Where's your treasure?

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, 

where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 

but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 

where neither moth nor rust destroys and 

where thieves do not break in and steal. 

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19–21

I read a self-published book once where the whole premise was based on "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." It was written as if the author believed that you'll find treasure in the (earthly) things you love, whatever that meant for each person. In reality, it's meant to remind us that whatever we love most is where our true heart is. So, a person who loves money can't also love the Lord. We shouldn't concern ourselves with earthly treasures but spend our time here laying up treasures in Heaven. I always regret the fact that I didn't try to reach out to her and explain the verse.

As a side note to this week's prayers...I had our taxes done Thursday evening and for the first time, we owed money instead of getting a refund. I was livid. I got so emotionally wrapped up in having to pay even more taxes, and now I'm going to have to take money out of savings, and now I'm going to have to wait longer to get a new car, and now, and now, and now...finally, I calmed down and actually had to laugh at how upset I had gotten. It's amazing how tied up in knots we can get over money. Even though I don't consider myself to be someone who loves money, I still get way too upset when I'm forced to give it up. The treasures in Heaven are the only treasures that matter.

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Let's pray for someone we know who is having financial problems. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Rich rule over the poor

“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”

Proverbs 22:7

I hope to write more on this tomorrow.

Like a tree planted by the waters

Thus says the Lord:

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man

And makes flesh his strength,

Whose heart departs from the Lord.

For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,

And shall not see when good comes,

But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,

In a salt land which is not inhabited.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

And whose hope is the Lord.

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,

Which spreads out its roots by the river,

And will not fear when heat comes;

But its leaf will be green,

And will not be anxious in the year of drought,

Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

Jeremiah 17:5-8

If you know someone who is having money problems, encourage them to seek help. In the Dayton area, there are services available to help reduce debt, organizations who help individuals get through a particularly difficult time. Trust in the Lord and He will help you and guide you. Ask others to pray for you, also.

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Let's pray for someone we know who is having financial problems. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

For the love of money

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
1 Timothy 6:10

Money itself isn't evil. We need it to survive in today's world. It's when we become obsessed with it, and it becomes the desire of our hearts that we lose sight of what's most important. The best advice I've read concerning money is that when payday comes around, Pay God First! I see that as paying tithes and donating to charities. Give it a try. Plus, it just feels good to help others, doesn't it?

There are people who are dirt poor* who are obsessed with money, and there are people who are extremely rich who are not, so having money has nothing to do with what's in your heart. Search your heart and see what you find there.

*Interesting little tidbit...the phrase 'dirt poor' comes from back in the day, people who were poor typically had dirt floors.

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Let's pray for someone we know who is having financial problems. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Watch your money grow

     I found this photo and it reminded me of my previous church. The people there were always very encouraging especially to someone like me who didn't feel nearly as knowledgable, Biblically, as they all seemed to be. They would always say that "We're planting seeds." We may never see the result of what we share with others, either verbally, or financially, but we can be confident that God is using us to plant seeds in non-believers. Over time, those seeds will take root and then sprout leaves which stretch upward toward the Son.
     Admittedly, it took some time for me to begin tithing a full 10%. (The word "tithe" means "ten percent of annual earnings"). I had spent most of my adult life drowning in debt and ten percent seemed like such an undoable goal, but eventually, it became easy. It seemed like the more I gave, the more I received in return (not that that's a reason to tithe - I'm not a believer in Joel Olsteen theology). Just as it says in Malachi 3:10:

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, 

that there may be food in my house. 

Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, 

“and see if I will not throw open the floodgates 

of heaven and pour out so much 

blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

     We don't have to worry about money, because God takes care of His children. The most impressive example of this is the story of George Mueller. He established several orphanages in England during the early 1800s and never asked anyone for any money. He prayed every day for God to take care of their needs, and He did. People would show up and say that they were moved to donate some money, or bread, or building materials...whatever was needed was always provided. If you haven't read his story, you really must. It will expand your faith, even more, to read about how God really does take care of us. But, we have to have faith.
     The two people I was praying for this week who are going through financial hardships both received word that things were set in place to help them out. It was a complete miracle! I really hope that you are seeing the fruits of your prayer life. It just moves me to tears over and over again (tears of awe and of joy, that is).

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Let's pray for someone we know who is having financial problems. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Help for financial problems

I found out that the Bible talks about money over 800 times! Since this is the week before Tax Day and since I know several people who are dealing with financial problems, I thought this would be the perfect topic for this week's prayers. Since money is discussed so many times, it will probably be difficult to choose just 7 bible verses, but God will lead me to share the ones that touch the most lives.

The Bible Verse that comes up first in my research is Philippians 4:19 ESV

And my God will supply every need of yours 

according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

God takes care of His children. We just need to ask. I tend to not pray about money because I feel like that's on me; maybe I wasted it on eating out, or I didn't budget well, or I didn't work as many hours as I could have, but really,  all of that can be part of our prayers. Ask God for help in managing your money. Ask Him for strength not to waste money. Ask Him for guidance as to how to allocate income in a way that brings glory to Him. Money itself isn't evil, however, the love of money is evil. Don't let it consume you.

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Let's pray for someone we know who is having financial problems. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power