Influencers Weekly Devotional

Influencers Cabinet Introductions

Frank Khalil

It was a cold December day when I was on my way home and felt that small voice within my soul to stop by and visit a friend. This friend was and is one for whom I have much respect and admiration, a friend who, each and every time I would see him, would shine as if he was Jesus. This friend is Jim Holder, a man that I have learned to love and admire as he walked this journey with me. You see, that December day, I stopped by Holder's office just to say hello and wish him a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Little did I know that God had a divine appointment set for me that day. Jim had just gone through The Journey and was well on his way to intimacy with Jesus. Jim was on a life-long journey, and he wanted to share it with those God sent his way. Well, I was one of many men to whom Jim introduced this process of The Journey. It was early 2007 and what appeared to be impossible, God made possible for me. My wife Julie was pregnant with our first child after a long battle to conceive, and I was working long, crazy hours as an undercover narcotics officer with Tulsa Police. This could not have been a worse time in my life for me to commit to such a study. Well, it's amazing what God does if we simply obey, for obedience to our Lord and Savior changes everything. I took time off in the middle of the week, during the workday, to meet with a group of men to go through this process called "The Journey". Men, it has been the best decision I have ever made in my Christian walk. You see, I was the young man who gave his life to Christ at the age of fourteen. I was the young man who got involved in every opportunity that came my way to help grow my faith and walk with Christ. I was the young man who became the youngest deacon I had ever known at the age of 24, and yet, I felt empty inside. I was like so many today who are just going through the motions every Wednesday and Sunday. I was the young man who was a Sunday school teacher and went to every men's retreat. I was the guy who kept running after the wind like Solomon and continued to be empty inside. Now, as I began this Journey process, I began to understand the simple steps of being enlightened by God. I began, for the first time in my Christian walk, to understand that the Almighty God knows and cares about me. I began to understand that He not only knows and cares about me, but He is willing and able to do mighty things in my life as long as I ABIDE in Him. Wow, that was the cry of my heart for so long. This process was real and this daily journey with my Lord was impacting my life in ways that I had never imagined. I was “all in”, and I was beginning to understand that He, the Lord of all creation, was calling me, Frank Khalil, to change the world around me. He was calling me to have a vertical relationship with Him...a relationship that has brought me to the hardest time of my life, and yet, He is there making it very evident that He is with me every step of the way. Men, words cannot express what the almighty God has done in the life of this man. Words cannot explain to you what I have seen God do in the lives of other men in the past 4 years now. I'm a Tulsa Policeman who has been serving this city for over 11 years now. I've been married to my beautiful wife Julie for over 10 years and we have a 3 year old daughter named Grace and a son on the way. I have been in a storm of a lifetime these past four years, learning to have "total self abandonment and absolute trust" in my King. My heart's desire has been to reach men all around me, including my fellow policemen, to come to know Jesus in an intimate way. The battle has been intense these past several years, and yet, God has blessed me with the strength and courage to facilitate four journey groups, and I'm getting ready to start another one with my fellow police brothers. My favorite verse that has seen me through so much is Philippians 4:13 which says, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength". I have stood on these words, and I have been able to do all things and get through the darkest valleys by standing on this verse. God is so good and He is good all the time. I could share so much with you, but I must end this note by saying that God is doing mighty things through this ministry. I am honored that Rocky has asked me to be on the Cabinet to take this ministry to the ends of the earth. I am committed to doing just that, and as you may know, Rocky and I just went to Brazil in November and watched God do mighty things there. I have continued my relationship with the men in Brazil and Journey groups are well on their way. God has called me as an ambassador to Brazil, and I look forward to many more opportunities that will come our way. Men, it is my prayer that you will get involved and take those opportunities that come to you to share this process with those God puts in your life. Know that men all around us are empty and hungry to have an abiding relationship with our Savior, and you may be the vessel that will point them to Jesus. Take the time to share your love for the Father as He gives you Divine appointments along the way. This is a life-long journey, and Jesus wants us to go and make disciples. God bless you and watch over you as you go and share the good news. To His Glory, Frank Khalil