Pray in every way we know how!

Hey guys Pastor Rachel sent out this verse and I went to read up on it, I blogged about it in 5 stones ministry, in my own A Lady’s Life blog and here for prayer. Because of the revelation I got from this! Its amazing that God teaches us how to live life and how to pray and continually pray for everything! And it will lead to Salvation!

1 Timothy 2

Instructions on Worship

1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.

8I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.

9I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

11A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15But women[a] will be saved[b] through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

I think its amazing, but also feel the message version tells us another aspect too!

1 Timothy 2
Simple Faith and Plain Truth

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.

4-7He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned: that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.

8-10Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray—not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it.

11-15I don’t let women take over and tell the men what to do. They should study to be quiet and obedient along with everyone else. Adam was made first, then Eve; woman was deceived first—our pioneer in sin!—with Adam right on her heels. On the other hand, her childbearing brought about salvation, reversing Eve. But this salvation only comes to those who continue in faith, love, and holiness, gathering it all into maturity. You can depend on this.

Lets strive together to pray in every way we know how and to pray for everyone we know!

Love,

Jewel

Praying… Grace?

My cousin sent me this whole group of photographs about animals! This one really caught my attention! Saying a quick prayer and thanking God for all that He has blessed us with!

Love,

Jewel

Will all our prayers will be answered?

For my quiet time last week, I read Mark 9! In this chapter, it speaks about Jesus healing a boy who had an evil spirit in him.

In Mark 9:22

“From childhood,” he answered. 22“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

The man I believe acted out of politeness, most of the time I do that.. To someone whom you know has the authority and ability to help you, we try to sugar coat our words and sound less demanding.. We need to stand firm on God’s promises. To believe according to His promises, it will be done

23” ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

24Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Does this mean then that if we believe, all out prayers will be answered?

In the Quest Bible, it teaches that:

“When we have faith enough to believe, the impossible becomes possible. Jesus’ statement, however, is not a formula we can use to obtain our desires. Other passages say we must pray in line with God’s will (1 John 5:14-15), with the right motives (James 4:3), with persistence (Luke 11:8-10) and with a spirit of humility (Luke 18:14).

This man didn’t need to hear about guidelines, though. He needed an increase of faith. “

1. Pray in line with God’s will

1 John 5:14-15

14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

2. Pray with the Right Motives

James 4:3 (New International Version)

3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

3. Pray with Persistence

Luke 11:8-10 (New International Version)

8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness^[a] he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

4. Pray with a spirit of humility

Luke 18:14 (New International Version)

14“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted”

Miracles and healing may come from praying.

25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil^[a] spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

28After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

29He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.^[b]“

Spiritual Greatness:

Mark 9:33-37

Who is Greatest?

33They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

36He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

What does welcoming a child have to do with spiritual greatness?

In the Quest Bible:

People often ignore those who have no influence and play up to those who do. We rub shoulders with the great in order to boost our own egos and status in the eyes of others. Jesus calls for us to humble ourselves. we should care nothing about the world’s status symbols because the true way to greatness is humility (1 Peter 5:5-6). One sign of this humility is to welcome those the world would consider insignificant.

1 Peter 5:5-6

5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”^[a] 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

A great lesson to learn today. I will step out in God’s hands.

Amen.

Prayer Remixed: Who’s blessing whom?

These are just notes from Louie’s talk online at www.268generation.com under talk 1; Prayer Remixed, you need to listen to it online to fully comprehend the notes! I think it gives us as Christians a totally different perspective to how to pray.

PRAYER REMIXED:

Prayer is the opportunity to talk to the Creator and we just want Him to bless me/us most of the time.

We need to ask God to live through me, to ask God to use me. For we are are not guaranteed and promised that nothing bad will happen to us, no tribulations and trials will happen to us. It will happen.

Let us not pray; God watch over me, do not let anything bad happen to me.. that is our prayer, that is what we want God to do for us.

But there will be dilemmas and issues with my life, if we do fall into a trial and a difficult place.. and for all we know God led us there for a greater purpose.

How do we pray then?

1) Lets say real and meaningful things to God.. communication to the God of the universe. We use real words, dun use tired religious cliches that do not mean anything to him.

To have a conversation more like we are talking to a friend, to a person who means so much more to us than spiritual words.

2) Lets pray new testament prayers

; in light of the grace that God has poured out in the cross

; in light of the power of the resurrection of the Son of God.

That we understand the reality that has happened in Christ.

We like to say bless people, bless everything we got going… that nothing will go wrong.. Like hey God bless the deal… God approved like we need God signature, like wave the hand over and something magical would happen..

Sometimes we think with God, we are sort of obnoxious, we want Him to bless our adventure, our trip, our home, our day, our conversation…

We want him to put the spiritual; everything is going to be okie on it..

God HAS blessed us more than we can ever imagine..

Genesis 12:2-3

God’s promise to Abraham..

2 “I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

Abraham had to move out of his household and somewhere unknown.. It was a big deal; the father’s blessing.

Numbers 6:22-27 Aaron’s blessing

The Priestly Blessing

22 The LORD said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

24 ” ‘ “The LORD bless you
and keep you;

25 the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;

26 the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.” ‘

27 “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

They will all completely fulfilled, all the promise of the blessing came to past in Jesus. In His death on the cross for sins, all the blessings came.

Galatians 3:14 Faith of Abraham and the faith of Jesus Christ

14He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

All that blessing that God promised, we got it in the name of Jesus Christ even though we were not Jewish. We are in it, the story. We just need to thank Him for the blessings of Abraham and we are in the family.

We just thank Him and bless Him.

Ephesians 1:3

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

That is spiritual blessings: some people think they need the real stuff; they need a car, a job, a safe journey..

But the Heavenly realms; its a spiritual realm among us, among the physical things.

If the car breaks down; PRAISE GOD! cos He has given us and bless us in every spiritual way!

John 1:14-16

14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,^[a] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ” 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.

“FULLNESS” of grace, we have been partakers of everything good that is Jesus Christ. From His Grace, the fountain has been opened up to us. We have been given the “Abrahamic” blessings.. and we just want Him to bless our job and over our meetings..

In Jesus Christ, we have the fullness of the blessings forever..

We as believers, we just want a little something Lord.. a little something.. like we are looking for the present all the time.. can we get a little something.. something happens and we get a present, and we think that this is a proof that God loves us.

We had so many “presents” and we just focus on that one “present” that we want.. God has nothing that He can give us, that we do not already have.

The presents are not ipods, not BMW car keys.. those are needs of life and everything that we ever need..

2 Peter 1:3

Making One’s Calling and Election Sure

3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

God has given us everything pertaining to life that we need. He has made us joint heirs with Jesus.

Romans 8:17

17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Whatever Christ has as an inheritance, He gave it to us.

John1:12

12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

Romans 8:37

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Ephesians 2:6

6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

Right now we are positionally connected to Jesus, spiritually connected to Jesus.

John 14:2

2In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

You will never be separated from the love of God, nothing, not death, not pain, no tribulations.

Romans 8

Philippians; I am going to supply all your needs according to my riches and glory.

Colossians, we have His spirit, His genes, we can pray in His authority. We have constant communication with God. WE are accepted, and we are clothed.. God takes care of the whole universe, why not us?

When we ask, we just have a whole different attitude towards our asking. WE thank you God… We do not even know what is at our disposal, we do not even know what God has already done for us. Use some of the blessings that God have already given you, to make His name renown.

We have every extra we need in this life, and we kept asking God for more when we do not know what is in store for us. Let us bless God..

Lets pray Singapore bless God.. We bless God with what we have..

To do His calling..

We are the children of God.. and we have promises that are unending from God..

God, you have so blessed us, you have so blessed me, let me bless you.

Instead of the stream coming down pertually from God.. Let our stream move back to God..

Blessing and joy, happinesses, open hands, surrender, lives, earnest prayer: “We do not know what is going to happen, however we want to let this trip bless you, however you choose to use us, let the trip bless you” Let the money I do have to bless you.

Lets not pray the same phrases over and over..

Lets not pray vain prayers that are just words..

Jesus said: “Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, blessed be your name.”

There is not one prayer after Calvary is about bless us, its about thanking God for the blessings that Jesus has given.

Does this mean that praying for more blessing is wrong? No…

Author of Prayer of Jabez: He had a burden for the country of Africa, where Aids is dominant, where poverty and injustice seem to be outstripping everything that is good. He moved out of his comfortable home. He moved to Johannasburg. He is investing his life to people that needed Jesus.

He did not think and pray more for me, more for me. He prayed, I got a pile (of money) here and he is wondering how am i going to disperse this blessing

How do you pray then?

When you pray, pray words that has skin on it. We want the fingerprint of God in my life. We want to ask God, that we do not have much, but use me and multiply me, with your powerful hands the way I never could in a hundred life times.

We just want the imprint of God on every moment on it. Pray, God this is what we got, can you do more than what we can ever imagine, so that at the end of the day we can bless you cos you have already blessed us more than we ever know or imagine.
all from www.268generation.com …

Love,

Jewel

The Launch of the “Hello” Card

Yesterday at cell, we launched the Hello Card! All thanks to POG’s in-house designer Sean and the runner to print the cards; my sister Esther! The aim of the cards is for us to be always prepared and always ready to pray for people around us. Had a lot of suggestions from Cass, that we should put in some articles on the purpose of praying. So will be doing that shortly!

Here are the cards:

May God use us in His mission!

Amen.

Love,

Jewel

What do you do everyday as a routine that you couldn’t not do?

We asked this question in our cell group and there were many answers: Drinking Coffee, Reading the Papers, Checking emails, Thinking about our loved ones and etc. All of these are Habits formed by our daily routine. One example for myself is the daily routine of stopping by Margaret Drive Hawker Centre to buy Jerome and myself our daily dosage of coffee and for me “Teh-O” ice.

It never used to be that way, we started out of convenience since it is on the way to office. Slowly, we become accustomed to it, and now we would still rather make a turn to get it from that same store even if we came from a different way.

Someone once told me, that habits are formed within a 28days cycle. Starting the habit is a chore, we had to stop by the hawker centre, find a lot to park and I had to think of what I felt like drinking that day, and went ahead to buy it and drive away. After a couple of days, we got used to finding our carpark lot. I liked the taste of the “Teh-O” ice and didn’t have to re-think what I should drink anymore. Thus, everyday it became a routine as it gets easier and easier everyday. We laughed a whole lot at the idea of what we do everyday as a routine.

However, when the topic of the night arose, we all became aware. Prayer should be one of them. If God is someone we love so dearly, if we had tasted His sweet love and mercy, we would be looking forward everyday to talking to Him We all started to think, and realised it is always harder in the beginning. When we first start a relationship with anyone, we had to make a delibrate effort, to remember their mobile number, to call him/her before you sleep at night. To ask them for their opinions when you wish to buy something, and to talk to him/her about the daily things that are happening in your lives. Its the same as Prayer, having a conversation with God, telling Him the problems we are facing, the little decisions that we have to make, and to make an extra effort to “call” him every now and then.

Thats when we decided to pray together as a cell for one month, at 1pm daily. And I would consolidate prayer requests and testimonials and send them out before 1pm daily. Through this, we made a conscious effort in the midst of our busy lives to stop and remember our God is always there for us. May we commit daily our lives to Him!

Love, Jewel

Can I pray for you today? movement

At cell, Malcolm shared a testimony of someone he had trouble reaching out to.

He was unable to believe that a staunch Buddhist that has spent 50 years of his life devoted to his religion would be able to come to know Jesus Christ. However, a seed was sown in this life. Someone out there, was quietly praying for his salvation. His youngest son, was praying.

There is power is our prayers; if it is based on His promises. The same person whom Malcolm thought would never be saved, was saved 3 months ago.

This sparked our cell’s “Can I Pray for You Today?” movement. There are people out there, whom has crossed our path, that might look happy and successful on the outside but they are looking for someone who is willing to listen. We want to be that someone. And through this movement, to share the gospel with them.

We created a card for ourselves, to carry it in our wallets. So that we are always prepared to be praying for that someone. To seek to be available.

If you wish to join us in this movement, email us at jewelserene@gmail.com.

Love,

Jewel