Tenderize & Soften My Heart by Pastor Todd Lout

Non of us are immune to hardness of the heart attempting to set in, and on a daily basis. It's because we live in a broken system in a broken world, among broken people all around.  But God offers a replacement, a "heart of flesh" instead of a stoney one. We really want to, and need to, take Him up on this offer because the hardness of heart will clog our ears from hearing Him more clearly. It will cause us to see others without love-lenses.  It will block us from going through the doors we can go through, eat away at our joy, cause bitterness, misunderstanding, lack of identity and other such things that can eventually manifest into actual, physical problems.  Why is this such a big deal? Because the heart is not simply the blood-pumping organ in our chest. Consider the Greek word for heart, which is Kardia.  Kardia means the CORE or CENTER. In Hebraic-Biblical thought, the heart is the most central part of a person's being, governing a person's entire life.  Proverbs 4:23 tells us, "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." Often we can get so busy in life, so consumed by external things, that we forget to tend to our heart.  Over time we even allow some things in and to become our "norm" that are building stone walls around our hearts.  Recently, knowing that my heart can easily get rocky, I decided to pay attention to every little thing that made a threat to my heart in a single day.  I thought there would be many things, but was shocked when it became blaringly clear just how many things posed a threat in a 24 hour period.  It was so unsettling that I went to bed, that night, praying Song of Solomon 5:2 over myself, "I sleep, but my heart is awake.", asking God to be at my heart's door, even in the middle of the night. I could bombard you with a vast array of things that threaten to harden our hearts, but I'll make a short, short list here just to possibly provoke some awareness for us all:

* Sin (those things that we do when we forget who we really are) * Religion             * Offence * Injustice (To me and to others.)          * Small Beginnings * Taking on other people's hardness of heart. * People not getting our heart and even misrepresenting it. (For me, probably the worst) * Not getting your way.                            * That person who is just moseying in front of your car when you're trying to make that turn and they look right at you like, "I know you want to go, but Imma walk slow as I want....then they mosey in the next crosswalk that's in your turn!!   :)

OK, now for the GOOD NEWS! ("Oh thank God! Todd's email was getting depressing and hardening my heart!":). We don't have to live with a stoney heart!  NO!  True worship, fellowship with Holy Spirit, contemplating Jesus' heart, consuming His Word, setting our minds and keeping them set on "things above" and being outward (putting others above ourself) like Jesus is, will tenderize and soften our hearts.  The TRUTH will set us free! One thing I've decided will be my normal, every morning, is to hold out my hands in surrender and say to the Lord, "Tenderize and soften my heart."  I've done this when I can see the signs of it going the other way throughout the day and most of the time there is an instant shift.  Also, I'm learning to be really intentional in the middle of situations....like with the crosswalk moseier (that's probably not a real word).  I would ask God to give me His heart for that person and immediately He gives me a word for them.  Now my heart is tender and I'm thinking His thoughts toward that person, rather than letting a silly little thing do something yucky to my core. In conclusion here I would like to make a declaration over you by adding to one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite movies, "The Help":  You is KIND. You is SMART. You is IMPORTANT. You is a SOFT-HEARTED PERSON. You is AWARE THAT EVERYONE ELSE IMPORTANT TOO. You is LOVED BY A PERFECT FATHER.

The Next, Bigger Wave is Arriving by Pastor Brent Lokker

(this article is a bit longer than most I write, but if you have 10 minutes, I believe it’s worth the read…) In the mid-90’s to the early-2000’s, I was part of a wave of the Lord’s refreshing and healing that seemed to cascade over major parts of the world. It was easy to sense and experience his presence, healing was prolific, and joyful laughter was a hallmark in our gatherings. While recently reminiscing on that, the Lord took me back to my body-surfing days growing up as a teenager. And in a movie-like fashion, I was reliving a common occurrence…   I’m just finishing riding a good wave when I turn back to the ocean and see an even bigger and better wave coming. At first I have to force my body against the current of the previous wave and surrounding water that’s still making it’s way to the shoreline. I can feel the muscles in my legs straining stride by stride to get out in time to catch the bigger wave, my arms also tugging against the water to get there faster. Then, just before arriving at the new wave, the water suddenly changes direction as the next wave is now powerfully sucking me in towards it. I flip around and start swimming with all the strength I have left as the wave suddenly lifts me up, up, up and forward with a massive force. The exhilaration of it all engulfs me. The Lord has been impressing upon me that the followers of Jesus are experiencing something very similar. Some of you may be old enough to remember the sweetness and power of the mid-90’s to early-2000’s and it was a sweet wave to be sure. But since then I feel as though we’ve been in a prolonged season of pushing against a strong current to position ourselves for a bigger wave that we all have felt is coming for quite some time. We’ve all done our best to keep standing in the strength of the Lord (Ephesians 6:13) even though it’s been hard at times and the enemy of our souls has tried his best to get us to believe that no other wave is on the way… BUT GOD! God is always faithful and the next wave is quickly approaching. Many of us have been feeling the increasing glorious presence in our Saturday night gatherings at Blazing Fire over the past few months. I’m feeling the drawing of His Spirit, the very force that is pulling us up, up with a massive force that’s far beyond our own strength.  He has been telling me that this world-wide wave that’s pulling us in and up and forward will far surpass what we saw two decades ago. Why? Because the Holy Spirit has since given the follower of Jesus an understanding and a passion to be sure that this next move of God isn’t confined to the church, but that it impacts all aspects of society around us. Can you imagine the impact as God’s sweet presence, his joy, and his healing finds its way through the followers of Jesus into each of the 7 mountains of society so that we see strong families, a victorious church, godly governments, biblical education, excellence in business, positive influence through media and redemptive arts & entertainment? That’s what’s coming! We just crossed over into the New Year in the Hebraic Calendar: 5779, and we are in the middle of the 10 days of Awe where the Lord is releasing wisdom and fresh revelation and fresh vision for the year ahead. Listen to the voices of the prophets and what they are declaring we’ve just crossed into. And as you do, cling to the words that resonate in your spirit and claim them as your own: “Your season of promotion and seven-fold repayment is here"  (Doug Addison, Los Angeles, CA) "As we crossover into 5779, I heard the Lord decree: 'This is the year where everything changed!'" (Lana Vawser, Brisbane, Australia) “This year is a time of birthed destiny because you waited for God’s best!” (Michael Russo, Rochester, NY) “This is a marker year—God’s goodness will be revealed.” (Kathi Pelton, Portland, OR) "5779 Will Be a GOOD Year! It will be a time of birthing God's promises for you. It will be a time of recovery as you experience the harvest of your labors and a time of fruitfulness as you experience God's goodness. Don't give up before you get to the open door God has for you.” (Joni Ames, Rock Hill, SC) God is inviting His sons and daughters to seize this moment in time. We are in a time where Holy Spirit is saying, "It's not time to stare at the open door or opportunities, but it's time to step through and occupy the door to possess your inheritance." Over the next few months, God says, "Get ready for suddenlies, shifts, and surprises!" (Torrey Marcel Harper, New York, NY) Everything is going to speed up spiritually. New prophetic movements will come with unbelievable clarity, prophesying life back into what has died or been stolen by the enemy. Women will come forth to blaze new trails and bring unity to cities and nations. The arising will prepare for the glory to come for the greatest move of God ever. (Ray and Renaid Almgren, Monroeville, PA) I believe we have entered into a season where things are going to be so accelerated, mind-boggling miracles will become second nature. It's a season where when we decree a thing, it happens instantly. I believe we will see the Lord bring healing to the sick, the dying and those who are being held captive in such a powerful, swift release. I see so many sudden manifestations of the miraculous which bring the Lord's glory. You won't believe it, until you SEE it. (Michele Cole, El Dorado Springs, MO)   "Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days at you would not believe, even if you were told."  (Habakkuk 1:5)                                                                                              With Love,                                                                                                           Brent