Saved Into God's Family by Pastor Brent Lokker

When we say that God sent Jesus to the earth to die for us to save us from sin, there is truth in that statement, but it’s vastly incomplete.  There are much deeper reasons Jesus sacrificed His life for us. Ever since Adam & Eve, sin brought into our world the illusion of separation, or more accurately, our disillusion of separation from God. Remember that after sin entered into the equation, Adam tried to hide from God for the first time, as if that were a possibility. Jesus came to crush sin's distortion and shatter the disillusion of separation so that we would embrace the One who made us and loves us wholeheartedly, our extravagantly kind and approachable Father. And there's more… Jesus came to personally extend an invitation into God’s expanding family across the earth and spanning the generations! So, we weren’t just saved from our sins, but we were saved to enjoy our Father and to belong to His family of loved, cherished children who then share his heart and release his love. The deep desire to belong was placed in our hearts by God so He could fulfill it! This past Saturday in our continuing exploration of the Book of Acts, we looked at our Father’s intent for True Community (you can listen to the podcast here).  There was constant love and encouragement and generosity flowing from one to another! This is God's idea of family. We’re all aware, sometimes painfully so, that God’s family doesn’t always get relationships right. This is because we’re all still on a journey of believing we’re worthy of God’s love as His sons and daughters so we tap into the only source of love there is, we’re completely forgiven so shame can’t condemn us and sabotage our relationships with others, and we’re filled with His Spirit to have full access to God’s grace and mercy and forgiveness for one another. In other words, like almost everything in life, it’s a process. God shows us, even in the midst of our sometimes dysfunctional relationships, what love looks like. When we don’t get it quite right, He will show us areas of our own hearts that need tending to. And the times we do get it right (with ever increasing frequency) family is a precious—and dare I say miraculous—gift from God! Suzanne and I so appreciate being part of God’s ever-expanding family with all of you! It’s already been an amazing journey and the journey continues… With Love, Brent

Last Saturday at Blazing Fire, I read parts of an uplifting and empowering prophetic word by Danielle Dixon, Your Pressure is Producing a Strong Harvest  and then we made these declarations together: I have a harvest! I am receiving God’s blessing now! I am a reaper. I am a harvester. I am in a season of harvest! I speak to my land: Bring forth increase! I release the harvesting angels into my harvest! Lord, I thank you for my harvest! If this intrigues you, read the prophetic word here