Powerful Prayer 3 - Rooted Deep in Love

One of my all time favorite prayers of Paul is from Ephesians 3.  In verses 14-21 you will find an incredibly powerful and deep prayer.  Since it is a longer excerpt, I am going to quote some of the verses here but give you a link to the whole passage to read on your own when you have some time to really meditate on it.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (AMP)

As usual, I find that there is very little that I can say to add value to these powerful words.  God's Word does not need my help accept to be a tool to spread it.

Here are a couple of questions I have been rolling around as I read and pray over this passage of scripture. 

How well do I understand Gods Love for me?

Am I wholly filled and flooded with God Himself?

Ephesians 3:17-19 (AMP)

   "May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts!  May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,

   That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];

   [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!"


That is not even half of this beautiful prayer.  Imagine the power of praying this for your family, yourself and your loved ones each day.  This is a prayer that you can pray over your church and your pastor; all those that you would love to see grow closer to God! 

And we can know that He will here and answer this prayer!  Verse 20 tells us that He is "able to do super abundantly, far over and above all that we ask or think"  So we can pray often, pray big and with complete faith!

Ephesians 3:21 (AMP)

"To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever.  Amen (so be it)."

May your day be full of love, joy, peace and hope!

Jamie


Today I am linking up with the following beautiful blogs!

 

Praise God Moments

O GIVE thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for his mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!

Psalm 107:1 (amp)

Thank you, Father, for

We are delivered from the control and dominion of darkness!

We are transferred into the Kingdom of the Son of Your love!

We are redeemed - forgiven of our sins, through the blood of Jesus Christ!

Colossians 1:13-14 (amp)

[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins

Let the redeemed of the Lord Say So!

Psalm 107:2a (amp)

This is the first of what I pray will be many posts devoted to praising our awsome God!  I plan to do this every Thursday and would love for you to join me!  I would be honored if you would share with me what you are praising God for this week!

I am starting my Thankful List this week and will continue it with the Praise God post each week!

(in no particular order!)

1. The smell of spring

2. The sound of my daughter laughing

3. Fresh Mercy every morning

4. Flowers

5. Deliverance from smoking

6. Clean running water 

7. My husband and best friend

Linking with:

 

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

How God listens and moves

On this special day, I prayed a prayer on the way to our new church.  It is a long drive but worth every second we spend in our new church home. 

I struggled finding our new church after the awesome one we left.  However, in Gods time... we found the new home He had for us. 

This prayer I prayed was very specific and heartfelt. For revelation regarding the authority that Jesus died to give us.  The authority that His victory gives us.  The authority we have over the enemy through our King of Kings. 

After the awesome worship service and before the amazing childrens program, our new pastor spoke of the very thing I prayed for.  This beautiful, humble, sweet man truly is in tune with the Holy Spirit.  I am so blessed.  We are all so blessed.  I cannot tell you all he said today.  I could not give it justice.

What I can say, with confidence and gratitude, is that Jesus died for our sins.  And He rose from the grave, conquered it to give us victory and authority over the enemy.  Death, sin, sickness, disease, addiction, etc.  You don't need me to give it a name.  You already have the list. 

Now, all we need to grasp is that that list is ashes in the wind.  Jesus Christ is our King of Kings.  The Alpha and Omega.  The Beginning and The End.  Our Victorious Savior.  As the devil is under His feet, so he is under ours.  We have authority, now we just need to embrace that authority.

Take hold of the victory that Jesus gave each of us, put on your combat boots and show the devil who the boss is.  The devil and his minions have no authority in your life.  They are defeated already, all you have to do is remind them in the name of Jesus and they will flea faster than you can spell Victory!

Thank you, my sweet, loving and perfect Jesus.  I love you and I love all of yours.  I melt at the thought of Your Love!

Joyful Friday - My Testimony

I am changing Joyful Friday up a little this week.  I have finally gotten up the courage to share my testimony of how God drew me to Him.  How he took the bad decisions I made and worked them for good.  How he picked me up out of the deep black pit I was in, dusted me off, wrapped His arms around me and put me back on my feet, facing Him.  On His path, surrounded by Light and Love.

My wonderful friend Nikki from SimplyStriving was kind enough to take some of her precious time to read it and give me some suggestions. I am eternally grateful for her insight and kindness!  Because it is so long, I have decided to make a page dedicated to it.  I will give you a snippet of it today, along with a song that sings along with my spirit.  Then, should you want to read the whole story and have a few extra minutes you can click on over and check it out!

Taken from "God's Story through My Life" -
"So I woke up one day and decided to go with "Plan B."  I began to relive the years I felt I had missed.  I started drinking, doing drugs and then found less than desirable ways to make money.  My goal was to make as much money as I could as fast as I could so that I could leave my first husband and my life as I knew it quickly and completely, never to look back.  I was as far from God as I can ever imagine someone being."

Oh Happy Day by Jesus Culture truly sings along with my spirit!



I pray that you will read my testimony with an open mind and open heart.  I also pray that you will find encouragement and hope in it.  That you will be reminded that you can not stray too far from God.  His love for you is perfect and unconditional.

I would love to hear from you!  What is your testimony?  How has God worked in your life to bring you to Him?

Blessings and Joy to all!

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!

Faith - The Title Deed

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

This is one of the first scriptures I learned.  It defines faith.  Today, I read this verse in the Amplified Bible for the first time.  It blew me away.  It is fascinating to me how having more insight to the original meaning of the words and language used in penning the Bible opens so much in understanding.

Hebrews 11:1 AMP

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed*) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

{*emphasis mine}

How many times have you asked God for something, having full faith that He will answer you, then walking back out into your daily life start having the "but if it doesn't happen" thoughts or that little voice in your head planting seeds of doubt?  I know I do, often.

If you inherited a home that you had never seen and were handed the title deed to the home, would you doubt its existence?  Would you need to see photographs of it before you bought your plane ticket to go take possession of it?  Would you say to your friends, "well, I hope this house is mine."  Or would you say "I have a home in ...!  Would you like to come with me to see it?"

God has so much for each of us.  So many blessings and rewards.  Our part is to believe, have faith, accept them as reality before the realization of them.  When you ask God for something, before you end your prayer, thank Him for it as if it has already happened.  Then water that prayer continually with praise and thanksgiving.  Also, I have learned to live out that faith.  To live life as if it is already answered, not as if I am not sure if it will happen.

God is so Good, so Faithful.  HE LOVES YOU!  And so do I!

I pray you have a blessed and joy filled day!

Today I am linking up with Barbie for Fresh Brewed Sundays - Come on over and join us!



*THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

What to do now

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night with a tornado of "to-do's" going round and round in your head?  I do... often.  Sometimes it is just the daily stuff around the house or a looming bill and then other times I feel plagued that I am not doing enough for God or to further his kingdom.  


After reading John 6:28-29 I took a deep breath, calmly thought about it and then let out a huge sigh of relief along with a song of praise!  


John 6:28-29 in the Amplified Bible reads "²⁸They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?]

    ²⁹Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger]."

I don't take it to mean that I am not supposed to preach the good news or clean my kitchen.  However, it is such a relief to know that the act of believing in Jesus, cleaving to him, relying on him is a service to God in itself.  I can do that!  I do that!  So, now I go from self condemnation to peace and relief.  I count that as a good day!

The next time you wake up in the wee hours and feel that boulder on your chest and the buzz in your mind... remember to cleave to, trust, rely on and have faith in the One Whom He has sent... our beautiful, powerful and victorious Jesus Christ!  

Selah. (Pause, and calmly think about that.)