Not long ago, I heard my friend Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga., make a great point about the importance of we, the followers of Christ, being witnesses to those we know.
Johnny said that if you have a friend who does not know Christ, we need to go to them and say this: “You know I’m your friend. So let’s just say, for a moment, that what I believe about the Lord Jesus Christ is true — that He wants to save your soul. If that is true, what kind of friend would I be, if I genuinely care about you, but didn’t take the time to share the message of Christ with you?”
I love that. It’s the perfect way to introduce Christ into the conversation with those we love. And, my friends, we all need to get more serious about sharing the Gospel with people who do not know Jesus.
You know, we get into routines in our life. Sadly, we get in routines and we fail to communicate the Gospel with people who matter to us. We get in routines regarding our prayer life and our Bible studies. Routines, I believe, are the enemies of God’s people.
Let’s look at a great verse to encourage us to stay focused on the things of God. I John 5:14-15, says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (NKJV).
Confidence is a great thing. Knowing that the God of the universe listens to you and cares about you should instill great confidence in your heart. He desires to commune with you and to be involved in your daily life. Don’t fail to get close with the Savior every day.
When I was 14, I got to travel with my dad, who was meeting with several leaders. I didn’t really know what was going on and was just biding my time when suddenly the door opened and President Ronald Reagan walked in. I was astounded and suddenly I found myself being introduced to the leader of the free world. Talking to God is even greater than that because Jesus is the King of kings.
I Peter 5:6-7 tells us that we need to humble ourselves and cast all our cares on God. Why? Because “He cares for you.” Wow.
Let’s close with six key thoughts on the importance of prayer in our lives.
1. Recognize that God loves you and wants to hear from you. Your Father wants to hear from you, His precious child.
2. Discover God’s plans. In all you do, God has a plan. Don’t lose out on His guidance and wisdom. We are destined for failure when we forget God.
3. Remember that God cares for you. He wants to take on all your burdens so that He can comfort you and lead you through your daily trials, especially the ones that are breaking you down.
4. Get into the right place for prayer. Remember, we need to humble ourselves before we approach God. If things are not right in your heart, ask God to help you to be a humble and obedient person of prayer.
5. Get into the right attitude for prayer. If your heart is full of bitterness, anger, jealousy, etc., you need to ask God to help you be a person of forgiveness and mercy so that your prayer life can thrive.
6. Be thankful. Be thankful even for challenges. God wants to lead you even when the path is dark. Stay in His Word and stay on your knees, giving thanks for the worst of times.
If you want power in your life, power in your testimony and power in your outreach to others, be a person of prayer and humility. Our lives are dirty before God, and yet He cares. Remember what my dad always said: Nothing of eternal significance is ever accomplished apart from prayer. If you want a life of eternal significance, be a person of prayer, a person of humility and a person who tells others about the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.