Meet Jesus : Cure All Matthew 4:24

April 7, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 4: 24: And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Years ago, the traveling salesman would present a “cure all.” Take this and whatever ailed you would go away. The problem with it was that it didn’t work. Cod liver oil can just do so much. Epsom salts will melt the ice and cleanse your system, but it won’t heal your heart. Aspirin will thin your blood, and alleviate a fever, and back off headaches, but it won’t cast out demons.

Jesus does it all. Meet Jesus, and you meet the answer. He is a cure all.

Turning 30 with 20 years of experience was fun for Phil. This was great. At 50, he felt physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally at the top of his life. How many people could say that? He had watched so many friends reach 50 depleted and at the end of their game. Here he was at the end of a year of great stress at the top of his game. This Jesus stuff works. He contemplated the day all day. Everyone should have this opportunity. After all, Moses had felt this way at 120, why not feel this way at 30 with 20 years experience.

ACT! What is bothering you that just seems to defy resolution? Give it to Jesus and let Him begin His healing process.

PRAY! Father of Love and Laughter, open me up and do surgery on my expectations. Jesus cures it all. Give me dancing for my mourning. Give me praise for my heaviness. Give me beauty for my ashes. Fill me my cup with Jesus, and I will overflow.

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: Near At Hand Matthew 4:17

March 30, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 4: 17: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Meeting Jesus is so easy. He is near at hand. When Jesus declares the kingdom, it is His kingdom. Access to Him and all He is is as close as your hand. Your hand is attached. His kingdom is attached. Access to Him is attached to you. He is not a distant God. He is an ever-present, ever-available King. Turn around. He is near at hand.

Jesus is near at hand in us to others. Brad was talking to his friend at work. For many months this friend had been disconnected from fellowship in a congregation. Sure, they went to church. Sure, they talked to other Christians. But they really were not in fellowship. They were not in real communion heart to heart with other Christians. Brad challenged the friend. Brad encouraged them to reconnect with some kingdom friends. Brad was being Jesus, declaring the love of the kingdom.

ACT! What could be keeping you from meeting with Jesus? Turn away from it. Turn to Him. He is exactly at hand.

PRAY! Father, I turn from my way to Jesus’ kingdom. I turn from my thoughts to Jesus’ kingdom. I turn from my ideas to Jesus’ kingdom. Let Him be near at hand to me. Work in me to remove any block to receiving Jesus’ kingdom near at hand.

I loved this perspective on another blog….

http://fungirlslivebetter.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/is-god-really-dead/

Meet Jesus: Sorting Matthew 4:12

March 29, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 4: 12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali

Bad news can put a hard spin on life. Each of us has places to go and things to do. Jesus is no different.

John was Jesus’ cousin. He was the first recorded to rejoice at the coming King. He leapt in his mother’s womb when Mary approached for a visit. No one knew Jesus was coming. John knew. That is an early praise.

John prepared people for the coming of Jesus. He was ahead of Him getting the people ready.

News about John in prison was not good for Jesus. Scripture doesn’t say why he went to Galilee. Knowing the affinity Jesus had for John and the respect He had for him, it seems he needed time away to sort it out. He went where it was quiet and familiar. He went away. He did not despair. He did not become discouraged. He met the news with an action plan. He kept His confidence and went to people He knew.

This scripture coming up today is interesting. All week I have been taking in good news in multiple areas. Sometimes much good news can be as stressful as bad news. Family, friends, work, community, and other areas have been full of blessed news. The consulting business is prospering. The work on fathering is prospering. Many people want to meet and talk. At the same time, this coming week, I have some time away to write and reflect. I’ll be in my quiet spot at the lake. It is timely to go sort out the news and make plans. God is faithful. He gives us space.

ACT! Bad news? Much good news? How did you respond? Did you respond with faith and joy in Christ? Do you need time to sort out the next steps? Let Him give you a respite. He is faithful. It may only be a few minutes or a few hours, but He is faithful. He will not push you beyond His ability in you.

PRAY! Father, it is comforting to know You care so much for me. In the middle of the tempest, You cover. In the face of bad news, You allow a breath to come to take it in. How can I thank You enough? Help me to face every bad news with joy and confidence in Your provision. Help me to absorb the punches of life with joy and family and friends.

Meet Jesus: Served Matthew 4:9

March 29, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 4:9: And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10: Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11: Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Angels minister to Jesus, and so should we minister to Jesus with our worship. In Paul’s letter to the Romans he talks of a reasonable or rational service and worship done with presenting our bodies as living sacrifices. This is our pleasure and our part. Our worship of Jesus is to serve Him, to present ourselves totally to His selection for our life. Satan had it backwards. He forgot who was to serve whom.

Josue was determined to follow God this day. Lately, he had been wandering from his relationship with Christ. Over and over events just did not seem to go his way. Something he had read before was now stirring in him. There was something about praising God in everything. He was ready to try it. He was ready to try anything that would restore the warmth of the love of Jesus back in him. As he lifted his voice in the quiet of his room late that night, something broke. He began to weep. He began to praise God out loud. He began to know again the reassurance of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

ACT! Where does Jesus need your active worship? Take action this week on worshipping with real action where He needs you to serve another in the kingdom.

PRAY! Father, Jesus is the center of my worshipful services. Help me connect with the right actions for which You created me. I was created in Jesus for good works of worship done unto You. Enable me, Father, to find those works for which You created me and act on them.

Meet Jesus: Double Jeopardy Matthew 4:8

March 28, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.

Willingly, Jesus goes with the Devil to a high mountain. This is the second time. Here is Jesus isolated away from everyone except the Devil. He is willingly taken into a place of testing and trial. Going once was enough. Now, He goes with this pure evil creature a second time. It is isolation. He is one on one with the strength of evil.

The Devil has no authority over Jesus. This is a choice of Jesus, Himself. He is proving to us and to the Devil and to the entire world that will read this for centuries, that He is able to resist evil to the uttermost on behalf of mankind. Amazing!

There are times God asks us to go the extra mile into exhaustion. Think of how exhausting it must have been to put up with pure evil stretching against you. There are times He asks us to do that. We want to rest. We want to quit for a season. We want to lay down and cry in our pity. God calls us to continue. God calls us to do it again. Jesus gave the example to follow.

It was late for Michael. Three times this week, he had stayed up late. Each time a friend called and wanted to talk. Then he would pray for an hour or more after the phone call. The alarm in the morning was barely enough to cause him to wake. He wondered how long he could keep doing this. Wouldn’t that friend get to a point of surrender to Christ soon? Must he talk to him every night? He knew that was God’s plan. He knew it was the right thing to do. He knew he was the one person between Jack and a decision for Christ. How long?

Meet Jesus: Led of the Spirit Matthew 4:1

March 25, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 4: 1: Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Interesting that Jesus, the Son of God, would be led by His own Spirit. A man’s spirit is an incredibly powerful guiding force. When we meet with Jesus, we meet with His Holy Spirit. His Spirit becomes available to us to lead us and guide us. His Spirit communes with our spirit to build us in the right direction.

The consistency of those led of the Spirit is born of the Spirit, Himself. So often we can encounter like-hearted men and women, who seem to be thinking the same thoughts at the same time we do. They are. It is a connection born of God. He brings us to the same place to make life move forward in His plan more rapidly.

A friend asked for prayer for Godly relationships and connections. That strengthened me. He has been struggling to step away from those that want him to go out and party and dance like he did before he met Christ. He wants good, God connections. That is an easy prayer for me. To ask God to connect us with the right people is to ask God to be God. His Spirit yearns to connect us that way.

ACT! God is Spirit. The separating force in us that distinguishes us from animals is our spirit created in His image. Think on that for a minute. Write down five aspects of you as a human that separates you from other forms of life. Note that they are spiritual in nature.

PRAY! Father, let Your Holy Spirit of Jesus instruct me in the way I should go. You showed me in Jesus that it is Your Holy Spirit that can guide me even in the hard times. You showed me that it is Your Holy Spirit that will even ask me to do what I am unable to do without Him. Keep me connected.

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.

Meet Jesus: Humility Matthew 3:13

March 21, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 3: 13: Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

Here is the Son of God, God in the flesh, submitting Himself to the gift and calling of another. In most of our world, this is almost unthinkable. The Master goes to the servant to be enabled for ministry. It is so backward to our ego mindset that it almost hurts. When you meet with Jesus, you will be asked to find Him in others and lay down ego.

There is nothing like being misunderstood to humble us. Reading through a memo written by another staffer, I started to get upset. It was evident that he really did not understand the conversation the day before. How could he so misunderstand me? Before I did something stupid, I opened the memo that had been sent by me after the conversation. Taking a slow and deliberate look, it was easy to see how he was interpreting as my meaning. He was simply walking out his understanding. Humbled, I deleted my first response and crafted one more suitable and understanding to correct the confusion.

ACT! Think of a friend who has a gift you need. Get with them and let them pray for you.

PRAY! Whoops! Father sometimes I miss it and mess it. Sometimes You have sent Jesus to me in a wrapper that I did not receive. Sometimes the unlikely has had the incredible for my life. Help me find the some-times and receive from the gift of others in Him.

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