SPRING NEWSLETTER 2023

​On Passover this year I held a Seder dinner at my home for our church small group. It was something I had never done before. I had the materials and all the food items, but I was still a bit uncomfortable leading and having confidence. Thankfully, we all laughed as the dinner progressed and the small mistakes seemed so irrelevant. Grace became the overall theme of the night. The beauty of our God displayed through the Passover lamb still amazes me! Such kindness and mercy!
 
As I lead several prayer calls throughout the month, the overall theme seems to be the kindness of God and the simplicity of valuing His presence. This is what revivals are made of. There are times I wish I could go back in time and present the lamb of God to my children and family from that place. It has taken time and personal growth to fully embrace the freedom that Jesus brings into a life. And yet within that freedom, there is a cost. 
 
As the people of God, we have a responsibility to represent Him well. Truth and mercy must meet. Psalm 85:10 says, “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.”  “The kindness of God leads us to repentance.” Romans 2:4. I honestly believe that from my own experience, brokenness and contriteness are invaluable for longevity and fruitfulness.
We need both elements at work in our lives to bring balance. 
 
As I have been challenged to reexamine my purpose, my position, and my understanding of the times in which we live, I look for adequate words to define what I am sensing.
We as a prophetic people positioned on the earth for this hour have been given the responsibility to confront hard core issues, but with deep compassion and love. One of my mentors said the most loving thing we can do is to speak the truth. The truth is revealed through the Passover lamb, our Deliverer, our Helper, and our Soon Coming King.
So, I am compelled by grace to speak of holiness, righteousness, and the fear of the Lord.
 
The church has entered a new era. We have not walked this way before. I sense the shift in the Body of Christ to awaken to the beauty and reality of the mission of Jesus. Let’s be sober minded, fruitful, and more engaged in the harvest than our nice worship services and comfortable seats in the church. I love my church family, prayer, worship, and fellowship with the Body, but there is more awaiting us on the horizon. The bride is being made ready. We are in the process of the inner working of the Spirit. Motives are being revealed and we are finding ourselves more in the heat of the battle than ever before. But rest assured, we are growing in maturity and purification. Grace empowers us to walk through difficult seasons. Truth frees us to understand a Holy, yet Beautiful Savior. We would do a grave disservice to people by only camping out at His kindness. 
 
I had an encounter with the Spirit of the fear of the Lord a few years ago. I have come to love His presence; He purifies my heart. I love His word and so I detest sin. I love the work of the Spirit of Truth. He leads me to the altar.
 
So as spring has sprung, let us wear truth and mercy as a necklace. Let us be ever so sensitive as to what the Spirit is saying as we speak grace and truth to people and the lost. The work of the Spirit is an ebb and a flow. Let us be ever so sensitive to embrace balance.
 
Loving Him and you!
 
Ruth