Hello Everyone,
I pray that everyone has had a blessed week. Sometimes just getting to the next day is difficult. So, it is so awesome that God has given us one more week to serve Him and draw men and women to His kingdom.
I am so excited to welcome more international readers. God is truly stretching this ministry to spread His word for His glory and that is so awesome!! We welcome Russia, the United Kingdom, and Poland. We now have readers in over 9 countries. God is at work everywhere!!!
Last week we discussed God's plan and this week we will discuss God's favor. I love God's perfect timing. What a blessing it is for Him to deliver the message of His Favor on Lesson 7, His perfect number. He is so awesome!!!
Resources
Chapter 7: Haman Hanged Instead of Mordecai
So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther. 2 And on the second day, at the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther, "What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done! 3 Then Queen Esther answered and said, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. 4 For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king's loss. 5 So King Aharuerus answered and said to Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is her, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?" 6 And Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!" So Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7 Then the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stood before Queen Esther, pleading for his life, for he saw that evil was determined against him by the king. 8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen across the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, "Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?" As the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. 9 Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, "Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king's behalf, is standing at the house of Haman." Then the king said, "Hang him on it!" 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's wrath subsided.
Favor - to promote over another; consider as favorite; treat gently and/or carefully; bestow privilege
Lesson 7
I am so excited about this portion of Esther. We experience God's favor everyday considering our lifestyles in regards to the horrific conditions that are occurring all over the world. We take it for granted. We live in expectation of safety, comfort, shelter, food, clothing and even luxuries, for some of us. Esther and all God's people were in jeopardy of losing their lives, BUT GOD'S FAVOR was upon them. Specifically Esther.
If we look at verse 3 of Esther 7, God uses the writer of this book to express that emanate favor administered by King Ahasuerus. Because Esther honored the authority that God had placed over her, she ignited God's favor (Romans 13:1). Esther gained favor for herself and all of the Jews. Here we see the importance of obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1).
We are so excited when we gain the favor of our teachers in school, our husbands, families, supervisors, pastors and other leaders in the church. We feel incredibly special to be honored, receive awards, and just to be acknowledged. But oh to obtain the true favor of GOD!!!!!
I cannot even fathom what my life would be like if I truly surrender to God's will, deny my flesh, come under the authority He places over me, and practice diligent obedience!!! It makes my head spin just thinking about the possibility.
God has already given us so much, so to multiply the existing privileges to a place of unfathomable numerical proportion is beyond my finite understanding.
Furthermore, to think that Esther was just a young girl with no parents who God elevated to the position of Queen to save His people. Since God can do that, we must believe that He can do all things in our lives (Philippians 4:13).
If you cannot tell by all the exclamation points, I am very excited by what God has in store if we just practice the principles of His word that Esther and Mordecai continuously exhibited throughout the book of Esther. A massive change could occur in the societal structure of the world if we would only trust and believe in the word of God (Mark 9:23).
Application
This week we will do self-assessments. Answer these questions about yourself:
1. Am I trusting God with whom He has placed in authority over my life?
2. Am I implementing His principles in my daily walk?
3. Am I practicing obedience?
Once you have answered these questions take them into your quiet time with the Lord. Seek His assistance in these specific areas.
While you are doing this exercise, think of some God's favorites:
David (Acts 13:22)
Job (Job 1:8)
Martha, Mary and Lazarus (John 11:5)
Consider what they endured, how they were obedient, how they respected the authority God placed over them.
We must trust God in everything! (Proverbs 3:5)
Have a blessed week!!
Be blessed,
T. Carter
References
All scriptures are extracted from The Bible - New King James Version. YouVersion (2013).
M-W.com (2013). Merriam-Webster Dictionary Web Version. Retrieved from: App Store
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