Luke 23:43

 

And he said to him, 

“Truly, I say to you, 

today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:43 ESV 

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Please join me this week in praying for the Church. Pray that we focus our attention on our purpose and goal in this life. Pray that we keep our eye on the prize. Everyone, every single person will live forever, will have eternal life, but it's where they will spend eternity that needs to motivate our action each and every day.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#ThisIsMyHallelujah #7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerse #bible #eternallife #eternity #heaven #home #greatcommission #gospel #life #death #revival #church #purpose #spiritualgift 

John 14:2

 

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? 

John 14:2 ESV

I'll post a follow-up next week regarding the "scam" I wrote about yesterday. 

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Please join me this week in praying for the Church. Pray that we focus our attention on our purpose and goal in this life. Pray that we keep our eye on the prize. Everyone, every single person will live forever, will have eternal life, but it's where they will spend eternity that needs to motivate our action each and every day.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#ThisIsMyHallelujah #7thHourPrayerPower #eternallife #eternity #heaven #home #greatcommission #gospel #life #death #revival #church #purpose #spiritualgift

Journey and a scam

 

Words aren't really coming to me this morning "on topic" so I thought I'd just tell you about something that happened yesterday and see if the rabbit trail makes it back around to the main theme.
     I've been getting to know people on Twitter, mostly Christians. We praise God, share Bible verses, and lift each other up. Last week a woman reached out to me through Twitter's private messaging system, asking about my faith, about being saved. She is supposedly from Switzerland, and supposedly only has a few weeks to a few months to live. I was thrilled about this opportunity and shared my testimony with her.
     We wrote back and forth for several days, always talking about God and faith. She asked me to pray for her daily as well as people in other countries who are fighting Covid. Then, she asked me to email her because she was wanting to step away from Twitter. I was praying that she wouldn't ask me for money, that this wasn't all a scheme of some sort. Imagine my disappointment when I received an email from her that was obviously a form letter she has sent out countless times before, talking about "funds".
     Most people would just walk away at this point, but I feel compelled to find out more. How can someone try to scam others under the guise of loving Jesus? It sickens me. Then I think of all of the prosperity gospel "leaders" and I realize what their horrible example tells the world: 'it's okay to turn the gospel around for your own financial gain.'
     I let this really bring me down yesterday but today, I'm giving it up to God, asking Him to guide whatever words I use to respond to her. Circling back around from the rabbit trail...God put us here to build relationships with one another and to bring glory to Him. It's going to include meeting people who misrepresent His love and grace. We need to pray for them and love on them as well. This is our journey. This is our hallelujah.

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens!

Praise him for his mighty deeds;

praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound;

praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with tambourine and dance;

praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with sounding cymbals;

praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150:1-6 ESV


You may also like:
"Record Your Days" January 3, 2018

The Preacher spoke about this life and about time as a commodity, measured in days. He was speaking on Psalm 90 and suggested that we record each day as a means of numbering our days "that we may gain a heart of wisdom". This is my new project for the New Year. It will bring focus to accomplishing something each day, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, ...

"Seen or unseen" April 24, 2019 

I've read these verses several times over the years but still, this morning got something different from them. It probably has to do with reading scripture in light of what's happening in life at this moment. That's how we find answers to life's questions...

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Please join me this week in praying for the Church. Pray that we focus our attention on our purpose and goal in this life. Pray that we keep our eye on the prize. Everyone, every single person will live forever, will have eternal life, but it's where they will spend eternity that needs to motivate our action each and every day.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#ThisIsMyHallelujah #7thHourPrayerPower #eternallife #eternity #heaven #home #greatcommission #gospel #life #death #revival #church #purpose #spiritualgift #scam #socalledChristian #prosperitygospel

Every day is a hallelujah!

 

I'm focused on Donnie Allen this week. His life and his ministry are inspirational to everyone who knew him. A friend posted, "I never met someone who had such a strong desire to preach the gospel to everybody you came in contact with. I pray that I can receive that passion as well." This is also my prayer.
     I'm also focused on his #ThisIsMyHallelujah (See Monday's post). To be able to turn such a difficult journey into a hallelujah is so awesome, and so Christlike. Donnie was such a true image-bearer for the Lord.
     According to dictionary.com "Hallelujah" means, "God be praised." As a noun, it is an "expression of worship or rejoicing."
     Every day we should shout, "Hallelujah!" Every day is a hallelujah!

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, 

nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, 

what God has prepared for those who love him”—

1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV

I'm sharing this song, "Hallelujah." It is not the original one written by Leonard Cohen, that mixes religion and sex. Kelley Mooney rewrote the lyrics, with the permission of the original author to tell the story of the Gospel. This rendition is sung by sisters Callahan and Cassandra Star Armstrong. All of the links in this paragraph tell the story of the song and video.

You may also like:

"Jesus, thank You for loving me" (the video doesn't work, but the words are still relevant.)

"For the terminally ill"

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Please join me this week in praying for the Church. Pray that we focus our attention on our purpose and goal in this life. Pray that we keep our eye on the prize. Everyone, every single person will live forever, will have eternal life, but it's where they will spend eternity that needs to motivate our action each and every day.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#ThisIsMyHallelujah #7thHourPrayerPower #eternallife #eternity #heaven #home #greatcommission #gospel #life #death #revival #church #purpose #spiritualgift

Our permanent home

 

I would love to be able to capture this Bible passage in a picture and share it with all of you, but I would never be able to do it justice. The glory of our permanent home, the place our loving Father has prepared for us is beyond our human comprehension. John described it to the best of his ability (and did a wonderful job, I might add). I love reading this passage and imagining what he saw, and what we will all someday see:

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Revelation 22:1-5 ESV

You may also like: "Grieve as one with hope" from January 17, 2019

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Please join me this week in praying for the Church. Pray that we focus our attention on our purpose and goal in this life. Pray that we keep our eye on the prize. Everyone, every single person will live forever, will have eternal life, but it's where they will spend eternity that needs to motivate our action each and every day.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#ThisIsMyHallelujah #7thHourPrayerPower #eternallife #eternity #heaven #home #blog #blogpost #blogger

This Is My Hallelujah

 

Our dear brother in Christ, Donnie Allen, passed away yesterday afternoon. He will be deeply missed. Words just cannot express how much. He touched so many lives during his stay here on earth that I am in awe of him. To live a life that dedicated and focused on Christ should be an inspiration to us all. We have this real-life example of why we're here and how we're to live.

     Donnie and Amanda created a Facebook group when they started this bone marrow transplant journey in order to keep all of us informed.  Its hashtag is #ThisIsMyHallelujah and Donnie used it as a means to inspire and share his passion for Jesus. It was as much a means to share his spiritual journey as it was his physical one. Even with everything he went through, he put Jesus first. The group has over 1,000 followers. 

     Additionally, those posts have been shared in other groups, and by other individuals. I can only imagine the breadth and scope of people that Donnie reached through this platform. He and Amanda shared the gospel with countless people in Cleveland, as well. What a testimony to God's plan for our lives that He uses situations both good and bad to secure more souls for heaven! 

Amanda wrote:

It is with a very painful heart that I tell you all that Donnie Allen passed peacefully today Sunday May 16 at 430pm surrounded by his family. 

Donnie’s journey is now complete and he has been healed and is in the arms of Jesus. 

I thank you all for the many hours of prayers said on our behalf and ask that you now shift your prayers towards our family and the coming days ahead.

     I feel like I've written often about grief and dying over the past fourteen months, but like I've said, it's a clear sign for the Church to get serious about revival and bringing as many people to Christ as possible. This week I would like for us to focus our thoughts and prayers on "the hope." It is my hope that this will remind us why we're here. This is just a pitstop in our lives because Earth is NOT our home. 

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 21:4 ESV

See also: "Widows" from July 11, 2020

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Please join me this week in praying for the Church. Pray that we focus our attention on our purpose and goal in this life. Pray that we keep our eye on the prize. Everyone, every single person will live forever, will have eternal life, but it's where they will spend eternity that needs to motivate our action each and every day.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#ThisIsMyHallelujah #7thHourPrayerPower #eternallife #eternity #heaven #greatcommission #gospel #life #death #revival #church #purpose #spiritualgift

Assurance of salvation

If you ever doubt your salvation, please pray about it and delve into scripture. There are so many passages that let us know that once we're saved, we're always saved.

     I know this from experience. I surrendered my life to Christ at the age of 14 (nearly 15) but became more prideful as I grew older. Around 18-19 years old, away from home for the first time as a college Freshman, I began to turn my back on Christ more and more until finally I stopped reading scripture, attending church, and praying. That went on for about 25 years and my life felt empty; it was often full of struggle. 

     Then, one day, God got my attention. I thought I was having a heart attack and rather than 'do' anything about it, I prayed. I'm not sure what I prayed; there was probably some bargaining in there and a lot of confessing. Obviously, I survived (please call 911 if you ever have symptoms of a heart attack; I was foolish but felt compelled to just pray).

     Afterward, re-examining my entire adult life, I realized the emptiness was because of me trying to go it alone but that God never left me. He was always there. If only I had let Him in, that period of my life would have been so much easier to handle. 

     I'm thankful that He never gave up on me and that He got my attention and pulled me back to Him.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 NKJV

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone 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 My Father’s hand.

John 10:28-29 NKJV

     It may sound boastful, but I rarely doubt my salvation. The reason is simply that the bible tells us over and over again, that once we're saved, it's a done deal. All we have to do is:

... confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:9-10 NKJV

 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

1 John 5:11-13 NKJV

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

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Please join me this week in praying for the unsaved that they may come to know the hope and assurance of a loving and merciful Father, of Christ Jesus who bore our sins on the cross that we may have eternal life. Pray for those who are fearful and anxious, that they may find peace and joy in Jesus. Pray for the lost that the Good Shepherd will call them to Him. And finally, pray for the opportunity, and then the words and encouragement to share our testimonies, our assurances as followers of Christ Jesus.

 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #Christ #5assurances #eternallife #forgiveness #grace #salvation

5 Assurances

Do you or someone you know feel overwhelmed by everything going on in the world? As Christ-followers we have the hope and confidence in Him to guide us through this maze, but often it's scary and confusing anyway. Imagine what someone who doesn't know Christ must feel. (Although I know plenty of people who just turn a blind eye to the whole thing.) During good times and bad, we have the assurance of Christ to see us through. 

     I happened upon the "5 assurances" last night as I was writing something else. More correctly, God led me to find them. They are:

Assurance of Salvation

Assurance of Answered Prayer

Assurance of Victory

Assurance of Forgiveness

Assurance of Guidance

We'll cover each of them this week. 

Know this:

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Romans 8:16 ESV

And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 

And because lawlessness will be increased, 

the love of many will grow cold. 

But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Matthew 24:11-13 ESV

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Please join me this week in praying for the unsaved that they may come to know the hope and assurance of a loving and merciful Father, of Christ Jesus who bore our sins on the cross that we may have eternal life. Pray for those who are fearful and anxious, that they may find peace and joy in Jesus. Pray for the lost that the Good Shepherd will call them to Him. And finally, pray for the opportunity, and then the words and encouragement to share our testimonies, our assurances as followers of Christ Jesus.

 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #Christ #5assurances #eternallife #forgiveness #grace #guidance #hope #mercy #salvation #victory

Time to One Who is Eternal

For a thousand years in Your sight

Are like yesterday when it is past,

And like a watch in the night

Psalm 90:4 NKJV

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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:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Free gift

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 NKJV

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Join me this week in praying for those who are spiritually dead that they might come to know the free gift of God which is eternal life in our Lord Christ Jesus.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Abundant blessings

And God is able to bless you abundantly, 

so that in all things at all times, 

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'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

The Greatest Blessing

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.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Faith gives us hope

Everyone has faith in something or someone; we have faith that the sun will rise each morning and set each evening. We have faith that our family and friends love us unconditionally. We have faith that the earth will sustain us. We have faith that things will continue on as they have always been yet we understand that change happens. You could substitute "hope" for each occurrence of the word "faith" because our faith is based on what we hope for. We hope for that which we haven't (yet) seen. Hebrews 11:1 tells us this:

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

So why do unbelievers insist they need to see God in order to believe in Him? They believe in the unseen every single day. Without faith, there is no hope, especially the ultimate hope of eternal life. Our faith (and hope) should rest in Jesus.

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Please join me this week in praying for someone who lacks faith. Ask God also for the opportunity, words, courage to share the Good News with that person(s).
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

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

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

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

The peace of God

Daily Bible Verse

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, 

to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Colossians 3:15 NKJV