Jesus Closed the Distance by Pastor Karena Lout

I AM MY BELOVED'S AND HIS DESIRE IF FOR ME SONG OF SOLOMON 7:10

There’s a chorus Misty Edwards sings that grips my heart every time I hear it, “I don’t want to talk about you like you’re not in the room. I want to look right at you. I want to sing right to you.” Sometimes difficulties, pain, disappointment or even busyness can cause our hearts to become hardened. It can feel that a chasm has separated our hearts from Jesus who gave His life to close that distance. Recently Jesus met me up close and personal and reminded me how accessible He is. That chorus Misty sings is more than a nice song to sing. It’s meant to be our every day reality. There’s Something Bigger Going On Many of us sense that there’s a deep hunger for the real Jesus and can see that many of His kids are looking to find their way home. We’re already seeing it happen. I have to admit that I became jaded when hearing that revival is coming. I’d often ask God, “What does that even mean?” I encourage you to put on new lenses to see it in a new way. When it comes down to it, revival looks like softened hearts that are surrendered to Jesus. It starts with us. We can only give what we have ourselves. As we look ahead to what God is going to pour out in the earth, there is also a “returning” to what He’s already done. If our hearts aren’t moved, if we’re simply going through the motions of life, if we only want to reach others because it’s the “right thing to do”, we’ve missed the whole point. Let His passion for you and for His kids be your motivator. Jesus wants your heart fully alive. His Steady Gaze Gives Us Courage As we look into the eyes of Jesus, the noisy traffic in our head gets silent, our hearts become more tenderized and He gives us courage to begin to leave behind the former things that have prevented us from fully receiving from Him. I know many people who have felt stuck in old patterns, past pain and disappointment. These things breed familiarity and can leave you feeling stuck in stagnant waters. But Jesus is giving us a new normal. It’s a beautiful flowing river that is available for you. “Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her Beloved.” SOS 8:5. You’re going to come through the wilderness into your Promised Land; not in your own strength but as you lean on all Jesus IS and has done for you. It’s time! My Prayer For You I encourage you to return to the place that you first met Jesus and felt His love for you and as you do, He will restore the joy of your salvation.  I pray that you would experience how disarming Jesus is and that He’ll give you courage to lay your weapons down, the ways you want to protect yourself. I pray that you would see the justice of Jesus in your life, which is His power to remove everything that would hinder or violate love. Lastly, I pray for great courage to look into the eyes of the ONE who never looks away, to be your true self in the world and to freely give what you’ve been given.

Time To Catch The Wave by Prophetic Overseer Bill Hernandez

- by Prophetic Overseer Bill Hernandez -   I sense that the Lord has been approaching us in a whole new way for this particular season in our lives. He's always close, however, in His closeness now I can feel a kind of urgency and inspiration to be proactive and to make an effort to push forward and engage in the activities of the Kingdom. We all have our part to play in our personal lives through our callings, strengths and gifts.   Now is the time to re-engage ourselves in our dreams and the things that gave us life. It's also time to take up new ways of serving the body. Now is the time to be fruitful to shake off our season of fallowness. Now is the time to position ourselves to catch the wave that is upon us. It's time for the sleeper to wake up. It's time to pay attention and take note of the Father's nudge to move forward. It's time to ask the Lord to wake you up.   There is resistance and some of us have become jaded, but this jadedness must be conquered and put aside because this is the hour of His closeness in a whole new way. We are near the mountain summit of a long climb. This is not the time to throw it all away, to give up, to become complacent or passive.   Paraphrasing a book by Hannah Hurnard titled Hinds Feet in High Places there was a child named Much Afraid who was escaping the Valley of Humiliation. She had difficulty walking and her quest was to climb a mountain to the Chief Shepherd's Kingdom of Love and every time she reached a milestone or victory she gathered a stone as a memorial. Having nearly given up getting closer and closer to the top she almost threw away the stones in discouragement. After having struggled to the summit, the stones eventually became glittering gemstones in her crown of victory.   We have all been in our various processes or personal quests. We have all served to one degree or another and we have learned a lot and have experienced paradigm shifts in how we view God, the church and our relationships. All that learning has been part of a journey that has taken us to this season, this cusp or turn in what the Father is about to do. This is not the time to give up and throw away the stones and small victories we have accumulated. Part of the process of our destinies is to have times of rest, quiet and a sense of fallowness. Sometimes we can mistake this process for a dead end in our lives. It's time to shake off this perception as the Lord shouts out a clarion call to rouse ourselves from our season of having laid it down for awhile. I can hear Him saying, "TO ARMS", "ATTENTION"!   I really feel that it is no longer acceptable to make up excuses for walking away from being available to God's call upon our lives to fulfill the Great Commission in all the ways authored for our particular destiny walk. This is the season to get up and to not ignore Him. I can almost hear the shofars blowing over the land. He's calling us to step forward and to step up to the plate and poise ourselves in readiness to catch the wave that is building on the near horizon. The swell is building.   How to catch the wave: Ask Him to wake you up and to help you see what He's doing. Revisit former commitments you made to Him. Review prophetic words spoken over you and reaffirm them. Give any resistance or negativity to Him. Let go of any person that you felt may have hindered or hurt you and move on into your personal glorious calling authored by your Father in heaven. Be honest with your complaints and misgivings with Him. He wants to hear it all, like a best friend except He is the ultimate perfect besty. The worst complaints don't phase Him. Ask what you can do for the body and start doing it, even in small ways or at least intercession. Every bit counts and every part we play adds to the momentum in our lives to move into greater exploits for the Lord. We also have greater discoveries of who we are in His loving eyes. It's not going to happen being in neutral any more. It's time to march.   Doug Addison published a word in December 2016. One thing that really popped out was this quote from the Lord, "I am with you, so do not give up..." Here is the link to the rest of the word. It echoes what I am sensing for us. http://dougaddison.com/2016/12/christmas-prophetic-word-for-you-i-am-positioning-you/   When the Lord gets closer our hearts get stirred up and when they are, we automatically want to give away the blessings bestowed upon us. Get ready to receive and be re-energized for the Great Commission activities. We are headed into eye popping times.   "Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power..." Ps 110:3   In Him, Bill Hernandez

How To Have Prosperous Health by Pastor Brent Lokker

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, even as your soul prospers.  (3 John 2)

The LORD will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.
(Isaiah 58:11, NLT)

For Your Spirit

• Value God’s Presence     Psalm 27:4; 42:2

• Worship Him Often     Eph 5:19

• Cultivate Deep Thankfulness    Eph 5:20

• Find God’s heart in the Word    Ps 119:41-42

For Your Soul

• Forgive Quickly    Eph 4:32

• Be with Life-Giving Friends    Prov 27:9

• Renew Your Thinking     Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 10:5

For Your Body

• Rest when you need it  Ps 23; Mk 6:31; Matt 11:28-29

• Eat Healthy (80/20 rule)   1 Cor 6:19-20

• Stay Active   1 Cor 6:19-20

• Speak Life & Healing to Your Body  Prov 16:24; 18:21

Remember that the only motive that truly lasts with any of these is LOVE.  Will you love yourself enough to genuinely care for yourself and be kind to yourself?  If you need help with that, the Author of Love is standing by (actually within) to help you!

With Much Love,   Pastor Brent

Take Heart and Rejoice - guest contributor Lana Vawser

Not long ago, one morning, I had a vision where I saw many of God's people with heavy hearts and they were turning around behind them and looking at this current season. They were looking at all that had happened in this season, and things they are still going through. Those constant cycles, hits, trials, pressure and longing for breakthrough.   I saw many of God's people looking at the "clock" and they were sighing loudly over such deep grief of feeling like "so much time was lost and taken" in this season through such vicious opposition and trial. I saw the word "regret" coming towards God's people, that through "entertaining and focusing on the disappointments, disillusionment, pain and grief of this season" that regret would take hold and bind them up in chains.   I could hear the heart cries of God's people, "What did I do wrong Lord? Where did I miss it? Where did I go wrong? What didn't I do to still be in this place of such deep hardship, pain and pressure? Please show me Lord, what have I missed that has prolonged my breakthrough?   But then, Jesus came! He showed up in all His Glory, all His majesty, emanating such love and freedom. He stood before His people with such compassion in His eyes.   The truth of His heart was so loud, louder than the sighs of the past that God's people were looking at. His eyes, full of such love, communicated so loudly, "I'm here! I am working all things for your good! I am righting wrong turns! I am unblocking delays! I am making your paths straight as you seek Me and delve into My Word. As you live laid down with your 'yes' to Me, I am bringing swift divine alignment. I am all for your breakthrough! I am breakthrough! Trust ME!"   He then knelt down before them and spoke "Lift up your eyes! Look at Me! Renew your mind! Look at Me!"   I could then hear 2 Corinthians 10:5 being decreed all around: We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.   As God's people heard the truth of this Scripture, I saw many saying, "I'm tired of fighting, Lord! I don't think I have the strength to keep fighting." Jesus bent forward and He blew upon them. Instantly strength and grace was imparted to them.   I watched God's people begin to stand with their eyes wide open and full of revelation. They were staring right at Him, and I could see wonder and revelation being released to them. Without words, simply being in His presence, seeing His Glory, they were being transformed. They were seeing Him in His goodness, His beauty, His kindness, His love and power.   As the revelation knowledge of who He is began to fill them more and more and crash over them like a refreshing waterfall, they began to tear down the arguments that had raised themselves against the knowledge of who He is. Such deep healing, freedom and increase was taking place. I could hear in the spirit, "You are being marked by joy!"   I then saw Jesus walk over to a clock, the very clock that many of God's people had been looking at with such deep grief, anxiety and sadness over "time that was lost." I saw Him blow on the clock and suddenly the hands on the clock came alive! He touched the hands of the clock and He began to move them back. I watched as "time was going backwards." The sense surrounded me how the Lord is completely outside time! I knew so deep in my spirit, He was turning "dark nights" into day!   As He moved the hands, He turned and looked at His people, with a sparkle in His eye, with such joy and excitement, He spoke, "I am redeeming time! Where you feel like time was lost, where the enemy has caused you to face so much torment in a season, where you feel like you did not 'get out of a season' what I had for you, I am now redeeming time! Especially the hardship many of you have faced in the last 3 months, in the next 3 months, will be added back to you in blessing, increase, breakthrough, restoration and healing.   "In the next 3 months, you will begin to see in greater ways the restoration of My hand for all that you have walked through—all that was stolen. The next 3 months I am setting the stage for some of the greatest breakthrough.   "Over the next 3 months, you will begin to take off. You will be set up for all that I am releasing. Nothing has been lost as I am the Restorer of all things. I am releasing resurrection life and vindication, increase, healing and breakthrough to you.   "More opportunities will come to you in this next 3 months than all the closed doors of this season! You will see more added to you in this next 3 months and beyond than you lost over the last 3 months and this season. Rejoice! I am redeeming time!"   Lana Vawser Lana Vawser Ministries  Email: lanavawser@gmail.com Website: www.lanavawser.com

God With Us In The Waiting by Pastor Brent Lokker

What a special time we all shared together this past Saturday night at Blazing Fire! At the end of my message when you all came forward to give your collective “Yes!” to the Lord, I felt we were all in a warm cocoon of His love and grace.    Papa loved your courageous hearts that are “all in” even though you are still waiting on many of His promises to be fulfilled.   In the midst of the promises of God we’re waiting upon together and the ones you are waiting on individually, remember how faithful He is to hear each prayer we utter and to answer every one of our cries. But His faithful answers are often contained in storehouses that are then released at exactly the right moment that will produce the greatest possible blessing. And when you experience frustration during the times of waiting, remember Papa is never silent and is always breathing His life and hope into us.   Remember Jesus’ words:  “A woman in childbirth suffers because her time has come but when he has given birth to the child she forgets the suffering in her joy that a human being has been born into the world.” John 16:21   There is coming a time very shortly when God will pour out such a generous measure of His Spirit and His glory that we will forget the time of waiting when we’ve been crying out to experience a greater measure of His presence.   We’re about to enter into a most amazing Kingdom time together—I feel it with every fiber of my being! And we’re doing so as a family whose hearts are more deeply connected than ever—drawn close through the Spirit’s sweet, sweet presence among us.   It’s about to get really, really good. Just you wait and see!   “We are not those who shrink back and are destroyed, but are of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” Hebrews 10:39   Take courage my heart, stay steadfast my soul He’s in the waiting! He’s in the waiting! Hold on to your hope as your triumph unfolds He’s in the waiting! He’s in the waiting!   You can hear Pastor Brent’s message from Saturday here: http://blazingfire.podbean.com/e/god-with-us-brent-lokker/

Transformation From The Inside Out by BF guest contributors

As we follow Jesus, we all want to see transformation in our personal lives, in our friendships, with other believers, and in our society as a whole.  What does this look like?  Holy Spirit took us on an exciting journey last Saturday of what transformation looks like from intimacy with our Father, to unity within His Body,  and in outreach to the world around us. It all begins with our individual pursuit of our Father through Intimacy - living a life of no separation.  It isn’t action driven, but motivated by His love.  We see the example of Jesus who was always retreating to a mountain top to be with His Father.  In John 15:9-10 Jesus says to his followers “I have loved you the way my Father has loved me.   Make yourselves at home in my love.”  In other words, Jesus says, “don’t timidly approach my love and drink of it sparingly, but get comfy and roll in it!.” – Favor Mitchell.   Duty and obligation are not enough to sustain anything, but love is like rocket fuel that presses us passed our fears and into intimacy with Him.  As we spend time with our Heavenly Father we will begin to go out of our way to do things for one another, knowing it benefits His entire body. “When a part of the body of Christ rejects and fails to honor another part of the body, it is like an autoimmune disease within the body.” – Damali Vaughn.   Every part of the Church is unique, and through intimacy, God will give us a greater understanding to discover what our focus should be, based on the gifts He gives us, rather than having a critical spirit.  We will become healthy to bless other parts of His Body (including different members, cultures, denominations, etc).  Many conflicts will be resolved when God gives us His eyes to see how He has uniquely created and gifted others.  As we become healthy, growing members of the Body of Christ, we will be able to see things from others perspectives because we will see their unique purpose. While being united with the Lord Himself and with others in His Body, we are compelled to share Him with others, and not keep what we have received to ourselves.  2 Cor. 4:7 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.   Jesus also said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses.” There will definitely be bumps along the way.  The enemy sometimes can make us feel tied up when it comes to sharing the love of the Father with those in our daily environments outside of church.   Our society can seem intimidating; we can sometimes become too busy and our own problems can take away our joy and passion for sharing Jesus to those around us.  Yet in Colossians 4:5-6 Paul wrote to the Body of Christ in Colosse while he was in prison, “ devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful  and pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message…Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders, make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer to everyone.”  Paul wasn’t worried about his prison, but asked for opportunities to witness of God’s greatness to those around him.  This is the result of his intimacy with the Father and his unity with the Body of Christ as he wrote to them while in prison.      Let’s ask God to draw us more intimately toward his love and with each other in unity.  When we ask Him, He also will give wisdom and grace for opportunities to share with those around us, no matter our surroundings.  From intimacy, to unity, to outreach, He is transforming us from the inside out.

Wisdom & Clarity of Purpose by Pastor Brent Lokker and Bobby Conner

Suzanne and I have been praying more than ever these past several weeks for God’s wisdom and clarity of purpose. We pray the same for you as well.  We have the sense that we’re living in such an important moment in history and therefore our Father will be making clear what each one of us needs to know about His heart and His purpose for our lives.   God threw another log on the fire of this prayer yesterday when I read this word from Bobby Conner on the Elijah List which I want to share with you:   “You were chosen by Almighty God in eternity past, to live in the present and to forge the future (see Ephesians 2:10). You have divine destiny. No one on earth can accomplish what you have been commissioned to do!”   Sound asleep, I was awakened by an exceptionally pleasant voice speaking in my room. The message was articulated with extreme clarity. Upon hearing the words, immense comfort and courage immediately flooded my heart. This word was audible; it was not something I heard in my head or heart—I heard it with my ears. However, let me be straightforward: I did not see who spoke to me, because when I looked in the direction of the voice, I was suddenly blinded by a bright flash of LIGHT. It was almost as if a strong flash from a camera blinded my eyes. Yet, He continued to speak, saying, "Tell My people they have purpose—they have been chosen by ME for ME." Upon hearing this declaration, I was immediately overwhelmed with joy and excitement.   Never allow the devil to discourage you again; you have divine purpose! You are divinely prepared to accomplish the task God has assigned you. You can do something no other human being can do.   Meditate and ponder this message; believe that you have been chosen by Christ, for Christ, and your life will take on even greater zeal and purpose. Jesus said: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." (John 15:16)   Your confidence and courage will soar, as you understand in greater capacity the depth of these words, "YOU ARE CHOSEN BY CHRIST!" Let these words wash over your soul—they are like refreshing water to the thirsty. You have been chosen by Christ, for Christ; the choice was made before the foundation of the world (see Ephesians 1:4). Knowing this promise, will release you from rejection and depression.   The goal is to finish the course and to be able to say with all confidence, "I've kept the faith and stayed on course accomplishing the task set before me" (2 Timothy 4:7). God gives us His power for purpose; the gifts are tools not toys and anointing is for action (see Acts 1:8). God releases His anointing on His children for one main purpose: to impact the nations by bringing the hurting and lost to Himself.   The Lord has been fanning the flame of discontentment within the hearts of His people. He is creating an insatiable hunger to see the power of God revealed so that we would not settle for less than what He desires to give us (see Psalm 90:16-17). The discontentment is driving us to seek the Lord and to search for His answers to life's problems (see Psalm 42:1-2).   This is a season of sensitivity. You will find the Lord in a much deeper, intimate way as you seek HIM (see Jeremiah 29:12-13). The Spirit of Truth is Preparing You for Spiritual Promotion! You have a divine destiny. You are to be a powerful conduit for change. You are anointed to be a history maker and one that will be a changer of our culture.   Bobby Conner