Everything Has Its Time

 What do you see?

I just love the above image by Ajay kumar Singh, so I wanted to find a place for it here.* It's titled "Love Our Planet" but I get so much more out of it than that. I see that we're just visitors on this planet and in this life; in essence, we're just passing through on our way to our eternal home. I see the vastness of God's creation and how small we are in comparison. I see that He made the stars and planets and mountains and fields for our enjoyment; so that we can see His presence, His majesty and power and glory all around us, every single day. I see that He made light and darkness to show us the polarity of good and evil.

     All of this made me think of God's Sovereignty over all things and His perfect timing. And that, made me think of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, which in 'turn' (pun --->) made me think of "Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Byrds. Below, you'll find a video with the bible references as subtitles. 

To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,

And a time to die;

A time to plant,

And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill,

And a time to heal;

A time to break down,

And a time to build up;

A time to weep,

And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn,

And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones,

And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace,

And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain,

And a time to lose;

A time to keep,

And a time to throw away;

A time to tear,

And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence,

And a time to speak;

A time to love,

And a time to hate;

A time of war,

And a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

*I downloaded it from a free (& royalty-free) image sharing website, Pixabay. 

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Please join me this week in praying for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. May they find comfort in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and may they rest in God's sovereignty over all things.

I'll post daily reminders on:

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#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #grief #time #sovereignty #GodsPlan #planet #universe

Rivers in the desert

This year, when the ball drops and the clock strikes twelve, we'll rejoice like never before for having survived a year like none other. Because we are God's children, we have the assurance of knowing that whatever 2021 brings, we'll persevere, adapt, and continue to praise God, our Father who loves us and cares for us.
     This is Google's 2020 video. I love that the word most searched for was "why". To me, that says that people are searching for something deeper, and it's my prayer that maybe in that search, they'll find God.

Google - year in search 2020

As we get ready to say goodbye to 2020, let go of any ill-will and focus instead on the road that God is laying out before us. Through Him, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26b)

 

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 

Behold, I am doing a new thing; 

now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? 

I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV

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Please join me this week in praying for the new year. Pray for physical, mental, and spiritual healing. Pray that through the turmoil, we will see an unprecedented number of people come to know Jesus and that God will be glorified through it all. Pray for the Church to be united and of one mind so that non-believers may see the peace and hope we have in Jesus.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #Jesus #NewYear2021 #new #hope #God #sovereignty #perservere #survival #plan

A future and a hope

 

Each year I write about the coming new year, usually choosing a theme instead of a resolution. I don't always post these to my blog, because sometimes I don't finish writing it, or sometimes I finish writing but just don't get around to posting it. For 2020 I had trouble settling on a theme and wrote about a couple of ideas but never finished them. Then, March came and blew everything out of the water anyway. There was no way I could have planned for that, and definitely no way I could have adhered to any pre-2020 "ideal" of how I should handle such a tumultuous year. 

     As of this writing, there have been 19.1M cases of the virus in the U.S. and 333,000 deaths. There have been 80.7M cases worldwide and 1.76M deaths. Countries all over the world have had to be in lock-down to slow the spread of this virus. Economies have tanked. Unemployment has soared. Businesses have gone under. Hospitals and funeral homes are overwhelmed. 

     In our country alone, we've seen division and violence like never before. People are getting killed for asking customers to wear a mask. Health and political officials are receiving death threats for doing their jobs. I never thought I'd see and hear the things that have transpired this past year in a country like ours. If I weren't a child of God, I honestly don't know how I would have survived the year.

     I haven't settled on my theme for 2021 but someone said that the word for 2020 should be "perseverance," because even with everything I stated above and all of the things I didn't include (aka Australian bush fires, Black Lives Matter protests, the explosion in Beirut, murder hornets, West Coast fires, Nashville explosion, etc...) we're here, doing the best we can, adapting day to day, and praising God for His sovereignty through it all. 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, 

plans for welfare and not for evil, 

to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

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Please join me this week in praying for the new year. Pray for physical, mental, and spiritual healing. Pray that through the turmoil, we will see an unprecedented number of people come to know Jesus and that God will be glorified through it all. Pray for the Church to be united and of one mind so that non-believers may see the peace and hope we have in Jesus.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #Jesus #NewYear #2020 #2021 #new #hope #God #sovereignty #perservere #survival #plan

Unpardonable Sin

There was a whole lot of research that I did for this week's prayer topic that I decided not to share because they're above my paygrade, so to speak. Theologians and other scholars explain it all much better than I could ever hope to (of course), so I'll just touch on the topics.

     So many Christians today seemingly choose to ignore anything in the bible that isn't in line with their beliefs; they pick and choose the passages that neatly fit the characteristics they want God to have. It just doesn't work that way. When you read and study the bible, when you spend time talking to Him, praying, you get to know Him and His character, and not just the warm and fuzzy aspects.

     I made the above sign, but it was a quote from a church sign I saw last summer and have just been waiting for the perfect time to share it. It is a very sad and unfortunate part of life; people reject God. In rejecting Him, they're choosing to live eternity in hell. 

     We as Christians do a terrible disservice to unbelievers (and perhaps it's a selfish and futile attempt to take the burden and pressure off of ourselves) when we don't openly talk about sin, hell, the elect. Time is running out. We have to talk about these things. Find a way. If you've ever wondered why you're here / what's your "destiny", this is it! It's the same purpose, the same destiny for all of us. We're here to share the gospel. Period. Plain and simple.

     Since I'm not going to type out this week's research and notes, I do want to at least share some resources:

     If it's still on Netflix, you need to watch "American Gospel". It's really informative, mostly covering the prosperity gospel, but it has a lot more to it than that. Note Ray Comfort's approach to sharing the gospel. Several years ago, he completely changed my mind about Creation with his DVD "God vs. Evolution", which I also recommend.

     Next, I recommend the book, "Whatever Happened to Hell?" by John Blanchard.

     Finally, my husband suggested this awesome sermon which I listened to today and it gave me chills. If I weren't already a Christian, this would've scared me enough to convert. It's called "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by the theologian Jonathan Edwards. He preached this sermon in 1741 and it has withstood the test of time. Below the video you'll find the transcript of the sermon so you can follow along - that's what I did.

The link to the transcript of the sermon can be found here.

Here's an excerpt from it:

It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long forever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: for “who knows the power of God’s anger?”

     Because of his sermon, I feel even more compelled to share not only the Good News but also the Bad News for those who do not repent. Non-believers see us as judgmental, hypocritical. They need to understand that we all sin, and why we sin, and why, because of our sin, our loving and merciful Father in Heaven sent His only begotten Son to die a horrible, horrible death and bear God's wrath for all of our sins. 

This is often referred to as The Unpardonable Sin...

“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

Matthew 12:31-32 NKJV

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Please join me in praying that we as believers get to know all the characteristics of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through spending time in the word, and through prayer. Let's pray that we grow in knowledge and understanding so that we can share the truth with others. Pray that we're given the words and encouragement to share the gospel with unbelievers and save many souls from an eternity in hell.

 

I'll post daily reminders on:

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#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #compensation #forgiveness #grace #hell #justice #mercy #sin #sovereignty #wrath

Boastfulness

I've probably read this verse a handful of times, but today it struck a chord with me. I actually said, "whoa," out loud. What a great reminder that very few things in this life are certain and therefore don't boast about anything. It's like a hard-hitting version of "don't count your chickens before they've hatched," only this involves armor so being able to remove your armor at the end of the day means you survived, you were victorious, or at the very least, you were successful in making it through alive. What a great life lesson!

And the king of Israel replied, 

"Tell him: 'The one putting on his armor 

should not boast like one taking it off.'"

1 Kings 20:11 NIV

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Please join me this week in praying for today; asking the Father what His will is for us for this day. Let's also pray to keep what's most important always at the forefront of our thoughts and actions. Pray for boldness and encouragement to be Christlike in all that we do and His image-bearer to everyone He sends our way.

 

I'll post daily reminders on:

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Wear the whole armor of God

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [a]wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV

Earthly things

Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Phillippians 3:17-20 NKJV

On behalf of Christ

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, 

not only to believe in Him, 

but also to suffer for His sake, 

having the same conflict which you saw in me 

and now hear is in me.

Phillippians 1:27-30 NKJV

Walk in love

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us 

and given Himself for us, 

an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

Ephesians 5:2 NKJV

Worthy of His calling

Therefore we also pray always for you 

that our God would count you worthy of this calling, 

and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness 

and the work of faith with power,

2 Thessalonians 1:11

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Please join me this week in praying for the courage and strength to live fearlessly for Christ. Pray for the courage to fully surrender to Jesus, and trust in His sovereignty.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

A gift of a Bible

To illustrate how important it is to put your fear behind you, I wanted to share this. Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller fame is passionate about being an atheist. He made the above video several years ago about an encounter with a Christian and had this to say:
     “I’ve always said, I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe there is a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward...
     How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?
     If I believed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe it, that that truck was bearing down on you, there’s a certain point where I tackle you, and this is more important than that.”

This is eternity we're talking about; not this short little blip on earth that we call life. We need to tell everyone. It's why we're here.

The Great Commission

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. 

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16-20

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The sermon I was talking about yesterday can be heard here: Phillippians: True Joy In Christ 6-30-2019

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Please join me this week in praying for the courage and strength to live fearlessly for Christ. Pray for the courage to fully surrender to Jesus, and trust in His sovereignty.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

No fear

Yesterday's sermon (Phillippians: True Joy In Christ 6-30-2019) really moved me. The main theme was to live fearlessly for Christ. I immediately thought, "No Fear" (and the Pastor said it, too), a phrase made popular by a line of sports apparel (and more) from the early '90s. I always took the phrase to heart back then to push myself out of my comfort zone, and in recent years have tried using it to push myself to be more of an evangelist and do what we're all called to do, to share the gospel.
     I pray about it. I pray for strength and courage and for the words. I'm much more comfortable with the written word than with the spoken, but the Bible says that people come to faith by hearing the Gospel. If we fully surrender to Christ, we can be assured that He is in charge and that He is sovereign over all.

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;

Colossians 1:9-11 NKJV

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Please join me this week in praying for the courage and strength to live fearlessly for Christ. Pray for the courage to fully surrender to Jesus, and trust in His sovereignty.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power