had. 

Forgive us for thinking, and still thinking, we know what's best when only You possibly could.  

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Gina Higgins

God Can Handle Our Brokenness, Can We Receive His Healing?

Search out the matter.
Seeking humbles and stills us before God.

The Lord shall open to you His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands;
~ Deuteronomy 28:12

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
~ Jeremiah 29:13

And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.
~ Matthew 21:22

Discern God's voice.
It is kind.
It sounds like a melody and feels like love.
If we could see it's sound, we might see dancing sparkles and colorfully illuminating light.
If it were a fragrance it would linger and delight.
If it were a taste, it would be the flavor that woos us to the point of "Ahhhhh."

Believe His heart is good.                                                                                                          Remember He first loved us.
He wants to lay heaven at our feet as we lay the world at His.

Believe grace is a gift He wants you to have.
It's heaven's love poured out to cover us.
We can hold out our hand to prevent it's release...
or we can stand under the fountain and let it pour.

Imagine we're in the desert and our water ran out 3 days ago. Suddenly we come upon a stranger that offers us their water.  Are we really going to say,

"No, that's okay. We should've brought more. It's our own fault. We deserve to dehydrate and die out here because we made a mistake." 

Or are we going to fall on the dry ground, our tears landing in the dust covering their feet, drink like we've never drank before, and say,

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We would've died if it wasn't for you!"


Our self-sacrifice of "not receiving" doesn't "hol-i-fy" us.
Our inability to receive the gift, "rejects" the Giver.

Eternal life is not something that just happens after when we die.
It's living "now" in the everlasting...eternally.

Ready for healing?
Position yourself to receive.

For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.
~ 1 Kings 17:16

Heavenly Father,
Oh how You must want to just scoop us up like children and say,

"My little darling, I understand why you feel you must stay in the corner, but shall we let this delicious ice cream I've prepared just for you, melt? Come! Eat! Be filled with My goodness." Lifting our head and looking into our eyes, You say, "I forgive you My child and I have already forgotten. Now, let me kiss your cheeks and see your eyes fill with wonder, once again. You have my blessing...now off you go!"

In Jesus' Name,
Amen

We Honor You

Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. 

Listen to their counsel. 

They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. 

Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. 

Why would you want to make things harder for them? 

Pray for us. We have no doubts about what we're doing or why, but it's hard going and we need your prayers. All we care about is living well before God. Pray that we may be together soon. 

Hebrews 13:17-19 The MSG

Heavenly Father,

I ask for forgiveness on behalf of the body for the times we have not walked in honor, respect, affirmation, appreciation, love and encouragement specifically towards our pastors and leaders. 

Forgive us for the times we have felt entitled to think or say anything but that which would be an encouragement and for their edification. 

Forgive us when our thoughts, words and actions opened the doors to doubt, discouragement, insecurity, fear, anxiety or self-condemnation.

This day we release them from expectations, the burden of any discontent, disapproval, judgement and performance-based love. 

This day we release and pour out in the name of Jesus our gratefulness for the daily sacrifices of their calling, the grace they so freely give, the compassion and love they so freely extend. 

Father, heal each and every pastor and leader's heart where we have wounded it. Restore them to the full stature of their identity in You. Where situations have pressed them down, hindered their growth or affected their confidence, ground them deeply in Your love and shelter them securely in the shadow of Your wing; free and renew.

We break off and cancel out any words "not" of blessing. We close every door that opened as a result of our words or actions not in harmony with Your heart.

We BLESS, BLESS, BLESS our pastors and leaders with confidence, security, love, affirmation, trust, and respect and vow to honor them as they deserve to be honored. 

We BLESS, BLESS, BLESS them in Your name with increase, strength, courage, boldness, precision vision, acute hearing, abundance, power, love  and the desires of their heart and the visions of Heaven for themselves, for their families and for the church. 

It is in Jesus’ Name We Humbly Pray,

Amen

True Heights

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
         Or who may stand in His holy place?

Psalm 24:3

True heights...

Isn't about rising...but about going out.

Isn't about climbing...but about getting low.

Isn't about running...but about resting.

Isn't about pacing...but about praying.

Isn't about perfection...but about trying.

Isn't about our living from our sorrows...but about dancing from our joys.

Isn't about "our way"....but about Yahweh.

Ascending the heights isn't about standing in our own strength and operating from our own power ...but about leaning on and moving in His.

True heights is the peace we have with God... that we can play in the sand without a care in the world.

Heavenly Father,
Make us childlike again. Help us throw off everything that ever caused us to lose the beautiful, innocent and free spirit You placed within us. Give us sweet moments with you that nurture and heal the places in our heart that need softened again. Fill us with so much of Your love...that uncontainable joy is the overflow. The truest height is You, Jesus...You came down that our lives might be touched and the flame of our destinies re-ignited. How can we ever thank you? We love you so much, Amen