Meet Jesus : Life’s Flavoring Matthew 5:13

May 5, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 5: 13: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.15: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Be Salty: Jesus is a challenge to my life. Meeting Him in the early morning hours means letting Him prod into parts of my life that sometimes I would rather hide. But I know His salt is good and will flavor my life. I know His light is kind and will dispel darkness in my life. Then I become the salt. Then I become the light of Jesus.a

Calling someone salty is not always a compliment. It is a term used to describe a somewhat irritating person with a lean toward sarcasm. That is not the saltiness for us. We need savory salt. The kind that makes a person want more not less.

Shiny Shoes: As I shined my shoes for tomorrow, it reminded me of an encounter on the streets of Chicago. A street vendor came up and buffed my shoes with some concoction. None of that mattered. It just mattered to me to look into his eyes and challenge him to a life more fully lived in Christ. He talked about his upbringing and challenges of living on the streets with a yearning for more. It was a simple conversation and his decisions are his to make. Another vendor had attempted the same in New Orleans some time back, but I had no thought of challenging him at the time. Sometimes, I wonder, “What is the difference?” Why do I speak at one time and hold at another? I’d like to think it is sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, but most times when I don’t speak it is sensitivity to the people around me. My candle gets a bushel plopped on top.

ACT! Spread a little salt today. Talk about Jesus. First, think about Him. What is it that challenges your life that exists in His life?

PRAY! Holy Father of love and light. Flavor my life with Jesus today so that I might flavor the lives of others with Jesus. He is so precious, so kind, so alive. So many times, I fail to acknowledge You to others. So many times I put the bushel over the light. Pierce through me so that salt can’t be masked. Flow through me so that the light comes out through the cracks in my fearful bushel. Teach me, Lord. Let the salt of Your word embed in my makeup.

Meet Jesus: Ill Will Matthew 5:11

April 29, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 5: 1: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, … 11: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Reviled, persecuted, falsely accused, and discussed with cussedness is the condition of a follower of Jesus. Now, that was His condition. And, now, that is our condition. It is a strange communion with Christ that we desire. We want to be like Him in every way except this one. Sure, we would like to be gracious and kind and merciful and full of miracles. But, do we want the accompaniment? Jesus was conditioned to being treated this way every place He went. Are we?

During the televangelist season of failure in the 1980s, a co-worker approached me on break. This had been a hard time as many personal failures of Christian leaders were in the media and being talked about in congregations. Jimmy Swaggart was one of those in the news regularly. This co-worker made a crude comment about the minister and the accusations in the papers. True or not, I had no idea. My retort was to encourage them to find truth before repeating the news lest they find themselves against God. Even if it was true, why would they wish ill will to the man? Over years, he had been used of God to bless many. Now there was a reported failure. Wouldn’t we want him to be restored? Wouldn’t we want him to enjoy family for the remaining years of life? Wouldn’t we want repentance and continued good works? The co-worker really wasn’t attacking Jimmy Swaggart. They were attacking the cause of Christ and possible hypocrisy. That is a dangerous game to play. Who wants to be one to accuse Christ of inconsistency?

ACT! Have you ever verbally wished ill will to another Christian? Did you do it out of envy? Have you ever heard someone else do this? Did you participate by listening? The next time you hear an accusation against a brother or sister in Christ, rise to their defense. Bless them in your prayers and bless them in the hearing of others. Don’t entertain the ill will.

PRAY! Father, this kingdom of heaven is a strange life. We find ourselves continually beset with accusations when we do good and needing to bless others in the same. In the kingdom, we are joined in Christ to the same body. In the kingdom, what affects one affects the other. Teach us to be blessors, especially when others in Christ are attacked. Teach us to turn what the enemy means for ill will into something of blessing. Teach us to walk in the kingdom.

If we can pray for you regarding anything in your life, please let us know. Our greatest blessing is to bless others in prayer. . www.prayermetro.com Phil@shepherdok.com

Meet Jesus: The Walk of Persecution Matthew 5:10

April 24, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 5: 1: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, … 10: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The Walk: To walk with Jesus links us with persecution and suffering. His walk on earth was full of many sorrows. Some of those were the normal sorrows all of us endure such as loss of family members, friends being sick and just normal stuff. Some of those sorrows were persecutions from friends and trusted people and strangers. One of His greatest persecutors was the religious leaders of the day. These were men dedicated to God. These were men, whom the Father worked with daily to grow understanding. These should have been friends of Jesus and the message He brought. His message was a fulfillment of thousands of years of promises. These very people turned on the God they worshipped and persecuted Him. We are joined to that persecution when we are joined to Him.

Brian’s Exchange: The exchange was painful. Brian had worked for this company for four years. He had put in countless weekends and nights. Calls came at all hours of the day. Last year, his direct reporting structure had changed. This new vice president was different. During his annual review, Brian had gotten two messages. 1. Prayer has no place at work. 2. You need to be less involved outside of work. The company doesn’t like it.

Why a Problem Now? This had never been a problem before. For years he had been active in the faith community as a volunteer. Now, his personal life was being attacked by his work management. There was nothing active at the work place other than visiting with folks over break and lunch. The attack was devastating. He really had no experience to compare with this. The hardest part was that the organization purported to the public to be linked to a large Southern denomination. To the employees behind the scenes it was something different.

ACT! How do you return blessing for cursing when you are persecuted? Scripture tells us to bless those that persecute us. Have you ever been in the situation of real persecution for your faith? Think of a way to bless those that persecute you for your faith.

PRAY! Father, persecution from anyone is hard. Persecution from those from whom we expect blessing is super hard. How do we survive? How do we handle it? How do we continue in good works even in the middle of the mess? Teach us, Father. Show us the path of Christ. Show us how to reach out and continue to spread the gospel when the environment is hard. Teach us to pray and bless over those that persecute that they might get connected with Christ themselves. Help those that persecute us to have the eyes of their understanding enlightened. Help them to see. Help them to engage love in all they do. Bless them abundantly.

Meet Jesus: Blessor Matthew 5:1

April 8, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 5: 1: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

When you meet Jesus, you meet blessing. Pure and simple, He is a blessor, especially of the underdog.

I remember my 50^th birthday. Hey, it wasn’t that long ago, give me a break. So many blessings were received. A business trip to a great site coincided the week before. A group at work attended an NBA game. My youngest son and I attended a hockey game. Family celebrated at home. My oldest son was able to be here, though for another reason. My pastor and others called and encouraged, “Disfutas cumpleaños.” (Enjoy your birthday.)

All of this was in the middle of a horrible and tragic sickness and rapid death of a family member living in my home. While my home was grieving it was celebrating. Daily the situation of the family member became worse. Daily, my Father pulled out another blessing to make sure his son had a good birthday week. While that grief sat heavy, the blessings were rich. In the middle of our mourning, God is faithful to bless us unrelentingly. These verses hold daily and moment by moment meaning.

It is an honor to attend a loved one in the process of death. Yet, it is tough. Receiving special touches from the heart of Jesus give life and strength and blessing for the moments. Appreciate those blessings no matter the struggle.

¡Bendiciones! (Blessings!)

ACT! Find somebody who needs a blessing today and give them one. You may be holding the exact blessing from the Father that can turn the tide of pain for them. Release it.

PRAY! Father, I receive Your blessing from Jesus to me.

Meet Jesus: Influencer Matthew 4:25

April 8, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 4: 25: And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan

Today’s writers, students, and speakers on influence will tell you to work on your immediate circle of people. From that, your circle will begin to grow. Jesus’ circle moved with lightning speed. In short time people were coming from miles away in every direction. North, East, South, and West they came. From outside Israel they came. From inside Israel they came. They came by foot mostly. They crossed rivers. They came.

Babs really did not know what to think of this day. She started out at the coffee shop and met a pastor, who wanted to know what she thought about the recent changes in city government. Then she bumped into a woman from a sister congregation that asked her to tell her friends about an upcoming seminar. Later, some business associates asked her to join them for a round of golf. The same day, the waitress at the restaurant just opened up and began to tell her about her needs at home and her stress in her marriage. All of this seemed too much like a God day. How interesting that He could give acceptance and influence among so many types of people.

ACT! What boundary of thought will you cross today to meet Jesus? Do it!

PRAY! Father, people are willing to cross any boundary to get to Jesus. His influence moves quickly when we expose Him and His love and His power. Help me to show Jesus to my circle of friends today so that others will come. Help me to just stretch out to those around me so that others will cross boundaries to get to the Jesus I have to offer them.

Meet Jesus: Preacher Matthew 4:23

April 7, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 4: 23: And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Preaching the gospel of the kingdom was a continual activity for Jesus. Throughout the gospels we meet Jesus, the Preacher. He preached good news. He preached with conviction. When I think of preaching, I think of someone passionate about whom they are, what they say, and their mission and message. Passionately speaking good news is a great description of Jesus.

Preaching is so much fun for me. Yes, it is pensive. Yes, it is work and takes great preparation. Yes, it is sometimes a frustration when the message does not seem to get across. But, preaching is great fun for me. It is the fulfillment of call and passion expressed all at once. Seeing people come alive with the gospel through an illustration or comparison is wonderful fun.

We ought to have fun doing what we are made to do. God made me to be a preacher. This devotion is a preaching of sorts. When it hits home with people, I come alive and thank my Father for His faithfulness. Seeing someone do what they were born to do is so much fun. Do what you were made to do.

ACT! Think on something about which you have passion and conviction. Does it make your blood stir up? Jesus gets stirred up about you being in His family.

PRAY! Father, thanks so much that Jesus gets stirred up about the good news that I can be a member of Your family. I am so excited about being in the kingdom, in the family of God. Stir in me that same passion and conviction that others might be able to meet the same Jesus, the Preacher, whom I know. In me, light the fire to fulfill my call. That for which You have made me make alive in me. I commit myself to it. I joy myself to do it.

Meet Jesus: Healer Matthew 4:23

April 6, 2013 by Phil Larson

If anything, Jesus is a healer. When you connect with Him, you connect with solutions for sickness, peace for pain, and elimination of disease. All of that stuff is decidedly a curse on us due to our sin condition. Jesus came to remove the curse. All descriptions, forms, and expressions of destruction flee in His presence.

Last year was another learning experience for me. After six months of sickness, the Healer appeared. Really, I was looking for Him not healing, when He came.

For six months, I had suffered acid reflux. For six months, I had not slept a full night. For six months, I had altered eating, resting, and other habits. For six months, I had followed the doctor’s orders and taken my pills. Nothing worked.

While going through scripture in my personal study, I noticed the condition was gone. For four days, I had slept with no problems. While looking for Him in the scripture instead of looking for healing, I had found both. He removed my curse while looking to Him the author and finisher of my faith.

ACT! What dis-ease has attached itself to you? Name it. Don’t be afraid. He is present to heal. Give it to Him for solution.

PRAY! Father, all descriptions, forms, and expressions of destruction must flee in the presence of Your Incredible Son, Jesus. Jesus, You are here. You are my master, my Lord, my Savior, my soon coming King. I submit myself and my dis-eases to the healing of Your presence. Jesus, meet me in the chamber of healing. Friend and brother, release me from my pain.

Meet Jesus: Worth Following

April 6, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 4: 21: And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22: And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

The daily drudge can easily cause us to miss opportunity presented. Jesus is such an opportunity. It takes guts to break the daily drudge and follow Him.

He is worth following. He is worth more than our business and busyness. He is worth more than our blood family. He is worth more than any occupying of our time and life. Jesus is just worth following.

In a business meeting recently, it struck me how many originally did not want to be a part of this team. In the beginning, they had resisted and fumed and made noise in private and openly. We persisted together. Now, they were all enjoying prosperity and the team.

One colleague new to the company especially persisted. She continued to present the positive and the pressing needs. She continued to follow up with each team member. What did we need to communicate? How could she help? She had been following. Others followed her following our department’s direction following the executives following the business needs of our customers. What could happen if we fell in line following Jesus like that?

ACT! Follow Him today. Stop the daily drudge for 2 minutes and see if you can hear Him call.

PRAY! Father, I’m listening. I’ve put down my daily drudge, and am listening. Call me. Call me to follow Jesus.

Meet Jesus: Mystical Matthew 3:16

March 22, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 3: 16: And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

At times a relationship with Jesus can get a little mystical. Doves, spirits, voices from heaven, and the heavens being opened all make for a mystical moment. Jesus transcends what we see on a daily basis. He operates in heaven and earth simultaneously. That may throw our normal pattern, but be thankful that He is access to the Father in heaven and the Holy Spirit on earth at once to affect our lives.

Listening to the message of the moment from the pulpit, my life seemed to be the content. The preaching pierced pointedly and profoundly into the core of that night’s dilemma. All day, I had lived the problem being answered. It was exhilarating. God’s timing in bringing my pastor to the present point of my life is amazing. There are too many times to tell of when this has happened. The scriptures come alive with fire and stir me up to new levels of faith. How could God care so much to make the message match my messes? What an amazing God!

ACT! Need anything from heaven? Some things we need don’t exist right now on earth. Jesus is access to heaven. Ask the Father for the impossible in Jesus. Go ahead and plan the rest of the day as if you had it.

PRAY! Our Father, who is in heaven, Holy is Your name. Cause the heavens to open for me in my life. Cause Your Holy Spirit to brood over my life and cause chaos to come to order. Release all You are in heaven and earth in me that Your will would be done here even as it is there.