November 16, 2012 Remember & Celebrate

Remember & Celebrate Esther 9:24-29 For Haman had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. 25 But when the plot came to the king's attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26 Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur (meaning lot). Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews took it upon themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. 28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never cease to be celebrated by the Jews, nor should the memory of them die out among their descendants. WHEN Haman planned to kill the Jews, he cast a lot, determined by random choice a date for his murderous desires. The word for “lot” is “pur”. As God turned this day of evil into a day of salvation for the Jews, the Jews proclaimed a new holiday they call Purim to remember their deliverance. God’s Word often calls you to remember how he turns evil, intended to destroy God’s purposes, into good that advances God’s kingdom purposes. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 and when Jesus had given thanks, he broke the bread and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” It’s True! The bread and the wine symbolize Jesus’ broken body and shed blood to deliver you from evil. Remember and celebrate this each time you eat.

November 15, 2012 Celebrate!

Joy of Deliverance Esther 8:16-17 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. 17 In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them. DELIVERANCE has come to the Jews in King Xerxes’ kingdom. God has used Esther and Mordecai to rescue his people from the evil plot of Haman to destroy them. The Jews can fight back to defend themselves, and they do so. The Jews living in exile defeat the enemy around them, and they joyfully celebrate God delivering them from death. In many ways, the book of Esther can be compared with the plight of mankind. Humans live in a foreign nation, the world. They are threatened with death from an evil person, Satan. They need a Savior, Jesus. Jesus gives them the authority to fight back in his power, and Satan is destroyed. In response, Jesus’ kingdom citizens rejoice in their deliverance from evil. Can you imagine how the Jews felt as they experienced the release from certain death at Haman’s hand? Death’s unbearable burden was gone, and the joy of life surrounded them. Do you think they made new commitments to their loved ones to live well? Do you think they focused on celebrating the opportunities now available to them in their freedom from the evil around them? Do you think they rejoiced in their newly secured lives? This is what your faith in Christ should feel like. You have been released from death’s burden to live the full life God has created for you. You are free from death’s fearsome bondage. You can live confidently that the Lord of life has you in his care without end. It’s True! You can celebrate your salvation.

November 14, 2012 Are You Ready?

Moment of Truth Esther 5:1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. 2 When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. THIS seems so simple. Esther approaches the king, her husband, and he welcomes her. But this is, in fact, life-threatening. Esther approached the king without his request for her to come. By law, he could have condemned her to death, but by his grace, he allowed Esther to live. One day you will enter Christ the King’s throne room of heaven. See in Daniel 7:9 "As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. 13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven... 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men 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.” By God’s law you are condemned. By God’s grace, Jesus’ blood saves you as you confess him your Lord and Savior. Are you prepared to enter into the King’s throne room? It’s True!

November 13, 2012 Go With God

Go With God Esther 4:13-14 “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” LET’S BE CLEAR about something: When God calls, you need to say, “Here am I.” Oops, didn’t’ mean to scare you. I know. It can be scary making that kind of commitment. You can take this scripture and applaud Esther because she would respond to God’s call for “such a time as this”. But she first had to really come to trust God. The previous verses record how she made an excuse to stay away from Xerxes. Her unwanted presence could cause the king to kill her. But even a death threat is no excuse when God calls. When God calls you to speak words of salvation, you need to go. God wants that person saved, and he wants you to be his partner in that salvation. If you say “No, I don’t want to go.” He will respond, “Okay, I’ll send someone else. But you will lose the blessing I had planned for you.” What is that blessing? It is a joy that comes when you join God as he calls you. Working with God is challenging, it can be scary, and it is often difficult. But in those things you see God strengthen you. Your faith grows, and most of all, your love for your Lord grows. The God who saved you from death commands you to speak his truth and offer eternal life to others. Trust God’s “Go!” call to you, even if you’re scared to death. It’s True! Overcoming great fear leads to great faith.

November 12, 2012 Big Issues

Big Issues Esther 1:1 This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. I AM thinking about issues we face in our lives. Some are little and some are huge. Some come and go, and some stay around for a long time. How do you deal with them? To answer that question, you can look at a simple little girl whom God used in a most remarkable way. Esther was an orphan. Raised by her uncle Mordecai, a learned man, she seems to have had a strong sense of who she was. She was a Jew. She was one of God’s chosen people. She was special. And when God moved events to put her into Xerxes’ court, to become his Queen, she had a huge issue to face. Her people—all the Jews—were to be killed. And to stop this, she had to face the most powerful man in the world. This young girl from a simple background would have to enter the king’s throne room to plead for her people without invitation. Even though the king was her husband, doing such a thing could cause Esther’s death. So, you think you have big issues? Here’s death staring Esther in the face. What should she do? She wavered. But she stared back. She knew who to ultimately trust. She trusted her God. She fasted and prayed to prepare for her task. She had others fast and pray for her. She turned to God, and he used her for victory. Esther didn’t win the battle. God did. God then blessed Esther because she trusted him. Esther trusted and obeyed God, even with the big things in her life. That’s what Esther did with her big issue. What do you do? It’s True! God calls us to trust him with really big things sometimes.

November 11, 2012 What Do You Hear?

What Do You Hear? 1 Kings 22:7-8 But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?" 8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." HAVE you ever asked someone, “Tell me the truth, what do you think of me?” And you didn’t like what you heard? Your nature is to seek words that only affirm you, isn’t it? 1 Kings 22 is an account of a desperate King Ahab of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) seeking only good words from God. He has many “prophets” around him telling him what he wants to hear, but no prophet has told him the truth until King Jehoshaphat of Judah urges Ahab to seek a prophet of God. There’s a good idea—seek a truthful man who knows God’s truth. But Ahab doesn’t like the idea because that truthful man is Micalah, who always tells Ahab things he doesn’t what to hear. Odd, isn’t it, that Ahab would not listen to a prophet of God who proclaims the truth? Why would that be? Would Ahab be as one who goes to church to hear God’s Word but doesn’t like what he hears? Too often, you consider the Good News of God’s Word to be Bad News for your life, don’t you? You don’t like it when God calls you to change a harmful habit or repent of a sin. It’s bad news, isn’t it to be confronted with things you don’t want to hear? King Ahab rejected God’s truth and died. What will you do with God’s truth? It’s True! God’s Word is good news for your eternal soul.

November 10, 2012 God Wins

God Wins 1 Kings 21:17-19 & 25 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18 “Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’ Then say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood — yes, yours!'“ …25 There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. 26 He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel. IN 1 Kings 21, you read the story of how Jezebel, wife of King Ahab of Israel, plotted against Naboth. Naboth owned a vineyard Ahab desired, and Naboth refused to sell it to him. In response, Jezebel hired two men to falsely accuse Naboth of blasphemy and lying, and Naboth was stoned to death. Ahab then possessed Naboth’s vineyard. As verse 25 says, “he sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord”. In response, God brings Elijah back into Ahab’s life to pronounce God’s judgment over Ahab. Although Ahab at times seems to seek the Lord in his life, he does so at his own gain. And he often turns from the Lord for his own desires. Our lesson here is to understand as Jesus says in Luke 16:13-14 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” As God commanded Ahab to follow in God’s way, Ahab followed his own way. Ahab’s sin brought God’s judgment on Ahab’s family. Ahab’s gain was his family’s fatal loss. It’s True! You cannot oppose God.