The Amazing Gift of Your Imagination - Russ Rochler

Many followers of Jesus have been taught to be suspicious of our imagination.  In the talk I gave on July 23rd, I started by looking carefully at this in the Bible:  Romans 1:21, 2 Corinthians 10:5 as well as Isaiah 26:3.  I encourage you to learn more about this on Blazing Fire’s YouTube channel  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdr4LNBT9Ec starting about 1 hr 50 minutes. I believe our capacity to imagine is from our Creator.  When we connect with revelation from the Holy Spirit, when we engage with the mind of Jesus, this involves our right brain (imagination, emotions, joy, love, and playfulness) as well as our left brain (logic, reasoning, words, historical context, etc.)  I believe revelation from Holy Spirit as well as perceptions and memories from our soul and spirit - can all be displayed and interacted with on the “white board” of our imagination. Creatives use the gift of their imaginations to envision remarkable artistic expressions using the visual arts, music, and words.  Scientists and inventors use the gift of their imagination along with their knowledge base to develop new solutions to needs or problems.  One famous example are Albert Einstein’s “Thought Experiments” which he used to investigate physical truths through his imagination.  Einstein would then seek mathematics that could precisely express these dynamics.  You can read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstein's_thought_experiments Like other profound gifts from the One who created and loves us, our imagination can also be hijacked and misused.  When we’re motivated by lusts and pride, we fall under evil influences.  Or, when we engage our imagination to “future trip” - to project into the future bad things that could happen.  This robs us of being in the present with the Trinity.  And worry will not magically prevent bad things in the future! Here are some helpful “guardrails” that can help us affirm or correct what our imagination is displaying. Love  Father God’s love for us and love for others.  Are the images, ideas, daydreams, etc.  we are imagining motivated or led by love?  1 Corinthians 13 is a key guide to help us.   Also, living in and from God’s love for us: Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind (yetzer - imagination) is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Scriptures  Read and meditate about what Jesus is like, what Father God and Holy Spirit are like.  Savor the varied and sometimes startling imagery in the Psalms, Daniel, Ezekiel, etc.  There are many beautiful images that help us recognize when the real Jesus is revealed in our imagination.  And, the seemingly strange visions of in the books of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelation help us to not automatically dismiss what our imagination is displaying to us. Discernment  If something appears “right”, but feels off in your imagination, you are empowered to “test the spirit” behind that being .  One way is to ask the One True God to reveal the true nature of the spirit behind the image.  1 John 4:1 ESV  “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” People Who Know Jesus  Sometimes its very helpful to share what appears to be a revelation from God with people who know Jesus well.   Even Paul the Apostle checked with a few trusted apostles about the revelation of the Gospel he received.  See Galatians 1:15 - 2:2 How do we protect this amazing gift of our imagination?  And how do we nurture and engage with it? Protecting Your Imagination  Consider what you are “taking in”: videos or images of horror, violence, sexual lust, occult, etc.  Tune in with Holy Spirit about what you are considering watching or hearing. Nurturing and Engaging Your Imagination Childlikeness: Openness, curiosity, wonder, playfulness Reading and entering in with your imagination into Bible Stories. Be open during worship (and other times) to images, thoughts, ideas, or understandings that may be coming from Holy Spirit.  Sometimes we need to resist what are truly distractions from worship.  Yet, surprisingly often we may receive a download from Heaven and/or an answer to something we asked God about previously.  Sensing the presence of Holy Spirit and paying attention what comes into our mind is an important part of “life in the Spirit”. When praying/ministering to others.  You may get a “word of knowledge” where you “see” body part or feel a pain in your body or just “know” what to agree with God for this person. Towards the end of the talk I gave, we did a fun exercise with our imagination.  If you’d like to experience it too, you can find it at about 2:15  (the 2 hour, 15 minute point) in the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdr4LNBT9Ec   Pastor Russ Fochler

Partnering in Prayer

Last Saturday night we spent time worshipping and praying over our region, joining in agreement with what God was doing during The Sound SF. We’ve heard some amazing testimonies of how God moved during the weekend. It’s such an honor and privilege to partner with what he is doing. One scripture we prayed over our hearts, over our cities and the world around us is Ephesians 3:16-21. I encourage you to do the same. God’s word is alive, living, active. As you pray this scripture, you are agreeing with what Jesus has already done and participating with what heaven knows to be true.   “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources, he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”   This scripture is meant to be experienced. I pray that your spirit will receive the width, the length, the height and the depth of his love for you more and more and more!    Love, Karena

Take A Jesus Break - by Brent Lokker

Back in the day when I was a kid, there was a popular phrase used by doctors: “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning.” It was told to patients who complained of a minor malady by telephone (notice I didn’t say cell phone since those weren’t close to invented yet!). Minor ailments often disappeared overnight and more serious ailments were tended to by the doctor the following day. But this phrase also started to be used as a joking way of telling someone not to bother you with trivial matters.   For what has been ailing us in this world, especially over the past few years, two aspirin certainly won’t do it. Only Jesus will. Though fear would try to convince us otherwise, we don’t have control over other people or world events that might disturb us. What we do have is the choice to trust Jesus over and over again with our hearts—to show us things we could not see apart from him. And not just what needs to be healed or taken out of our way of thinking, but also what’s good and true about who he says we are. This is the beauty of the transforming nature of Christ within us! And the exposure of our false self that allows our true self in Christ to emerge is what actually changes the world around us, one heart at a time, as we allow the light within us to touch others with our Father’s love and hope.   So, when we are feeling overwhelmed or discouraged or disappointed or a hundred other emotions that can bring us down. We need to turn to Jesus. We need a Jesus break! How often? Well, “as a way of life” is where Jesus is taking us! And, by the way, Jesus doesn’t see anything trivial about your life or what concerns you. On the contrary, he wants to be invited into every aspect of your life, even what others might think is trivial. He’s right here within you. How about a Jesus break right now?   “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)    “I will not leave you orphaned. I’m coming back. In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you’re going to see me because I am alive and you’re about to come alive. At that moment you will know absolutely that I’m in my Father, and you’re in me, and I’m in you.” John 14:18-20 (MSG)    LOVE,  Brent

An Exhortation from My Heartj

I really believe we’re in an opportune moment of time to see Jesus bring light to a hurting world in greater measure. Lately, I haven’t been able to escape this scripture. Every time I read it, my eyes well up with tears because it feels important.   “Don’t let selfishness and prideful agendas take over. Embrace true humility and lift your heads to extend love to others. Get beyond yourselves and protecting your own interests; be sincere and secure your neighbors’ interests first. In other words, adopt the mindset of Jesus. Live with his attitude in your hearts.” Philippians 2:3-5 (Voice translation)     The farther removed we are from people that we disagree with, the easier it is to criticize. Surprisingly, Jesus surrounded himself with young men who were often prideful, argumentative and didn’t always see from heaven’s perspective. Yet, he chose to sit around a table with them and fellowship. There are so many opportunities for us to choose unity and to toss “us vs. them” aside for good. There is no hierarchy in the kingdom. Heaven sees each of us as equals, even those who think and believe differently than us.     As we learn to lean in and listen to the real cry of people’s hearts, Jesus will show up like only he can. Compassion is an expression of love. It compels you to respond; not out of guilt or obligation but out of the overflow that God has put inside of you. Some of you may be feeling like you’re running on empty and that you don’t have anything to give. Maybe YOU’RE the one you need to give extra compassion to right now. Your needs are just as important as those around you.      I feel God challenging me to not only see those I don’t agree with through His lens, but to also be part of the change I want to see. I once heard someone say that it’s important and healthy to have three different types of people in your life:   1)  Someone who is pouring into you (a mentor, parent, boss, pastor) 2)  A reciprocal relationship (a “give and take” friendship) 3)  Someone you are pouring into     My prayer is that God will highlight these people in your life. We are living in a time where people are looking for connection, for authenticity, for loving mothers and fathers. You have something to give that no one else can. And lastly, I pray that we would be continually reminded that we are not unified by agreement, but by God’s spirit living inside each one of us.   With so much love, Karena