From the desk of Steve Shultz:
I always like the beginning of seasons because it reminds me of the "new" that is before us. Tiffany Ann Lewis shares a word here about the new season in her article:
"This is a new season?a season of love. It is also the season of our redemption?spring. The winter is past."
Again, God is speaking redemption! It is the season and time for His redemption to draw near. Let's embrace it!
First, here are a couple of resources that will help you embrace His beauty and His presence:
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Blessings,
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Steve Shultz
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Tiffany Ann Lewis:
"This is a New Season - a Season of Love and Redemption"
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God often delivers a message with a season. Prophetically speaking, the winter is past and the season of the spring?Mo'edim is here. Mo'edim is a Hebrew word that means: appointed times, sacred seasons, set feasts. The word is used to identify specific seasons that were appointed by God for a particular purpose.
"These are the feasts (mo'edim) of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord's Passover." Leviticus 23:4-5
The spring Mo'edim coincides with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our love is awakened under the Cross. It is the time, it is the season, it is mo'edim to allow His flame of Love to be that which purifies the dross that is in our lives.
The Process of Purity
"Nothing Produces Purity like Passion and I Am a Refining Fire."
Holiness and purity are a central theme throughout the Bible and one that cannot and should not be avoided. The Lord Jesus is no doubt coming back for a pure and spotless Bride. I want to be that spotless Bride, however, I have to confess when I hear words like virtue and purity, my heart sinks a little.
The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that we are saved by grace, not by works. Yet the mindsets of this world continue to cause us to measure our worth based on our works. It's as if we have exchanged one shackle for another, and the worshiper now strives to be better in order to become worthy of the high calling in which they were called. Can you identify?
The Lord is calling us to a season of love not a season of labor: "When I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!' Yes I said to you in your blood, 'Live!'...When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love?Then I washed you in water; yes I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil." (Ezekiel 16:6, 8a, 9)
When we are struggling in our own blood, we are struggling in our own efforts. We are redeemed by the Blood of the Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ, the Firstborn from the dead, "who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own Blood." (Revelation 1:5)
Our love is awakened under the Cross of Calvary. I believe the vital revelation of the Cross is not what Jesus did, but why He did it. Beloved, Jesus didn't sacrifice His life out of duty; He is a husband to us not a fireman. God rescues us from the flames of Hell because of the relationship He desires with us, not out of some duty. He did it freely motivated by His love and His desire to fellowship with us, as it was in the beginning when He created man.
This is why we rejoice resurrection morning; because while we were yet sinners, Love overcame the grave. God loves us; I mean really loves us. He doesn't just tolerate us in our frail humanity.
This is the time for love, and intimacy is what will produce purity. The Lord is inviting us to rest in the finished work of the Cross and allow passion to produce the purity we strive for.
A New Season of Love
In Song of Solomon 8:6, "love" is depicted as a flame. In Hebrew, this flame is Shalheveth Yah. It is, literally, a Flame of Yehovah/Jehovah. This Living Flame of Love is what will purify that dreadful dross that continues to resurface in our lives and we will be made into ornaments of gold (see Song of Solomon 1:11).
It all starts with a kiss. The first chapter of the Song of Solomon reveals a prophetic parallel of this process:
"Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth" (verse 2). The kiss is a metaphor for the kiss of the Torah/the kiss of the Word of God. In this face-to-face encounter, God reveals the mystery of Messiah and the astonishing mystery of His unconditional love. This is a continual communion with the One who loves us, the Lover of our soul. It is something we can receive every day as we seek Him and ask for the kisses of His mouth.
"We will run after You" (verse 4a). We receive grace and peace in the kiss. After such an encounter we cannot walk any longer, we must run after Him. Wherever He goes there we will go.
"The king has brought me into His chambers" (verse 4b). He leads us to His chamber; that's the goal of the journey ? intimacy with God.
At this point many of us don't know what to do. "Do not look upon me, because I am dark" (verse 6). Our shame causes us to want to run away and get cleaned up first.
This is, "the time of love" (Ezekiel 16:8). It is here that we are washed tenderly. If we run away we will miss these tender moments when the Lord Himself cleanses us lovingly and gently, not harshly and bitterly.
I realize that I am far from that spotless Bride, nevertheless, I am someone that is being cleaned up and refined by the Eternal Flame of Love - Shalheveth Yah. The gold maker uses heat to bring out the dross. As the fire comes and we remember His love, we will be able to endure the heat and be made holy as He is Holy.
It is true that we are dark in the light of His Holiness, but He looks at us even in our failings and says, "To me, my darling, you are like my mare among the chariots of Pharaoh" (Song of Solomon verse 9). Beloved, the Lord is the lifter of our heads and He wants us to look up and catch the fire in His eye. As we focus on the face-to-face encounter and remember why He did what He did, the transformation will occur.
"Your love is better than wine. We will be glad and rejoice in You, we will remember Your love more than the wine" (verses 2 and 4). In the Hebrew language pleasure and joy is referred to, symbolically, as wine. For some reason the reality that God loves unconditionally sparks something deep down inside of me that is more powerful than the joy (wine) of everlasting life.
This revelation empowers our limbs, strengthening us to pick up our cross and follow Him in a whole new way. We love, and so we will obey and willingly watch our dross go up in smoke as a fragrant offering to our King.
"I awakened you under the apple tree" (Song of Solomon 8:5). Eight is the number of new beginnings and five is the number for grace. Jesus Christ hung from a tree to rescue His Bride and awaken our love.
This is a new season?a season of love. It is also the season of our redemption?spring. The winter is past. It's time to stop striving, but to rest in the finished work of the Cross and allow His flame of Love to purify the dross that is in our lives.
Lord, I pray that every person who reads this message would hear the sound of Your unconditional love. I ask that this word divide between the bone and the marrow, the truth and the lies, and we would know that we are accepted in the Beloved. B'Shem Yeshua/Jesus ? Amen
Tiffany Ann Lewis
Dancing with the Flame of the Lord Ministries
Email: TiffanyAnn@tiffanyannlewis.com
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About Tiffany Ann Lewis: Tiffany Ann is a worship leader and speaker whose heart has been passionately awakened by a God who sees us in our shortcomings and loves us in spite of it all (Ezekiel 16). It is this message of Hope, God's burning love for humanity, that she desires to share through word or song wherever she goes. Tiffany Ann has been ministering for over 10 years in prophetic worship throughout the Body of Christ. She worships with her family at Northway Church in Malta, NY, where she serves on the worship team.
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Bill Johnson |
"Living INSIDE of God Releases HIS Presence"
God has an amazing secret weapon for you in this hour - and He wants you to know all about it!
Bill Johnson shares about the power of God's Presence, as well as teaches you how to recognize and "host" His presence in a fluid, consistent manner.
You'll find how living inside of God as He is living inside of you will release HIM into every area of your life and circle of influence. Get ready to experience a brand-new awareness of the Lord!
"YOU Are the Ark of God's Presence!"
People desire God's presence for numerous reasons?
Some, however, dwell in God's presence with only one purpose in mind - RELATIONSHIP.
This transforming word by Bill Johnson opens up a fountain of living waters that will refresh you and draw you into the heart of God. You'll experience a rekindling with your "first love," as well as be reminded that YOU are His temple?the very ark of His presence!
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