Share with respect

I've not shared the gospel with people who I know don't want to hear it. In my mind, I was "respecting" their wishes. To "push" my religion on them would be disrespectful - honestly, that was probably more of an excuse than a reason.

     But, then a Pastor gave a sermon in which he shared a dream. He was standing in line, waiting to get checked into heaven when a man whom he recognized walked past him, going the opposite direction. The Pastor called out his name. 

     He looked up and asked the Pastor, "Did you know about this?"

     And the Pastor answered, "Of course."

     The man asked him, "Why didn't you tell me?"

     That really hit me hard. It's not up to me to decide who to tell, and who not to tell; I should tell everyone! I'm still working through this process because I'm not very good at it, but I realize that I shouldn't make assumptions about the people I come in contact with. If the Lord places it on my heart to say something, then I try to say something. 

     Pray for opportunities and words and courage. If you share in a respectful way, and people don't want to hear, then hopefully they will be respectful of you and your beliefs, too and not react in a negative way.

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, 

always being prepared to make a defense to 

anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; 

yet do it with gentleness and respect,

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

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Please join me this week in praying that we remember to treat one another with respect. During this time of incredible divisiveness, when it's so easy to get angry with those who have opposing viewpoints, we have to remember, that no matter what, we are all brothers and sisters. Our goal here is to bring the lost to know Christ. We can't do that without showing respect to everyone we meet. 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible  #respect #testimony #witness #share

 

Be Patient and Preserving

Daily Bible Verse

NKJV

James 5:7-8 (NIV)

Patience in Suffering

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, 

until the Lord’s coming. 

See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, 

patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 

You too, be patient and stand firm, 

because the Lord’s coming is near.

Are you a child of God?

Daily Bible Verse 1 John 3:1-2 (NIV)

The Children of God

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, 

that we should be called children of God! 

And that is what we are! 

The reason the world does not know us is that

it did not know Him. 

Dear friends, now we are children of God, 

and what we will be has not yet been made known. 

But we know that when Christ appears, 

we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Daily Bible Verse Isaiah 55:10-11

Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)

An Invitation to Abundant Life

As the rain and the snow

    come down from heaven,

and do not return to it

    without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

so is My word that goes out from My mouth:

    It will not return to Me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Daily Bible Verse Isaiah 55:8-9

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

An Invitation to Abundant Life

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways My ways,”

declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are My ways higher than your ways

    and My thoughts than your thoughts."

Daily Bible Verse Isaiah 55:6-7

Isaiah 55:6-7 (NIV)

An Invitation to Abundant Life

Seek the Lord while He may be found;

    call on Him while He is near.

Let the wicked forsake their ways

    and the unrighteous their thoughts.

Let them turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them,

    and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Daily Bible Verse Colossians 3:1

Colossians 3:1 (NIV)

Since, then, you have been 

raised with Christ, 

set your hearts on things above, 

where Christ is, 

seated at the right hand of God.

Daily Bible Verse Colossians 2:8-10

Colossians 2:8-10 (NIV)

See to it that no one takes you captive 

through hollow and deceptive philosophy, 

which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces

of this world 

rather than on Christ.

For in Christ all the fullness

of the Deity lives in bodily form, 

and in Christ you have been brought

to fullness. 

He is the head over every power and authority.

Daily Bible Verse Colossians 2:6-7

Colossians 2:6-7 (NIV)

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, 

continue to live your lives in Him, 

rooted and built up in Him, 

strengthened in the faith as you were taught, 

and overflowing with thankfulness.

Daily Bible Verse Philippians 4:8

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, 

whatever is true, 

whatever is noble, 

whatever is right, 

whatever is pure, 

whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — 

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy —

think about such things.

Daily Bible Verse Philippians 4:4-7

Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

Final Exhortations

Rejoice in the Lord always. 

I will say it again: Rejoice! 

Let your gentleness be evident to all.

The Lord is near. 

Do not be anxious about anything, 

but in every situation, by prayer and petition, 

with thanksgiving, 

present your requests to God. 

And the peace of God, 

which transcends all understanding, 

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Daily Bible Verse Ephesians 3:14-19

Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)

A Prayer for the Ephesians

For this reason I kneel before the Father, 

from Whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 

I pray that out of His glorious riches

He may strengthen you with power 

through His Spirit in your inner being, 

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. 

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 

may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, 

to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that 

you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

The Gift of God

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

The Gift of God

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.

In other words, you can't get into Heaven just by doing good deeds. You have to have faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Good deeds are done by those who follow Him, and those deeds are rewarded in Heaven with crowns which we will throw to the feet of Jesus. Like a famous Pastor once said, 'I don't want to meet Jesus empty handed.' To read about the Five crowns, click here.

Praise to God for a Living Hope

1 Peter 1:3-5 (NIV)

Praise to God for a Living Hope

Praise be to the God and Father of our 

Lord Jesus Christ! 

In His great mercy He has given us 

new birth into a living hope through the 

resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. 

This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 

who through faith are shielded by God’s power 

until the coming of the salvation that is ready 

to be revealed in the last time.

John's Vision of Christ Revelation 1:17-18

Revelation 1:17-18 John's Vision of Christ

When I saw Him, 

I fell at His feet as though dead. 

Then He placed His right hand on me and said: 

"Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 

I am the Living One; 

I was dead, and now look, 

I am alive for ever and ever! 

And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Daily Bible Verse Daniel 7:13-14

Daniel 7:13-14 (NIV) Daniel's Dream

“In my vision at night I looked, 

and there before me was One like a Son of Man, 

coming with the clouds of heaven. 

He approached the Ancient of Days 

and was led into His presence. 

He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; 

all nations and peoples of every language 

worshiped Him. 

His dominion is an everlasting dominion 

that will not pass away, 

and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed."

Challenge: The Great Commission

Daily Bible Verse Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV)

The Great Commission

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, 

to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 

When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; 

but some doubted.

Then Jesus came to them and said, 

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, 

baptizing them in the name of the 

Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

and teaching them to obey 

everything I have commanded you. 

And surely I am with you always, 

to the very end of the age.”

The Great Commission wasn't only for the eleven disciples; it is given to all of us. We are all tasked to fulfill these duties. Think about ways that you can spread the word of God. We have the ability to change the world, even if it's one soul at a time. See also, The Starfish Story.

Jesus has Risen

Mark 16:1-7 (NIV) Jesus Has Risen

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’”

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Good Friday - Jesus Dies

Luke 23:44-47 (NIV)
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 
for the sun stopped shining. 
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 
Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
When he had said this, he breathed his last.
The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous Man.”

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter and commemorates The Last Supper when Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples. Before the meal, He washed the feet of His disciples to teach us humility, and that we are to serve others.

John 13:15-17 (NIV)
"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

Leonardo DaVinci "The Last Supper"

Afterwards, He broke bread and shared wine with them. This is Communion which is celebrated in churches to honor Him and what He did for us.

Luke 22:19-20 (NIV)
"And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you."

Afterward, when Jesus was praying in the garden, He was arrested.