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

A Thankful Heart by Pastor Todd Lout

1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, "In EVERYTHING give thanks. This is God's will, in Christ Jesus, concerning you." There's this memory I have, from childhood, that stays with me always.  I was on the "blacktop" at school, waiting to see if I was picked for a team.  For me this was not a fun anticipation as I was that awkward kid who was quiet, sensitive and always picked last.  In fact, I didn't want to be picked at all because I really didn't like the sport, but I certainly didn't want to be picked last, again, in front of everyone.  Well, I was picked last and the kid in charge of selecting wasn't all that happy to get stuck with me.  He threw the ball directly at my face.  It was a horrible and glorious moment.  The horrible part is easy to understand, but glorious??  Here's why it was glorious; This passage from Thessalonians rose up in my mind and my heart in that moment.  Instantly it brought some level of peace, not because of what it said, but because the Word came up in me.  What it said was actually a further cause for frustration for a few minutes.  "How can I give thanks in the middle of rejection and humiliation?"  However, the very fact that I believed God, my constant One, was the one who brought that passage to mind actually was a segue (or segway....but the spelling of that word is an entirely differnt topic!) to the realm of thanksgiving, itself.  "Thank You that You are with me.  Thank You that You see me." This, in itself, brought strength to me. We've got so many different sets and levels of things we're dealing with, as opposed to someone else.  The various things we're all facing hit us in a different way than our neighbor so comparison is nothing but a horrible trap.  But we do know that commonly we have a daily opportunity to give thanks in all circumstance.  We, all of us, absolutely need to.  It's how God put things in motion.  A thankful heart is the avenue for breakthrough, strength, peace and all kinds of good things that come from a perfect Father. Today I'm not that shy kid who gets picked last anymore.  I'm thankful, though, for the fact that having such experiences growing up drew me into the secret place with God.  Today I'm journeying along with a whole other set of circumstances that can be considered the "in EVERYTHING" of that mysterious and powerful Thessalonians passage.  Do I have moments where it feels impossible to give thanks?  You bet I do!   But knowing that a thankful heart is a tried and true deal gets me back to a good spot a lot quicker than it used to take me without such. This whole thing can be intricately woven into little every day things.  For instance, I can be kinda moody sometimes.  Yes, yes I really can be.  When I feel that starting to seem out of control I thank God that He is the same yesterday, today and forever and that He's my dad.  In my weakness He is strong.  It doesn't always instantly make me feel like dancing a jig, but it really does start blowing away some clouds from my mind. What I'm saying is that even when it feels like it's all cah cah, there's still SOMETHING to grab ahold of to have thanks for and let that create a spark on the inside.  Honestly, the more we let our heart be a thankful one, the more constant we will feel it and know it deep in our knower. Happy Thanksgiving ya'll!  You're wonderful cause God thinks so!!  Aren'y you thankful for that? Love, Todd

Being Sons and Daughters in Your Own Skin by Joel Pollard - BF Overseer and BF Missions Director

Being sons and daughters of God in your own skin is where, "you get to be you". Romans 8:19 declares, "For the earth is groaning for the manifestations of the sons and daughters of God." What does that look like? We are the manifest sons and daughters of God, called to advance His Kingdom in this world. Since God is not limited, this will look different in each of our lives, from empowering leaders across the nations, to being an encouragement and testimony to our own family and friends.  Think about how a father embraces his own child in the natural. How much more will we be encountered and transformed when we continue to allow Papa God to embrace us in the deep areas where we’ve always wanted His embrace. Being sons and daughters of God in your own skin means "to be", not "to do". How many times have we found ourselves "doing, doing, doing" and saying, "If I could only do more for God" or "If I could only sound a certain way, look a certain way?" Many of us have been in a posture and position of standing by the King’s table, ready to serve, whereas, Papa God has invited us to sit and partake at the table of His banqueting feast (Song of Solomon 2:4) as His sons and daughters. Notice the contrast between the posture of sitting and standing. When we sit and partake of all that He has given us, we are in a position of rest—no more striving, but knowing who we are and Who’s we are. Even as we're shown the model of servanthood and servant leadership in the Bible, we must come to realize, know and wholeheartedly believe that we are His sons and daughters, first and foremost. We are His inheritance (Ephesians 1:18)!! The beautiful and amazing thing about sonship is that Papa God loves us right where we're at. We must continue to allow and give full access to the Holy Spirit to go to the depths in our hearts, reminding us of who we were created, destined and purposed to be--His sons and daughters, according to God's original design. Prophetically, I wholeheartedly believe that we are coming into a season where we are going to exponentially see God's restoration at work. There will be things we have contended and remained steadfast for that will be fully restored and even with some things that we may have forgotten, we will see the full restoration of God in operation, divine moments where Papa will whisper in our hearts, "I never forgot--it's that important to My heart and yours". I want to prophetically release over you that you are the head and not the tail; you are above and not beneath; you are a dream achiever, not a dream failure. Your aspirations and passions will come to pass and manifest throughout your life--you will see them to come to fruition. You will see the goodness of God in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13). "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy", according to Revelation 19:10. That’s why we prophesy—that’s why we declare, decree, love wholeheartedly—that’s why we pull the treasures forward in people—that’s why we honor, show grace and love on people right where they’re at. We are the redeemed of the Lord!!! We are His full inheritance (Ephesians 1:18). That's why you get to be you in your own skin.