Keep your focus on God

 

I've been writing this blog geared mostly to "7th Hour Prayer Power" for over 3-1/2 years, so there are going to be certain Bible verses that get mentioned multiple times. Those certain verses just seem to fit so many different situations. Isn't it amazing how God does that?

     The verse that I chose for today was Colossians 3:23 (ESV):

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

to illustrate that even when we do have to please others (at work-work, for example) we can do the task as if we're doing it for the Lord. In this way, we will keep our focus on Him.
     It occurred to me that I've shared this verse recently, so I searched and it turns out I did three months ago:
On March 25, 2021 "Work heartily" - shared just the verse as part of our prayers for the unemployed.

On September 9, 2020 "Work heartily" - shared a post about going through lockdown and then being able to return to work.

     So I won't title this post "Work heartily", and it has nothing to do with being employed or not. Over the past two years, I've been more deliberate about focusing on God. A result of that is I'm becoming more burdened when I think or feel in un-Christlike ways. What I didn't expect was that it would draw me closer to Him. It has strengthened our relationship. I feel God's presence in a way I've never experienced before. It's both exciting and scary--the scary part is the added responsibility of doing what's right, or at least, attempting to.
     If you don't know what I'm talking about, you can ask me to explain further. You can also pray about it. Pray for God to bring you closer to Him. Tell Him that you want to please Him and then work heartily on that.

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Please join me this week in praying for guidance from our loving Father. Let's ask Him what He wants us to do or say. Pray that in everything we do, we please Him. Let's also pray for friends and family who get too wrapped up in people-pleasing and deny what God would have them do. 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #bibleverse #bible #PeoplePleaser #ask #gospel #calling #supplication #judged #prayer #seekGod #serve

1 Thessalonians 2:4

 

But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV

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Please join me this week in praying for guidance from our loving Father. Let's ask Him what He wants us to do or say. Pray that in everything we do, we please Him. Let's also pray for friends and family who get too wrapped up in people-pleasing and deny what God would have them do. 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #bibleverse #bible #PeoplePleaser #ask #gospel #calling #supplication #judged #prayer #seekGod #serve

Please God not man

 

Don't tell my husband I'm sharing this, but...

When he and I split up a few years ago, one of the contributing factors was that it drove him crazy that I'm on my computer all the time. (To be fair, I am always on it.) There were times when I was on my laptop, and simultaneously using my cellphone and tablet. So then when we got back together, I said I would try to limit it. As you can imagine, that lasted about a week. Coincidentally, he started a bible study around that time which occupied nearly all of his free time. So, I felt like that was my cue to explain to him everything I'm doing online: writing a book, a blog, gathering biblical information for both and for a life group I lead, and for bible studies, I was in. 

     All these years he just thought I was on social media the way he used to be; he never asked me what I was doing and I never felt compelled to explain myself. Our whole break-up was the result of a breakdown in communication. (Not just over this, but other things, as well.)

     We're doing much better now but I still feel like he's judging my computer time even though he isn't. Sunday he was sitting outside and I wanted to join him but I had to charge my laptop and plus, it was really hot out. So, I was struggling with, 'do I stay inside where I'm comfortable and work on my book, or go outside for some quality time and be miserable?' I opted for staying inside. Later he came in and we hung out then, so it was all fine. (I put away my laptop.)

     It's just that residual feeling that he resents me being on the computer and my struggle of turning it off, that stresses me out sometimes. I know we're past that now but I feel like I need to please him. I want to reiterate, this is all me. He's not doing or saying anything to make me feel torn. I just had to realize Sunday that if I'm doing something to please God (writing a book to inspire other Christians) then I'm doing the right thing with my spare time.

     We can apply this thought process to everything we do: Why am I doing this? Does it please God? Does it bring Him glory? If the answer to the last two questions is 'yes' then keep it up. Don't let anyone, any person stand in your way.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2 ESV

You may also like:

"Be true"

"An angry fool"

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Please join me this week in praying for guidance from our loving Father. Let's ask Him what He wants us to do or say. Pray that in everything we do, we please Him. Let's also pray for friends and family who get too wrapped up in people-pleasing and deny what God would have them do. 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #bibleverse #bible #PeoplePleaser #ask #gospel #calling #supplication #judged #prayer #seekGod #serve

Are you a people pleaser?

 

I don't know what I was doing yesterday that brought this to mind (well, yeah, I remember now--I'll talk about that later), but I feel like I'm always being judged by people. Maybe it's paranoia, or maybe I am being judged, who knows? Either way, I tend to react to those feelings instead of remaining true to myself, true to the person God created me to be.

     I want to change this about myself and have made great strides, but there's more work to do here. The most significant example is what I don't do and what I don't say because I fear the reaction I'll get. God has made it as easy as possible for me to talk about Him to others, yet there are still instances when I don't follow through because of that tinge of "fear". 

     We live in a country where we really don't know the full extent of being persecuted for our faith, yet we still fear sharing the gospel.

     This isn't just about sharing the gospel, either. It's about our priorities in this life. We're here to serve and love one another, but we are to please God, not man.

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10 ESV

You may also like:

• "No fear"
• "Like nails in a fence"
• "Support your local missionary"

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Please join me this week in praying for guidance from our loving Father. Let's ask Him what He wants us to do or say. Pray that in everything we do, we please Him. Let's also pray for friends and family who get too wrapped up in people-pleasing and deny what God would have them do. 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #bibleverse #bible #PeoplePleaser #ask #gospel #calling #supplication #judged #prayer #seekGod #serve

Show me my sin

 

One of my favorite events in the Bible is this:

Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

John 8:2-11 NKJV

People are all too quick to condemn others but have absolutely no trouble turning a blind eye to their own sin. I love this event because Jesus made the crowd think of their own sin before casting judgment on another. If we all did that, can you imagine the difference in our world? I also just realized, Jesus didn't condemn them, He simply had them look within. 

     A Pastor once said (I'm paraphrasing) that when we pray and ask for forgiveness, we should ask forgiveness for our specific sins. He challenged us to identify our daily sins. For the life of me, I couldn't think of any. I don't say that to be pious, but to confess. So many people I talk to, and myself included, tend to think 'I'm keeping the Ten Commandments, except for keeping the Sabbath, so I'm good.' (Remember Mark 10:20?) However, we know that Jesus expanded on what is really involved in order to keep those commandments during the Sermon on the Mount. (See Matthew 5-7). Have you ever been angry with someone? You've committed murder in your heart. Have you ever lusted after another person? You've committed adultery, etc. I have a lot of trouble with anger toward certain people. I may not show it, but that's irrelevant. It's in my heart, and God knows it's there.

     Yesterday, during the sermon, our Pastor encouraged us to pray and ask God to show us our sin. I've done this before and all I can say is, be prepared to be humbled. I'm going to do this again, throughout the week and hopefully make it a daily prayer. It's important. We're to be Christlike, but what do other's see in us? So, I challenge you to join me in this. It will change us.

Update:

I realized after praying this and God answering, that my next prayer was "How do I overcome this sin?" followed by, "Lord, please give me the wisdom and the heart to let go of this sin. Please guide me and free me of it."

P.S. I'm bothered they were ready to stone the woman, but not the man who must have participated in the adulterous situation. I realize it was a different culture back then, but still.

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Please join me this week in praying for God to show each of us our sins. Pray that He humbles us to acknowledge our sinful nature and our shortcomings so that we can become more Christlike and better image-bearers to those God brings into our lives. Finally, let's pray that we have open hearts, softened hearts in order to not condemn others. Ask God how you can help others instead of judging and walking away.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #sin #condemnation #judgment #love

Do not judge

     A middle-aged couple who were recently saved attended our last church. During Sunday School someone asked them what their perception of Christians was before they were saved. Their answer was that Christians were judgmental. I wasn't surprised and often see us (as a whole) as being judgmental and self-righteous. 

     Don't be offended. I'm not saying that each of us is like that, but there are times when I do see a bit of the Pharisee mentality rear its ugly head. Most of the time it's when we mix "values" with politics. It's on both sides, too. I won't go into the issues. I just want to suggest that we need to look at ourselves from a non-believer's standpoint once in a while to see if we are being Christlike in our own lives while we're eagerly pointing out the sins of others.  As Jesus said, "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." Matthew 7:5 NKJV

     Personally, to help keep myself from being (overly) judgmental, I remind myself of John 8:7...“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” It's really difficult not to pass judgment on people who are different than us, and it's really easy to get angry and hold a grudge. However, as Christians, we're called to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. (paraphrased; Mark 12:31)

     Today's Daily Bible Verse made me think about all of this.

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. 

Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. 

Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

Luke 6:37 NKJV