Sweet Surrender by Pastor Karena Lout

“Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Last Saturday night we had the honor of hearing from Jennifer Miskov and her team from Destiny House in Redding. Because Jennifer has such a high value for the presence of God more than anything else, we heard much more than a message. We were invited into an intimate encounter with God. I had a rough week so I came to church feeling a bit heavy hearted. Throughout the night, I felt the tender nudging of Holy Spirit to surrender my unanswered questions, my pain, and the places of my heart that were stuck, wading in murky waters.  When Jesus whispered the word “surrender” in my ear during worship, it sounded easy enough because my heart was beginning to soften. But surrendering is not for the faint of heart. Here’s the definition: to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting because you know that you will not win or succeed; to give the control to someone else. It takes a great amount of trust to surrender areas in our life and in our heart that still feel “in process.”   In order to trust and surrender all, it’s vital that we know the true nature and heart of God. If we don’t know His nature, we can’t be certain how He will use His power. In the earthly sense, we often associate power with control or even abuse. But Jesus uses His power to heal, to love and to make all things work together for our good. We may not fully understand His ways, but when we know His true nature, surrendering becomes much more inviting.   Unanswered questions can leave you feeling confused and sometimes tormented. When there’s a demand for answers, we often find ourselves trying to logically figure something out that will fit into our paradigm of limited understanding. But when we choose to surrender those questions, disappointment and hopelessness soon get swallowed up into a beautiful ocean of mystery, waiting to be explored.  I want to encourage you that even if you don’t fully understand yet why and how God is moving in your life, you can be certain of His goodness and love toward you. I pray that as your trust increases, you will experience the wonder of the mystery and holiness of God in a new way. I pray that God will turn the bitter into sweet as you surrender your heart and your life more fully to Him. He is so good and so faithful! Love, Karena

Change. Is It Good by Pastor Brent Lokker

There are some who thrive on change and new experiences.  That’s not the majority of us.  Most of us prefer to get into a routine that we know and can count on.  Somehow it makes us feel just a little bit more secure.   Blazing Fire is about to move into our 8th different location for our Saturday night worship service (two different times in one of those locations and this doesn’t include the park in downtown Pleasanton).  That’s change with a capital C! The fact that a large number of you have traveled with us to several locations—and some of you to all 8 of them—says a lot about who you are!   I could tell you that our choice to make God’s presence our most sought after prize or our core values of love, grace and seeing the treasures in one another are the reasons you are still with us.   But the reason you are still with us is because you’ve made that choice to belong with our family.  Suzanne and I are blessed beyond measure to have a family such as yourselves—ones who treasure God’s presence with us, who choose the high road of grace and forgiveness, and who are learning to love well!   So, we move one more time because we have to. That now sacred green tent we leave behind will no longer be there in a short time.  It may already be gone…   But as we move yet again, I want to remind you that change brings about curiosity, renewed hope and fresh expectations of all that God has promised to do for us as our very good and dear Father.  And in the midst of that change, the old things that became a place of security are replaced, in a glorious way, with a fresh new dependence upon our Father to meet every need that we have according the riches that are ours in Christ Jesus!   Just about every miracle that God performed on behalf of His dearly loved children transpired in the midst of change and trials.  Not comforting, but reassuring!   Elder Susan Fochler actually had a dream many years ago of us being in this very location.  In that dream, revival was breaking out and busloads of people were coming!  Now dreams are often symbolic, not always literal, but my heart is filled with a GREAT expectation of the times we will be having in the presence of the living God in these coming months in our new church home.   This Saturday, I want to encourage you to arrive on time for our 6 pm worship service because we are going to start with a time of intercession together—it’s going to be powerful!  Agreeing with heaven changes things.  Through our prayers we will be preparing the soil in this new temporary home of ours—soil that’s ready to invite heaven to invade our hearts, our communities and our world!   But I’m going to ask you for even more.  Would you please consider arriving at 5 pm for an hour of intercession even before our worship service begins?  It would mean so much to me if you would make an extra effort to be there this Saturday to add your voice and your agreement to this next chapter of our ongoing adventure with the Spirit of Yahweh!   During both the 5 pm pre-service intercession time, as well as at the beginning of our 6 pm worship service, I’ve asked a handful of people to bring their drums.  I invite you to do the same.  Bring drums, shofars, flags, banners, whatever you have to add to the mix.  It all counts!  It’s all a sweet-smelling incense to the Lord.   And if you haven’t been at Blazing Fire in a while—even if we’re not your “home” church—please honor me and Suzanne by joining with us this Saturday to saturate, bless and anoint our newest gathering place to meet with the Lord.  I know of several long-time BF friends who are planning to be back to join us and pray with us this Saturday.   Some extremely special moments are going to take place here in the coming months!   Change isn’t always fun, but with the Lord, it’s always good!   With Much Love, Brent & Suzanne Founding & Senior Pastors of Blazing Fire Church

Anointed For Purpose by Pastor Susan Fochler

I have had to work hard to believe I could make a difference in the world.  When I was younger I could see no farther into the future than what seemed logical and reasonable, and definitely no farther than my low self-esteem could fathom, which was not very far.  I think many of us come from families with a survival mentality who functioned with a series of knee-jerk reactions.  When one is merely surviving there is little capacity to help inspire a child to believe they are someone with a destiny and purpose. New Ways Then I joined the Kingdom of Heaven and was told I could dream great dreams with God.  I quickly learned that my old way of functioning would not create Godly results.  God never meant for us to be strong and capable in our own limited strength, but only in partnering with Him.  And He totally understands we need His help to learn how to do this. The Power of the Anointing Like David of old, God has an anointing for each one of us to step into, where we will be doing things we could never imagine.  David learned to worship God and fight the enemy out in the wilderness, but then the anointing came upon him.  David the shepherd boy then single-handedly slew the Goliath that had all of Saul’s army trembling.  It was what he was anointed to do; it was naturally supernatural for David to be a Worshiping Warrior King. God will Teach You This anointing is an unction of power from God that flows with love and life and purpose to bring about transformation and a release of God’s Kingdom on earth.  And He is ready to show you how He would flow through you, in whatever unique way you were designed.  As we read in 1 Jn 2:27:  The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie; and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.   You are an Anointed One!  We were all born to be something beyond our natural ability, because of the life of Him who dwells in us.  So remember, fellow Joint Heirs with Christ, and Carriers of the Anointed One:  Now He who has established us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.  2 Cor 1:21-22.                                                                         Love,                                                                             Pastor Susan

Love At All Costs by Pastor Brent Lokker

Love isn’t just a good idea.  It’s God’ signature—the very essence of everything His Kingdom is about.

God is the Father of His whole family in heaven and on earth (Ephesians 3:14-15).  Picture him as a proud Papa who is gazing out over all of his precious babies—of all nationalities, types and sizes—and loving each one with an ocean of his affection.

He tells us, “I won’t have it any other way.  My love for you will become your love for one another. This is the only way my Kingdom will be ushered into the earth because my Kingdom is a Kingdom of Love.”

Jesus declared the same thing while he was on the earth in his human form:
“Love each other just as much as I have loved you. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.” (John 13:34-35, Passion Translation)

Wow!  Everyone will know? Yup, that’s what he said. Yes, we need to go out and encounter people who need Jesus, but the key is LOVE!  And it starts with us in the family of God loving each other with the very same love Jesus and the Father has for us.  That can only happen supernaturally as our heart longs for that same kind of love for each other.

Would you join with me in making that your prayer right now?  (Pray it out loud!)

“Father, I need more of your love!  I want to have the same fervency you have in my love for each person I encounter.  There’s not one person on this earth who deserves any less love than that.  Each person I meet today is another one of your babies who’s made in your glorious image. Remove every ounce of judgment from my heart.  I choose to let go of past offences.  They are getting in the way of your Kingdom coming in the ways I’ve been longing to see and be part of.  Give me your eyes to see the treasures in each and every child today.  I was made in Your love and I was made to love others with Your love, today and every day of my forever life!”

And now I want to end by praying for you, joining with the Apostle Paul in His prayer in Philippians 1:9-10:
“I continue to pray for your love to grow and increase more and more until it overflows, bringing you into the rich revelation of spiritual insight in all things.  And with this revelation, you will come to know God fully as he imparts to you the deepest understanding of his ways.  This will enable you to choose the most excellent way of all—becoming pure and without offense until the unveiling of Christ.”

With all my love,
                    Pastor Brent

His Passion For You by Pastor Karena Lout

  

“But God is so rich in mercy and He loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by His grace when you believed.

And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift to God.”

Ephesians 2:4-8

I didn’t grow up a believer so I always thought Easter was only about coloring, hiding eggs and eating candy. I admit, as an adult, I still enjoy coloring eggs and eating chocolate but now that I have a relationship with Jesus, there is so much more meaning. During Passion Week, I like to return to the place where I first met Jesus. At 18 years old, I walked into this little Baptist church across from my high school. I was scared, depressed and lonely. The way the pastor talked about Jesus gripped me. (On a side note, that pastor would end up being my amazing father in law.) Jesus met me that day, rescued me from a dark pit, looked me in my eyes and told me how much He loved me. I found a love I was looking for my whole life. I don’t ever want to minimize or forget the sacrifice He paid so that I could be in relationship with Him.

As Pastor Brent shared last Saturday night, love demands a choice and Jesus chose the cross and chose YOU. It was His passion to be in relationship with you that He willingly chose to endure the cross. He didn’t just save you from something; He saved you “for” eternal union with Him. Jesus is so worthy of all our love and affection. Take time to return to the “why” this week. I assure you, you will fall more deeply in love with Him.

Love,

Karena

God wants His kids back! by Pastoral Staff

Last weekend the BF pastoral team opened up our hearts and shared our ongoing vision with you. If you were unable to be there, you can listen right now! http://blazingfire.podbean.com/e/our-vision-to-advance-blazing-fire-elders-and-pastors/

We are only able to see as far as the Lord shows us, but what we do see is tremendously exciting! We are alive at a pivitol time in Kingdom history. God is waking up the hearts of his children and we are part of a generational move of God's Spirit (one that will capture not only our hearts, but the hearts of generations to come).

We celebrate all that Papa God has led us through and we eagerly anticipate what is awaiting us. What we do know is God wants His kids back and we are alive to bring his love out to the streets everywhere we go.

""'Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on and bring them here.' The servant reported back, 'Master, I did what you commanded--and there's still room.' The master said, 'Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full!'"
Luke 14:21-23 (The Message Bible)

God has been challening us to lay down all judgments in our hearts towards others so that we can be the ones he entrusts souls to. In it's place we are invited into a move of high grace and extreme love.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for trusting us and going on this adventure together!

Much Love,
Pastors Brent, Suzanne, Todd, Karena, Russ & Susan
(in the order pictured above)

Life Changing Stories by Aleta Pollard and Marilyn Ga

Everyone’s story is different. We shared our stories to encourage you that there is a God that changes and transforms lives. We hope this gives you the courage to share your stories, and in doing so, help others become free!



When I was in my twenties, I got pregnant and had an abortion. It was at that time, that I started to seek God and eventually became a Christian. As time went on, I felt shame and condemnation for my decision to have an abortion. I felt inside that I would be punished and probably could never have any children. After Joel and I had been married, we received a prophetic word that our quiver would be full. We now have 3 beautiful daughters! Even those hidden fears inside that we don’t even confess to anyone, God can come and show you how faithful He is - He knows your hidden thoughts and is faithful to heal you and faithful to give you more than you could

ask or think!

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In my journey with the Lord, I can truly say He is faithful through every season.

He equips us for seasons ahead that are going to be difficult, where He is taking us deeper. He knows the perfect timing for uprooting and replanting. These are times that we can feel unstable - as if taking one step forward, we then move three steps backward. Often times, these are seasons He is healing us of deep wounds to bring us to a place of wholeness. These are times where we need help from others who will pray for us, encourage us, and contend for our breakthrough. God never intended for us to walk alone, but that we heal through community.

If you are in a season as I have described, I encourage you to find a few folks that will pray for you and stand with you. Home group is a great place for that! If there’s a need for deeper ministry and as the Lord leads, seek it: Heart Trek, counseling, getting together with someone who has wisdom and maturity, etc. God knows what you need and He has made provision for you.

I am confident of this - “He who has began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6b)