American Reformation Church Prayer Journal 79
ARC Prayer Meeting:
This past Sunday, the American Reformation Church took a break on God’s Love Series to invest in the next generation. There is always a method to our madness. This church plant is not a sprint, but a marathon. Our goal is to plant deep roots, pass on a multi-generational Kingdom vision that will produce good Kingdom fruit in generations yet to come.
It was time for my son, Josiah Thomas, to take his place behind the pulpit. He is our worship leader who God has richly blessed with musical giftings. He ministered on the topic of worship. Josiah shared how the Lord got a hold of him at a young age and bestowed this gift in his life.
It happened years ago, when we did our Walk Across America in 2004. After the OSA national event in Columbus, OH, our team went to meet with some local churches led by J6 Pastor Bill Dunfee at a Retreat Center. It was there, Josiah desired to be baptized. When examined, it was determined he was ready to take the plunge. It was glorious. That night, however, he experienced a baptism of spiritual warfare. He was attacked by demons.
My other son, Micah Samuel Thomas, freaked out and dragged him convulsing to us men. One man outran me and got their first. He immediately knew what to do and drove the demons away from my son. He then laid hands on him and announced that God was going to raise him up to be a worship warrior. At that point, Josiah showed no interest or inclination towards music. After that encounter, he literally picked up instruments and without lessons started to play them. He was on the worship team at our church in Waco by the time he was nine and could play each instrument well. God certainly watched over His word to perform it in the life of our son.
Worship and prayer go hand in hand. They are deeply connected. Both are acts denoting relationship and devotion, though there are some distinctions. Prayer is communication with God. At times, it consists of pouring out our hearts to Him or just speaking to Him in quiet communion. At other times, it is wrestling with God like Jacob and crying out to Him for His aid and help. Prayer also consists of listening, meditating upon God’s word and repeating it to Him. Prayer is asking. Sometimes it is confession. It should always be accompanied with praise and thankfulness.
Worship is the broader act of honoring, revering, and glorifying God. It is not just in words, but through our lives, obedience, and posture of heart. For example, Amos 5:23, 24 states, “Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
God is particular about His Worship as we see from the lips of Jesus speaking with the woman at the well (John 4:21-24).
Psalm 95:6 blends prayer and worship together well, "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." Bowing down signals a posture of worship, while kneeling is often associated with prayer.
