Esther (Es’tair) & Mordecai (Mor’dekh’aye) Pt 1 Esther is the Persian name given to a young Jewish girl whose real name was Hadassah which is a very common Hebrew name which means ‘flowering myrtle’, a beautiful tree in Israel. The name Esther is simply the Persian word for ‘star’ but it comes from the root ...Read More
'I press on to...receive the heavenly prize....' Philippians 3:14 NLTBy living a focused life. Great achievers stay focused on their goal. They are so single-minded that they are often considered fanatics. They filter out the extraneous and hone in on their target like a laser, while all around them others live lives cluttered with much-talked ...Read More
'...That...day...God will reveal who His children really are.' Romans 8:19 NLTBy living a sacrificial life. Salvation is free, but graduation with highest honours costs dearly: 'I have suffered the loss of all things.' (Philippians 3:8 NKJV) Paul once had a comfortable life, then everything changed. He was beaten almost to death eight times. He faced ...Read More
'There is in store for me the crown...' 2 Timothy 4:8 NIVDo you remember the feeling you had when your name was called to receive your college diploma or university degree and you heard the words, 'Congratulations on your graduation.' You did it! All your effort paid off. Your accomplishment had finally been acknowledged. Now, ...Read More
'The boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves...' Matthew 14:24 NKJVTalk about a person caught in a storm! Jeremiah could tell you the height of the waves and the speed of the wind. He realised how fast he was sinking, so he shifted his gaze. 'But this I call ...Read More
'...So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as He said...' Acts 27:25 NLTRobert Schuller was on a cruise ship off Queensland when the captain announced they were about to navigate a very narrow and dangerous crevice. They needed at least ten metres of water to get through and avoid running aground. ...Read More
'But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us...' 2 Corinthians 7:6 NIVYou say, 'Surely Paul was too spiritually mature to feel downcast?' Apparently not! The chief apostle and leader of the church experienced discouragement, stress, restlessness and even fears. 'When we arrived in Macedonia there was no rest for us. Outside there was conflict from ...Read More
Nehemiah (Nekh’may’ah) Pt 2 Last week we began looking at Nehemiah, he was the one who played not only a pivotal role in leading many Jewish exiles back to their inheritance land of Israel after 70 years of captivity in Babylon and subsequent rule by the conquering Medes and Persians, he was the one who ...Read More
'This, then, is how you should pray...' Matthew 6:9 NIVIf prayer came naturally, God wouldn't have to remind us so often to do it. A consistent prayer life requires crucifying our selfish nature. But when prayer doesn't seem rewarding, we're apt to abandon it. So how can you pray and get results? (1) Before you ...Read More
'...The Lord...has given rest to His people...' 1 Kings 8:56 NIV Live for today, and put tomorrow into God's hands. Begin to eliminate the words 'what if' from your vocabulary. God will always be one step ahead of you. 'The Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He ...Read More
'...if you love your children, you will be prompt to discipline them.' Proverbs 13:24 NLTChildren who are a joy to live with don't get that way by living in a lawless home. Ever see the film Bonnie and Clyde? The big story behind Bonnie is the mother who raised her. She thought everything Bonnie did ...Read More
'Discipline your children, and they will give you rest; they will give delight to your heart.' Proverbs 29:17 NRSWe're producing a generation of kids who are allowed to rear themselves with the aid of television, violent DVDs, and the internet (which can be a minefield!) Often both parents work, leaving one child to supervise another. ...Read More