Live the Call

December 7, 2013 by Phil Larson

Genesis 18:19 For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”

Live your call, friend. There is a specific destiny in each of us, a call, a voice waiting to be heard. May God give your voice words and actions for others to hear and see and follow.

A Specific Destiny

Abraham had a call. He had a way of righteousness and justice that was imbedded in all he did. It commanded itself into the lives of others. It commands itself into our lives. Without Abraham there would be no Isaac or Jacob or Israel or a tribe of Judah or Jesus born of man. He was selected to birth nations.

Abraham had specific promises. These promises were delivered as he lived his call. They were brought to him by God as he lived his call. In the path of obedience, he found all he needed and abundance for others.

A Christian Disciple

Live your call. There is a general call to obedience in Christ that applies to all of us. Prayer, meditation, witnessing, giving, service, thankfulness, gathering, and loving others are part of your call if you live in Christ. To not do them limits God’s ability to deliver His general promises. He places them in the path of living the call of a disciple of Christ.

Mistaken Identity

I can make a good living and have many benefits as a salesperson. Give me the right product and right list with the right affinity and right relevance and right distinctive proposition and I can sell it for you. But, that is not my call. Sometimes, I help clients with marketing and sales. It is not my call, though it is a talent.

Mistaken identity can cause us to live full of financial and relational prosperity and think we are following a call. The evidence of a call is the delivery of promises related to that call. The evidence of a talent is the delivery of results of principles related to it. Present a well priced product with value to the right person at the right time and you have a sell. Be friendly and you will have friends.

Discerning the Difference

Live the call. It’s fine to live the talent as long as it does not rob the call. Most folks stumble through life with no thought of call whatsoever. As long as progress is being made we can ignore God’s voice forever. Humans are like that.

What is your call? Has the still voice of God talked to you in the night about influencing legislation or pastoring or starting a business or being a great administrator? Has He intimated promises along the path? The promises might not include the world’s success formula. They might include martyrdom or families being restored or they might include great wealth. They might. Have you listened? Have you stepped back from the rush and press of performance long enough to really listen and examine? It might seem too big. Usually His call exceeds our capability. It should look to big.

Live the call. God is speaking. You don’t need to doubt that. He is speaking your call. Maybe you have heard it. Maybe you have never listened. Maybe you’ve been too busy trying to live up to someone else’s call or your personal desires and need to sort through motivations and voices. Maybe it just seems to big to get started. No one hears your call for you. It is between you and God.

Prayer: Father, here is a friend. This one has a call. I call it out. I stir it up. Cause Your Holy Spirit to stir deep and make clear. That call, that voice, that destiny can awaken and change our world. As they obey and follow, Father, bring quickly those things you have spoken to them that they would have confidence and continue.

Meet Jesus: Secretly Open

November 7, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 6: 1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly

5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly

Jesus is secretly open. What He does in secret, He does not to hide, but not to bring attention. It isn’t that He is trying to be secret. He just is not interested in men’s approvals and accolades. He is interested in His Father’s approval and His Father’s will being done in secret. It is for our example not our preoccupation.

Self Promotion? The right thing just seemed so obvious to Greg. Why did others not see what needed to be done? Over and over he worked to convince other managers of the prudence of his actions on the project. They just kept acting like he was promoting himself and his team. That was not the point at all. He just wanted to see the company advanced and his team had the best opportunity to take it on this project. Greg mulled over his options with the team. Finally, they concluded they just needed to act and not talk about it anymore. Just get the job done, they decided.

ACT! Take inventory of your “good works.” Are they done for the Father and for example to provoke others? Are they done to be noticed?

PRAY! Father, increase in me attention to Your will and ways. Let me concentrate on the private days of my life and the private moments of my days. Let me excell in secret that exposure of my life would only reveal Your activity.

Meet Jesus : Perfect

November 7, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 5: 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Now this is stiff to face. A perfect Jesus is here asking us to be perfect. How in this world can we accomplish such a challenge? Jesus and the Father are one. The Father is perfect. Jesus is perfect. The conversation exactly before this relates to relationships. Even working at being even keeled and just and equitable in all our dealings with others in love and graciousness is tougher on perfection than we can match. But, thanks be unto God, He did it for us. Jesus was perfect for us to follow.

Greg’s Pressure: Greg liked to think he was strong. Then the pressure came. The challenge to do more in less time with less staff was causing him to stay up at night. Over and over, he would think of reasons the project was late. Every time, he concluded he just wasn’t the right person for the job. This night, he decided to read a little and pray. It was coming down to looking for a new job. As he read through the gospel of Matthew, the verse on being perfect disturbed him. Then he thought it through. The thought wasn’t to do it all according to man’s perfection. The challenge was to love and greet and meet each situation with the mind of Christ. Whether the situation was good or bad made no difference. Just meet it with confidence in Christ. Love always. Greet always. Believe always. He was the right man because God placed him there. These were the right staffers. Immediately he began to review plans and pray for wisdom. What would he do if it were all in great shape? Do the right thing.

ACT! Start now. Remove an imperfection, an attitude, a glitch in your treatment of someone today. Don’t worry about everything. Do work on one thing.

PRAY! Whew! Father, You sure want a lot out of me. But, Father, You gave a lot. You gave Your only begotten Son, Jesus. Jesus gave His life’s blood for me to be perfect with You. Encourage me, Father, to stand tall to the task and declare, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me fully and completely and perfectly.”

Meet Jesus : The Extra Mile

November 7, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 5: 39: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40: And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41: And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42: Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Going the extra mile for others is the essence of long suffering. Suffering is quiet. To suffer means to allow. Long suffering means to allow for a long time. Jesus defines it even further. He looks for opportunity to suffer, to allow others to use Him and His resources. Jesus is absolutely bent on being used by others. The quest for Him is not about what others ask of Him, but about how He can offer beyond the asking.

Jack’s Pain: Working with a team that was split on commitment was tough. Each had valid points. Each was entrenched in opposite directions. Long suffering was tested. The division had been ongoing in the company for six years and then some. Jack decided to be the walking mat. Someone had to let others “take advantage” to gain some trust and ground. It was tough, but over time some of the animosities began to turn into friendships. He was hopeful to really seem some team progress. This last meeting had been half the team directing criticisms at his area. Not much was founded in present reality, but at least they were venting openly instead of behind his back. There was hope.

ACT! Who is asking for a piece of you or your time? What can you do that goes beyond the asking? Do it.

PRAY! Holy, Gracious Father, the light and love of Jesus are beyond me. When I ask, He does more. When I impose, He expands the request to more. It seems I cannot put more demand than He can answer. Help me to suffer-long with others, Father. Help me to be like Jesus and go the extra mile with a smile.

Approaching God

September 29, 2013 by Phil Larson

Design for Discipleship

Refreshing air fills my lungs and quiet consoles my soul.

The wind is gentle and the shifting season brings a certain odor.

Friends fill my mind. Ailing, hurting, smiling, transforming, new, old, uncertain, and depressed are they. One was run over by a car, another is run over by cancer, another’s heart is failing, one is losing hope, one is gaining life in new ways. They are friends and I care for them.

God cares for them. He cares for you. He cares for me. He is active and approachable.

Father, let me touch Your will and let it become my ways.

Father, change me so I might offer change to others with gentleness, and freshness.

Father, open Your storehouse of blessing and comfort for my friends. Touch and bring life. Breathe and bring healing. Hover over them like the Fall winds rustle through the trees over me and let them know You are here.

You are here.

You are hearing.

You are now.

You are present.

You are approachable.

Meet Jesus: Clear Thoughts Matthew 5:27

July 25, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 5: 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

One of the greatest thought battles of the male is with lust. Jesus is fully aware of that thought battle. He is conscious of the struggle men face. He doesn’t excuse it away. Connecting with Jesus is connecting with a commitment to clear, controlled thought-life.

With what appears to be such a strict edict, is there hope for men and women? Yes, the thought is not just directed to men, it is directed to all. Is there hope?

Like any struggle, Jesus is giving us tips to stopping damage before it goes to full fruit. The key is to stop thoughts before they develop into action. He isn’t telling us that a quick temptation is like full blown sexual contact. He is telling us, “Don’t go there. Get control of your thoughts before they develop further than a fleeting idea.”

ACT! Thoughts wandering? Try speaking blessing over a person instead of contemplating their sexual attraction. Change the focus of your mind. Give your mind something else to think about. See the person as a person not an objective.

PRAY! Father, our hearts can be so distracted. So many times we find ourselves struggling to stay faithful and content with the lives in which we are blessed. You call us to not covet other’s goods and spouses and conditions. Keep envy far from us. Keep jealousy away from our door. Keep coveting out of our mind. Clear our hearts, God. We need Your help. You give us clear and clean thoughts to guide us. Help us to focus on the good and gentle and kind in life and be content with our condition.

Life Can Be Frightening, Friend.

July 20, 2013 by Phil Larson

But then, God did not give you a spirit of fear, but of love and power and a sound, well-disciplined mind. The Father dispenses right knowledge and wisdom and equipage to get your life lived with a smile and a dance in your step. He does. Really, He does.

It is frightening to face life without a loving Father’s protection and insight. This morning as I prayed for my friends, my guideline was the book of Ephesians. Yes, I read through the entire letter and prayed. It usually takes about an hour these days, sometimes two hours or more. Martin Luther, the great reformation leader, and others are quoted as saying, “I had so much to do today, I had to start with 3 hours of prayer.” I get it. There is no time to waste. Every minute has to count and prayer puts the power in the punch.

It is frightening to look into tomorrow and realize the threats and opportunities to fail and opportunities to succeed. Failure and success are not distant partners. Each brings an element of pain and cleanup. Each creates a next step that has to be addressed. Plan for success and handle the failure.

It is frightening to go it alone. Living alongside the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is a fearsome task. He really does get things done. Boy, am I glad I don’t work in the kingdom alone. It would be hell. Yes, I believe hell on earth is trying to do the work of living without family and friends and partners in work and ministry and life. When I make a list of co-laborers, I never get to the end. There are thousands. What a blessing.

It is frightening to trust my own hand. Friend, never trust yourself to get it done. When you stretch out with God, you will find yourself in situations that are impossible. They take impossible strength, impossible faith, impossible love, and impossible energy. He has a ready supply of all four.

My prayer for friends.

Father take the hand of my friend and bring impossible strength, impossible faith, impossible love, and impossible energy into the path. As You walk with my friend enable with everything necessary to live abundantly, faithfully, and effectively. Let life be changed. Let fear be put into the street. Let faith shine so bright those around my friend will lose fear and find faith.

Other’s Need – God’s Supply – Your Hand and Heart

Remember to pray for the Community Transformation Initiative and all those that are helping and joining. After taking a few months of prep and collaboration, you would not believe the demands of the next six weeks at the Community Transformation Initiative. We are actively engaged in East OKC, North OKC, Stillwater, Del City, St. Louis, Matamoros, Mexico, and online around the world. Every one of these engagements results in life change. Our goal for 2013 was to impact 1000 families face to face. In the last 30 days, we’ve exceeded 300 and expect to pass that goal in the next six weeks. Much of this is 1-1.In the next six weeks, we will be presenting live for over 60 hours. The average pastor will present 10 hours in the same period. Much of our presentation will be bilingual and all of it will occur outside my personal cultural background. The average pastor/leader never does either of these because they are ten times more exhausting than staying within your personal culture zone or niche. The Community Transformation Initiative is not called to be average. Our aim is transformation.

Our commitment and high level schedule:

General Ministerial Conference – Dallas July 24-26

East Zion Men’s Leadership – July 26th 7pm

Telemundo Radio 33.1 – July 27th Interview on Matamoros outreach 2:30pm to 3pm

Rewrite – Mentoring – Life Church July 31st

Fearless Weekend – Tabitha Baptist East OKC Aug 2,3,4

Fearless Weekend – Regrese de Clase – CAREVI – Matamoros, Mex Aug 8-12

Watch DOG Launch – Back to School – Tulakes NW OKCAug 16

Watch DOG Launch – Epperly Heights – Del City – date tba

Outreach Planters Training – OKC Aug 23-25

Schools of Prayer – West OKC – Aug 7, Sept 4

Dad’s University – Online Fall Semester Aug 20-end of term

Champion Fathers Luncheon and Tourney – SW OKC Sept 16th

Total cost to get this done – $20,000. On hand funds $1500. Faith Commitments $5000. God’s Challenge To Be Met: $13,500

How to support.. <==click it

Impossible faith will see it to completion.

Impossible love will keep us motivated.

Impossible strength will bring us to perform.

Impossible energy will make this fun.

Meet Jesus: Dignity Matthew 5:21

July 10, 2013 by Phil Larson

www,examiner.com

Matthew 5: 21″You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Dignity is a key concept in Christ. Jesus did not assault the dignity of any human. There were times He directly challenged people to righteousness. He had no problem calling people to account for hidden agendas and false fronts. He did not attack the person as a person. He never called anyone a fool or an idiot or stupid or any such attack. That standard stands for us.

Interesting is the way Jesus looks at one of the ‘ten commandments’. There is a level beyond the surface to which He takes us. It is the heart intent that is most important. It is the beginning of the action in the depth of the heart that Jesus looks to identify. Lusting leads to adultery. Anger and contempt leads to murder. Stop the action at the point of the seed in the heart. That’s His message.

ACT! Look for any bad seeds in your heart. Take a few moments to sift through your thoughts over the last few days. If you have a mate, is there another besides your mate that has taken time in your thoughts in the wrong direction? Have you been unduly angered and contemptuous with someone? Are you miffed at God over something You think He should have done for you? Have you railed at a government official? Now is the time to uproot the seed before it germinates.

PRAY! Father, I’ve got to admit. There are times I am really upset with people acting out of my pattern. Yes, Father, I have my ways. Help me to not be so quick to call them right and others wrong. Help me to see the person separately from the action. Help me to protect the dignity of each human as precious. Help me to look at others as Your creation with an intention for good. Though they may be demonstrating wrongly, help me to look beyond at potential and design. Let me call out goodness for the lives of others in the midst of pain and problems. Help me to be like You.

Meet Jesus: Mercied Matthew 5:7

April 18, 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, ….. 7: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Mercy interests me. I need a lot of mercy. All of us do. So what is mercy?

Mercy is acceptance in spite of my pain and problems and persistent pressures.

Mercy is being received by others regardless.

Mercy is not receiving bad results from bad actions.

Mercy is having a friend I just offended do an act of kindness for me.

Mercy is having my punishment revoked and let go free.

Mercy is someone loving me even when I continually hurt them.

Mercy is good. It is kind. It is abundant in Jesus. He is full of mercy.

When mercy comes to us through others around us, we want to give it back to them. A merciful person receives mercy from others.

When mercy is held back in a needful situation, we are deeply wounded. We can decide to respond with mercy and protect our soul.

A really painful act with no mercy was dumped on me last year. Really, it has taken me many months of pain and speaking blessing and forgiveness over the offenders to even have a day with rest. The pain of a merciless act can dig deep into our soul. This one did. I won’t recant the actions. They were disloyal, unfaithful, dishonest, and lacked any small amount of mercy.

Yet, I can apply mercy. It has taken much of my emotional investment and trust in God’s protection for the future of my family, but He is giving me the smile of mercy for these that were unmerciful. My joy is more certain and more consistent. The wound of a friend goes deep. These were friends. Really, they were friends turned sour. An unmerciful act of an enemy is expected. But, a friend of over a decade is not expected to act such a way.

The great news is that we can take from our storehouse of mercy received over life and apply to the ugliest of situations and offenses. We can dispense mercy in the face of evil and keep the light in our countenance. Mercy has power. Mercy received or mercy given is healing.

ACT! Mercy is learned by example. Who around you is always taking care of others even when others take advantage of them? You think about it and wonder if the person is all connected upstairs. Why do they keep putting themselves at such risk? Go spend some time with that person. Learn from them.

PRAY! Father, I hunger for my family to be complete in You. That is my hunger. I wish to see all my friends connected to Christ. There will never be a total satisfaction in me, Father, until I see my community committed to living fully in You and by character and moral principles revealed in Your word. Satisfy my soul, Lord. Show me a way to advance the righteousness of the kingdom in my family and friends and community this week. Don’t let me sit on the sidelines. Launch me into action.

Meet Jesus: Lord of Take Back Matthew 4:6

March 27, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. :7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Satan had trouble with meeting Jesus. His intent was to trick him and cause Him to slip. He met his match. He met the Lord, God.

Meeting Jesus means meeting the Lord, God. His is able and willing to deal with any situation. He is Lord.

Stuff trys to put us down. Stuff trys to break our spirit. Stuff trys to rob our joy. Jesus is joy. His kingdom is righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit.

With success after success, lately, Prince had defeat after defeat. No one wanted to work with him. They were envious and defeatist. Somewhere from deep inside, he summoned up some joy. “Good gracious”, he declared aloud. “If no one will walk with me, then I will walk alone. They can follow, can’t they?” Those thoughts seemed good. His smile came back. He took charge of his life again. He began to work out issues and others joined with him. Sometimes you just have to rob the joy back to get going again.

ACT! Bow to the Lord. Give up. Meet Him on terms of surrender.

PRAY! Father, I give myself to the Lord, Jesus. He is Lord. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. I surrender to His love and mercy and Lordship. I surrender to His joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.

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