Est.

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!

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. 

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??

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!

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!

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

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!

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? 

I always loved this verse. I think it's such a great encouragement that no matter how frequently we mess up, our God is the One who is able to keep us and present us faultless with exceeding joy. What a glorious day of rejoicing that will be! God and the angels and redeemed mankind will all rejoice greatly at the Lord's great loving kindness and mercies and gracious dealings with His people.  When you're struggling to hold on to that, remember this: "The Lord is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth." Psalm 145:17-18.  Whether it feels like that or not is another matter but our feelings do not dictate truth.  He is gracious, and worthy of all the praise we can give, even in the hardest circumstances. We have many examples of this all through the Scriptures. 

Despite the fact that Solomon lived nearly 3000 years ago, this piece of advice is still extremely relevant today! Obviously because it's God's Word which is living and active.  If everyone always tried to live with God and eternity as our highest priority, I think life would be rather different.  Would you agree?

Jesus presents us with a choice. Will you follow and serve Him? Or do you insist on doing things your own way? Even though it's so obvious that His way is going to be far better than ours could ever be, sometimes we still have doubts, and don't trust His plan. Let's choose to remember that His plans are higher than ours and that He really does know what He is doing. Let Him have His way. It really is the best way! He even promised that the Father will honour those who serve Him!

Well, this verse doesn't need explaining. I believe I should meditate on it more and start praising more too! We're never going to be able to plumb the depths and heights of just how great He is, but for what we do know of Him and all His goodness towards us, we should be eternally grateful. I think in Heaven we'll have a better understanding of all the ways He's been so wonderful to us; we might not even have known about many of them. But let's trust Him without seeing all the evidence.

What is the thing that you are hoping for the most? Have you based your hope on something that will definitely take place or is it merely the "wishful thinking" kind of hope? I'm so glad we have the blessed glorious hope of being with the Lord forever. We can be confident that He will take care of His people. He never forsakes those who have cried to Him for mercy! I call that really good news.

Yet again, this verse reminds me of the Lord's great faithfulness. What a blessed reassurance that our God never varies in the slightest.  He always gives good, perfect gifts, and He is light, in Whom is no darkness at all.  We can and should trust Him completely, and we should never stop thanking Him for His marvellous loving-kindness to us. What a privilege to be called His own dear children!

Some quotes from George Muller.  " The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to have my soul happy in the Lord." " There were few people, perhaps, more passionately fond of travelling, and seeing fresh places, and new scenes, than myself; but now, since, by the grace of God, I have seen beauty in the Lord Jesus, I have lost my taste for these things." " At last I saw Christ as my Saviour. I believed in Him and gave myself to Him. The burden rolled from off me, and a great love for Christ filled my soul. That was more than fifty years ago. I loved Jesus Christ then, but I loved Him more the year after, and more the year after that, and more every year since. " Truly when we see the King in His beauty (Isaiah 33:17) , we should be filled with the greatest delight. The One who is far above all principalities and powers and every name that is named has chosen to reveal Himself to us in such a way as to restore fel...

How precious is this truth that Christ has redeemed us! He paid a very high price to make us His own dear children!

A command and a promise... I hope you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have, you can rejoice in the salvation He gives. If you haven't, please don't leave it too late! He promised to save all who believe on Him.  He is the only One who is completely reliable.  You can depend on the One who never fails!  He will always be faithful!

Years ago, I heard the Bible Alphabet song. I'm using some of those verses for this project, but some different ones too. I will be aiming to post one verse every few days going through the Alphabet. The X and Z verses are definitely stretching it, but it had to be done. :) I was challenged to learn this one at JAM club quite a lot of years ago! If you're up for a bit of a challenge too, you can memorise these with me. Ok? Or perhaps you already know all of the ones I'll share. In that case, find another starting with that letter and memorise that one instead. :)

"I asked the Lord that I might grow In faith, and love, and every grace; Might more of His salvation know, And seek, more earnestly, His face. ‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray, And He, I trust, has answered prayer! But it has been in such a way, As almost drove me to despair. I hoped that in some favoured hour, At once He’d answer my request; And by His love’s constraining pow’r, Subdue my sins, and give me rest. Instead of this, He made me feel The hidden evils of my heart; And let the angry pow’rs of hell Assault my soul in every part. Yea more, with His own hand He seemed Intent to aggravate my woe; Crossed all the fair designs I schemed, Blasted my gourds, and laid me low. Lord, why is this, I trembling cried, Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death? “‘Tis in this way, the Lord replied, I answer prayer for grace and faith. These inward trials I employ, From self, and pride, to set thee free; And break thy schemes of earthly joy, That thou may’st...