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Walking With God
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Walking With God
On Wednesday, I went to a prayer service at Marsh Corner Community Church in Methuen, Massachusetts. I had visited this church on the first Pocket Full of Quarters journey and they are mentioned in my new book, Pocket Full of Quarters. The books arrived at my Boston hotel and I couldn’t wait to show them to someone.
When I walked into church, in a man said, “You must be the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady.” I had e-mailed ahead to the pastor but didn’t recognize this man. When I looked confused he said, “I’m one of the deacons and the pastor told me you were coming. I’ve been to your website.” I felt so welcome. “It is a holiday week,” he warned. “It may be small.”
I laughed. “I’ve been to a great prayer service where there were only 4 people present and one that felt dead when there were hundreds there. I’m pretty sure the Bible says where two or three are gathered, Jesus will be with us. If He’s here, that’s enough.”
Matt 18:20
For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." NASU
I listened to people chitchat. They were full of news about how the power of God was working in their lives. “My son was in a motorcycle accident while I was out of town. They contacted the church and our pastor handled everything until I could get back,” one man said. “Thank God, he is OK.”
“Wasn’t Sunday’s sermon great,” someone else mentioned. “We love our pastor,” they informed me.
I enjoyed talking with a man named Bill and was amazed to find out that he was over 90 years old. “What’s your secret?” I asked.
“I always tell people not to try to live to age ninety,” he quipped.
“But what’s the alternative?” I said, trying to make an old joke.
“Peace with God,” was his quick response.
I got to talking with Bruno and he shared his testimony. The discussions of the motor cycle accident had put it on his mind. “We lost our son in 1979 in a motorcycle accident, only 5 minutes from home. He was 19, working, and a college student. He was so smart. He finished high school in just 3 years. When we got the call, they told us it was serious. We rushed over and found him already gone. He had accepted Christ and been baptized shortly before the accident so I know he is with God. I had been raised Catholic but didn’t pay much attention to it. God didn’t cause my son to die but He did use it. Because of the loss of our son, my wife and I were “born again” and baptized. We’ve been in church ever since.” Later I had the privilege of listening to Bruno pray and got a glimpse into his intimate walk with God.
The prayer service started with Joe sharing his testimony about going to camp with children. “Never be shy about telling children about Jesus,” he encouraged. “Walk up to them and say, ‘Jesus loves you.’ Camp is exhausting but every year, we have children saved. Some of these kids come from wealthy homes but they are poor unless they know Jesus.”
After Joe’s message, Pastor Steve asked for praises and several offered personal words of testimony about the power of God. Surprisingly, no one dominated the conversation or showed off. They gave honor and glory to Jesus Christ. Pastor Steve asked me to take a moment and tell them a little about my ministry. Then we moved on to prayer requests. “Don’t worry. Cheryle won’t write what you say unless you give her permission,” he teased.
The service ended with us getting in small groups and spending about 30 minutes in deep prayer. I asked the group for prayer for a man named Joe, a tortured soul I had met earlier in the week. Joe needs Jesus and I had the privilege of telling him how to find Him. The group prayed intently for Joe. They also prayed for me, my ministry, and for the people I will be meeting. Each person prayed, as they felt led. There were periods of silence and no one seemed uncomfortable. Eventually, someone would pray again about something else.
I left encouraged by the power of God working in these lives. Pastor Steve is doing more than just teaching his congregation about God. He is leading them to be like Noah and Enoch and to walk with God.
Gen 6:9
Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God. NASU
Gen 5:22-24
Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. NASU
See pictures in the Photo Gallery under Massachusetts – Methuen – Marsh Corner Community Church.
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