November 17, 2024

Esther – Chapter 6: Recap

October 11, 2013 by

Hos149

I think this story should be titled, “The Sleepless King and The Providence of God.”  We saw in the last part of this study that Haman strongly dislikes Mordecai and Mordecai despises Haman.  Mordecai wants Haman removed from the king’s advisory counsel and Haman wants Mordecai removed from life.  As I have mentioned before, Esther is one of the only books of the Bible that does not mention God…yet He’s not far from each scene, is He?

Esther 6:1-3

As we know, all is set to come to a head tomorrow so it’s no wonder that the king had a hard time sleeping. He had his servants read to him the story of how Mordecai saved the king from two assailants who had wanted to kill him (Esther 2:21-23).  It was also said that Mordecai had not been rewarded yet for his courage in this situation.  Can you see the fingerprints of God all over this?  He is the One that has the king awake!  He is the One that has him read the book of records and He is the One who directed the king’s eunuchs to choose the story about Mordecai’s saving the king’s life. Have you seen the invisible hand of God working in your life?

 Esther 6:4-9

The self-consumed one enters the picture.  Haman has this plan to hang Mordecai.  He wakes early and rushes to the king to tell him his plan before anyone else and,because he actually thought the king loved him, he had no doubt he would honor his request.  What he didn’t take into account was that God never sleeps and He had been working on Mordecai’s behalf throughout the night and speaking to the king’s heart (praise the Lord!).  So Haman comes in and the king wants to know what Haman thinks should be done to the man that the king himself wants to honor. He’s thinking the king MUST want to honor him, so he says this: the one you honor should be displayed wearing a royal kingly robe and crown, and paraded on a horse and should be admired by all the people.

Esther 6:10-14

What does pride come before? In Proverbs 18:2, it says, “Before his downfall a mans heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.”  Proverbs 25:27 says, “It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.”  Can you imagine what Haman was feeling when the king told him to do for Mordecai what he expected to be done for himself?  I feel sure his heart dropped and after the words sank in, he probably becomes extremely angry.  His worst fears have come true as he has to robe Mordecai and crown him and parade him through the streets in which Haman himself hoped to be paraded.  So what does he do?  He seeks counsel from his wife who confirms his own thinking, he is ruined.

 _______________

Let me just say to each of you who follow our Lord faithfully with your whole life, the day will come when you are publicly praised and honored and displayed by our great God Himself.  But do not set your heart on it in this life!  As I have said before in previous blogs, there is a little Haman in all of us, right?  We don’t want our good deeds to go unnoticed.  We may want a little recognition from others for the sacrifices we make on others behalf.  But now is not the time, unless God chooses to.  Otherwise, honor is reserved for Jesus Himself!  Jesus says if we love Him then we must love each other and we must put others before ourselves.  And we should seek only those things that hold eternal value.  All things will pass away, except Jesus Himself.

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”~ Jim Elliot

Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

Hosea 14:9

—————-

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou my inheritance, now and always Thou and Thou only, the first in my heart,
Sovereign of Heaven, my treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, Thou Heaven’s bright sun
Grant be its joy after victory is won
Great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Be Thou my vision, O Ruler of all.”
(from Be Thou My Vision)

Let’s Pray:

Dear Daddy, we thank You for the clear, bright glow of the light of Your truth that shines in the darkness of our own hearts so that we can see ourselves exactly as we are.  Frightening as it is, we thank You that we don’t need to continue to look at that but to look to the One who has come into this world for this very purpose, that’s Jesus.  He alone destroys the work of the enemy in our lives.  Forgive us when pride gets in the way and we seek glory that belongs to You, oh Lord. Gently put us in our place.  For all we do on this earth, all words that come out of our mouths, may they only point to You and give You the honor and glory You so deserve.  Help us to love each other the way You have commanded and rid us of any anger or bitterness.  We love You and we praise You and we can’t wait to meet You face to face one day but until then may we continue to walk in Your path and light.  For it’s in Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.

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Esther – Chapter 5:10-14

October 4, 2013 by

Jealousy: a sentiment which is born in love and which is produced by the fear that the loved person prefers someone else. Wouldn’t you say Haman was jealous of Mordecai? He was so afraid that the king would prefer Mordecai over him that he couldn’t even enjoy the fact that Esther had indeed invited him to the banquet that she had prepared for the king. He admits to all that it means nothing as long as Mordecai is seated at the palace gate.  Isn’t that just like us? We let what we don’t have  overshadow what we do have. The desire to have it all might just cost us the riches that we already have.  And for Haman, it cost him his life.

Anger had manifested itself into a dangerous mission to kill. Hatred and bitterness are like weeds with long roots that grow in the heart and corrupt all of life. He couldn’t even enjoy being the king’s right hand man because he was so full of anger that had gone unchecked for so long that it had manifested itself into killer instinct.  Hebrews 12:15 warns us to watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble us corrupting many.  Don’t let hatred and its resulting bitterness build up in your heart. It will backfire against you.  If the mention of someone’s name provokes you to anger, confess it, ask forgiveness, and let it go. Don’t allow it to live in your mind rent-free. It will cost you a lot more than you think.

As Christians, children of God, we cannot ignore anger and bitterness. We don’t need to hide it from our sisters in Christ or just make superficial changes to our behavior or personality. If it isn’t completely eradicated, it will grow back, making everything worse. Your Father knows what’s best for you. He doesn’t want us looking at others and wanting what they have. He knows you better than you know yourself and He loves you more than you can imagine. And He wants us to love each other the way He loves us. In  1 John 1:11, we read “But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still walking and living in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by darkness.

Wk5_Spring_Esther

In the end, this bitterness and resentment caused Haman the ultimate price.  His family and friends even suggested for Haman to set up a sharpened pole so tall that all would surely see Mordecai’s death.  But God had other plans, as He does for us too.  He is the ultimate judge.   Justice was done.  Haman ultimately paid the price.  Our consequences may not be death, but I can promise you we won’t have the joyful life that He promised us if we are consumed with the roots of anger.  Jesus came to set us free.  Free from all chains that bind.

Are you struggling today with any of these? Anger, jealousy, or bitterness?  If so, bring it into the light and tear down the veil of all of these; and then ask Him to take it away so you can enjoy this life He chose especially for YOU!

 *****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You today praising You for Who You are.  God, we confess to You today all spirits of anger and resentment and bitterness.  We bind them in the name of Jesus and we release them to You today.  We love You and we know You have only good things planned for us and sometimes we mess it up.  Forgive us from our sins and give us a new fresh beginning.  Keep our eyes on You so they don’t wander and lust and covet what someone else has.  Thank You for Your grace and unending patience.  Fill us with Your unconditional love so that we can spread to all who come in contact with us.  For it’s in Your Son’s precious name we pray.

Amen.

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Esther – Chapter 4:15-17

September 27, 2013 by

What strengths has God given you ‘for such a time as this?’   Think about it for a minute.  God has placed you in a position for a purpose.  Everything that happens to us is either ordained by God or allowed by God.  And as Christians, we know He will deliver us!

Mordecai expected a divine deliverance, didn’t he?  Esther and Mordecai believed in God’s care and, because they acted at the right time, God used them to move His people.  By calling for a fast, Esther is asking the Jewish people to also pray for God’s help on this dangerous mission.  Verse 15: “Go gather together all the Jews that are present on Shushah and fast for me; neither eat or drink for 3 days and nights. I also and my maids will fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though is against the law and if I perish, I perish.”  Fasting and prayer moves mountains. Jesus fasted in the desert and prayed to His Father.

Fasting is the most important and greatest spiritual discipline for seeking God’s intervention. Together, combined with prayer, they’re the most critical weapon in spiritual warfare, which leads to deliverance in our lives.  Fasting does not manipulate God into doing exactly what we want nor does it mean that all our wishes and desire will come into fruition, but it does convey to Him exactly that we desire that His will be done in our lives.  In Mathew 9:15, Jesus told us that fasting would be necessary for His disciples after He ascends into Heaven, “The time will come when the Bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.”

Wk4_Esther_KimSpring

Esther was brave.  When God’s people feel pressed, His mighty power kicks in in a mighty way. In our own power, we are nothing, but God can turn us into mighty warriors if we allow Him to work through us.  Notice in this chapter, the roles are reversed for Esther and Mordecai—Esther is now the instructor, and Mordecai listens and obeys.  You can feel as you read these passages, the commanding power of God through this small, humble, yet beautiful woman moving into action. Isn’t this like our God?  Doesn’t He do this within the body of believers in the church? Regardless of sex or position/lack of position, in 1 Corinthians 11:1 , Paul says for us to “imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”  God had set Esther under Mordecai to watch over her and guide her. But now, God switched her into a leadership position over Mordecai.  What about you?  Are you ready to step into such a role if or when God needs you?

I cannot let the fact that Esther was willing to lose her life for this cause go unnoticed.   She knew her life would be in danger if she approached the King yet she was ok with it.   She was putting the lives of her people above her own life, and showing a great example of selflessness.  How beautifully her words picture this identification of the believer with the death of Jesus Christ.  He died for you, and you died with Him;  nothing you can do will ever affect that.   And just like Esther, the evil one cannot lay his hands upon you any longer.  You are not in bondage.  You are a believer and your deliverance rests upon an unchangeable fact!!!

This is a story of your heritage.  Consider that this story is still going on and you are a character and part of this story.  And just as God was working in the lives of these characters in Esther, He’s busy today working in yours!  It’s His-story and we are all in it, thanks to Jesus Christ.

So today as you go about your life, remember that no matter what you face, or what you need to be delivered from, He is able.  He will deliver you.  His promises are still proving true and He is the same God of Esther and Mordecai.  My challenge for you today is this: think about what role He has you in today; can you see the purpose yet?  Or are you just walking in faith?  Cannot wait to hear from you!

* * * * *

Let’s Pray:

Dearest Lord,  Today we come to You as Your children in need of Your grace and mercy.  You have taught us so much through this study; that the Holy Spirit is ours and is here to guide us in our everyday life as well as in our ministry work for You.  We praise You and worship You. God, You want us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love, like Jesus did in everything. We take our lead from Jesus and He keeps us in step with each other.   May we be filled with the knowledge of Your will and may we clothe ourselves in kindness and mercy and humility.   Above all things, we put on love and let the peace of God rule in our hearts.  May we be one body and may we seek to tell all about the deliverance that we have experienced in our own lives. May we be brave like Esther and obedient like Mordecai. In Jesus’s name we pray.

Amen.

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Esther – Chapter 3 Recap

September 20, 2013 by

Wk3_Recap_Spring

I have found the story of Esther to be a story of your life and mine.  You are the king and you have an influence on all who know you and all who come in contact with you.  You, too, have found a new queen when your spirit was made new and alive in the Lord Jesus Christ.  In this place of communion, have you sensed the Holy Spirit’s influence on your life?  He’s always at battle for you against the enemy who has an evil plan for your life.  Esther’s story retraces the story of our lives.

In chapter 3, we will see the process of evil unveiling in a humans life along with the way God can and will deliver us from it.  Read Esther 3:1-5. Verse 5 says,”When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.” W ho is Haman?  What’s behind the conflict between these two—Mordecai and Haman?  Haman is an Agagite, which means he is a descendant of a man named Agag.

Haman represents the evil that is at work in all of our hearts.  Mordecai represents the Holy Spirit.  In Galatians 5:17, we read: “The flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other.  This story of Haman, Mordecai and Ahasuerus is clearly representative of this battle we have as Christians.  We constantly mess up and try to justify our sins.  This is where the Holy Spirit comes in and opposes this influence in us that has come to destroy us.  He came to deliver us as we will see in this story.

Have you found that when you became a Christian, you had more trouble than you had before?  You were cruising through life pretty smoothly until you accepted Jesus.  Then you find yourself being attacked sometimes from all sides.  The enemy realized just how much you mean to the Kingdom of Heaven and he felt threatened.  So he comes at you to catch you off guard, to see if he can possibly knock down one of God’s warriors.  The enemy is threatened, just as Haman is threatened by Mordecai.  The king doesn’t recognize Haman as the enemy. Friends, we must recognize the enemy and how he works, and then wage war against him.  We have Jesus on our side and we will overpower the enemy!!!

Haman, the enemy in this story, comes up with a plan to kill the Jews.  Apparently his anger, bitterness, and resentment has gotten the best of him.  It has manifested itself in him and given him the desire to actually kill God’s people.  In Esther 3:6-7, notice that Haman begins with Mordecai’s people and not Mordecai.  How many times does the enemy start in areas of our lives that we are unaware of, such as our attitudes rather than our convictions.  We are to live a life that shows God’s work in our lives.  Our kingdom should see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “ But the fruit of the spirit is love,  joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”  These are “the people of Mordecai” in our lives.  This is where the enemy attacks.

Verse 7:  Haman wants to cast lots to decide when the Jews will actually be killed. He’s bringing in black magic to the kingdom Finding a “lucky” day in which to actually murder them.

Verses 8-11:  Haman openly suggests that Mordecai’s people are really unprofitable to the king but he is going to make him rich by paying $10,000,000 to the kings treasury.

Has Haman been talking to you lately?  Has he suggested that maybe honesty isn’t always best or that speed limits are only good if you’re not running late?  God allows us to be tempted but not past a certain point.  Ultimately the decision is ours and in these verses, the king decides to side with Haman.  He decided!  As we decide in our own lives sometimes.  The enemy is just like Haman and he puts things in our paths.  Darlene mentions 1 Peter 1:7 as a truth to cling to. It says, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ….”

Have you ever thought about how your decisions affect others in your life?  Your decisions will touch all who know you in some way.  Even if you don’t share your decisions, your actions will eventually represent them.  The king decided….peoples lives were about to be changed.

Have you lost your sense of direction lately?  Maybe you started out good and strong but somehow you’ve gotten distracted and you don’t know what to do next.  Good news: Jesus does!  He says in Matthew 6:22-23, “If your eye be single, your whole body will be filled with light…but if the light which is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness.”  There is a way out and the Holy Spirit will show you.  When you believe what He tells you about the enemy, then you will begin to discover what that way out is!

Remember, He overcame the world!!

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord God, our Father, we praise Your Holy name.  You alone are our stronghold and our Fortress forever.  Thank You for loving us unconditionally and for grace when we make decisions that aren’t in our best interest or for the best interest of Your Kingdom.  Lord, we give in to temptation sometimes, whether we are aware of it or not; and the Holy Spirit is always there to guide us and deliver us from the wrong choices we have made.  We always have You to forgive us and cleanse our hearts of all unrighteousness.  Help us to be the example that You would have us to be so that we may win others for Your Kingdom.  We love You.  In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

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Esther – Chapter 2:21-23

September 13, 2013 by

HeAlone_Wk_Spring

I would like to believe that I would be like Esther.   Although, I cannot promise I would.  If my own life  was on the line, would I be willing to stand up for my people, God’s people?  Of course, as a mom, I would lay down my life for my children and family.  But what about His kingdom? What would you do?

Esther, chapter 2, is a story about redeeming grace and like us, the king is searching vainly for something or someone in this case to fill the vacuum of his life. We are always seeking something to fill our hearts. Here is where Mordecai and Esther enter in:

Mordecai’s most important. His name means “little man,” humbled and laying aside his glory to save the king’s life.  Does he remind you of Someone else?  Jesus maybe?

Philippians 2:5-8

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God
something to be used to His own advantage;
rather He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death.

Mordecai resembles the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, whose task is to exalt the One Who came to redeem man.  His specific work is to restore our fellowship with God, which has been lost. Mordecai does this throughout the story.

Our verses for today are Esther 2: 21-23.   This chapter closes with the account of how the king’s life is about to be spared because of Mordecai and Esther being brought into his life.  He is then delivered from a plot to end his life.

Evil enters the picture, as it does often from time to time.  It invades the minds of men.  This betrayal is a perfect example of how the enemy is at work, trying to impress evil into our thoughts and into our minds.  All the while, completely trying to destroy the glory of God’s purpose in man’s life.  We all know this force too well, unfortunately.  This force is at work right now in your kingdom and in mine.  Aren’t our souls the prize in this spiritual warfare?  The enemy tries to strike, but Mordecai hears about the plot and the ones who had planned it are carried out and hung on a tree.

Colossians 2:12-14

For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized.  And with Him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, Who raised Christ from the dead.  You were dead because of your sins and because  your sinful nature was not yet cut away.  Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins.  He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

We know the evil one threatens to overcome us—and we know how this will end for him.  We are all Christians and we’ve all known what it’s like to live restless and to live without God.  We have all searched for something to make us happy and to satisfy some need or emptiness.  And now we know, He alone satisfies and He alone breathes life back into us.  We, too, have been delivered, just like the king.  Our lives have been spared because the One was nailed to the tree and was made a public example for all of us. We, too, will begin to experience the deliverance that God has intended for our lives.

Have you begun to experience this yet? If so, would you be so courageous as to share?

 

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this study and for the work You are doing in each of our lives.  We thank You for delivering us from our own death by sending Jesus to die on the Cross in our place.  He took the fall for us.  Lord, keep revealing to us anything that may divide us from You and keep us from clearly hearing Your voice.  Bring to the light whatever it is and may we lay it at Your feet and be free, so that we may not have any distractions.  We love You and we praise You.  In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.

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Esther Chapter 1:20-22

September 6, 2013 by

I have been Vashti.  Up until these past few years, I have not respected nor submitted to my husband.  In fact, I would say rebellious would be the word for me.  And the saddest part, other than my disobedience to God, is that my “kingdom” witnessed my rebellion and they too lost respect for the king of our home—their daddy.  I wish I could say that I didn’t know what I was doing, but the truth is, I did know!  As women, we can be manipulative, and have selfish motives. Maybe Vashti and I thought we would look stronger in the eyes of our people and the respect that we so deserved would be ours alone.  But it didn’t work out that way. Nor did it for Vashti.

Physically, she paid with her life.  Spiritually, I paid with mine.  It’s no coincidence that the Scripture Darlene referred to were the verses that changed my family.  Ephesians 5:22-24 “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.”

Did you see that word, everything?  That means we can’t pick and choose what we submit to, nor can we pick and choose which laws of God’s we are going to obey.  God doesn’t say “If your husband is a believer, then respect him and obey him,” does He?  No, He doesn’t.  And even if you are the spiritual leader in your home, like I was for a time, you still have to respect and pray for discernment and obey him.  God is going to honor your obedience and protect your decisions from harming your family.  He will place a hedge of protection around your children as He promises.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to be your guide and to fill your husband with wisdom as you practice obedience in this season of your life.  Submission comes easier to some, while others have to swallow some pride and realize it is not about that, it’s about being obedient in your walk with Jesus.

This verse also applies to Jesus and the body of believers known as the church.  We have trusted Jesus as our Savior and received eternal life.  In the New Testament, Jesus, the Bridegroom, has sacrificially and lovingly chosen us to be His bride.  Our responsibility is to be faithful to Him (Ephesians 5:24).

2 Corinthians 11:2 says, “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Him.”  As believers, we who are the Bride of Christ await with great excitement for the day when we will be reunited with Him. Until then we remain faithful to Him, and faithful to our earthly husband.

“The Queen must submit to the King” is the most important message of all. Who is our King? Jesus.  Who is His queen?  We are!  God commands that He is to be King over His household…that means all of us.  Esther 1:20-22 are the verses of today’s lesson.  We know that Vashti, for whatever reason, disobeys the king and does not show up at his banquet. As a result, he sends out a decree to his entire empire commanding that all husbands everywhere are to receive proper respect from their wives. The NLT translation says, “every man should be ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases.”  This is the way the chapter ends.

God is never mentioned in this book nor does He show up in any form.  No one prays and no miracles are spoken of either.  But God is in the shadows throughout the book.  He works behind the scenes, not with a visible hand of miracles, but with His invisible hand always providing.  For those of you who wonder if God is in your life because you haven’t seen Him in a while, or heard His voice in quite some time—Esther’s life is like yours, and God’s work in her own life will show you God’s work in yours.

Used with permission. www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.com

Used with permission.
www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.com

 

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, we are weak.  We know that You have hidden things in this book that are deep and hard for us to grasp.  Help us to see that here is a story of all that You are able to do in our lives as we commit to being submissive and obedient to You.  Help us to tear down the veil of pride and bitterness and open up to being that respectful wife that You have called us to be.  Lord, if we aren’t married, may we submit to You in such a way that Your people will be led to You by the way we are living our lives.  Thank You for this book.   Thank You for the Holy Spirit interceding on our behalf. We love You and praise You.  In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.

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“I AM” Chapter 7 – Day 4: I AM…The Root and Offspring of David

August 22, 2013 by

2Samuel7_IAMI am where I am because of my family.  Faith in Jesus and a strong relationship with Him is a legacy that has passed down from generation to generation.  I am so blessed to have known Him all my life.  My grandparents on both sides were faithful Jesus followers.  My parents made sure that above all else, my salvation and my relationship with Jesus trumped all.  I want to make sure that my children know Him and will spend eternity with Him.  To follow only Him and to faithfully see His word.  It’s true that we cannot choose our family, but God did choose them for us.

Have you ever looked at Jesus’s family? Did you know James was His half-brother? Did you know that James did not believe in Jesus until after the resurrection? The Book of James is written as a letter addressing many issues about how faith in Jesus needs to affect the way we act. It also addresses some misunderstandings about the relationship between salvation by faith in Jesus and the need for believers to live a godly life.  James 1:2-4 says “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

The scripture from today’s lesson is Hebrews 11.  It has been called the “Hall of Faith” because it mentions a long list of people who were used by the Great I AM because of their faith.  No doubt the author of Hebrews confused the readers by calling it this.  These mighty Jewish people, heroes if you will, never received all that God had promised them because they died before Jesus came.  In God’s plan, they would be rewarded together for enduring much testing.  Old Testament faith was also a heartfelt trust in a personal God.  Many before us faced difficult times and persevered by faith.  Notice that in every illustration in this chapter, it starts with “It was by faith that….”

Hebrews 12 begins “Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run the race that God has set before us….”

Maybe the weight that slows us down is our past or maybe it is what we are dealing with right now.  You and I both have had the awesome privilege of meeting Jesus and have formed a real relationship with Him.  Now, what are you going to do with Him? Don’t you love this question that Teresa asks in this book?

It is God’s will for us to win this race we call life, for us to lay down our recurring sin that weighs us down sometimes. There will be pain from exertion, but we are told to pace ourselves and bear the pain with grace and with patience. And remember that others, who have run the same race and finished, will be cheering us on!

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dearest Lord,

Thank You so much for all those who went before us to show us that all Your promises do come true and if we trust You we will be rewarded.  What a day that will be when we see Abraham, Isaac, David, Mary, Martha, Peter, Noah (and the list goes on and on), rejoicing when we cross the finish line all together.  You are our great reward and You are worth it.  I end with a prayer from 2 Samuel 7:25-26, “And now, O Lord God, I am Your servant: do as you have promised concerning me and my family.”  In Jesus’ Name I pray.

AMEN

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“I AM” Chapter 6-Day 4: I AM…A Minister

August 15, 2013 by

How are you doing with memorizing this week’s memory verse?  Here it is, again, to help you remember it.

Eph2_10

I have always wanted to be in ministry, even since I was a little girl.  I used to line up my Fisher Price toy people in the barn, along with some of the animals and then I would preach a sermon.  And they sat and listened.  As I grew up, I started believing that I wasn’t good enough…holy enough…or memorized enough scripture…the list just goes on and on.  Isn’t that just like the enemy?  But Scripture tells us otherwise!

2 Corinthians 5:5 says “God Himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee, He has given us His Holy Spirit.”

We may feel like we aren’t good enough to be an example for others.  We may find it hard to believe that our own story of deliverance could help someone else who is struggling.  The apostle Paul said “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body.  We are all parts of His one body and each of us has a different work to do.  And since we are all one body of Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others” Romans 12:4-5.  “We are God’s masterpiece, He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do the good things He has planned for us long ago”  Ephesians 2:10.

To have a perfect view of where each of us fit into the grand scheme of things, we need to see that God has a purpose for each one of our lives and He created us with abilities and talents.  He likens us, if you will, to a part of a body where every single part is needed for the whole thing to work properly.  If you isolate any part of the body and examine it apart from it’s proper place and function, it may seem odd, useless even.  Only when it’s connected to the body and doing what it is supposed to do is it’s true purpose and usefulness realized. One body, many members.

As in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 “So it is with the body of Christ.  Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit and we all share the same Spirit.”  As believers, we should be standing hand in hand across this world trying to preach one message—the most important message.

2 Corinthians 6 sums it up in verses 1 and 2, “As God’s partners, we beg you not to reject the marvelous message of God’s great kindness. For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.’ ”  Indeed God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.

NeverGodsWill_TeresaBolmeGod has given His church an enormous responsibility!  To make new disciples in every nation, preaching, teaching, healing, nurturing, giving, administering, building and many other tasks  (Matthew 28:18-20).  We cannot do this by ourselves. God calls us, as members of His body, together so that we can obey Him more fully and we can accomplish more together than we ever could by ourselves-working together, the Church, all of us to express the fullness of Christ.

Let’s not get separated because of doctrinal differences, and let’s agree that because we have the unity of the spirit, together we can cover the world and make sure every ear will hear the good news that we are so fortunate to hear on a daily basis. Ephesians 4:3-6  says “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in spirit, binding yourselves together in peace. For there is one body and one spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one truth, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is overall and living through all.”

I challenge you today to find the place(s) where your talents can be used, where your abilities are valuable.  God loves us and He wants us to find our place in the Body of Christ and our unique purpose in this life.  Just as Paul challenges the church, God also is begging us to lead a life worthy of our calling.  We have been called by God!

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

We love You and we praise You for Who You are.  You love us unconditionally.  You show us mercy and grace and we are so undeserving.  Give us the confidence we need to step out of our comfort zones to be Your hands and feet to this hurting world.   We have what it takes for You have given us the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us.  You have given us Your Word as a reference and Your promises that You will never break.  We are a body of believers and may we be unstoppable!   May we be a force for good and show others the love You so freely give.  May we stand unified as one for Your kingdom and Your mission, and may we spread the good news that Jesus saves!  We want all Your people to have the chance to live with You in Heaven forever.  We love You and may we continue to show You how much.  In Your Son’s name we pray.

Amen.

 

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“I AM” Chapter 5 – Day 4: Fit For Service

August 8, 2013 by

GFCHmemverse3

I was a gymnast growing up. The beam was the footboard of Mom and Dad’s king-size bed and my routine always ended with an awesome dismount.  My floor routine was performed in the front yard.  I was Nadia Comaneci—Olympic gold medalist.  Oh, I practiced alright but I didn’t have the perseverance and determination to really be a champion. I realized that they developed their abilities through rigorous training, which is what sets the athletes apart from the spectators.  I was a spectator.

It’s the same with spiritual strength and agility.  They come only through practice, and daily discipline, and reading, and studying His Word.  And just like the athlete, we can motivate ourselves to continue in disciplined routines by looking forward to our reward, in both this life and the next!  Results might not happen overnight but as we keep practicing these disciplines each day, we will reap the benefits which will include a closeness with our Lord Jesus, joy, peace that passes all understanding, loving relationships, AND an abundant life.  There may be times of disappointment; and you may grow weary and want to throw in the towel. We will win some battles and lose some while we strive to achieve wholeness.  We may get discouraged when we don’t see any progress even though we have been working and training hard.  But if we keep on and persevere through it all…we can maintain the ground we have gained!

Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives tales. Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value but spiritual exercise is much more important. For it promises a reward in both this life and the next.

1 Timothy 4:7 and 8

Friends, we are training for a marathon called ‘Your Life.’  You only get one shot at this race though.  What are you doing to make sure you finish strong?  Are you a willing participant or a spectator?

Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. And as Christ’s soldiers, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the One Who has enlisted you in His army. Follow the Lord’s rules for doing His work, just as an athlete either follows the rules or in disqualified and wins no prize.

2 Timothy 2:3-7 

Like a soldier, we are in a war that we can win only if we fight to the end.  Like the gymnast, we must train for a new way of life and  keep running the race to the finish line.  We must do this work in every season and wait patiently until we see growth.  If we stop before we reach the end, we may lose it all—everything we have trained so hard for.

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs but only one person gets the prize? So run to win. All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise I fear that after teaching others, I myself might be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

All activities require endurance and strict discipline, especially for those who want to win. Paul makes it clear that if we want to grow in our relationship with Jesus, we must stay focused on the goal.  We must give up destructive activities that might slow us down. Recognize this won’t always be easy, but it will always be worth it!  Persevere toward the eternal goal and your trophy will come in the form of God’s power and freedom from any chains that may bind.

I challenge you today to re-read these verses…put them on notecards…place them where they will be seen daily.  Remind yourself that no matter what you’re facing , it will all be worth it when you cross that finish line, see His arms wide open and He says the words you’ve longed to hear—“Well done, My child; welcome home!”

*****


Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

We praise You for loving us. We thank You for giving us an instruction manual, our “fitness guide.”  Fill us with an overwhelming desire to train ourselves, to daily stay in close contact with You, our Trainer.  Lord, we may get tired and we may stumble, but I pray that we just get stronger and more determined to finish this life strong and love well and have faith abundant. Help us to always encourage each other and to never give up on ourselves and may we constantly lead others to You until that day when You take us home to You.  For it is in Your Son’s name,

Amen

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“I AM” Chapter 4 – Day 4: Jesus is The LIGHT

August 1, 2013 by

John15_11

 

This time last week I sat in the dark.  There were no lamps, no overhead lights on; I couldn’t turn them on if I wanted to.  It was a Monday, a typical Monday if you know what I mean.  My power had been turned off and there was nothing I could do about it.  Can you relate?

On day one of this week, Teresa asked us which verse in John chapter 1 could we relate to the most, right now, where we are.  I chose verse 5, not even realizing that it was my topic for this week.  God is funny like that, right?  John 1: 4-5 says this: “The word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot extinguish it!”

Do you understand what that means? The darkness of evil never can and never will overcome God’s Light.  Jesus Christ is the Creator of life, and we are dead people walking until He comes into our lives and breathes life into us.  His life brings light to us and in His light we see ourselves as we really are—sinners in need of a Savior, a Redeemer.

When we choose to follow Jesus, He becomes our true Light and we no longer have to walk blindly and fall into our old sinful ways.  He lights the path ahead of us so that we can see the way we need to live.  He removes the darkness of sin in our lives.  He shows us how to walk along the way to freedom from sin and darkness.  See, all who welcome Jesus as Lord of their lives will never have to live in darkness.  Now, that doesn’t mean we will not have trouble or trials; and that doesn’t mean that we won’t sin.  It just means that no matter how dark your world may feel, He is there, giving you hope, peace, and joy.  And remember, He became human Himself and experienced some of the same sufferings and hardships that we go through.  He is your beacon in this sometimes dark world.

Our verse for today is John 8:12. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life!”  Here, Jesus was talking to the people again, in the part of the Temple called the treasury.  It was where offerings were put and where candles burned to symbolize the pillar of fire that led the people of Israel through the wilderness.  The pillar of fire represented God’s presence, His guidance, and His protection.  In this context, Jesus Himself calls Himself the Light of the world.  He is God’s Presence in our lives.  He is God’s protection over us and He is God’s guidance.  God sent His own Son!  Is that not amazing that He loves us that much?

The last verses I found in the Bible that talk about Jesus being the Light are in 2 Corinthians 4:6-7.  “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. But this precious treasure, this light and power that now shines within us, is held in perishable containers, that is, our weak bodies, so everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.” We are perishable containers yet God entrusted us with His precious treasure, Jesus Christ, His Son; that this Light shines brighter than any darkness we could possibly have in our lives.

I did a little research on the sunflower (it is my favorite flower) and it actually bends toward the sun so that it can catch as much light as it possibly can.  In the early morning, it actually tilts to the east, and by twilight it tilts to the west.  If you take the flower and place it in a dark closet, it will still continue to bend everyday, just as it did when it was outside.  Even the sunflower knows that the ones that are most likely to survive are the ones that catch the most light.

Friends, I don’t want to just survive; I want to really thrive both physically and spiritually!  The only way to do that is to stay bending toward the Light—the light of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What about you today?  Where does He need to shine in your life?  What darkness is threatening to suck the life out of you?  It is simple, really.  Just ask and He will come rescue you and fill you with His Light.

And back to my story about the power outage…God came through as He always does and performed another miracle and the lights came back on.  I praised Him the rest of the day!

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Daddy, thank You for sending Jesus, Your only Son, as a Light for all who believe and receive Him into their hearts and lives.  For once we were in darkness, and now we have the Light of the Lord.  May we live as people of the Light.  May we produce only what is good, with a heavy reliance on You.  Oh Lord, we love You, we praise You, and we want only You to be the Light of our lives.  Nothing of this world will satisfy and fulfill us.  May we seek You and may our lights shine so that others will want what we have. For it is in Your Son’s precious Name, we pray.

Amen

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