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 and Powerful Prayer

My daughter is not feeling well this week and I am super behind.  I had big plans for my posts this week but that will wait.  In the meantime, I have decided to combine my Powerful Prayer from Tuesdays and Praise God Moments from Thursday.  Since Praise and Prayer go hand in hand I thought this would work out nicely!

Philippians 4:5-7 (NIV*)

"Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

How powerful is that, right?

No worries!  Relax! God is near. Just ask Him, thank Him, present your requests to Him and the peace of God will guard your heart and mind!

I do not know anyone that could not use more of the peace of God in heart or mind.  I know I need it, not just daily, but continually.


Psalm 30:11-12 (NIV*)


"You turned my wailing into dancing;
      you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. 
     Lord my God, I will praise you forever."


I have found that the times that I least feel like dancing and singing to the Lord are the exact times I need to be doing it.  In most instances I do not start out with pep in my step or volume in my voice.  However, I will invariably end with both, along with a joy and peace in my soul that cannot be explained.

I have a challenge for all of my beautiful readers!  The next time you have no desire to thank God, praise God or sing and dance to God - do it.  Then come back here and tell us about it!  Share that peace and joy and give the glory to God!  :)


To God be all the Glory and Honor!  AMEN!




This week I am linking up with:



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

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 

                      

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?