My anxious thoughts

Daily Bible Verse

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

Psalm 139:23 NKJV

Chronological Reading Plan Week 21

Chronological Reading Plan

Week 21
141. 2 Samuel 22-23; Psalms 57
142. Psalms 95, 97-99
143. 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21-22; Psalms 30
144. Psalms 108-110
145. 1 Chronicles 23-25
146. Psalms 131, 138-139, 143-145
147. 1 Chronicles 26-29; Psalms 127

Father's hand

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, 

and they follow me. I give them eternal life, 

and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, 

and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

John 10:27-29 ESV

I will prepare a place for you

And if I go and prepare a place for you, 

I will come again and will take you to Myself, 

that where I am you may be also.

John 14:3 ESV

Good courage

For the wages of sin is death, 

but the free gift of God is 

eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 ESV

So we are always of good courage. 

We know that while we are at home in the body 

we are away from the Lord, 

for we walk by faith, not by sight. 

Yes, we are of good courage, 

and we would rather be away from the body 

and at home with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 ESV

Many rooms

“Let not your hearts be troubled. 

Believe in God; believe also in me. 

In my Father's house are many rooms. 

If it were not so, would I have told you that 

I go to prepare a place for you? 

And if I go and prepare a place for you, 

I will come again and will take you to myself, 

that where I am you may be also.

John 11:25 ESV

Be Blessed

Daily Bible Verse

Blessed are the undefiled in the way,

Who walk in the law of the Lord!

Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,

Who seek Him with the whole heart!

Psalm 119:1-2 NKJV

The greatest Gift

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Let's pray with thanksgiving for the hope and comfort of eternal life in Christ Jesus. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

My word produces fruit

Daily Bible Verse

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me void,

But it shall accomplish what I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11 NKJV

How to live forever

People spend a lot of money and effort trying to turn back time on their aging faces and bodies. It just so happens that Jesus has promised us a new body and eternal life. He suffered and bore the wrath of our sins so that we can have this hope and promise. To me, this life is us gaining our education for the next life. The Bible is our textbook. Learn it. Live it. Be prepared.

Behold! I tell you a mystery. 

We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 ESV

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Let's pray with thanksgiving for the hope and comfort of eternal life in Christ Jesus. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Chronological Reading Plan Week 20

Chronological Reading Plan

Week 20
134. Psalms 32, 51, 86, 122
135. 2 Samuel 13-15
136. Psalms 3-4, 12-13, 28, 55
137. 2 Samuel 16-18
138. Psalms 26, 40, 58, 61-62, 64
139. 2 Samuel 19-21
140. Psalms 5, 38, 41-42

Heaven and Hell

A true testimony to Heaven and Hell is watching people pass on. Those who are saved go peacefully; welcomed and led into the next life by family and friends who have gone before them. Those who are not saved are scared and cry out to loved ones but can't see them or follow.

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.

Psalm 23 NKJV

Drunkenness and cares

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down 

with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, 

and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.

Luke 21:34 ESV

Unwise

Wine is a mocker, 

strong drink a brawler, 

and whoever is led astray by it 

is not wise.

Proverbs 20:1 ESV

Your body is a temple

If anyone destroys God's temple, 

God will destroy him. 

For God's temple is holy, 

and you are that temple.

1 Corinthians 3:17 ESV

Or do you not know that your body is a temple 

of the Holy Spirit within you, 

whom you have from God? 

You are not your own, 

for you were bought with a price. 

So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV

I thirst for God

Daily Bible Verse

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When shall I come and appear before God?

Psalm 42:2 NKJV

Be sober-minded

Be sober-minded; be watchful. 

Your adversary the devil prowls around 

like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8 ESV

He hears you cry

I waited patiently for the Lord;

And He inclined to me,

And heard my cry.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,

Out of the miry clay,

And set my feet upon a rock,

And established my steps.

Psalm 40:1-2 NKJV

If you have a drinking problem, God hears your cries. Ask Him for help and guidance. He will answer.

*****

Please join us this week as we pray for those with a drinking problem. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Repentance

Daily Bible Verse

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord,

“Turn to Me with all your heart,

With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

Joel 2:12 NKJV

Hope and encouragement

Daily Bible Verse

For whatever things were written before 

were written for our learning, 

that we through the patience and comfort 

of the Scriptures 

might have hope.

Romans 15:4 NKJV

An alcoholic

I was so intrigued by the Proverbs 23:29-35 description of one consumed and ruled by alcohol, but I wasn't completely sure what it all meant so I looked to John MacArthur's commentary*. The text in red describes the italicized verse(s) that follows.

This is a riddle:
29 Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
This is the answer:
30 Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of mixed wine.
This is when it's most intoxicating:
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it swirls around smoothly;
This is the hangover:
32 At the last it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a viper.
This is the delusion experienced when drunk:
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
35 “They have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
This is the alcoholics waking thought:
When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”
Proverbs 23:29-35 (NKJV)

* MacArthur, John (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible, New King James version.
     Thomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville, TN.

*****

Please join us this week as we pray for those with a drinking problem. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Your deeds are forgiven

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

And whose sins are covered;

Romans 4:7 NKJV

Pray for those who drink

     It's difficult dealing with a loved one who drinks too much. I don't know at what point they go from "drinking too much" to "alcoholic" but it doesn't really matter because both need help. If it's someone you're really close to, you feel hurt, frustrated, angry toward the person for putting you through this and resentment that they won't get help. A lot of the time, they maybe won't even be willing to admit that they need help, and those that do aren't "ready" to do anything about it because deep down, they don't want to quit.
     It's the Spirit fighting the flesh. Our sinful human hearts want the things we want, but deep down, we know it's wrong.
     The Bible often lists drunkenness right up there with idolatry, stealing, and adultery:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV

     Let's pray for the people who we know have a drinking problem that they may seek help. If you don't know anyone who drinks, then please pray for those within the church who have a problem, maybe that they will even seek you out and ask for help.

*****

Please join us this week as we pray for those who are alcoholics. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Faithful

Daily Bible Verse

He who is faithful in what is least 

is faithful also in much; 

and he who is unjust in what is least 

is unjust also in much.

Luke 16:10 NKJV

Chronological Reading Plan Week 19

Chronological Reading Plan

Week 19
127. 2 Samuel 6-7; 1 Chronicles 17
128. Psalms 25, 29, 33, 36, 39
129. 2 Samuel 8-9; 1 Chronicles 18
130. Psalms 50, 53, 60, 75
131. 2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 19; Psalm 20
132. Psalms 65-67, 69-70
133. 2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 20

Angry words

A soft answer turns away wrath,

But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:1 NKJV

David Jeremiah tweeted this and I thought it was perfect as we close our week of prayer for the healing of an angry heart:
 "Our world is filled with angry words, and if we're not careful, it's angry spirit can seep into our marriages, homes, and churches. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can remain calm in angry situations and end up solving much more than an argument is capable of."

Pressing anger

For pressing milk produces curds, 

pressing the nose produces blood, and 

pressing anger produces strife.

Proverbs 30:33 ESV

Talk it over

“You shall not hate your brother in your heart, 

but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, 

lest you incur sin because of him. 

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge 

against the sons of your own people, 

but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: 

I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:17-18 ESV

     I get very frustrated with people who get angry or hold a grudge when they never attempt to talk it over with the person. We conjure up situations in our minds that are twice as bad as what would really happen if we just were open and honest with the person causing us grief. If that doesn't work, though, talk it over with a friend. Sometimes, just getting the situation out in the open helps to unburden our hearts. And, of course, pray about it. Ask God for guidance, strength, patience, a softened heart. He hears you and will help you always.

Slow to anger

Know this, my beloved brothers: 

let every person be quick to hear, 

slow to speak, 

slow to anger;

James 1:19 ESV

I think the world would be such a better place if everyone followed this advice.

Put off anger

     I found this slide as a part of an online power point presentation by Dr. Chloe, May 27, 2009, "Those Ugly Emotions, Responding to them in a Biblical way."
     Each situation is different, but I've found that the best remedy for anything that has me upset or angry is to talk to someone about it; better yet, to talk to the person who's made me angry. Resolution is the best medicine. However, if you've tried to reach out only to be shut down, it becomes more difficult to deal with and may even make it more difficult to deal with a similar situation with a completely different person. Trust in the Lord. Give all of your troubles up to Him. Let Him guide you through life.

Don't go to bed angry

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

Ephesians 4:26 ESV

This is the advice my first husband and I received during our pre-marriage counseling. We adhered to it for 25 years, so I believe it was the best advice we ever received. It works well for other relationships, too. Have you ever gone to bed angry, had angry dreams and thoughts that kept you from sleeping well, and then, woke up even more angry than when you went to bed? I have. If I go to bed angry, not only is that anger multiplied by the next morning, but I usually have additional negative feelings as well. My heart is heavier. I've gotten so worked up that I'm frustrated, emotional, obsessed (replaying the problem over and over again in my mind), and the anger can turn into hatred. I believe the best remedy is communication. Try to talk to the person and try to work out the situation. If that doesn't work, as with my specific problem, about all you can do is try to let it go. Forgive. No matter what the outcome, give it all up to God. He will help you through it like He's helping me through my anger.

*****

Please join us this week as we pray for the healing of an angry heart. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

An angry heart

     Yesterday morning, the anger I was feeling toward someone woke me up. I have struggled with my emotions for this person for over 25 years and most of the time am able to subdue extreme feelings but over the past several months it's become more difficult. For some reason, yesterday seemed to be the peak of that anger and I could feel it in my heart ... it had turned into pure hatred. I thought that going to church would help, that the music would soften my heart and the message would speak to me, but what happened was the evil feeling overwhelmed me. I felt especially guilty feeling like that in church. So I sought out a dear friend right then and there. We went in the prayer room and talked and prayed and I could feel the anger and hatred leave my heart. It's so easy to let a bad feeling sit and fester and grow into something dark that takes over. As Christians, we can take these evil thoughts and emotions to God in prayer. Give them up to Him as you would any burden and He will take care of it. Seek out help from someone in your church family, too. Don't keep everything internal. Don't walk alone.
     When I woke up yesterday morning with those negative feelings, I prayed right then and there. When I turned on my computer, I opened Twitter first for some reason, and at the top of my feed was a post by David Jeremiah:
"Have you ever noticed that your anger isn't contained in your circumstances but is contained in your heart? When dealing with anger, let God use His words to bring healing to your angry thoughts. Ecclesiastes 7:9 and James 1:20 are great places to start."

Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NKJV)

for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

James 1:20 (NKJV)

*****

Please join us this week as we pray for the healing of an angry heart. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Chronological Reading Plan Week 18

Chronological Reading Plan

Week 18
120. Psalms 102-104
121. 2 Samuel 5; 1 Chronicles 11-12
122. Psalm 133
123. Psalms 106-107
124. 1 Chronicles 13-16
125. Psalms 1-2, 15, 22-24, 47, 68
126. Psalms 89, 96, 100-101, 105, 132

A devious mouth

Put away from you a deceitful mouth,

And put perverse lips far from you.

Proverbs 4:24 NKJV

We speak what's in our hearts

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, 

and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, 

for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Luke 6:45 ESV

Seek peace

What man is there who desires life and loves many days, 

that he may see good? 

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 

Turn away from evil and do good; 

seek peace and pursue it

Psalm 34:12-14 ESV