Prayer in Worship
I've had a very hard time starting this "worship leading" segment of my blog because it's such a huge subject to talk about. AND I haven't mastered it (not that I'm meant to). In fact, I'd like to invite any worship leaders who read this to write some God given testimonies or suggestions on how we all can be better worship leaders.
One thing that God has really been showing me lately is how prayer heavily effects my worship. Sounds like a pretty basic thing and something that every Christian needs. It's true, but for some reason I don't latch on to that truth near as much as I need to. Romans 12:12 says "be faithful in prayer". 1Thessalonians 5:17 reads "Pray continually". I think my philosophy a lot of the time is more like "pray when you think about. ESPECIALLY, though, before you get up in front of people and lead them to the throne of God." That's Second Opinions Chapter 1 verse 1.
I was reminded of this truth this past weekend. For our annual summer youth camp we decided to go to a camp up in the mountains of Chatsworth. In order to tell you how God worked I have to tell you the truth. The band was pretty bad. They'd only been together for about 2 weeks and were still trying to figure out the songs. Sometimes they were off key, sometimes of tempo and most of the time a distraction…for me. After meeting the leader of the band, I quickly realized the guy loves the Lord. He prays continuously for the youth and himself that they would see our King. The Holy Spirit prompted me to pray harder for this band and the same things this guy was praying for. You could say that the last night of camp is always the best and you're right, you could say that the speaker was probably awesome you're right there too. But I can't deny God's presence in the room that Saturday night. The band was the same old band but GOD was there. Students came down front to give their heart to Christ, boys put aside their pride and became men, girls put aside their differences and worshipped together. I'm pretty sure that every hand in the room was raised unless the person was falling on their knees in worship.
The point is this: If we humble yourselves before the Lord (James 4:10) and constantly pray to a merciful God (1 Thess. 5:17) we won't have to "prepare ourselves" for worship. We will just be doing all that we know how to do and people will want to join in! I can't get myself ready to worship on Wednesday night. It has to be flowing out of me everyday. Then and only then will I see God's blessings in worship.
Thank you Jesus for allowing us to talk to you always and forgive me for being so easily distracted. Help us to become better…prayers. We love you!
Bless you guys!
Hec
Comments
Great word of encouragement and testimony. Keep loving people and telling them about Jesus. Everyone needs to be saved from sin and we all have things we wish we could erase about our past. What Satan did not want you or God to do with the past is to use it for good. But you are doing just that. You will be able to reach those who are going through the same things you went through. God Bless you and your ministry.
You are absolutely correct. We just recently lost our youth pastor like so many other churches in our area. Sad situation - Satan is having his way. I love your youth pastor posts. I have been working with youth and pre-teens for going on 8 years and love every minute of it. I continue to try and do what I can despite opposition to wait on a youth pastor from some of the church members - if we wait and don't step up to do God's work, the kids will be gone. Please pray for our church and our youth. God Bless You for your ministry and the blessings from the gifts that God has given you all.
Prayer is the most important in our life, I had visit one place in Phils, a lot of people said for 6 months no rain maybe you will bring rain in this place. I answered them Yes, God will bring rain and i will pray on that evening i asked God,Praise God the next day. God answered my prayer.
Hec, I agree prayer is so powerful. A few friends at church started meeting by accident (or not) one sunday night when there were no specific classes to attend. The third week this turned into a prayer session. Just laying out what everyone needed prayers for and prayed one after the other and one could feel the spirit in that place. Some prayed some wept but we all grew closer to one another and God and wouldnt you know more and more are stoping buy this little room to do nothing but be still and pray. Prayer is the language of angels!
Peace,
Stephen
You might not have known of Bryan Wallace and you might not know me but I pray that you will read this message anyway. It was Bryan’s dream to let everyone in Willard know Jesus even if they never knew him. Well I’m going to double that challenge like he would if it were I were giving it to him. I pray that this message gets out to all of Missouri or even the world. I hope that God will touch your lives like he has touched mine. Jesus died for our sins, all of our sins. No matter what you have done in your life God loves you and wants to help you. Nobody is perfect but through Gods amazing grace he loves us anyway. He can heal all wounds and bring overwhelming joy to those who ask. You can’t earn his forgiveness it’s a gift that he gives freely to those who ask. It might not be easy but he has you in his loving arms today. The same hands that created this world and took the nails for our sin are holding you today. I pray that through my testimony God will show you that anyone can change. If he could fix my broken soul he can heal anyone.
I grew up in church but I never truly knew God. I had a great church family, a great youth pastor, and great friends but still I was blind to the truth that was right in front of me. I needed God. Before I became saved I got addicted to pornography and video games. I was angry all the time and would cuss people out over the smallest of things. I disrespected my parents and used God's name in vain. These things had control over my life. I was miserable, I believed in God but I wasn’t ready to give him control. It took the death of three of my friends who were only 15 and 16 to make me realize that life is too short to wait. The night I found out it was like I could finally see, I remember thinking what if tomorrow never comes. I fell to my knees and wept, and prayed this prayer. “God I have ignored you all my life and I know I don’t deserve your love but if you still care please save me from myself.” When I gave my life over to him he wrapped his loving arms around me and carried me out of the pit of sin and despair that was my life. But I was not free of it yet though I was forgiven I was still tempted by the pleasures of my past life. Our great God showed me compassion again though when I became friends with Bryan Wallace. When I first met him at the beginning of this school year. I had no idea that he was going to impact my life more in one year than anyone else had my whole life.
Bryan Wallace was the greatest Christian and greatest friend I have ever known. He supported me through the struggles of this life and showed me how to truly live for God. Unfortunately I will never get to thank him for all he did. He went to be with Jesus on May 28, 2010, but because of him I can truly feel the joy of serving my God with all my heart just like he did. He was only 15 so you should not wait to accept Christ into your heart. He dedicated his life to bringing others to Christ. He became saved when he was 10 and in his 5 short years of serving our lord he brought countless people to Christ. I pray that I can continue his work even though I am half the man he was. Let me close with this on the day he died he sent his youth pastor a letter. At the end of this letter were these words "Live your life FTW!!!" For those of you who do not know what this means it stands for "For the Win". Bryan knew that with God you can never lose so tell me are you living your life FTW.
God has big plans for your life, and there is no greater joy than serving your lord with all your heart. If you do not know Jesus today but feel him calling, please pray this prayer. “Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you into my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always.”
I am far from perfect but if you have any questions please email me at brandenflinchbaugh@ymail.com and I will pray that God will give me his words to speak to you. His words are powerful they created the heavens and the earth and they comforted a family that just lost their son. I know some of you might think badly of me because of my past but if I don’t care. I will no longer be afraid to share my testimony and God’s word. If God can change even just one heart than it will be worth it. Please pass this message on to everyone on you know. I know that not everyone will read this or even care but at least they will be told the truth, and I know God will do the rest. Until The Whole World Hears.
God Bless,
Branden Flinchbaugh
I, too, am easily distracted when praying and instead of it being a part of my everyday routine, it becomes another task on my to do list. Why isn't prayer the first thing I reach for each morning? I wouldn't leave the house without making sure I had my keys, my purse and my lunch. Why do I leave the house without first thanking God for another day full of blessings? I am often involved with worship at our church, whether it be playing, singing or preaching. God likes to remind me (because I so often need reminding) that it's not about me or my message or my choice of song or how well I performed. It's about HIM and HIS message. And when I stop, take the time to pray and listen to what he has in store for me and our congregation, only then does the service come together.
Carol Ann
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