WHAT SERVING OTHERS LOOKS LIKE - by Brent Lokker

To think that Jesus, the King of kings, came to serve us is extremely difficult for us to fathom. Yet, that’s precisely what he told us he came to do, so to ask us to follow his lead in serving others is significant, to say the least.   Following his brilliant leading, we discover that serving is first about seeing each person—truly seeing every human creation as a significant, unique, made-in-the-divine-image child of God. Next, it’s about being present with that person. That requires a choice to lay aside our own agendas, perceptions, and judgements to be Jesus in any way God’s Spirit nudges you in the moment.   This is the only way we can, without resentment, feed the hungry, invite in the homeless, cover the poorly clothed, care for the sick, visit those in prison. And Jesus reminds us that “When you cared for one of the least of these, my little ones, my true brothers and sisters, you demonstrated love for me.” (Matthew 25:40)   Richard Rohr explains our need to identify with the death of Christ to experience his resurrection life, and thus, how to serve in the same way Jesus did:   “Death and life are two sides of the same coin; we cannot have one without the other. Each time we choose to surrender, each time we trust the dying, our faith is led to a deeper level, and we discover a Larger Self underneath. We decide not to push to the front of the line, and something much better happens in the back of the line. We let go of narcissistic anger, and we find that we start feeling much happier. We surrender our need to control our partner, and finally the relationship blossoms. Yet each time it is a choice—and each time it is a kind of dying. It seems we only know what life is when we know what death is."   “We can begin resurrection today by living connected to God. Resurrection happens every time we love someone even though they were not very loving to us. At that moment we have been brought to new life. Every time we decide to trust and begin again, even after repeated failures, at that moment we’ve been resurrected. Every time we refuse to become negative, cynical, hopeless, we have experienced the Risen Christ. We don’t have to wait for it later. Resurrection is always possible now.”     I’ll end with a few word pictures the Apostle Paul paints of what being a servant looks like:   “Take tender care of one another with fondness and affection; esteem one another’s unique value.” Romans 12:10 (Mirror)   “Purpose with resolve to treat strangers as saints; pursue and embrace them with fondness as friends on equal terms of fellowship. Make yourself useful in the most practical way possible.” Romans 12:13 (Mirror)   “Affirm the worth of those who try to put you down. Affirm them, don’t try to put them down harder.” Romans 12:14 (Heart of Paul)   If your enemy is hungry, give him food. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. By your actions you will reveal the contradictions in his behavior. Romans 12:20 (Heart of Paul)   Your life hidden in Christ is the truest version of your authentic self. This is the sweet spot where you experience the joy-filled life Jesus came to share with you.     With Love,   Brent

LIVING RIGH-SIDE UP AS A SERVANT - by Brent Lokker

Jesus had a way of flipping just about everything upside down from the way the world wants to tell us things are. In a conversation with his disciples, he told them “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.” (Matthew 20:25-26, NLT)   Come on, you’re just not going to hear that in the “Young Entrepreneur’s Rise to Fame” seminar. Not even in the advanced course! Yet, Jesus not only said this is the way of his Father’s Kingdom, but he lived it!   “Jesus’ mission was not to prove his deity, but to embrace our humanity. Emptied of his reputation as God, he fully embraced our physical human form; born in our resemblance, he identified himself as the servant of the human race. His love enslaved him to us. The man Jesus Christ who is fully God, became fully man to the extent of willingly dying humanity’s death at the hands of his own creation. He embraced the curse and shame of the lowest kind in dying a criminal’s death.” Philippians 2:7-8 (Mirror)   He also demonstrated a life of serving others in remarkable ways: He made time for those whom others would ignore and walk past; He had great compassion on those others would judge; He kept no record of wrongs of those who betrayed him, even washing the feet of Judas who Jesus already knew would turn him in to begin the most undignified and unjust trial in all of human history that would lead to his gruesome death on a cross. Yet, instead of thinking of how wronged he was, he only thought of those whom his death would reconcile for eternity, once again serving us in perfect love: “Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his,  he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation,  and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!” Hebrews 12:2 (TPT)   And now Jesus invites us into his realm of servanthood, one in which love rules the day: “Live happily together in a spirit of harmony and be as mindful of another’s worth as you are your own. Don’t live with a lofty mind-set, thinking you are too important to serve others, but be willing to do menial tasks and identify with those who are humble minded.  Don’t be smug or even think for a moment that you know it all. Never hold a grudge or try to get even but plan your life around the noblest way to benefit others. Do your best to live as everybody’s friend.” Romans 12:16-18 (TPT)   Don’t think of this as a try-harder-to-be-a-servant program. That will never work in a million years (we’ve all tried!). Instead, realize this has always been a ‘Christ in me, the hope of glory’ infusion and that his life through us expresses itself in these most beautiful, glorious ways when we yield to his Spirit leading the way. This is the abundant, fulfilling life Jesus promised us. It’s upside down from the world’s ways, but that’s actually because the world sees things upside down from heaven’s kingdom. You are living right side up with Jesus!   With Love,   Brent

DISCOVERING, NOT BECOMING - by Chris Gore

What a joy it was to be at Blazing Fire this past weekend after an incredible conference in Mexico before flying back to New Zealand to enjoy Easter with my family! Having lived 16 years in Redding, I returned to New Zealand in 2022 carrying and burning with the good news message of Jesus!   Having been a minister for over 25 years, it’s only been in the last 15 years that I have really begun to understand the good news of the Gospel. Jesus did not come as a part of a prison exchange program, in which He took us from the Prison of darkness to transfer us to the prison of light, but He came to transfer us from the prison of darkness to freedom (Galatians 5:1). The Gospel is a beautiful message of discovering and beholding—not a message of becoming more like Him, but discovering what we already have in Him!   Today while reading one of my favorite bible stories in Luke 15, the story of the prodigal son, it struck me afresh that the son returned to the HOUSE of His loving Father, when the Father was eagerly awaiting his return and not the FIELD where the older son was working and laboring for what He already had. I have to wonder which of the two son’s was more lost.   I love to see believers come into freedom from the bondage of the law because when we are stuck in the bondage of the law, it prevents us from coming boldly to the throne of grace in the time of need. I totally believe that it should be the normal expression of the believer’s life to have answers to their prayers, yet religion and legalism have kept us in bondage and kept us from the spirit of sonship.   The younger son returned to his Father with his great repentance speech, but never got to give it before the Father lavished His love on the younger son. It’s the Fathers kindness and goodness that brings us to repentance, it’s not our repentance that brings His goodness. When the son finally gets to bring his repentance speech, the Father totally ignores it and quickly calls the son back into his identity by reminding him who he is! In this journey of the Father’s heart over the past 15 years in particular, there have been many times that I have had to remind myself that we cannot have thoughts in our head that our Father does not have in His. Is this why the Father ignored the Son, because his thoughts were not aligned with what the Father thought of him. When we begin to change what He thinks of us and we begin to truly understand the love and goodness of our Father, that He’s actually the loving Father and not your parole officer just waiting for you to mess up, then we begin to approach the throne of Grace with boldness and see answered prayers in our life.   We are not going to become what He thinks of us, but we will become what we think He thinks of us, so what do you think He thinks of you?! I challenge you to stop laboring for what you already have provision and access to and let’s adjust our hearts and mindsets to the spirit of sonship and what we think He thinks of us!   Much Love and Grace Chris Gore chrisgore.org Author of Apprehended Identity and #Positioned

FIXING OUR GAZE ON JESUS - by Joel Pollard

2 Corinthians 3:18 in The Passion Translation tells us, “We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” I am forever grateful that there is no longer a veil between us and the Father, for Jesus came to fulfill the law. I love how the promise of this verse implies how we all with unveiled faces, behold the glory of the Lord as in a mirror. When we fix our gaze on the eyes of our Beloved, paradigms shift, hearts are transformed and we are forever changed in His glory, that’s how come ‘we move from one brighter level of glory to another’. When we do this, we are awakening to the reality of our original identity of who the Trinity created us as, in Their image and likeness (Gen. 1:27). Could it be that us awakening to the truth of who we really are is a prophetic precursor to the fulfillment of Romans 8:19, “For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are?” There is something that is encountered and experienced over and over when we choose to look into the eyes of the One who takes our breath away. He knows exactly where to guide us, leading us into truth that sets us free and reveals who we have been all along. Wherever we are in our journey with the Lord, I want to invite us to give further access and permission to the Holy Spirit to keep revealing the wholeness and authenticity of who He has created us to be. How do we do this? By keeping our gaze on the One who continues to reveal our true nature. Love, Joel

TASTING THE GOODNESS OF GOD - by Susan Fochler

It is good to remember what it was that first drew us to know Jesus, for it can give us compassion for those who are still on their journey to discover Him.  For myself, I distinctly recall 2 people from my high school, a brother and a sister, who just seemed to radiate love and kindness.  Whatever it was that I saw on them I found very attractive.  Neither of them ever talked to me about God, but looking back, I realize that I was seeing the presence of the Holy Spirit illuminating their lives.  It was one point of light among several others that helped me choose to say yes to Jesus.  As we spend time communing with God, we become more and more like Him, and our lives increasingly reflect His life.  In John 15:5, Jesus tells us that “I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches.  As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you” TPT.  In this union with Christ our hearts soften and yield.  We connect to Him, spirit to spirit, and receive direct downloads of His essence.  After all, it is Christ who lives in you, the hope of glory.  Not by trying hard to be good but by turning our thoughts to Him again and again, in worship, in gratitude, in simple acknowledgment. Being filled with His love, we release a river of living water into the world around us.  And this water “tastes” like something, just like I tasted in high school.  Jesus had this to say:  “if anyone drinks the living water I give them, they will never thirst again and will be forever satisfied!  For when you drink the water I give you it becomes a gushing fountain of the Holy Spirit, springing up and flooding you with endless life!” (John 4:14-15).  I can think of many times when I’ve seen someone “taste” that water for the first time, and they are always amazed!  It is so beyond anything the world has to offer!  According to Galatians 5:22, the fruit of abiding in Christ looks like this:  love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, meekness, self-control, goodness and faith.  These are the same qualities that flowed through Jesus and impacted His world when He walked on earth, and they impact our world through us as well.  Our hearts are the conduits through which Heaven is reaching earth.  May we continue to abide in this love as those thirsty ones around us have eyes to see what is readily available to them.  Love, Pastor Susan

DON'T DISCOUNT THE SMALL STUFF - by Karena Lout

It’s been important to me to know my neighbors but I found it more difficult when we moved to a new neighborhood several years ago. Recently our neighbor’s dog escaped and was running in busy traffic on our street. After returning her back to their house, the family was extremely grateful. The mom began to share her life story with me and has been sharing family photos and bringing homemade treats over. A small act of kindness opened the door to a new relationship.   Sometimes we discount our small, kind interactions with people because we might feel we’re not preaching the gospel or it doesn’t feel comparable to an encounter from the book of Acts. But I’ve found that staying consistent in showing kindness builds relationship and trust. Your life is an epistle, a letter to the world (2 Corin. 3:2).    “Purpose with resolve to treat strangers as saints; pursue and embrace them with fondness as friends on equal terms of fellowship. Make yourself useful in the most practical way possible.” Romans 12:13 (Mirror translation)   “Take tender care of one another with fondness and affection; esteem one another’s unique value.” Romans 12:10 (Mirror)   At the beginning of this year, I felt God encourage me to keep my heart more open to love and honor those he put in my path. Honor is accurately acknowledging someone’s God-given value whether we think they deserve it or not. While trust is often earned and built over time, honor is God’s gift to us. Psalm 8 says “God crowned us with glory and honor.” We often don’t know if honor is a part of our value system until we’re challenged to give it to someone we think doesn’t deserve it.   A good question to ask Jesus this week: “Is there someone you want me to encourage?” Maybe you smile and complement a store employee or reach out to a family member who needs encouragement. What may feel like a small step has greater impact than you know. To take it a step further, try showing kindness to someone you haven’t been fond of or agree with. The light and love of Jesus in you is brighter than you know.   Love, Karena

REVIVAL OF LOVE - by Shannon Downs

This last Saturday night we hade a long time of worship, lingering in front of the Throne of God, you could say. Holy Spirit moved on a few of our folks to share some things. One in particular was amazing friend Shiela.  Shannon, who moved to Texas a while back but still connects with us online, was so moved as she was tuning in. The things that Sheila was sharing went so very beautifully with a poem that Shannon had written that very day!  We wanted to share that poem with you below:

Revival of Love I closed my eyes and I did see:  Jesus and I sitting on a bench  There are trees all around Yellow flowers blooming on them Like stars in the sky A river flowing nearby I look into your eyes I look away Feeling a little shy I hear him whisper, He did say My child, there is no shame No guilt, just the foundation  Of my Love that is being built So look at me, tell me, child What do you see? I see the night falling Dusk disappearing The darkness has come Yet you are sitting here Shining glory bright Like the noonday sun Leading the way As if the darkness never came My heart is burning with The fire of your love I see you transforming every heart Of those who cry out your name Longing for the same My child, tap into my love  Let it flow so others may know My love is never-ending The river of love is flowing It keeps on flowing  From the throne room of Heaven It is a revival of love that will never end Oh, it will never end…. ©Jennifer Shannon 02/24/24