Pursuit of Prayer - Week 3

WHEN Do We Pray?

HINT: Answer = Yes!

Get on the B.O.A.T.                                       

Burdened.Often.Answer-seeking.thankful

Our sanctuary foundation has also been poured!! So... this week we are praying for our worship ministry. As you read through this lesson’s page of stories about our worship ministry, you’ll see how praying folk of Grace got on the boat. Underline the “boat boarding” as you read.

Our first worship leaders were all volunteers: David, professor at Laredo Community College, led worship from the pulpit with a hymn book and a waving hand while Wanda, piano teacher and young mom, played piano; Mike, a systems business man, led worship from a stool with an acoustic guitar; Joann, who was our pastor’s wife, (in a young church, so she wore ministry hats1000) played piano and led worship. However, our very first hire after our senior pastor was a worship leader because the preaching of the Word stirs our hearts to worship and the words in the songs return our hearts to trust the Word, and this leads us to back to worship. It’s beautiful! Over the years we hired Bruce, then Valentin, then Ruben, who played a mean sax, then Valentin again. Valentin had a heart for building the ministry and added other instrumentalist and vocalist and even created a Gospel Choir to get other church people involved. One of his favorite songs was “Friend of God” because he could not believe that the God of the universe was with him as an intimate friend as he prayed to him each Sunday through song. 

Isai, our current worship leader, shared how when he came to Grace, he learned that the Word says that our salvation in Christ is secure; it is a gift (Eph 2:8-10; John 10:28; Rom 8:1 & 30; 1 John 1: 5:13). Since Isai understood that God makes this commitment to us, in spring 2014, he trusted the Word that his salvation was secure and committed to God. This led to him using the gifts God gave him with greater humility and love for the people he leads. Then he began praying that his family would enjoy this same security in their salvation in Christ. He prayed for them and for Grace to start a Spanish speaking church for six years. In fall of 2020, we opened the Spanish speaking service, and his family is attending. Praises to our God!

Isai also prayed for God to provide another worship leader to help him serve and grow in his leadership. He noticed Espie on his team. She was leading women’s small groups, and he saw her heart for teaching the word. She also was leading worship at our women’s retreats. Isai said, “She was a natural choice” for filling that position because “God had already prepared her heart” in the word and in leading worship.

Espie tells how exciting it was to be on the worship team as a young person, and she continued serving as she married and had children. During the time of leader transition, however, she felt discouraged and out of place. She wondered, “Is this still where God wants me?” God’s initial answer seemed like a “big NO” as she listened to discouraging voices and isolated herself. She and Alex considered leaving Grace. But when she shared her struggle with a few people who prayed with her, God moved her into a position of surrender. She wasn’t praying alone anymore. “In that year God did a lot of work.” She and Alex met with church leadership to talk. Assumptions were confessed. Apologies made and accepted. Tears shed. She felt challenged, “Am I giving 100% to serving God? Am I not giving Him a chance?” She, Alex, and church leadership continued to pray and have open conversations. She realized how offering her gift while holding something against her brothers had affected her personal worship. She surrendered that too. As she served on the team, she’s been amazed at what God is doing in Isai as a worship leader. He has modeled praying for the coming weeks’ messages and worship through the Word and grounds all rehearsals in prayer. “I offer my best worship now and am at my best in LEADING worship because of Isai’s leadership.” One person God has changed after refining her is the man who was always her biggest cheerleader throughout it all, her husband Alex. He now connects the words of the songs to the words of the Scripture and owns them as his words in worship. I think all of us can also testify that Espie and Isai’s love for God and Word and prayer is evident as they lead us in worshiping our oh so so worthy God. 

Read through the verses either out loud as group or silently. As you read, underline words you could “borrow” to incorporate in your prayers today as you pray for our church to offer God the worship He so abundantly is worthy of receiving.

Whenever you are Burdened.

Psalm 55:22

 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you;
he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 18:6

In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears

Isaiah 40:31

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Psalm 38:4-6

For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

James 5:16

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  

Whenever! Often

Mark 1:35

 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

2 Timothy 1:3

I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.

Whenever you are Answer-Seeking

James 1:5

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Whenever you are Thankful (which is supposed to be always)

Psalm 107:1-3

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 9:1

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 2:6-7

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Building the Kingdom at Grace Through Prayer 

One of the greatest services you can ever engage in for our church is prayer.

As you pray, try using a few words you underlined from today’s verses. Praying the Word is one way to bring your prayers more boldly before the Lord. 

Think about worship + Burden + yourself & others you know near and far from God. Pray.

Think about worship + Often + yourself & others you know near and far from God. Pray.

Think about worship + Answer-Seeking + yourself & others you know near and far from God. Pray.

Think about worship + Thanksgiving + yourself & others you know near and far from God. Pray.

Thank you, church, for your ministry of praying for our worship. As you’ve seen from today’s stories, God cares deeply about His own glory as He well should! It is His will to answer prayers about our worship. 

God’s joy and strength to you,

kpaulson@gracelaredo.org