Tag Archives: prayer

Meet Jesus: Served Matthew 4:9

by

0

meetjesusservedMatthew 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: Taken Matthew 4:5

by

0

meetjesustakenMatthew 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

The fact that Jesus would allow himself to be taken anywhere by the devil astounds me.  What was going through His mind at those moments?  Here he was, led by His own Holy Spirit, to spend time with evil.   Here he was entering the beginning of His public ministry dealing with a defeatist devil.  Our present thinkers tell us to feel good and be happy and then minister.  Our present ideologies point to pleasure as the entry to ministry.  Jesus allowed himself to be taken into the presence of evil itself.  This was His entry point into public ministry.  He allowed testing.  He presented himself for inspection.  He was taken.

Pushed to the max, Jim was about to pop.  This was supposed to be his year to get the big promotion.  It began with pain.  Employees were livid with some decisions he had made.  Every emotion in him was twisted.  He had worked night and day and given himself totally on behalf of these.  They turned on him.  The year before, he had handled the torrents of accusations from a disturbed man.  The threats had been against these very employees that now turned on him.  For defending them, he now stood their accusations of being unfair and inequitable.  Was this how to start his big year?

He resigned himself to stand through the accusations.  He remembered that the name, Satan, really meant Accuser.  He remembered, Jesus had stood testing before His big year.  Surely, he could allow the Healer to live in and through him in this critical time.  “Father, forgive them”, he whispered, “They don’t know what they are doing.”

ACT! Testing is never fun.  When God has something big, He can allow life and, yes, even the devil a place to sort out our intentions and grace living.  Is there a place of testing in your life?  Is God preparing you, stabilizing you for the next big thing?  Submit to the test.  Let it prove you out.  Don’t fight.  Let God fight for you.  Take time to pray Psalm 35 and see what happens.

PRAY! Father, I am not my own defense.  When life and the enemy rise against me as a flood, You be the boat of my salvation.  Carry me away from that which is too strong for me.  Deliver me from the hand of my enemies.  Cause in me conviction to repent of those weaknesses in me that could have led to this situation.  Cause holiness to well up in me.  Cause me to crucify any flesh that needs changed.  Let these troubles be a directional that causes me to become closer to You in thought and word and deed.  Cause me to be more like You than ever before.  Then, in the next big thing, I will be able.  I will be founded.  I will be strengthened to do that to which You have called me.  I surrender myself to be taken.

Meet Jesus: Humility Matthew 3:13

by

0

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

Meet Jesus: Fire Baptizer Matthew 3:11

by

0

meetjesusfireMatthew 3:11: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

 Be ready for change when you meet Jesus.  John gets us focused in our preparation.  Meeting Jesus can make you different from the inside out.  He brings the Holy Spirit and fire to pour over you and change you.  Think of it this way.  It is like having chemical fire on the inside (the Holy Spirit) and liquid fire on the outside. However, the real you is strengthened not burned.  The stuff that is between you and Him will be cleansed.

Conflict is one of those baptizers in the Holy Spirit.  We want to avoid it, yet it is the right thing.  God used conflict to cause us to dig deeper into understanding of relationships and life.  The deeper we dig, the stronger we become.  In talking to a leader, it struck me to provoke him that leaders love resolving conflict.  They don’t love the conflict or the anger and frustration that may accompany it.  They do love the process of resolution and the end result.  Through conflict we are baptized in Holy Spirit fire.  He strengthens our resolve and our ability to move ahead.  He causes us to face hard items that need to be removed.  It is one way He baptizes us with fire.

 ACT!  Pick an item that needs to be burned away in your life.  Put it in front of Him for handling.

 PRAY!  Father, I am not afraid of being baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire.  I await continually meeting with Jesus to be continually cleansed. Let Your faithful and just character enter into my life as I confess my sin before You.  Forgive me and cleanse me from all ways that are unlike You.

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

Meet Jesus: Nazarene Matthew 2:23

by

0

Matthew 2: 23: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

 Later in life when brother told brother about Jesus, one replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”.  Nazareth was just simple and probably had a more than ample share of troubles.  There was nothing good or outstanding about being from Nazareth.

Jesus wasn’t who He was because of  where He was raised or  a tremendous good family name.  He gives us the same opportunity to be the best of the best according to our calling and destiny.  Hometown, family, community standing, and other accolades of men mean nothing when we meet Jesus.  All of us can succeed.

ACT!  Erase out of your mind the idea that some status to men makes the difference in succeeding in Jesus.  If you take pride in it, put it out and stand tall in Him alone.  If you take shame in it, stand tall in Him alone.

 PRAY!  Father of Birthright, you placed me in the time and circumstance of my upbringing.  You will bring it to good in Jesus.  You will bring me to success in Jesus, the Nazarene.

Meet Jesus: Named Matthew 1:21

by

1

meetjesusstormMatthew 1:21: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

The savior, what a name!  Jesus’ very name means savior.  His name is His destiny.  He saved and saves.  He saves from sin.  He saves us from our mistakes.  He saves us from whatever is our situation.

Being saved from sin means being rescued.  Jesus is our rescuer.  He moves in and brings us to a safe place, a place of conquest over sin, and a place of victory over mistakes.

 ACT!  Get honest.  Take your mistakes and hand them over for salvation.  Let Jesus rescue you to a place of victorious living.

 PRAY!  Father of Forgiveness, give me victory over my sin.  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, my Strength and my Redeemer.

Meet Jesus: Fulfillment Matthew 1:22

by

0

meetjesusMatthew 1:22: Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

Jesus is the fulfillment of promises in the Father.  To Abraham, the Father had promised much blessing.  To us, the Father promises all the promises of Abraham fulfilled.  In Jesus is a confident, “Yes”, spoken from the throne of God for each request to the promise.

Now that is incredible.  Jesus is the fulfillment of promises.  That is His nature and assignment in our lives.

ACT!  Go ahead, make God’s day.  Appeal to a specific promise given that is waiting fulfillment in your life.

 PRAY!  Holy Father of Grace and Light, show Yourself to me today.  You promise new mercies every morning.  I appeal today to Your mercies of healing and strength and financial provision and protection for my household from destruction.  I appeal to Your abundant mercies of deliverance from evils that have already happened.

Meet Jesus : Receiver of Gifts Matthew 2:11

by

0

Matthew 2:11: And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Abundant living is a promise of  Jesus.  He comes to give us life and life more abundantly.  The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  Jesus brings abundance.  In that abundance is our capacity to respond in giving to Him.  He is never embarrassed in receiving.  He is a receiver of gifts as well as a giver of abundance.  Abundance is the capacity to give.

ACT!  Give to Jesus.  You may not have gold or frankincense, but you have something.  It may be finances for the kingdom.  It may be an ability that will bless the kingdom.  Give out of your abundance.

PRAY!  Father of Giving, You have enabled me with more than I need.  Jesus told me that when I give to the least, I have given to him.  Show me where to give of myself of Your abundance.

copyright 2001 Phil Larson

Get Outside The Reach @Christmas

by

0

Get Out Side The Reach

Usual travels this week include a trip from OKC to Matamoros and back again.  Sort of a Bilbo Baggins adventure.   Though, I’m not sure which end is the Shire.   Raul and I certainly don’t look like Hobbits even though we might have hairyness.

This year, I am staying home. Raul and Abdiel are in Matamoros.   Fiero will take another load of   toys today.   I will watch the star from afar and trust the wise men to do the job.

Why do we do this?  Why have we connected with this congregation in Matamoros called CAREVI?  Why don’t we just stay home instead of drive for 12 hours one way?  What is the purpose?

Get Outside Your Self…

A big reason is to stay outside of ourselves.  It is easy to go downtown and deliver gifts to kids who have more on a poor day than some kids in Matamoros on a rich day.   Ever watched a kid who has never opened a new box open a new toy?  Used stuff really is not the focus.  But getting a new toy in the box is an amazing experience for some of these kids.   Sure, I’ve helped a little and my wife has helped a lot right here in OKC with families needing Christmas.  Yet, they have so much even when they have little.

Get Outside Your Comfort

There is a need to be uncomfortable.  Our lives have little real sacrifice.  Try driving toys across an armed border knowing you will drive past military and cartel operations just to bless someone.  A little unnerving.   We need to be unnerved.  We need to remember.  We need to think about the chaos our comfortable, drugged, entertainment, make me happy culture in the US creates to sustain.  All of those guns and threats exist to supply US entertainment and leisure.  Hmmmm

Get Outside The Reach

Sometimes we need to see the miraculous.   How in this world doe multiple churches and business professionals in OKC come together to support folks in Matamoros?   Black and Latino and White churches here; Baptist and Nazarene and Full Gospel churches here;   join and bless with gifts and gospel folks they will never meet.

Return

Then we come home.  Then we live with memories and facebook connections in between.  Sure I  get to stay connected unlike missions works in the old days.  But it doesn’t smell the same.  It does not taste the same.  It does not love the same.  Sorry, I can’t hug a facebook post.   I can hug a friend, a child, a cohort, a fellow human on the journey.

That is Christmas

There you go.  That is Christmas.

Jesus went outside Himself and became an extension in humanity.

Jesus went outside His comfort zone in the throne room and stepped into an earth zone.

Jesus went outside the heavens and touched the earth, where we live in sin and destruction disturbing His intended peaceful creation.

Jesus returned to heaven; yet, He stays connected with us.   He is more powerful than facebook.  He takes up residence in hearts and stays even though He returned.

Guess That’s Why

I guess reliving that journey of Christ every year is what drives me and the team.   Thanks for sending us.  Thanks for allowing us.

Go back

Your message has been sent

Powerful Healing: Unshakeable

by

0

Image

Psalm 16:8 I am always aware of the Lord’s presence;   He is near, and nothing can shake me GNT

Near To Me In Healing:

How powerful is healing?  A friend described his last three weeks of healing journey.  He had a violent condition that resulted in waking several times a night choking and gasping for air.  The doctors had prescribed major medicines, inhalers, etc… As he said, “I have quarts of medicine.”

Then we prayed in his home one evening.

That night he slept.  Every night since then he has slept.  All the symptoms are gone.  The doctor is puzzled.  His friends are puzzled.  They are so puzzled they are opening up and talking to him about issues in their life that need prayer.

That is God being close to us.  He is so near, others want to touch Him through us.

Near to Me in Healing:

How powerful is healing?  M came to CAREVI in Matamoros years ago.  It was before Raul and I began working with Dr. Carillo and the team.  M is on the leadership team.  There are many stories to tell.  He and his family are a blessing to watch.  They are busy expanding the kingdom.  M ministers the gospel from the point and testimony of his new life, healed and whole.  Once he was addicted and trapped.  Through scripture and prayer and counsel and love, that is past and he is healed.  When visiting this summer, he showed me an outline he made of Los Siete Secretos de Los Padres (the Seven Secrets of Effective Fathers).  He is teaching 17 men. 10 are in the congregation and 7 in the community.  I gave him the book three years ago.  He has devoured and put the truths to work for his family and others.  That is healing.

When Are You Unshakeable?

Another friend and I talked over lunch.  The press of painful events in my life is enormous these days.  Six family deaths, job change, deep betrayals by trusted friends, near death accidents, and more than I want to mention all occurred in an eight week period.  Wow.  My wife and I should be rattled and locked up under drugs somewhere.  Yet, we pursue peace and continue to live and reach others.  How so?  Why are we not shaken beyond the calm?

Easy.  Prior to the onslaught and while it was happening, I was in a period of reading from Genesis to the Revelation.  In the same eight weeks, in prayer, I felt strongly impressed to make that prayer and reading journey.  That was before the onslaught. That was during the onslaught.  The effect is still flowing.  The words of God can create unshakeable health in us.

These friends to whom I point are living in strong circumstances.  One lives in a war zone city in Mexico.  The other works in law enforcement.  They are bright lights of Jesus in dark circumstances.  They have chosen to allow God’s healing in them to reach others.  They chose to be near to God when others run away.

When Are You Unshakeable?

When you are near to God, you build the unshakeable force of health and healing.

In the scripture

In prayer

In healing

In comfort.

In peace

In living

In pain

In problems

When you allow Him room to show through you to others in all your experiences, you build the unshakeable force of health and healing.

For Tomorrow, Be Healed

Another friend called to cancel an appointment.  It happens often.  He plans to be sick tomorrow morning.  Yes, he plans to be sick.  He is sick now and plans for it to continue for a while.  Hmmm

Yesterday, I worked helping some friends move. They are new friends and coworkers.  We started at 8:30am and I finished at 7pm.  Many finished along the way and the friends were still going when I left.  It was a long day of carting and carrying boxes and chairs and desks.  Sleep was sweet.  This is being written in the early morning hours.  I am up and ready for a new day.  No time to plan for sickness.  I went to bed early and planned for a good healthy day.

He is near for healing.

He is near for peace.

He is near for strength.

He is near, now and here.

 

Pray:

Father, I’d like my time to be with you now and here.

Fill me with Your presence.

Heal me.

Peace me.

Joy me.

Estoy aqui.  I am here.