Powerful Prayer Week 1

This week I am beginning a Tuesday series devoted to prayer.  Prayer is a big part of my life but I feel like I need to spend more of my time focusing on it.  I would like to share with you the prayers that I study from the Bible and how they affect my life.  This is, also, intended that your prayer life will be even further enriched and that you will see more of the beautiful work of our Lord in your life!

At first I was going to attempt to write a deep and thorough study of the verses that I focus on each week.  After a couple of failed attempts, I am positive that I am supposed to keep it simple, to allow for the Holy Spirit to work in each of us to show each one personally what He wants us to take away from it.

Week 1 of Powerful Prayer Tuesday!

Colossians 1:9-12

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁹For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things--    ¹⁰That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].
    ¹¹[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,
    ¹²Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light.


This is a prayer that I have been praying over my husband for a while. God has truly blessed him in many ways.  Recently, I began praying it over our whole family and our close friends and I can feel it working in our home.  I am confident that our family and friends will be blessed also.  I feel that this is a prayer that we can all benefit from and as I type, I pray that all who read this will be blessed by it.  That you will be "filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things..."


So it shall be!

Blessings and Joy to all!

Jamie

Linking up with 

                      

Rejoice and Be Glad in it

This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 

Psalms 118:24 

NKJV

There are many days that this verse is flowing through my head.  Usually, it is not because I am rejoicing and being "glad."  Most of the time, if I am hearing or singing it over and over while I do the dishes or trying to get a new math concept to make sense to my six year old, it is because I need the reminder!  As you may guess, today is a day that I needed to be reminded.  My loving Father made this day and I can rejoice and be glad in it no matter my circumstance, mood or hormone level!

Praise God for He is Good and His Mercy Endures Forever!

What verse does your spirit sing to you when you are having "one of those days?"  I would love to hear and maybe even add yours to the list I keep close by for when I need extra help!


Be blessed and joyful in all that you do!

Jamie

I Am

Since news of our move I have been spending considerably less time on the computer, whether it be on the pc, netbook or phone.  And I have been loving it!  The last couple of months, I have rediscovered life without the internet.  To my readers - I cannot apologize.  I did not have anything to say that would improve your day.  God's word rules.

I will not lie.  I still use the internet, I still need my navigation, pay my bills, post to Facebook on occasion and check my feed on some days.  But I have put my main focus on the beautiful world around me; the family,  home and the fascinating wonders around me that God has so abundandtly blessed me with.  My cup over flows.  

I am continually grateful for the blessings God has given us.  I watch, in awe, the life that springs and grows in the view of our world.  Being in Florida so long, I had forgotten what Spring looks like.  Even when I lived up north I think I was so busy living my life that I did not pay attention to the complete wonder that was unfolding in front of me.

And then, I open my mouth.  Not with my words.

This beautiful weekend.  This weekend that reminds me of the incredible, intense, dumbfounding sacrifice that Jesus Christ poured out for us..... I am overwhelmed. 

Growing up, I did not understand what Easter was all about.  No one in my memory broke it down; explained it. 

Now I understand.  Call it revelation, eye opening, or heart breaking.  I now get it.  God loves me so much that He sacrificed something more than I could fathom.  He sacrificed His one and only son.  Himself.  He lived the same life I live.  He fought the same demons I fight.  He loved the same enemies I meet each day.  He survived the same pain I survived.  He is I Am.  He was I Am and He will always be I Am.

He died the death I deserve.

What He did that I did not and could not... He rose victorious. 

For me to have salvation. To have Peace, forever.  To have Joy, forever.  To live with Him, forever.  To Share, with everyone.

He Loves You!  He Loves You!  He Loves You!

God is no respecter of persons.  He loves all of us.  He loves us all equally and fully and completely and with all that He is.  And He is Everything.  He is Good.  He is Wonderful.  He is Powerful.  He is I Am.

Tune-In Tuesday - From the Inside Out

This is one of my and my families favorite worship songs and bands.  We love Rock music and Worship music and this band has perfectly combined the two!  Seventh Day Slumbers Take Everything Album is full of wonderful worship songs and this is the one we listen to the most.  If it was a cassette, it would be warped right now!



I am so full of gratitude and praise for our Mighty King that I am almost speechless.  Today, I am going to let the song speak for itself.

I pray that your spirit is lifted from this song.

I am linking up with Grow Where You're Planted for Tune-in Tuesdays!  We would love if you would join us with your favorite Worship song!

Speaking in Tongues

In my about me page I let you know that I "speak in tongues."  To some this is a very scary phrase and it used to be for me to.  I would like to clarify this statement and hopefully help to break an old stereotype.  I understand that there may be churches that everyone is speaking in tongues all at once and there is no interpreter, very chaotic and uncomfortable for someone new.  Since I have not attended one I have no idea if this does still exist.   I believe God does not want chaos or an uncomfortable environment in His House.  The New Testament letters from Paul make it pretty clear that this is not acceptable.  (ref 1 Corinthians 14)    I am no theological student or minister but would like to share my own beliefs on the matter in the best way I know how.  I will reference scripture and give other sources for you to research it on your own should you choose to understand this gift more.

When our friends invited us to the church we now attend, they did let us know that they do believe in "speaking in tongues," aka "praying in the Holy Spirit."  They did not want us to get there and be surprised.  You can only imagine the scenes I had running through my head.  All based off of rumors and stereo-types, not from any experience I had had.  Well, we got there and there was no chaos, not dozens of people speaking loudly in other languages or babbling.  When the pastor prayed, you could hear some praying softly along with him but quietly and for themselves, not for others to hear.

Fast forward to now.  I have grown to understand this beautiful prayer language and value it more than gold.  Yes, I do pray in the Holy Spirit.  He takes my prayers and translates them in God's own language.  He knows more than I could ever know about what I should pray for and how I should pray for it.  Like I said, I am no bible teacher.  I am going to list several scriptures below and a couple of reference sites for further understanding on this.

I do not believe that speaking in tongues is in any way tied into my salvation.  I am saved through Christ alone, not by anything else.  Not every Christian "speaks in tongues."  It is something that is personal between you and God.  I know that I will see all of my fellow believers in Heaven, not just the ones that pray in the Spirit.  Praying in the Holy Spirit helps me here and now.  He is our counselor and comforter, our helper and intercessor.  (see John 14:16, John 14:26, John 15:26 and John 16:7)  

There is so much more that I could write here but my main purpose in this post is to dispel the stereo-type.  Also, I want to ensure that my readers do understand who I am and what my beliefs are.    I do believe that it is a wonderful gift and have experienced the benefits over and over in my daily life.  My love for others motivates me to share this with them so that they can enjoy such an amazing closeness with God and power in their lives.

I would love to hear from you.  Do you believe in speaking in tongues?  Do you have more questions about it?  I do ask that you be respectful if you disagree.  I am open to dialogue and debate but not disrespect or derision.  I will not speak down to you and hope you would treat me the same.

For your reference, here are a few links that I did not mention above.  This is not an exhaustive list, but a good start for those that are interested.


Acts 2
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 & 12:28-31
Speaking in Tongues by Kenneth E. Hagin
CARM - What is speaking in tongues?