A Neglected Conversation

Posted on by stevenlucht1

Do we undermine and underestimate the power of prayer? Is prayer something that we take for granted? Is this “prayer” thing something that we neglect?

I work in a retail store and last week my right foot started to have this shooting pain. At times it was hard for me to even stand, as I have to stand all day at work. As I was helping one of my customers, I started to complain that my foot was hurting and it was hard for me to stand up. The gentleman, who looked like he was in his fifties, looked down at the counter and started praying for my foot. He said something like “God take this man’s pain away in your name, ahmen.” Now I don’t remember the exact words in which he said, however it was on those lines. Immediately I thought, when he was praying, that this is really silly and why would you pray about something so insignificant. I chuckled a little bit and handed the man his receipt and he was on his was way. Almost instantly I noticed that the pain in my foot was gone.

It’s incredible how God works through prayer. I never once thought about praying for my foot to stop hurting, it just seemed like a weird prayer. However, I know that God healed my foot at that moment. It gave me an amazing learning opportunity showing that God knows what’s hurting in our lives but He wants us to tell Him about it and how He can help us. It’s all apart of this personal relationship we have in Christ.

James 5:13a ~ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.

I’ve always looked at prayer as a continuous phone call between God and me. A phone that I could always pick up and immediately start talking with God. We need to pick up the phone and actually start talking with God.

Imagine a couple that have been together for years. They both know a lot about each other. However, this couple hasn’t spoken in six months. Do you think that this relationship is going to last without any form of communication? Of course not! In the same way we have this relationship with God and we should not be neglecting our communication with Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ~ Pray without ceasing

In the ESV it has the word Pray written in text 94 times and in 90 different verses. That’s a lot of different times saying that we need to pray. It just shows all the more that God wants to have this personal relationship with us.

Matthew 21:22 ~ And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith
Mark 11:24 ~ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.

In times that we are struggling with physical or emotional pain we need to look toward God and pray no matter how insignificant it may seem to us at the time. If we trust that God will heal us through His miracles and have faith in Him, God is going to answer that prayer.

So let’s stop neglecting this amazing opportunity that we have to talk with our God. Let’s spend time each day expressing our needs to God. Prayer is a big step in creating our relationship with God all the most stronger.

Where is our missions field?

Posted on by stevenlucht1

Growing up, I remember having different people from all over the world come to Sunday morning church service and explain all that they do in another country. Whether that was a person from down in the Bahamas, a man in South Africa or someone that lived in a different country. These people were commonly referred to as “missionaries”. I told myself at a young age that I am going to become one of these “missionaries” and travel the world into other countries telling others about Christ.

I’ll never forget listening to a message from Stuart and Jill Briscoe. Jill was explaining where the missions field is while saying, “The missions field is in between your own two feet“.

So many times we fail to look around us and see all the hurt, and the people that need to hear the love of Christ because we believe that either someone else is going to tell them or that we feel that being a missionary we need to be in a different country.

Now don’t get me wrong, going into another country and doing missions work is amazing and should be encouraged for those who have that calling. There needs to be some people that go and do that kind of missions work, however if so many people are going out into other countries who is telling our neighbors about Christ?

My dad and mom always taught us kids that work always started at home. Whether that was raking up the leaves, mowing the grass or simply doing the dishes. Not only did this teach us that it’s good to help around the house, but that is where help was needed. Now that we are older and one-by-one are moving out of the house, we are also using that work ethic and ability to work around the house with us.

Our work starts from home or as Jill Briscoe put it, “The missions field is in between our own two feet.” Jesus did say in Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV):

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We have a missions field right outside our front doorstep. It’s time that we step outside and start truly telling others about our God’s love for them. We are commanded to go! So what are we waiting for? Start your missions field.