March 29, 2024

Esther – Chapter 8:7-8

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

Oh, how I love this scripture, sisters!  We looked at it when discussing our “beauty regimen” in chapter 2 and now, as we revisit it, we see those “fruits” are also the proof of the Holy Spirit living and working in you! (But first, let’s get back to Esther….)

Things are FINALLY looking up for her, Mordecai, and the Jews!  Haman is gone, Mordecai and Esther have been redeemed and in verses 7-8 we see that the estate of Haman has been given to Esther.  Moreover, another decree is now being written in the King’s name on behalf of the Jews which not only allowed the Jews to protect themselves, but also to destroy anyone that attacked them AND plunder the property of their enemies.  This decree we see is sealed with the King’s signet ring and signifies the irrevocable nature of the new decree.  Hooray!

Darlene then compares this seal to the seal, or mark, of the Holy Spirit, which is given to us when we become a child of God.  Let’s look at the Scripture she provides: 2 Corinthians 1:21-22.

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.  He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (NIV)

My Study Bible gives this further explanation regarding the seal of ownership: “It was both the first installment on a loan and a guarantee of its complete payment” (Quest Study Bible).  So if the Holy Spirit is a deposit and a guarantee of future payment – how amazing will the payoff be??  How exciting!!

The Holy Spirit is vital to your life as a believer!  Darlene provides a sampler of Scriptures to discuss the role He plays in our lives.  We see:

  • that He is a counselor (John 14:16)
  • that He will convict the world in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-11)
  • that He is a guide into all truth (John 16:13)
  • that He glorifies Jesus (John 16:14)
  • and He testifies about Jesus (John15:26)

Think of the Holy Spirit as the ultimate Guide to help you navigate your way in this life and help you enter Heaven with as many rewards as possible!  In fact, different versions of the Bible will translate “Counselor” in John 16:7 as “Advocate” or “Helper.”  (For an incredible, in-depth study of the Holy Spirit and His role in your life, may I recommend “The Helper” by Catherine Marshall.)  But just like Jesus, the Holy Spirit will not work in your life against your will. We must choose to cooperate with the Holy Spirit.  Example: My GPS will give me the correct directions to reach my destination, but if I don’t turn it on, or if I ignore its instructions, it can’t help me!

How do we know if the Holy Spirit is guiding us down the right path?  How do we know that He’s working?  Well, that brings us back to Galatians 5:22-23, the first Scripture mentioned today.  When you see a tree, you know what kind of tree it is because of the fruit that is hanging from it.  Likewise the “fruits of the Spirit” are evidences that can be seen in our lives that we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us.  The more we allow the Spirit to shape our lives, change our thinking, and mold our behavior, the greater the evidence – the greater the harvest of fruit!

So…. How are YOU doing??  I’d love to know!  Is there a fruit that is your favorite?  And which one do you need to cultivate more often in order for it to grow in your life?

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father – You are a kind and gracious God!  Thank You for redeeming us from our enemies.  Thank You for sealing us as Your children and giving us the Holy Spirit, not only as a promise for the future, but to help us in the present!  I ask You to help me listen to the guidance that Your Spirit longs to give me and help me to blossom into a beautiful, fruit-filled tree for all to see!  Thank You for Your blessings, Your goodness, Your grace and Your love.  May I be able to show those qualities to someone who needs them today.  In Your Son’s name we pray.

Amen.

 

Esther – Chapter 3:6-7

Anger_Wk 3_Ellison

But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.  In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

Esther 3:6-7

I can imagine the scene, Haman and his men, sitting around with their planners open rolling dice to determine when they would carry out their plan to kill the Jews, lives on the line, their fate being sealed by such a simple method, such carelessness. Hamen wasn’t pleased with simply plotting against Mordecai, “but he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone”

 dis·dain

1. to look upon or treat with contempt; despise; scorn.

2.to think unworthy of notice, response, etc.; consider beneath oneself: todisdain replying to an insult.

3.feeling of contempt for anything regarded as unworthy; haughty contempt; scorn

 Mordecai alone wasn’t worth his trouble, he was below Haman. “Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus”. All of them. That was quite a lot of people. There is a sentence in my study bible that caught my attention;  “a roll of the dice had no power to determine the destiny of God’s people”.

I can imagine the hatred that Haman had for the Jewish people, hatred so strong that he was compelled to try and kill the entire population, a people that had done nothing to him. A seed of hate was planted and that seed grew, it grew until he decided to act, I’m not sure if you have ever acted on a seed like this, but I have and I can tell you from experience that it doesn’t end well.

 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Proverbs 16:32

When I think of biblical times I think of a time where people had to defend themselves, men were expected to be physically strong whether they were tasked with farming or tasked with defending a city on battle. Women were expected to display a strength that allowed them to raise children, tend to her husband and run a home. Strength was a needed staple in life.

 Imagine now reading this verse, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty”. Slow to anger? But they cut me off. But they disrespected me. But they hurt me. “And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” But their words deserve a response. But I need to defend myself against their actions. But I need to prove that they can’t walk all over me. But. But. But.

But, we need to see where God sees true strength; it is not in the exertion of our power, the release of our anger. He is telling us that there is true strength in our self-control; there is true strength in patience and compassion, and grace.

Haman’s anger drove him to desire to kill; he allowed the anger, whatever the cause, to rule him. I’m not at all implying that we are going to copy his actions but, has your anger toward a person or a situation influenced what you said or did? We’re not rolling a set of dice to determine the outcome of a population group, but has it caused us to act carelessly? To hurt the heart or mind of another because we were acting on feelings.

Esther 6 and 7 are great examples of what not to do, what we shouldn’t allow to happen. This is an extreme example, but hatred and anger are extreme emotions.

 

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Anger and hatred are emotions to readily accepted in our world today. Lord give us the desire to not conform to this norm and to break the cycle of anger in our lives. Please replace these negative emotions with love and grace, with self-control and compassion. Soften our heart to those who may anger us, those who offend us, whether the offence is small or large. Let us be an example. Lord.

We each have a “Haman” in our lives, but we know that You are in control.  A roll of the dice does not determine our future, nor does it determine the future of those around us…You do. Thank You Lord for being the example of self-control.  Thank You for being the model of how we should live and love.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

 

Girls With Swords: Chapter 4 – “The Battleground” (pgs 57-59)

I often wonder why it seems as if life is a daily battle…. Why we have to fight for things that seem so basic, so common, as Lisa says, we don’t have to fight for the words of Galatians 5:19-21.

Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV)

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But we do have to fight for the words of Galatians 5:22-26.

Galatians 5:22-26 (NKJV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Jesus fought a battle larger than any we could imagine.  He died on the cross and won that battle.  He won that battle so w could handle the battles He knew would follow.  “This means, that sometimes we must battle to become one.”  We must battle to become one with Him. We must battle to become the mothers He created us to be, to become the wives He designed us to be, and we must battle to become the women He designed us to be.  He knew what we would be facing.   He knew that our lives would seem like battlegrounds, that’s why He gave us the tools we would need.  He placed the sword in our hands, and told us what to look out for, what to avoid.  He told us what Satan would use to attack us, what weapons he would throw in our path.

When I am counseling someone at work one of the things I tell them that they can use to their benefit is the knowledge of what may happen—knowing what may come down the road can help prepare them for it. We have a list printed up of some common reactions to their situation.  This list can be used as a tool when things arise.  It allows each person to develop the tools needed before the “attack” comes.

The same has been done for us.  Listed above (Galatians 5:19-21) are the attacks Satan uses on us and will continue to use on us, to try to divide us and separate us from our Heavenly Father.  God has also created a list of tools (Galatians 5:22-26) we need to carry with us to fend off these attacks.  We would be wise to use these God-given tools each and every day in our lives!

CampInHell

“You don’t set up camp in hell…you journey through it.”  Life was designed to be peaceful and pleasurable, but yes there are times where we have to hold up our swords to protect our joy and peace; times when we are walking through rough patches in our lives. As Lisa says, we journey through it.

Ladies, keep this in your heart, “There are times you must battle to become one.”   So, let’s pick up our swords and push forward.

*****

Let’s Pray:

Lord, I pray Galatians 5:22-26 over our lives. I pray for love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control as we journey through our battlefield. I thank You for the tools we need to counter Satan’s attacks.  I thank You that no weapon formed against us will prosper. In Jesus’ name we pray,  Amen.