“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest…Whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him…Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ (Luke 10:1-9)
Last night Rodger and Pete, a couple members of ODC, and I prayer walked a neighborhood in Huntsville that has seen better days. We have been prayer walking this neighborhood for a month now. We gathered one evening over a month ago, and prayed where did God want us to go. His Spirit directed us to this neighborhood none of us live in. We walk the neighborhood and pray. We talk to and pray with people we see, knock on doors we feel led to knock on, and look for a “son of peace” (v.6) in the neighborhood. Last night Pete and Rodger introduced me to Ben, (not his real name) a man they met last week who was in his yard as they walked by. Ben was a man who had struggled with alcoholism and spent time in prison. However, he has fallen in love with Jesus, gone on an Emmaus Walk, They entered into a conversation with him that was Spirit led. They discovered Ben’s love for God, his desire to give back to God who has given so much to him, an he wants to transform his neighborhood and start a house church in his home. We all shared testimonies from our lives, prayed, and had church in his front yard. Couples taking a walk in the evening in front of the house looked on as they walked by. Bem is coming to my house Wednesday night for our house church gathering.
The first night we went prayer walking a few weeks ago we met a young man named Conner, (not his real name) who was working on a car outside in an apartment parking lot. He said he is an auto mechanic and he goes to people's homes/businesses and works on their cars at their locations for a living. He lived in a small one bedroom apartment with his wife and step-daughter. We spent time talking then praying with Conner. I have stayed connected with him. Yesterday, he came to my house and put new rear brakes on my truck. It is something I can do, however I figured it would give me a chance to talk with him more while he worked, connect with him more,and help him financially. He actually did a real good job. I bought the parts and he charged me $40 to install them which is very cheap. Tonight when we prayer walked we stopped by his apartment. We talked with him for awhile. He asked if we would pray for him. He called his wife outside, and in front of his apartment, with people in other apartments looking on, and a Mexican roofing crew 10 feet from us, Conner and his wife Ashley held hands with us in the open and prayed. I was so proud of them and I felt the Spirits presence. As we prayed, the roofing crew got quiet and listened. Who knows when the last time, if ever the name of Jesus was lifted up in that apartment parking lot. Hopefully Conner and Ashley will also come to HC Wednesday.
We also stopped by and prayed with Matt, who Pete prayed with and made friends with a couple weeks ago.
Building relationships and connecting with people and being a presence of Christ in a neighborhood, your neighborhood is simple and just takes getting out of the house and doing it. In a few short weeks we have made a presence in this neighborhood. What neighborhood have you made a presence in? Have you walked, reached out, and prayed with the neighbors in the neighborhood you live in? Jesus did send out people and tell them to go attend services in their synagogues (churches) on the Sabbath, he sent them out into the streets. Jesus is not sending you out telling you to attend a church service on Sunday morning, he is sending you out into the streets as well. You are to be a tangible example of The Church among your neighbors and “Heal the sick in it and say to them, The kingdom of God has come near to you.” (v.9)
My family, I pray this morning you pray into “to whom an I sent?” You are not sent to a church. That is where you receive encouragement and are equipped to be sent out. I pray you listen to who and where the Spirit is leading you, then obey what you hear and go. In Jesus’ name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
