Friday, November 27, 2009

SO Thankful for YOU! - November 26, 2009


Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!!

Paul's words from 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 are a perfect expression of how Suzanne and I feel about all of you:

"You need to know, friends, that thanking God over and over for you is not only a pleasure, it's a must! We have to do it. Your faith is growing phenomenally and your love for each other is developing wonderfully. Why, it's only right that we give thanks. We're SO proud of you! You're so steady and determined in your faith despite all the hard times that have come down on you. We tell everyone we meet in the churches all about you." (The Message Bible)

It's actually quite true! Whenever I talk about what God is doing at Blazing Fire, I start talking about the obvious transformation I see happening in you all over the months and years as you have willingly embraced the truth of the Father's deep love for you and the astounding grace that is yours because of the finished work Jesus on the cross!

After 8 wonderful years of this journey called Blazing Fire, our hearts are FILLED with gratitude to the Lord for surrounding us with so many passionate lovers of Jesus! Thanks so much for helping to make the journey so fun and meaningful! We are truly blessed to have so many amazing friends!!

Love,
Brent & Suzanne

P.S. The Lord graciously multiplied food (turkey, mashed potatoes & pie) last Saturday at the Oakland homeless outreach! Karen shared about it at Blazing Fire and another server told us her story of the same phenomenon--more and more food every time they went back to check! How cool is that?!!

Monday, November 23, 2009

The God Who Heals - Nov 20, 2009

Hundreds of years before Jesus came on the scene to walk the earth and display the true heart of His Father who loves and heals his children, there was a man who 'got it' to the core of his being--He knew the depth of God's love and compassion that is displayed in miracles, signs and wonders.

The man's name was King David, and this is what he said about his amazing God:

"Bless the Lord, my soul, never forget all his acts of kindness. He forgives all your offences, cures all your diseases, he redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with faithful love and tenderness; he contents you with good things all your life and renews your youth like an eagle's." (Psalm 103:

God has never changed. Everything David said was true, and Jesus came to demonstrate the true nature of his Father with extravagant acts of love and power. Yet, a battle still lingers, mostly in the confines of our own minds, about the goodness of God. Not wanting us imprisoned with the misconceptions that have been perpetuated by the enemy, God is graciously revealing more and more of the depth of his great love toward us, causing us to see Him for who He really is.

As a result, we are seeing a dramatic increase in how God is powerfully touching and healing people. A few weeks ago, a teenager came to Blazing Fire's worship service in desperate need of deliverance. He was in a very dark place and wanted freedom, but didn't know how to receive it. In the middle of the worship, God gripped this young man's heart, so much so, that for over an hour he was taken by God to a place in the Spirit that was 'other than' where he was standing in the natural. In that place, God was sovereignly and supernaturally setting him free to the point where he became a radically changed person. The most amazing part of the story is that no human being prayed for him! God just did it! Two Saturdays ago, there were well over 50 people healed of ailments, injuries and diseases. Most of you have heard by now of a creative miracle that took place that night as Lee Betancourt (who oversees our outreach to the homeless in Oakland) had the tip of his pinkie finger, that had been chopped off in an industrial accident 35 years before, grow back!! Lee and Daniel (who was praying for him) watched in utter amazement as God not only grew the 1/2" of his finger back out in a matter of seconds, but even fully restored the nail as well!! Come on!!!!!!!!!! That's just absurdly astounding!! A testimony like this will mess with you!! Just who is this God, anyway??? Well, He's so glad you asked because he really wants to show you. And when you see greater and greater displays of his power (and that is absolutely going to happen), just know that he is really displaying the fullness of his love towards you and all of his children.

What David saw and what Jesus demonstrated, is what we are seeing before our very eyes: God is GOOD and He cannot withhold his extravagant love for us!! And that love is showing itself in dramatic ways--He can't help himself!!

Are you ready? Because we are entering into unchartered territory where the outrageous goodness of God is going to surpass our ability to even explain what He's doing. Here we go!!!!!!!!!