Blazing Fire's Encouraging Blog

We’ve been slowly working our way through the beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3-14 for the past few months. We have a ways to go, but I was inspired to write down an artistic overview of this passage. This is not done phrase by phrase, but rather pulls in themes from the entire passage and communicates them in a seamless way: Jesus reveals that, much to our surprise, we’re blessed when we come to the end of ourselves—when we have nothing left and know how desperately we need to depend on him for everything. As we embrace our deep need for Jesus as well as when we mourn when crushed by loss and pain yet turn to him for comfort, a genuine humility arises and we develop a hunger and thirst for what is right. With this renewed heart and spirit, we discover the mercy, purity and deep peace of Jesus within us—evidence that we belong solely to him. Jesus assures us we will be his grace-filled seasoning and his love-light in this world, yet because light clashes with darkness, there will be time...

The Lord occasionally reminds me not to worry about finances and everything pertaining to financial security. I have not been too concerned about these things, but He has been reminding me of this lately which I found curious. Into this atmosphere of assurance He pointed what it says in Mat 6:19-21 -- “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I then told Him that Him speaking to me so very clearly every day about anything was a treasure to me beyond measure. I then had a vision of Him being this huge golden jewel. Jewels on Earth are amazing that people like to possess, but He showed me that figuratively He was more of a treasure that lasts forever unlike the things of this material realm. I then began to see all the virtu...

Each of us encounters night seasons where life crashes in and around us in a way we didn’t see coming and often don’t know how to navigate—the death of a parent, a sibling, a best friend, or a child; the end of a marriage or other significant relationship;  the loss of a dream, now shattered in a million pieces. Jesus, who knows the sheep he came to save, says to us,  “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  (Matthew 5:4) The Lover of our souls didn’t come to judge or scold us, but to hold and comfort us. The root word in the Greek for ‘comfort’ is the same used for the Comforter, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. Jesus is saying to us,  “Open your heart to expose the deep pain you’ve experienced and let me in to comfort you. Don’t stuff the grief deeper inside of you but express to me and with me the sadness and loss you feel. Mourn with your questions or anger or lostness you feel within. My promise to you is that I will never leave you and that I ...

Happy New Year! Can you believe we are stepping into 2026? As we cross this threshold, I sense the Lord asking the Body of Christ a question that is not meant to condemn, but to awaken:  Who are you waiting for and what are you waiting on? This question carries a sincerity, yet it also carries weight. Because the world is in crisis, and God is still longing to make His appeal through us. Since the onset of COVID-19 in 2019, I have watched the world unravel. The truth is, it may have always been this way but now, through technology, we are inundated with it. For the first time, the world and the Church are witnessing the same crises at the same time, in real time. War, division, injustice, broken families, weary souls. And while the world’s brokenness grieves my heart, my deepest sorrow did not come from what I saw in the world, but from what I saw within the Body of Christ. We, who are called to be set apart, to be salt and light have too often traded Kingdom identity for political...

“Give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”   Phil 5:20 NKJV God loves us so much that he tells us to live with our hearts in grateful attitude all the time.  He does this because living in gratitude brings us well being and is the fastest way to become aware of his presence.  I have found the following interactive gratitude practice to be an effective tool in my life.  It  involves journaling our gratitude moments as addressed to God and hearing God’s response back to us.  Step A) Gratitude from me to God Ask the Holy Spirit to help remember a moment of gratitude Write down in conversational manner with God Be specific Add why you are grateful for that particular experience If feel blocked let God know and ask for help Step B) God’s response to our Gratitude Pause and reflect on what you wrote Ask God what he would say to you in response Begin writing and don’t filter your thoughts Focus on what yo...

There are moments in ministry—and in life—when you can sense the weight of God’s glory resting on a place, a people, a moment in time. This church, this family, this season has been one of those sacred moments for me and my family. Together, we’ve witnessed heaven draw near. We’ve seen hearts awakened, lives changed, and the tangible presence of God moving in ways words can’t quite capture. This is not a farewell—it’s a sending. The glory we’ve shared isn’t ending; it’s multiplying. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:8–12 about the “transition of glory”—how one expression fades not because it failed, but because it fulfilled its purpose. That’s what this moment feels like. For the last 18 years at Blazing Fire and almost 6 years pastoring, I have seen and encountered how much this house has carried the glory of God, and I believe that same Spirit continues to move and is calling us into new expressions of His glory. In recent years, I’ve sensed a stirring in my spirit—one that’s been there...