Thursday, December 26, 2013

On the First Day of Christmas

My True Love Gave to Me... a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

Do you know that the 12 days of Christmas are actually December 26th to January 6th?  Do you know that the poem-turned-carol was originally written to continue passing on the traditions of the Catholic church in Protestand England? 

The True Love who is bestowing gifts upon us is God.  The Partridge in a Pear Tree is Jesus, as He was given to us on Christmas.  Here's the full list of the meanings:

Two Turtle Doves - Old & New Testament
Three French Hens - Faith, Hope, Love
Four Calling Birds - the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John
Five Gold Rings - Five books of the Old Testament, which describe man's fall into sin & the Love of God in giving us Jesus
Six Geese a-Laying - the 6 days of creation
Seven Swans a-Swimming - sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit (prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhoration, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy
Eight Maids a-Milking - the eight beatitudes
Nine Ladies Dancing - nine fruits of the Holy Spirit (Charit, Joy, Peac, Patience, Goodness, Mildness, Fidelity, Modesty, and Connectivity)
Ten Lords a-Leaping - the Ten Commandments
Eleven Pipers Piping - the 11 faithful apostles
Twelve Drummers - the twelve points of belief in the Apostle's Creed.

Just some food for thought on this First Day of Christmas!

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Gifts of the Spirit, I hear you LOUD & CLEAR!

1 Corinthians 12

New International Version (NIV)

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

This is one of the most comforting verses for me, mainly because of the Soul Cries I hear, feel, see, experience.... I had a minister at a non-denominational church try to tell me that my Soul Cries, my gifts of wisdom, knowledge, Faith, and understanding "tongues" (aka the Homily in Norwegian when I don't speak a lick of it) were from a demon, trying to hide in the cloak of Catholicism.  HA!  It's more like his words were that of the devil trying to faulter my beliefs!

Hm.  Well, that being said, what I really wanted to write about is how I have been having Soul Cries like crazy.  I'm not going to share them here, not just yet, but yeah... even though I haven't been at church regularly since the summer, my Faith is in tact, and I have left myself opened, ready, and willing to receiving whatever the Spirit is willing to give! 

Know that I will be in contact with any one of you if your name falls on my heart.  The Spirit has put it there for a reason.

Friday, December 13, 2013

A Healing Prayer Through Worship

My mom's cousin - I believe that makes her my second cousin once removed, right? - is dying, she's fought long and hard with the cancer that has infected her body.  She finds comfort in the Lord's Prayer, in this amazing, worship-filled, meditation of the Lord's Prayer.  I really don't have much else to say about it right now, as I am moved by the Spirit to tears every time I read it.... I just need to share it with you all!

A Prayer of Healing through Worship

Heavenly Father,
We come into Your presence to love and adore You.
Thank You for Your love and Your desire for union with us.
We welcome all that You wish to do through
this healing prayer. We open ourselves to communication with You and Jesus through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Come Holy Spirit, anoint us with healing so deep it reaches back into our blood line; with
healing so wide it impacts our friends and relatives;
with healing so high it draws us into Your holiness.
Holy Spirit, come with Your fire.

Our Father Which Art In Heaven---
Father God,
by Your grace I come to You with all that I am
and all that I ever hope to be.
I am Your child born of Your love.
Jesus brought me into Your presence.
You alone satisfy my soul.
You in me and I in You;
this is the path of healing for my soul.
By Your grace I come into Your presence
with simple, trusting assurance, certain
of Your love for me. In Your presence all
fear and insecurity melt away and deep hurts
become healing memories. In Your presence
I am strengthened and filled with hope. Father
in heaven, I breathe the breath of heaven
deep inside my spirit. Your heaven flows
through me. May the light of Your glory be
present with me throughout this day.
I love You Father.

Hallowed Be Thy Name---
Father,
I choose to live this one precious life in a
way that honors Your holy name. You call me
to worship, and I come. Oh Father, let all
that is within me cry holy. Let every wound
of my past dissolve in the light of Your
wonderful presence. Turn my weaknesses into
strengths, my failures into victories, my sorrows
into joy. Perfect all that concerns me as I
gaze upon Your holiness.

Thy Kingdom Come---
Father,
Your kingdom of love is in my heart.
It is not I who live but Christ who lives
in me. I am identified with my risen Lord
Jesus and Your kingdom is established in my
spirit. In coming to know Jesus, I am
discovering who I am, Precious Lord. Your
kingdom has come into my emotions,
and they are in a healthy balance.
Your kingdom has come into my mind,
and it is sanctified. Your kingdom
has come into my body, and I am becoming
healthy. Your kingdom rules my heart, and
I live a life of richness and depth. Your
kingdom has come into my mouth, and I speak
words that heal and liberate. Because Your
kingdom rules my life I am resilient and
filled with hope in all circumstances.

Thy Will Be Done---
Father in heaven,
unite my will with that of Your son.
Thank You for giving me a spirit of
submission, tender and open to the
Holy Spirit. In every circumstance I
commend myself to Your grace and choose
what is pleasing to You. Father,
I delight to do Your will. When I
lay my life before You and say "Thy
will be done," You receive it
as an act of worship. Wonderful Lord,
You have come tenderly into the deepest
struggles of my life and whispered, "Just
keep your eyes on Me. Trust Me to take
care of you." You have come into my
broken heart and made it a place of worship.
You have drawn me to praise You when
everything in my world was in ashes.
You have called me to trust beyond all
reason. I lay my life upon the altar of
Your love and say with joy in my soul,
"Thy will be done." Jesus, I trust in You.

On Earth As It Is In Heaven---
Father,
my heart beats with Your heart
for me to live in Christ.
Thank You, Holy Spirit,
for bringing my life into harmony
with heaven. Thank You, Holy Spirit,
for teaching me how to walk with
Jesus in His resurrected life. Thank
You, that the attitudes of heaven
are my attitudes. I think Your
thoughts and walk in Your presence.
I carry the light of Heaven wherever I go.

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread---
Father,
you have always taken care of me, and
You always will. You give me what
I need each day and prepare for my
tomorrow. My faith is growing. Thank
You for my daily joy that draws me
to worship when sadness comes. Thank
You for Your healing balm that soothes
the day's aches and pains. Thank
You for Your perfect love that soaks
away my fear. Your tender daily
care in every area of need draws me
to my knees in worship. Thank You
for walking with me day by day.
In our growing friendship You have
never failed me, ever. I love You,
Father. I love You, Jesus, Bread
of Heaven. I love You, Holy Spirit.

Forgive Us Our Debts---
Father,
thank You for Your gift of mercy in my life;
Your mercy that reaches my heart, because I have
forgiven those who hurt me. I confess my sins and
receive forgiveness. I am free from condemnation
and safely united to You. Your truth has made me free.
I love You Father.

As We Forgive Our Debtors---
Father,
by the grace of the cross I let go of
bitterness resentment and unforgiveness.
If there are hidden roots of unforgiveness,
thank You for shining Your light on them.
I entrust this area to You. Thank You, for
turning injury into compassion and hurts
into intercessions. Forgiveness brings
heaven to earth. I love You, Father---

And Lead Us Not Into Temptation---
Thank You, Father,
for keeping me on a path that leads to holiness.
With Your grace I see temptation when it comes,
and brush it off the path. Your love is stronger
than the urge to sin. Thank You for healing any
areas of my soul that might be vulnerable to temptation.
Jesus, You are my Shepherd and my hiding place. You
guide me to safe pastures. I am responsive to the
voice of the Holy Spirit who warns me of trouble ahead.
Thank You, Father. I Love You.

But Deliver Us From Evil---
Father,
Thank You for protecting me from every evil and for
bringing me a gift of peace. You have broken the chain
of oppression, delivered me from depression, anger, guilt,
and fear. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow;
addictions, perversions, hopelessness, worthlessness,
loneliness and despair must bend their knee to the
name of Jesus. I cast down every argument and every
high thing in me that exalts itself against the
knowledge of God. I bring every thought into captivity
to the obedience of Christ. Thank You for giving me
the power over all the power of the enemy. Nothing
shall hurt me. You have given me a spirit of praise
and worship, which is my strength in the face of the
enemy. Thank You for Your armor, Your name, Your blood,
Your Spirit. No weapon formed against me shall prosper.
Thank You Father. I love You.

For Thine Is The Kingdom.. And The Power.. And The Glory Forever
Father,
every gift You have given me, every dream, every talent,
every possession, every resource and hope for the future,
I return to You with love. All is Yours.
May Your name be glorified, may Your kingdom come.
Take Lord, receive, All my liberty, My memory,
my understanding, my entire will. All that I have
and possess. You have given all to me; To You,
O' Lord, I return it. All is Yours. Dispose of it
wholly according to You will. Give me Your love
and Your grace, for this is sufficient for me.

Amen!!