Meet Jesus : Light of the World Matthew 5:13

May 20, 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.

What does it mean to be the light of the world? Connection to Jesus means we become the light of the world. Connection to Jesus means we are a part of a city on a hill that cannot be hid. It is not us individually to whom He speaks. It is us, the City of God, the people of God, to whom He speaks. Together in Him, we are the light of the world. Our world is dark. Our world is pained. Our world is putrid. Get it straight. This world is full of shadows. It is wrong because it is disconnected from the light. Jesus came and spoke to the world to change to a different way of thinking. He spoke for this world to think light not dark. When we connect with Him we connect with a message of light. Together, the body of Christ, is meant to shine a light on problems. It is meant to shine solutions for our metro. This city to which we are attached is full of solutions for others to see and grasp and join.

Of course, you may pay a high price. Businesses and government and education are afraid of Christianity. They have been put in fearful positions by those opposed, who have sought limitation in the name of liberation. Choices have to be made. Promotions will be lost. Contracts will not close. There are costs to being affiliated with Christ. Do it. Pay the price. Carry your cross. Better to shine a light in a dark world knowing some will be blessed and released from pain than to hide it under fear and intimidation and leave others to suffer knowingly.

ACT! Shine a light. It is so easy to not be like Christ. It is so easy to skip praying over a meal in public. It is so easy to just not mention your friends and relationships in Christ. When conversation at lunch turns to others talking about movies and shows and new homes and kids in school, how do you talk? Are you free to mention your friends in Christ? Are you open to talk about a great sermon you heard or a meaningful worship service that stirred your soul? Can you mention the peace you have in personal relationship? Do you have the courage? Are you willing to be seen connected to the city on the hill?

PRAY! Padre Precioso, Precious Father, I am committed to join the city and be known as joined to the city. It is risky. It is risky to be known. Even according to Your word, it can bring persecution. It can bring misunderstanding. It can bring dissension. But, Father, I am committed to be known by Your name. Let me not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ that calls us to live as light in a dark world. Let me not be ashamed of the name of Jesus. Let me not be ashamed. Let not my enemies of my world, my flesh, and the devil triumph over me.

God Cannot Fill A Full Barn: Enjoy His Grace

May 4, 2013 by Phil Larson

Photo: for the fatherless- 25 pastors from across the city and across cultures and denominations joined to pray with one heart and one mind

25+ pastors from across the city, denominations, and cultures gathered to pray

Working with a benevolent group, they adopted a philosophy of full grace giving. Over the years, a few had been serving a few. 1500 meals a month were being distributed. And food went to waste. What would happen if we emptied the pantry every time we opened the door? Would there be enough for tomorrow?

With the approach and idea that God cannot fill a full barn, the adventure begain. Within three years of making the decision to give all that was given every time we opened the door, the team expanded to 50 people from a few, services were given six days a week instead of one, a full mission location in the heart of the urban population was opened instead of a piece of a church foyer, 20,000 meals a month were served instead of 1500, and 650 families came a week instead of 20-30. All the supply came when grace was given.

Prevenient grace is a concept that there is a certain free availability of strength to be who we are. In His mercy and love for us, God allows us to live mostly unhindered in this world. We certainly do not deserve such a beautiful and majestic existence, but He grants it in hope we would respond and join Him fully. God has given us a wonderful opportunity to enter fully into His family and receive of Him while we continue in our mistakes.

Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,

Relational grace communicates that God blesses our world on behalf of those that are united with Him. His family serves Him and serves each other. Those that call out to Him repentant of their mistakes and accepting of His sacrifice and suffering in Christ provide a sort of a bubble around us. Because of them, He withholds an enormous amount of pain and suffering. Wars and famines and disasters are withheld. Surely there are enough that break through as a result of our rebellions. Yet, much more protection is afforded our world than we ever realize.

1 Corinthians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Accepted grace is the most blessed of all. Accepted grace belongs only to those that enter fully into His blessings in Christ Jesus. Through His blood, we are provided a fullness of grace. His eternal life enters us now and forever. His favor enables us. His peace sustains us. His comfort meets us in times of need. His Spirit guides us and shows us paths of blessing. This world still surrounds us. And He rescues us and blesses us.

Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)

Enjoy His grace. Enjoy all forms of His grace

Distributed grace is our opportunity. In the hands and hearts of every believer in Jesus is the opportunity to be givers of grace. In our hands is multiplied blessing. When we give it, God gives us more to be given that He might give us more. It is a principle of living. When we give, we receive.

Romans 16:20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

That philosophy and principle of living permeates PrayerMetro and all of the expressions in prayer and Christian unity and fathering and leadership. Mostly it is just grace received given out. Let not our barns remain full. God cannot fill a full barn. Enjoy His grace in the giving.

This week at Tulakes (NW OKC) and Epperly Heights (Del City), we opened the doors for Watch D.O.G.S. in the schools so that children might get a vision of dedicated and faithful and healthy men.
This week DADSUniversity went forward another week at Eagles’ Crest in West OKC.
This week at the Jesus House, we were honored again through prayer and teaching as chaplaincy to the leadership team that serves so many. Downtown.
This week many pastors received personal and private prayer and compassion. All over.
This week a group of ministers from across our city gathered in Spirit-led prayer to bless our metro on Wednesday at First Lutheran. Downtown.
This week a precious touch of God’s love descended at Tabernaculo De Fe during a time of sharing and prayer. South OKC.
This week our golf tourney for the Fall was planned and launched.
This week thousands of blessings were sent out and many legislators responded with thanks. Nationwide.
This week a sharing of word and prayer and worship with the family at Tabitha was sweet. East OKC
This week the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assualt met and planned and received me as the Chair. South OKC

And surely, I lived in His grace in all these settings while working a few small contract assignments as God performed great acts of grace.

2 Corinthians 1:12] For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.

There is no way my barn is big enough to be able to be in all these places and perform such a variety of acts as group meetings, leading a ministers’ prayer time, ministering in a Latino congregation, ministering in a mission leaders group, ministering over the phone with ministers and email with legislators, writing business articles, advising in marketing for businesses, planning and organizing a golf tournament, fixing bathtubs and house vents, cutting grass, and just being a dad and husband. My barn must be emptied daily that God might fill it again and again. Your life is the same. Life is limitless as long as you are willing to live in grace and give it all away every day.

Prayer: Father, bring great blessing of grace over my friend. Show Your grace is given most when we give the most. Show how huge You are. Bring supply and bring outlets. Let us live in grace.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

www.championfatherstourney.org Be a giver. Have some fun. Support kids and fathers.

Meet Jesus: Great Light Matthew 4:14

March 29, 2013 by Phil Larson

Matthew 4: 14: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15: The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16: The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Too many times in life we live in the shadow and region of death. Darkness surrounds us in our minds in hearts. Meeting with Jesus means meeting with light. His light dispels the shadows and puts us in a bright place.

When Jesus is on the scene, there is a springing up of light. That is active. That is powerful. Darkness causes us to sit and be inactive. Jesus springs with activity and light to get us back into motion. Death is brown. It is the refraction of light that lets us see color. His light brings back color.

The prayers of the saints for each other are wonderful. Struggling with many trials can get old and cold. When another saint sees and takes prayerful action, it is a blessing. It brings light to a dark situation. That happened to me recently. As I worked through many items for others, other saints prayed for me. The light of that prayer sustained me so I could sustain others in their hard moments. It all works together.

ACT! Describe a place of hurt and pain to Jesus. Imagine what it would be like in that spot with bright, brilliant light shining all over and colorful plants growing all around.