Robin Merrill - The One Year Inspirational Words of Jesus for Women

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The One Year Inspirational Words of Jesus for Women

Copyright 2018 by Hudson Bible. All rights reserved.

Produced with the assistance of Hudson Bible (www.HudsonBible.com). Project staff includes Christopher D. Hudson, Len Woods, and Mary Larsen.

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Designed by Eva M. Winters

Edited by Deborah King

Published in association with the literary agency of The Steve Laube Agency

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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ISBN 978-1-4964-2304-7

Build: 2021-04-21 22:33:13 EPUB 3.0

W RITING THIS BOOK gave me a special opportunity to dig in to the words of Jesus. I thought I already knew them. I thought I knew what I wanted to say about them. But the more time I spent with them, the more they spoke to me the more Jesus spoke to me through those red letters, and I realized that yes, I do know him, but oh, how I want to know him more.

It would be difficult to encounter the Jesus of the Bible and not change. In fact, when I revisit a verse I think I know well, I find it changing me again. Because the Word of God is alive and active. And love and light and life are packed into each of the words that Jesus spoke.

It would have been so exciting to be Nicodemus, to seek wisdom from Wisdom himself in the cool of the night. Or to be the Samaritan woman at the well, meeting the Messiah in the heat of noon. But we, too, get to encounter Jesus, as often as we want, through his recorded words, and they are every bit as powerful now as they were when he spoke them aloud. Because the Bible is timeless. Jesus is timeless. His teachings, his promises, his grace all still 100 percent valid today.

We have collected his most inspirational statements here for you. It is my prayer that, as you interact with these verses, they may change you and then change you again, that they may comfort you, encourage you, and inspire you but most of all, that they may leave you wanting more of Jesus.

Robin Merrill

: B ECOMING H UMBLE

God blesses those who are humble,

for they will inherit the whole earth.

M ATTHEW 5:5

H UMILITY is one of the marks of following Jesus. Jesus says we will inherit the earth if we show humility, a special kind of teachability so it must be pretty important. But many of us begin our quest for humility by trying to control our behavior, which just doesnt work.

Humility is a condition of the heart. Our hearts change as we spend time gazing on the greatness of God. When we read his Word, we see our own sin in comparison with his righteousness. When we talk to him, we remember that he is wise and we are foolish. As our hearts change, our outward attitudes and behaviors follow. When we spend time with God, we cant help but become more humble.

True intimacy with God always brings humility.

BETH MOORE

: P URE H EARTS

God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.

M ATTHEW 5:8

O NLY THOSE WITH pure hearts can see God. If we are harboring some ill will or hiding some sin or refusing to give some part of ourselves to God, we can look for him all we want, but we wont see him. As we come before God, we must rid our hearts of anything that might come between him and us.

It can feel excruciating and almost impossible to let go of our treasured sins sometimes. But when we do catch that glimpse of God, well realize that everything weve given up pales in comparison to seeing him.

It is a pleasant thing to behold the light, but sore eyes are not able to look upon it; the pure in heart shall see God, but the defiled in conscience shall rather choose to be buried under rocks and mountains than to behold the presence of the Lamb.

ANNE BRADSTREET

: L OVE Y OUR E NEMY

Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!

M ATTHEW 5:44

T O LOVE AN ENEMY seems an unfathomably tall order. Praying for someone who has harmed us and may still have plans to harm us would be impossible if it werent for the power of Jesus.

Jesus would not give us an order without enabling us to follow it. But we must seek him for strength, wisdom, and courage to obey. As we pray for people who wish to harm us, he will reach into our hearts and change us. When we truly seek Jesus in prayer, love is the only possible result.

It is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the worlds healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.

CORRIE TEN BOOM

: P RIVATE P RAYER

When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

M ATTHEW 6:6

W OMEN LEAD BUSY LIVES. It may be tempting to think we pray enough in church or before meals. But while these public opportunities for prayer can be good, Jesus tells us that we need to also carve out some alone time with God.

Choose a place to meet with God regularly. It could be in a cozy chair at home, or it might be in your car just before you go in to work. It doesnt matter the location so much as the state of your heart. Create some time and space for your heart to be alone with God. Then he will reward you.