You shall be perfect

As we wrap up this week of praying for the will and strength and encouragement to love our enemies, I just want to say that I hope it has turned your life around as it has mine. It really wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be because I had God's help. This has also reinforced in me the desire to pray about everything. I don't need to make difficult decisions on my own. I don't need to go through life blindly. God is there for me and with me always. Let's lean on Him together and see where He takes us <3
     I need to add though, that while this has been an absolutely amazing week spiritually and for seeing God work through me, it has been an extremely difficult week as I said earlier. The enemy has been after me every single day. He fills me with doubt. He distracts me by filling my daily life with insignificant trials and tribulations. I confess that I've had to resort to taking an anti-anxiety pill a few times because it's gotten so bad. But most of the time I've been able to just breathe deeply, step away from the situation, pray and/or read God's word, and I get through it. Remember that there's always a spiritual battle going on, but you will be triumphant because you belong to Christ.

Remember this:

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22:36-40 NKJV

For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors* do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors* do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.**

Matthew 5:46-48

*Back then, tax collectors were the ultimate bad guys.
** I can't imagine being perfect, but if Jesus wants me to work on it, I will. No one is without sin, except Jesus, but we can work toward having His attributes.

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Please join me this week in praying for guidance, strength, wisdom, and courage for each of us to love everyone as Jesus commands us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Do all in love

Let all that you do be done in love.

1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV

The real enemy

It never fails that when I start to try to improve myself to be a better image-bearer for Christ that the real enemy comes after me with a vengeance. He tries to distract me from my purpose with either something shiny (like new material possessions) or with insignificant but completely frustrating trials. This week he used both tactics. That's how I know I'm on the right path, though. For him to put so much effort in me, I feel like I'm leveling up, so to speak, in my ambition to become the person Christ wants me to be. I get goosebumps thinking about it!
     How's your week in prayer going so far? I can tell a real difference at work. With me changing my attitude, and praying for both of us, and trying to find likable aspects in the other person, we have been getting along better, even talking a little bit and it's just been an amazing transformation. I pray that you are seeing changes in your own life. The power of prayer is just so amazing! I honestly cannot understand why everyone doesn't pray.
     I found the above image on Pixabay; it was created by Joan Cabras. I know I give credit on the photo's properties but feel like it needs to be included in the body of text here, also because this took some thought. I've said this before, but it continues to amaze me: the outcry for tolerance in this country is almost deafening, yet those same people spread hate and shame others, and are extremely judgmental. They're nearly impossible to deal with because they talk out of both sides of their mouths. So, even though it isn't January 1st (we can make resolutions at any time of the year after all), I thought we could meditate on these things in our pursuit of loving everyone.
1. Delete hate
2. Practice tolerance
3. Demand wisdom
4. Remember compassion/empathy
5. Replace fear with love

Beloved, let us love one another, 

for love is from God, 

and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:7 ESV

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Please join me this week in praying for guidance, strength, wisdom, and courage for each of us to love everyone as Jesus commands us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Burning coals

To the contrary, 

“if your enemy is hungry, feed him; 

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; 

for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Romans 12:20 ESV

According to John MacArthur, the "burning coals on his head" refers to an ancient Egyptian custom where a remorseful person would carry a pan of burning coals on his head to represent his burning pain of shame and guilt.*

David Guzik writes that it could refer to one's burning conviction as a result of being treated kindly by a perceived enemy.**

Either way, I believe it softens the heart of both parties.

* MacArthur, John (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible, New King James version.
     Thomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville, TN.
** Guzik, David (2018). Enduring Word. Bible commentary app. To make a donation of support to Enduring Word, click here.
(I do not receive affiliate money)

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Please join me this week in praying for guidance, strength, wisdom, and courage for each of us to love everyone as Jesus commands us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Plank in my eye

I'll just put it out there...the person who I have the most trouble liking right now is my boss' son. I've worked there for 26 years, starting when he was 4-years-old. Back then, I told him not to do something and he made the comment, "This is my daddy's office and I can do whatever I want." In other words, 'you can't tell me what to do.' And, it's been that way ever since. He started working there when he was 16 and it's been a constant battle of wills. Maybe it's pride (both of us), but whatever it is, it weighs on me.
     I've tried everything (IMO) but it's all just bandaids that eventually lose their stick. When I've prayed about it in the past, I've always prayed that he changes, that his heart is softened, never thinking to pray for me to change and my attitude.
     Two Sundays ago, we had communion at church and the Pastor said not to take it if we had something like this on our hearts. He cited Matthew 7:3-5 (NKJV)

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Those verses never really spoke to me before but at that point, they did and I saw the hypocrite in myself. I prayed while communion was being passed out and a renewed sense of wanting to love everyone, not just those who are easy to love, came over me and I prayed on that and felt cleansed to take communion.
     My takeaway from this is, if you're having trouble loving someone, look first at yourself and see what the issue is. Then look at the other person and find something within them to love; we are all so much more than just one attribute or characteristic. Sometimes it takes some praying and searching, but I believe we can find something loving in every person we meet.
     May God bless you this week with this journey.

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Please join me this week in praying for guidance, strength, wisdom, and courage for each of us to love everyone as Jesus commands us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

The Golden Rule

I remember reciting this as a youngster in Sunday School but we used the word "unto" which I can't find in a version that we would have used back then:

"Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

Luke 6:31 (unknown version)

So, how did you do yesterday with your prayers and with loving everyone? Another suggestion is to pray for their hearts to be softened (and mine (maybe yours?), too). Please share this image. If we all followed this rule, can you imagine how awesome the world would be?

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Please join me this week in praying for guidance, strength, wisdom, and courage for each of us to love everyone as Jesus commands us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Love Your Enemies

This has come up several times over the last two weeks and I am ashamed to say it is a huge stumbling block for me, as well. I've been praying for guidance as to "how" but I'm pretty sure the answer is simply "you just do." After talking to a woman yesterday who is also struggling with this, we decided this would be an excellent thing for all of us to pray (and meditate) on.

Jesus commands us...

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor

and hate your enemy. 

But I say to you, love your enemies, 

bless those who curse you, 

do good to those who hate you, 

and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 

Matthew 5:43-44

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Please join me this week in praying for guidance, strength, wisdom, and courage for each of us to love everyone as Jesus commands us.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power