It's easy to praise God when we're happy, but we should also praise Him when we're suffering. When everything seems to be going wrong, I know that it's temporary, that it's happening for a reason, and that God will see me through it. I know there will be better days ahead. I can praise Him for being with me always, even through the trials.
James wrote:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing
James 1:2-4 ESV
Do pray through the suffering and trials so that you can feel God's love and have comfort in His Glory.
Is anyone among you suffering?
Let him pray.
Is anyone cheerful?
Let him sing praise.
James 5:13 ESV
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Please join me this week in praising God! Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! (Psalm 103:1 NKJV)
The word Psalm means "a sacred song or hymn", so when a Catholic friend of mine said that they sing the Psalms, I was really excited, since they were meant to be sung! (I don't think Baptists or Methodists sing them usually.) So, I did a quick search and found someone who set the 150th Psalm to music.
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150 NKJV
Give praise to God, right now. Start out your prayer with, "I praise You, Father!" Lift up your hands to Him and give thanks!
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Please join me this week in praising God! Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! (Psalm 103:1 NKJV)
With everything looking so different this year, and Thanksgiving coming up this week, it's sometimes easy to get wrapped up in worldly "things." We have to remember that God is sovereign. Everything that happens works for the good of His plan. I can rest in knowing that He is in control. For that, I give thanks. In our women's life group this past week, a Sister in Christ brought up that it's not enough to give thanks. We should also praise God. I hadn't really thought about that before. I do thank Him often, but I rarely praise Him. He is worthy of our constant praise. So, I thought during this week of Thanksgiving that we would focus our prayer time in praising our Lord. I'll be sharing numerous Psalms this week because I feel like David does an excellent job of praising our Father and we can pray his words. Focusing on praise and thanksgiving this week instead of what earthly troubles we're experiencing will soften our hearts and lift our spirits. I hope that it will shine through us to non-believers and they'll want that peace that we have.
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God,
that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
Hebrews 13:15 NKJV
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Please join me this week in praising God! Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! (Psalm 103:1 NKJV)
When I was growing up, I didn't feel as if I wanted for anything. I had a loving and supportive family, a roof over my head, and food on the table. My mom made my clothes for years so I was always dressed nicely. My parents provided for all of my needs. Our Father in heaven made it all possible. He cares for us and provides for us.
Even when I turned my back on Him, He continued to provide for me. I was extremely poor during that time but still had food, shelter, and clothing. I didn't even ask Him for anything. During that time, I was still His child, though and He still loved me and provided for me.
Let's wrap up this week of blessings, by reflecting on everything He provides for us on a daily basis. Let's praise Him and glorify Him for His love and mercy. I am so deeply blessed and so incredibly thankful.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Psalm 23:1-4 NIV
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Please join me this week in praying for all of the awesome blessings that God bestows on us. Pray for any blessings that someone close to you needs. And finally, let's pray that the Father uses us to be the blessing in someone else's life.
Please join me this week in praying for all of the awesome blessings that God bestows on us. Pray for any blessings that someone close to you needs. And finally, let's pray that the Father uses us to be the blessing in someone else's life.
I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted. I started yesterday by making a turkey and a few side dishes (my husband helped, thankfully) and did all of the last-minute clean-up/straighten up chores that come with hosting a meal like this. My husband's family came over and I was able to enjoy their company for a few hours before heading over to my mom's for Thanksgiving meal #2. That's when the real work began.
My mom has lost a lot of strength in her arms and hands since taking the chemo pill, but she still tries to do everything. I get there, and she's having trouble holding the electric knife to cut the turkey so I jumped in to help. She watched me closely, instructing me where to cut, what to do, etc. eventually hovering right behind me until she said, "Just let me do it." It was a lot of stuff like that which I won't bore you with, but let's just say, by the end of the night I was exhausted and quietly cursing my choice of shoes.
Now that we've all sufficiently given thanks, it's time to begin 3-1/2 weeks of intensive preparations for Christmas. There's shopping and decorating and baking and visiting and holiday parties. There's Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday. It's expensive and hectic and crazy and unfortunately, I believe, it distracts us from the reason for the season. So, before we begin this Thanksgiving aftermath, this Pre-Christmas frenzy, let's meditate on our blessings some more.
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law* of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law* day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3 NIV
*The law is simply: ...“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ...‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:37 & 39
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Please join me this week in praying for all of the awesome blessings that God bestows on us. Pray for any blessings that someone close to you needs. And finally, let's pray that the Father uses us to be the blessing in someone else's life.
Happy Thanksgiving! I am so blessed to have all of you join me each day as we pray and worship together. I love hearing from you when a particular prayer, bible verse, or story speaks to you and what you're going through. God reveals Himself to us when He answers our prayers, yet, each time I'm still amazed. Who am I that God listens to my small voice and answers? What an amazing God He is. What a blessing He gives us each and every day that we wake up and are given the opportunity to reveal Him to others. God is so good. I am so blessed.
Blessings sung by Laura Story
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things
(Chorus)
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if the thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
Chorus
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
Chorus
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
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Please join me this week in praying for all of the awesome blessings that God bestows on us. Pray for any blessings that someone close to you needs. And finally, let's pray that the Father uses us to be the blessing in someone else's life.
I want to be like this tree, don't you? I want to have this much trust in the Lord that I'll never worry, never fear. I want to bear fruit continuously for Him. The reason we don't trust so completely is because we doubt, or are just plain impatient. But He is always there for us and provides for us. He doesn't want us to go it alone. We need to learn to just enjoy the blessing of being a child of God.
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Please join me this week in praying for all of the awesome blessings that God bestows on us. Pray for any blessings that someone close to you needs. And finally, let's pray that the Father uses us to be the blessing in someone else's life.
having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV
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Please join me this week in praying for all of the awesome blessings that God bestows on us. Pray for any blessings that someone close to you needs. And finally, let's pray that the Father uses us to be the blessing in someone else's life.
I'd like to take some time before the rush of Christmas gets into full-swing to reflect on the blessings God has given us. I try to remember to thank the Lord for the many blessings He gives me throughout the day, but I forget to thank Him for the greatest blessings He gave to me and all His children: His Son, salvation, and eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe stands condemned already
because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:16-18 NIV
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—
and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23 NIV
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Please join me this week in praying for all of the awesome blessings that God bestows on us. Pray for any blessings that someone close to you needs. And finally, let's pray that the Father uses us to be the blessing in someone else's life.
Memorial Day should be a reminder to us to take every opportunity throughout the year
to thank a Veteran or someone currently serving.
Who do you want to thank?
The name of the righteous is used in blessings,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
Proverbs 10:7 NIV
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Please join me this week in praying for the men and women of our military branches, and their families.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.
John 15:9-17 NKJV
