From the desk of Steve Shultz:
It has been an intense time - both in the natural and in the spirit... we can all attest to that! I appreciate words of encouragement and hope for the hour. This is one such word by Kathi Pelton and a much needed word for the Body - in the many tough trials many have been going through.
This word will really help you... enjoy!
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Kathi Pelton:
Discernment, Shifts and Alignment
Shifting To Bring Alignment
The Body of Christ has entered into a time where we are experiencing, both personally and corporately, many shifts and changes. For many, these changes are coming suddenly and without warning. Our human response may be to try to fix these things or to misread them as warfare, but it is a time to carefully discern what the Lord is doing in our lives and what warfare is. We will always have warfare against what God is doing, but discerning what to bless and what to war against is key in this hour.
Change, especially sudden change, often feels like chaos and disorder. Most of us find great comfort in being able to know what to expect and know what is predictable as we face each day. The Holy Spirit is once again removing those things in our lives that will hinder us in this new season while making room for what is essential for the days ahead. These changes can come in many forms, and they are coming with great intentionality.
Along with shifts for the sake of alignment, God is also being very intentional in dealing with areas of sin, wrong beliefs, and wrong attitudes. Though these areas are always important to God, it seems as though there is urgency upon His convictions and alignments. This urgency is what a parent feels when their child is about to run out into traffic – the parent will quickly grab their little one in order to save them from danger. It feels as though many have been "grabbed" by the hand of their Father from impending danger in order to place them back on a safe path.
Warfare often comes in the midst of the changes and convictions. God comes with hope, alignment, forgiveness, grace, and intimacy, but the enemy wastes no time in responding with accusation, lies, confusion, and division. God's heart is to make a place of safety and restoration for His work to be accomplished. The enemy comes to fill that place with fear and separation by causing shame and fear. If God is dealing with areas of spiritual alignment and conviction of sin, do not be deceived into believing that God has anything but love and restoration for you. Confusion can quickly enter in when we begin to believe a lie or an accusation from the enemy. The accuser of the brethren does exactly that: he accuses. You must not allow your ear to be tuned into his lies but allow your heart to hear the overtures of the Father's love for you.
An Invitation
As I have been waiting upon the Lord to know how to posture myself through this season of changes and alignments, there has been a constant invitation that I am hearing. The invitation comes from a place of deep intimacy and longing in the heart of God. It is found in Song of Solomon 2:10-17:
"My beloved speaks and says to me, 'Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing [of birds] has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth and ripens her green figs, and the vines are in blossom and give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.'
"[So I went with him, and when we were climbing the rocky steps up the hillside, my beloved shepherd said to me] 'O my dove, [while you are here] in the seclusion of the clefts in the solid rock, in the sheltered and secret place of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.'
"[My heart was touched and I fervently sang to him my desire] 'Take for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards [of our love], for our vineyards are in blossom.' [She said distinctly] 'My beloved is mine and I am his! He pastures his flocks among the lilies.' [Then, longingly addressing her absent shepherd, she cried] 'Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, return hastily, O my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young hart as you cover the mountains [which separate us].'" Amplified Bible
Take your time to read these verses again and again. I truly believe that He is speaking these words at this time to His Bride. He is longing to separate her unto Himself.
This is the time to receive the invitation to "come away with Him." As the world gets more chaotic and screams to take our gaze away from Him, we must know how to keep our eyes focused upon our Bridegroom. He longs to hear our voices singing and to see our eyes looking into His eyes (He longs to see our faces). We must practice face-to-face time with Him each day.
Spring Has Sprung
Spring has come in the secret place. God has provided a spiritual spring for those who will receive it. As we let Him take us away, we find the hope of new life as well as the safety of the hidden place where He restores us and renews us. The verse that says, "He pastures His flocks among the lilies" touched my heart. Lilies are the flowers of Easter and represent resurrection. Spring feels like resurrection to me. There is new life, new buds, and new warmth all around. This is where He cares for us...among the lilies.
Removing Separation
In verse 15 we read these words,
"Take for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards [of our love], for our vineyards are in blossom."
I believe this is the heart of this urgency that I have felt to deal with all that separates us from Him. The little foxes are those things in our lives that separate us from His love at the very time of fruitfulness. As we allow Him to look into our faces, we will find that His love and acceptance will chase away the little foxes that have come to keep us from Him. He is touching our hearts and awakening our desire to be fully known by Him and restored to Him. He is awakening our longings for intimacy and then inviting us into experiencing that intimacy.
The words to the old song "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" have resonated in my spirit for many days. I keep hearing the line that says, "...and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." God wants the things of this earth to grow dim compared to His glory and grace. He must remain our focus. The reality of His glory and grace must never be usurped by the things of this earth. We must turn our eyes upon Jesus.
Rooted And Grounded In Love
The last thing that I want to leave you with are the verses from Ephesians 3:14-19:
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in Heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
As you receive His invitation to come away with Him, may you find yourself deeply rooted and grounded (established) in His love, and may you begin to grasp how wide, long, high and deep is His love.
Kathi Pelton
Compassion Arise
Email: jkpelton@sbcglobal.net
Website: compassionarise.org
Kathi Pelton has a passion to encourage, uplift, and serve. As well as being a published writer, she has traveled extensively with Watchmen for the Nations, spoken at conferences, been a member of a national prophetic round-table and co-directed a house of prayer. Her favorite pastime is to spend time with her husband and children.
