New Year 2021

 Sorry, I can't work out how to embed this video so you'll have to click the link if you want to listen. It's the Collingsworth family singing "Ever Faithful". I really like it. 

https://youtu.be/u2-cVpltVwA

Resharing this poem found in Great Grandma's remembrance book as I find it so encouraging. 

Today I'm feeling thankful for many reminders of God's faithfulness. 

Years ago we used to sing an old chorus that seems particularly apt for this time:

"How good is the God we adore! 

Our Faithful, Unchangeable Friend! 

Whose love is as great as His power, 

And neither knows measure nor end. 

Tis Jesus, the First and the Last

Whose Spirit will lead us safe home. 

We'll praise Him for all that is past, 

And trust Him for all that's to come. "

None of us know what lies ahead in 2021, but we do know that even when circumstances seem very bad, God is still very good. 

We also know that His return is nearer now than it has ever been before.

Aren't you glad that He's willing to walk beside us every step of every day and one day take us to be with Himself forever?

He is the only One I know of who is always totally trustworthy.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for showing me Your great faithfulness. LORD, please help me to live in the light of eternity, ready to meet You face to face and by Your grace and mercy living a life that brings honour and glory to You. As the world around gets darker, please shine Your light and truth through my life all the brighter. Amen.

Poem quotes to remember

 

God always keeps His promises Nov 20th excerpt from Traveling toward Sunrise

I found it encouraging. 

Hope you do too. 

I know that the Lord has been very good

to me, and it is impossible for any of His promises not to be fulfilled. 

He is totally faithful and trustworthy. 

 

God is able...

Here's a few Scriptures (in the N. A. S. B. version) which teach us something about God's ability. 

"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king." Daniel 3:17

"Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” Daniel 4:37

"and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham." Matthew 3:9 (repeated in Luke 3:8)

"When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened. " Matthew 9:28-30

" Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. " Matthew 10:28

" And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. " Acts 20:32

" and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform." Romans 4:21

"And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again." Romans 11:23

"Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." Romans 14:4

"Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past," Romans 16:25

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;" 2 Corinthians 9:8

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us," Ephesians 3:20

"For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day." 2 Timothy 1:12

"For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." Hebrews 2:18

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

"In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety." Hebrews 5:7

"Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25

"He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type." Hebrews 11:19

"Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls." James 1:21

"There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?" James 4:12

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy," Jude v 24

I find this so encouraging when I think of the things I'm not able to do. When we reach the end of our abilities, the God who created all things is well able to do far more than we remember or realise. 

Wise words from Elihu

 

Good reminder. Thanks Elihu! 

Every now and then it can be very helpful to take a few moments to ponder on His wonderful deeds and recount to yourself His faithfulness in your life through however many years you've been walking with Him.

Remembering how the Lord has kept me and provided for me and how He is still patiently dealing with me should cause great rejoicing and gratitude.

"With my song I will praise Him,

 He has been so good to me.

He heard my prayer and He answered. 

My strength, my shield and my hope. 

My heart will rejoice in the LORD."

(inspired by Psalm 28)

Some encouragements I was glad of today.

Transfigured life, today's excerpt from J R Miller's "In Green Pastures"

I love this story. 

"My heart and voice I raise" a "Sacred poem" by Benjamin Rhodes

Hi!
My Dad was trying to remember the words to this hymn last night. I only knew different words to the same tune. I thought he was humming Fairest Lord Jesus! I may have glanced at this hymn before but I didn't know it. I found 5 verses in the Methodist hymnbook and the Redemption hymnal. I found 9 online at hymnary.org, and that had a link to page scans of "A Choice Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs.
From this I learned that there are 21 verses recorded!


“A Sacred Poem by Benjamin Rhodes (born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, in 1743, died 1815.

(Part 1)
"My heart and voice I raise, To spread Messiah’s praise: Messiah’s praise – let all repeat:
The Universal Lord, by whose prolific word Creation rose in form complete!

Let there be light – he said- then sullen darkness fled, Obedient to his high command!
And massy orbs above Began to shine- and move- Sustained by His Almighty hand.

Creation’s utmost bound, (how high, or how profound) Declares his Majesty divine:
Thou Everlasting Sire, Thee- shall Thy works admire, and all proclaim the glory Thine.

Man- the supreme of all on this terrestrial ball, in wisdom’s purest gifts arrayed;
From Eden basely fell: To ransom him from hell, - Messiah – suffered in his stead!

A servant’s form he wore, and in His body bore our dreadful curse on Calvary!
He like a victim stood, and poured His sacred blood, to set the guilty captives free!

But soon the victor rose, Triumphant o’er his foes, And led the vanquished host in chains;
He threw their empire down, His foes compelled to own, O’er all the great Messiah reigns!

With mercy’s mildest grace He governs all our race in wisdom, righteousness, and love:
Who to Messiah fly shall find redemption nigh, and all His great Salvation prove.

Hail, Saviour, Prince of Peace, Thy kingdom shall increase, Till all the world Thy glory see!
And righteousness abound, As the great deep profound; And fill the earth with purity.

(Part 2)
In fierce consuming fire shall destined worlds expire! And in his might Messiah rise:
The raging fervent blaze shall lift its voice in praise, While all dissolve in earth and skies!

The mighty Lord of all shall then the nations call – “Ye dead arise, to judgment come:”
The crowds arising see His sovereign majesty, and trembling wait their final doom.

Great day – that shall descry to every wondering eye the secret deeds of day and night!
The sacred volume large its record shall discharge, and bring our every thought to light!

The bold blasphemer there, in rage, and wild despair – In vain would shun impending ire:
Where shall the guilty hide? Or the fierce day abide, The Day of God, revealed in fire?

With pangs unfelt before, Urged by their pain – implore A refuge from tremendous wrath!
Too late! – transfixed with awe, They hear the fiery law condemn them to eternal death!

Bound with relentless chains, they sink beneath their pains, Nor shines one beam of hope from heaven:
With the infernal host, are now forever lost! and down to fiery regions driven.

(Part 3)

Ye happy sons of light, who conquered in the fight, and steadfast to the end endured!
Now view the great reward Messiah hath prepared, and to his faithful saints secured.

In ecstasies of bliss, they see Him as He is, Whose glory fills the eternal Throne:
He bids His servants prove Their Master’s joy above, and be with Him forever one!

City of God, in thee is full felicity: Thy treasures, an unbounded store!
Where- from the Source of Love, The saints, transported, prove, Unbounded joys for ever more!

There saints and angels join in fellowship divine, And rapture swells the solemn lay:
While all with one accord adore their glorious Lord, and shout His praise in endless day.

Salem, secure above, Thy joys when shall I prove, And to thy holy hill attain?
Where weary pilgrims rest, and in thy glories blessed, with God their King forever reign.

May I but find the grace to fill a humble place in that inheritance above:
My tuneful voice I’ll raise; In songs of loudest praise, to spread thy fame- Redeeming Love.

Reign – true Messiah – reign, Thy kingdom shall remain when stars and sun no more shall shine:
Mysterious Deity, who ne’er began to be! To sound thy endless praise – be mine."

I thought it was worth sharing. Hope you're challenged and blessed by it as I have been.

Food for thought from A. W. Tozer

Sorry if some of these are blurry, don't know why that happened but hopefully if you click on them, it should become clear.

I found these encouraging. Hope you do too.
Most quotes from the book "Dangers of a shallow faith."
The last is a prayer from today's devotional.

"Let Him have His way with thee."

"Would you live for Jesus, and be always pure and good?
Would you walk with Him within the narrow road?
Would you have Him bear your burden, carry all your load?
Let Him have His way with thee.

Refrain: His pow’r can make you what you ought to be; His blood can cleanse your heart and make you free; His love can fill your soul, and you will see ’Twas best for Him to have His way with thee.

Would you have Him make you free, and follow at His call? 

 Would you know the peace that comes by giving all? 

 Would you have Him save you, so that you need never fall? 

 Let Him have His way with thee.

Would you in His kingdom find a place of constant rest? 

 Would you prove Him true in providential test? 

 Would you in His service labour always at your best? 

 Let Him have His way with thee."

Written by Cyrus S. Nusbaum in 1898.


"This hymn was based on experiences in his first year as a Methodist minister in Kansas. Nusbaum had been serving in one of the poorest circuits in the district. At the end of the year, he and his wife attended the conference where he hoped to be appointed to a better charge. However, he was named to the same “hard-scrabble” circuit. After returning to their lodging, he was at first unhappy and even felt rebellious, but about midnight he knelt in prayer and told the Lord that he would be willing to let Him have His way with him regardless of the cost. That feeling of surrender later became the inspiration for the song."

I just read the hymn in a Tozer book. Thanks for the recommendation S! 
I think it's beautiful!
And I love this rendition of it.

The LORD is on high forevermore

"The LORD is on high forevermore." 

In another place we read, "He is highly exalted." 

He is still sustaining all things.

He has shown us wonderful things and we should praise Him for them. 

I think these verses are a great reminder of how faithful the LORD is to His promises. 

Is your heart heavy, troubled by life's circumstances? 

Look up friend; our Heavenly Father is still on His throne. He is on high forevermore.

I'm not saying life won't be tough, but if we keep looking to Jesus and continually remember our blessed hope of eternity with Jesus, He will strengthen us to be able to bear the troubles that will come.

Because He is faithful and has shown such great lovingkindness to us, we can choose to sing His praise with glad hearts.

He has been very good to me. 

I will choose to remember His mercies;

 I will sing praises to the LORD who reigns on high forever. 

Revive and Strengthen

This repeated phrase seemed particularly appropriate at this time. 

Praying this for those who really need the Lord to revive and strengthen them. 

Jesus: Rock, Salvation, Defense, Strength, Glory, Refuge

We who are Christians have this sure rock solid foundation : the Lord Jesus Christ.

His kingdom is unshakable so if we are indeed rooted in Him, we will be standing firm in our faith.

He has given us everything we need for life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3) and there are so many reminders that as long as we're truly following Him, we have no need to fear because He is with us.

Yes the world around us is bound to panic as they have no security in relationship with Jesus. We who belong to Him, who have chosen Him to rule in their lives are convinced that no matter what happens on this earth, we will spend eternity in His presence, giving Him all the glory for His great goodness and faithfulness.

What a blessed privilege to know that the Lord alone is our rock, our salvation, our defense, our glory, the rock of our strength, and our refuge. 

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” 

Matthew 7:24-27.

Is your life founded on the Rock? 

Or are you on shaky ground? 

Such a time as this

The above is pretty much my "life verse" and the reason I have the name Esther.

As yet I'm unsure of why I've come to the kingdom for such a time as this, but I'm very glad to be in God's kingdom in these very interesting days.

Tried a new flavour of hamantashen this time: black cherry jam. It's quite yummy. 😊

Happy Purim!

Faith's Checkbook March 7th

From Fetters Free
"The LORD looseth the prisoner" (Psalm 146:7).

He has done it. Remember Joseph, Israel in Egypt, Manasseh, Jeremiah, Peter, and many others. He can do it still. He breaks the bars of brass with a word and snaps the fetters of iron with a look. He is doing it. In a thousand places troubled ones are coming forth to light and enlargement. Jesus still proclaims the opening of the prison to them that are bound. At this moment doors are flying back and fetters are dropping to the ground.

He will delight to set you free, dear friend, if at this time you are mourning because of sorrow, doubt, and fear. It will be joy to Jesus to give you liberty. It will give Him as great a pleasure to loose you as it will be a pleasure to you to be loosed. No, you have not to snap the iron hand: the LORD Himself will do it. Only trust Him, and He will be your Emancipator. Believe in Him in spite of the stone walls or the manacles of iron. Satan cannot hold you, sin cannot enchain you, even despair cannot bind you if you will now believe in the LORD Jesus, in the freeness of His grace, and the fullness of His power to save.

Defy the enemy, and let the word now before you be your song of deliverance; "the LORD looseth the prisoners."

Charles Spurgeon's checkbook of faith

Encouragement for the day.

3 more poems from Great Grandma's remembrance book

Encouraging Scriptures

Another couple of poems from Great Grandma's remembrance book

He threaded his way through the crowded street

A commonplace man, though tidy and neat

The kind of man you see by the score

One glance suffices, you look no more.

Just one of the crowd in colour and size -

Unless you happened to look at his eyes.

He was one of the queue that boarded the bus.

Just part of the pattern, just one of us.

For him, there was not so much as a glance

From the girls in their finery off to the dance.

Just one of so many in collars and ties -

Unless you happened to look at his eyes.

There's someone Who knows the secret that lies

Behind the radiance of those eyes.

Inspiring in glory that light to shine

Someone could tell of a purpose divine.

He'll never tell it - his joy was in giving

(discovering, so doing, the pure joys of living)

Making a life that seemed broken worthwhile

Helping, in truth, a lame dog o'er a stile

He did not ask how much he might gain

He only saw the sorrow and pain

Which he could relieve; nor queried the price,

Nor measured the sum of his own sacrifice

Who would never achieve either fortune or fame

But the salt of the earth, all humanity's leaven

For of such, said our Lord, is the kingdom of heaven.

Final instalment of Through the Alphabet Scriptures

Yes, you're correct. I know it doesn't start with a "z" but it's a great verse with a "z" in it. Hope that's OK. 😊

How precious to be redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!

No other offering could have paid the price required to purchase our pardon. 

He gave Himself for us. 

Here's the challenge :

Have we truly given ourselves to Him?

Have we determined to live for Him? 

If so, we ought to be zealous for good works, because as Ephesians 2:10 tells us, 

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

Now He has redeemed us and is purifying us, we have become special to Him. 

I think that's an amazing thought! 

Thanks for following along on my journey through the Alphabet Scriptures. 

Have you memorised any or all of them? 

Your throne...

When things don't seem to be going the way you hoped they would, or problems have come, and there's distress and uncertainty within and without, this verse is a comforting one to hang on to. 

Nothing can ever take the Lord by surprise. 

He knows exactly what He's doing. 

Whether it feels like it or not, 

His plan for your life is the best possible!

(yes I'm preaching to myself again!) 

He only always does what is right. 

It's so good to remember He will reign forever. Nothing will ever change Him. 

He will always be faithful. 

X... (almost)

I think this is the nearest I'm going to get in finding a verse beginning with x. 

It's another great reminder. 

I think it would be worth studying exactly how many of these great and precious promises He has given to us and what they all mean. 

Now I'm pondering what it means to be partakers of the divine nature. 

• 
  

Who is like You, O Lord?

There's a short answer to these questions: no one!

There is only One who is glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders.

Do you know Him as your God? 

This is the way Moses knew Him as he had seen many amazing instances of the Lord's provision and deliverances out of some very difficult circumstances.

Can you look back on the years of your life and see how He has led and guided? 

What a privilege!

"Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen."

Psalm 72:18-19

Verily...

You might ask yourself, "Can it really be so simple?" According to this verse, yes, it can. 

Have you heard His Word? And put your trust in Jesus alone?

Here we have another beautiful promise of Jesus that He saves those who trust Him. 

I repeatedly come back to this verse. 

I'm so glad God included it!

So often I fail to live and think as a Christian ought to live and think, but my salvation is not based on my performance! 

I'm very glad about that! 

My perfecly sinless Saviour was willing to suffer agony on the cross to bring us sinners back to Himself.

He loved us so much that He endured torture to restore us to a right standing relationship. 

He paid my debt. 

I owe Him my life!

Unto the upright...

I keep coming back to this verse. 

I find great encouragement here . 

When I am guilty and need His grace and mercy, I have His promise here in His Word: He is gracious. 

When sad news abounds, He is full of compassion. 

Though I have been unrighteous, His work on the Cross paid my debt and He imputes His righteousness to me when I confess and forsake my sins. 

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

In Him there is no darkness at all. 

When we come to Him, He shines His light. We can either walk in it, 

or choose to reject Him. 

Why would anyone choose eternal darkness and misery

 over eternal light and joy and glory? 

Thank You Lord for Your light, Your grace, 

Your compassions which never fail, and Your righteousness.

Please help me always

 to choose to walk in Your light. 

Trust...

We really can trust Him at all times. He knows the end from the beginning, He is intimately aware of every detail about us and He has prepared good works for us to walk in. 

How amazing it is that the Lord God Almighty invites us to pour out our hearts to Him. He knows how wicked and deceitful our hearts have been and He has cleansed us from sin when we confess and forsake them.

I think this may be another of my favourite verses. Whenever my heart is getting full, I need to remember to pour it out to the Lord. He understands the way I feel (and what is more amazing to me, He loves me anyway) 

He is utterly trustworthy. 

He is my refuge. 

Is He your refuge too??

Sing praise

I'm not aware of any actual statistics but I think most people enjoy hearing the birds sing. I'm sure God loves hearing all His creatures praise Him in joyful song. 

We have so much for which to give Him thanks, He has blessed us so richly in calling us His children.

So let's get singing His praise! 

Those He has redeemed have a very special song to sing!

Return to your rest

I think this may be one of my favourite verses. Time and again I find great comfort in it. It's a great reminder for me that the Lord is so gracious and delights in dealing bountifully with His people.

This is the only way to find true rest. 

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Thank You Lord for dealing bountifully with me!

Quench not...

I don't know about you, but I would say that was a rather important statement.

The Holy Spirit gives life so if we quench Him we quench our life. 

Because He is holy, any unholiness on our part will quench Him.

"what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness," 2 Peter 3:11

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age," Titus 2:11-12

Scripture teaches that we need to choose to die to our own old selfish nature (yes, easier said than done) and let Him live His life in and through us.

"Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;"

1 Thessalonians 4:1

Is your armour in place?

It looks to me like this is an

 imperative command, not just a 

good idea or casual suggestion.

I guess he knew that in order to stand,

 we need to be wearing the armour God provided for us.

As it says in John 10, the enemy wants to steal, kill and destroy. 

Don't let him win!

Open

How we need the Lord to open our eyes! Without His Holy Spirit quickening the Word to our hearts we miss so much!

If we will diligently study the Bible, He will reveal so much more of Himself. Passages we have read many times can come alive with special importance to us. 

The enemy of our souls makes many people blind, but as Jesus did when He walked on the earth, He delights in causing the blind to see. 

What wondrous things have you seen lately?