Turn Away

What just happened?

Haman thought he was going to be sick. His stomach twisted and turned, and he felt a bit woozy in the head.

She was a Jew?! How? What?

King Ahasuerus let out a brutal cry of rage, and stormed down a pathway into the palace gardens.

He's going to kill me. What was he going to do? How did this go wrong? Of all the blasted women Ahasuerus could have married, what were the chances of him marring a Jewish woman? Maybe I can beg the Queen to spare my life!

"Your Majesty please have mercy on your servant. I never meant for harm to come to you! Please understand. There is a evil man among your people. He has fooled the King about his true nature. I needed him gone-to protect the kingdom. Mordecai is the true enemy!"

Queen Esther looked taken aback. Anger clouded her face. For a moment Haman thought the demure queen was going to slap him.

"Mordecai is my cousin."

Haman felt the words punch him in the gut. Oh, kill me now.

He pulled at his hair and groaned. Taking a few wobbly steps towards the couch where Queen Esther sat, he tired again, "Your Majesty, please. I had no idea." Sobs started puncturing his words. "Please spare my life." He dropped to his knees before her, reaching out his hands-

"What is the meaning of this?"

This could not get any worse.

A hand grabbed his hair and yanked him backwards. He stared up into the faces of the king and several guards. Horrific rage contorted the king's face. "You would dare assault the queen in my presence, in my house?" Before he had even finished speaking, they had covered his face with a sack.

He heard a muffled voice say, "My King, the gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits high."

"Hang him on that," said King Ahasuerus.

"No!" Haman screamed. "I was pleading for my life! Spare my life." He blindly kicked, and flailed his body at the hands holding him. Anything to keep from being hung on the gallows!

But they didn't stop. They didn't listen.

And that very day, Haman was hung on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.

Based on Esther 7:7-10

"Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." Proverbs 28:13

"No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:3

Haman didn't care about the Jewish people. He wanted them dead and gone. He wanted his revenge on Mordecai. He wanted to win. So he devised his plan, and set it in motion. He thought he was golden. Everything seemed to be going perfectly and then Queen Esther drops this bomb: She's a Jew!

Haman knew that he was dog meat. So when the king stormed off, he tried to beg for his life-from one of the very people he tried to kill! Haman walked in sin. He made his choice, his stand for evil. He had reached the point of no turning back. Haman didn't try to repent until it was too late. In fact, he wasn't repenting at all. He got caught, and wanted out of the consequences. 

Think about the woman caught in adultery. She was caught in the act, and was being brought out for judgement. Death. Jesus had mercy on her. He gave her grace and new life. Jesus said, "Go and sin no more." Do you think after this encounter with Jesus that she just went back to living her life the same way? Goodness, I hope not!

"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 

2 Chronicles 7:14

"Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out." Acts 3:19

After all of our encounters with Jesus, do we go back to living life the same way? We should never take God's grace for granted. It is not a license to sin freely. There will be a judgement day. True repentance is turning from our sins. That's when we get God's grace, forgiveness, and healing.

We all have areas in our lives where we've walked in sin. God forgive us! From this day forth, we turn away from those things! Amen.

"Purpose Of The Heart"

"Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:17-18

In John 17:16-18 Jesus is talking to His Heavenly Father and He says these words, "They are not of the world just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As you sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world."

These verses and many like them throughout the Word tell us that we belong to God! We belong to a different kingdom and while we are strangers, aliens, and foreigners of this place we are here for a purpose. We are to live in the world but not of it! We are supposed to live in such a way that it shows we are separate from it; again for a purpose! I love the example that Daniel and his friends provide. They were taken from their homes and brought to Babylon. They were now living in a land that was not their own. Did they loose sight of God or the fact that they ultimately belonged to Him? No!

In Daniel 1:9 we see the use of a word that gives us a key as to how they stayed faithful to God and how, in the process of things, they fulfilled the purpose we are all called to. They brought glory to God and souls to the kingdom! The verse tells us that, "Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine he drank;" So the word purposed is important. Purpose simply means; 'to put.' Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah put it in their hearts that they would not be defiled. They were children of the Most High God and they intended to stay that way!

They PUT it in their hearts that they would not defile themselves. The word defile(1351) means to soil or desecrate.; but the interesting thing here is that it goes back to the prim root word (1350) that means to redeem (according to the law of kinship) to be next of kin, to buy back property. This tells me that Daniel and his three friends had an understanding, an appreciation for the fact they they were a redeemed people! They put it in their hearts to not soil or desecrate that redemption?

They had purposed not to be defiled by food, wine, or the company they kept. The food and wine we see in the veggie test in chapter one. The fact that they separated themselves from the company they kept can be seen in chapter two. To sum up the king had a dream. It was a dream that scared him and it was a dream that he didn't understand. He called all the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans to come and explain it to him.vs.2 They asked him to tell them the dream so they could give the interpretation. He said, "No, you tell me the dream and its interpretation." They stall for time, he figures it out and basically tells them to come up with it or die. They informed him that no one could do such a thing. He gives the command, Destroy all the wise men!" verses 3-12

As you read verses 13-15 you see that Daniel and his friends were not there. When the call came from the king they weren't there hanging out with the magicians, astrologers and sorcerers. They were obviously living separate from them and no one went to get them. When they went looking for them to kill them Daniel had to ask ..."Why is the decree from the king so urgent?" Then Arioch made the decision know to Daniel. So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. Daniel 2:15-16

At this point you know the rest of the story. Daniel goes to his friends tells them what is going on and asks them to seek God with him for the interpretation. God gives him a dream that reveals the king's dream. He goes to the king and shares the dream and its interpretation. This encounter ends with ... then the king fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. The king answered Daniel and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret." Daniel 2:46-47

Was this the last time they had to choose to not be defiled by the land they lived in? No! We know because we've read the book that they had other tests. We know that a lion's den and a fiery furnace still lay before them. These young men are such an excellent examples of what it takes to live a life separated and devoted to the glory of God in the midst of an ungodly land!

It takes a choice! It takes a choice every single day to 'put' in our hearts, "I've been redeemed! I've been redeemed at a price and I won't loose sight of that! I belong to Him!

I don't know about you, but I, like these young men, purpose in my heart to live my life as His child; redeemed for His will and purposes.

Lord, I pray that at the end of my days I could say as you did in John 17:4
"I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do."

Stand In Love

The second feast was over. The food had been delicious. The company had been delightful. In fact, the whole affair would have seemed splendid and joyful to anyone looking on from the sidelines. However, King Ahasuerus knew better.

First of all, Queen Esther kept giving Haman funny looks. It was a cross of pure anger and fear, crammed into a box of reserved, forced dignity. She was cordial and social, but something was clearly going on there. What was that about? 

Second, it was the way she looked at him. Thankfully, it was different then the way she was looking at Haman, but he wouldn't say this look was better. Her expression looked...wounded. Scared for sure, but hurting. And all he knew for certain was that he was responsible for that look.

Ever since he had held out his scepter to her, things had changed. He knew it, could feel it. He had changed. Esther had become more important to him than anything else. He would do anything to heal her hurt and put a smile on her face.

"What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled." This was the third time he had asked this question. It was his offering of love. His attempt at drawing her into the open. His way of saying, "You can trust me."

Esther's eyes sparked with holy fire against her bronze face. The dark color of her hair combined with the sapphire blue of her robes gave her a truly stunning affect. But her expression said it all: She was going to trust him.

"If I have found favor in your sight, oh king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king."

What in all the world? How could this have happened? "Who is he, and where is he, who has dared to do this?"

"A foe and enemy!" Esther held his gaze and nodded to Haman. "This wicked Haman!" Esther was done being cordial now. She could no longer hide her disdain for Haman.

Haman? How?-The Jewish nation! Haman had convinced him that they were troublesome, treasonous people. Truthfully, the Jewish people had never given them any problems. He never would have approved of Haman's plan if he had know they were Esther's people!

A brutal, furious growl escaped his lips, and Haman looked terrified before him and his queen.

And so he should.

Based on Esther 7:1-6

I've always wondered why Esther had the king and Haman come to those two dinners before she told the king what her deal was. Did God tell her to do that? Was she trying to get the king away from his advisers? Was she trying to butter him up? I've always assumed she was scared, but I think there was more to it then that. I think anguish played into this decision.

I wonder at what point did it pop into Esther's head, "My husband just signed off on the murder of my whole family without batting an eye." While Esther's origins were kept secret, the knowledge that he had agreed to this plan under any circumstance must have been heartbreaking. Maybe even a part of her felt betrayed. It was difficult enough going before a temperamental king, but going before a temperamental king when she was hurting, scared, vulnerable, and perhaps a little bit angry, that would have been difficult. I think the dinners were more then biding her time and trying to figure out what and how to say it; I think Esther was trying to answer this question, "Do I trust this man whose let me down in the past?" And more importantly, "Do I trust God enough to trust this man?"

While Esther was trying to remain standing, the king was still standing with his olive branch extended. King Ahasuerus was standing in love for Esther.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

King Ahasuerus was trying to build Esther up. He was being kind and compassionate. He was trying to encourage her and her faith in him. He was being devoted. He was honoring her and her wishes first. This scary, fireball of a king was putting Esther first.

Hang onto your hats, but do we act like King Ahasuerus?

Do we, as followers of Christ, stand in love for others? Despite our failures. Despite how we may have wronged them. Our hearts should always be to build others up in God, to love on them, and put them first. Don't let past mistakes weigh you down and affect your loving responses for the present. If King Ahasuerus can switch gears and do it, then so can we!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believers in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

There is One Who stood in love for all of us. He encourages us. Builds us up nice and strong. He is kind and compassionate. He put our lives before His own. He died for us-despite our many, many failures and all the ways we have betrayed Him. Do we, as His followers, stand in His love for others?

"Overcomers!"

"He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. Revelation 21:7

In Mark chapter 2 there is a story about four men who carried a paralytic to Jesus to be healed. When they couldn't get close because of the obstacle of the crowd, they ..."uncovered the roof where Jesus was and when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith..." You know the story. Jesus did what He always does when He gets a glimpse of faith. He forgives sin, heals and restored a life.

In Exodus 17:11-12 we see a time when Moses needed the help and support of a friends to be able to do what was needed for Joshua and the army of Israel to overcome the Amalekites. ...And so it was, when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

In both these cases there was someone to help do what needed to be done to overcome! Those four friends did what they had to when they went to extreme measures and got him up onto and through the roof. They knew that if they could put him in the presence of Jesus it would be enough! Aaron and Hur physically had to support the arms of Moses all day long till the sun went down in order to overcome the enemy.

Today is about being a friend that is willing to overcome obstacles! Today is about being the support that is sometimes needed to win the victory! Caleb quieted the people before Moses and spoke these words "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." Numbers 13:30 Today, these are my words to you! It is time to overcome! If you have a friend that has been paralyzed by whatever? Lift them up! Jesus saw 'their' faith as the paralytic was dropped through the roof. If you have someone you care about that needs some extra help or support, do what needs doing. Lift them up. Get them before him. Lay hold of their healing for them. Support them in whatever way they need. Today is about overcoming the obstacles that have prevented them from being in His presence. The crowd was an obstacle; they went through the roof. Moses' heavy arms were an obstacle to overcoming; they plopped him on a rock and supported his arms. 

Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33  Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit overcame death, hell and the grave. Jesus and that same wonder working power can overcome whatever you got going! Whatever has you paralyzed at the end of this day  people around you will be declaring the same things that the crowd declared as that paralytic and his friends left... "We have never seen anything like this!"

Lord, we are here today to take ground for the kingdom on behalf of those we love. Lord, right now we are breaking through roofs, finding rocks to support and lifting up heavy arms. Right now we are putting them before you in faith, Lord. Even now, in this moment we would stand in the gap for them just as you did for us as you suffered on the cross. Lord,  at this very moment I can see the time when you healed ten lepers in a single moment. Lord, I know that you are well able to touch every person; every need that is being lifted up to you. Lord, touch blood pressure, blood sugar, and kidney issues. Lord, we speak health, wholeness and restoration! Lord strengthen hearts! Renew vision!  Lord, touch and raise up those that are paralyzed both physically and spiritually! We speak, loudly and clearly, and with the utmost confidence and faith to any and all fear that; We have overcome!

Your an Overcomer! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z29olPjFbqg

Who Can Stand Against Us?

Queen Esther kept giving him funny looks.

Her Majesty had unlawfully come into the King's court today. Haman had thought she would be killed on the spot, but King Ahasuerus had extended his scepter-and life-to her. Haman might have pushed the issue with the King, but turns out Queen Esther was inviting the King and himself to a banquet. Haman was certain there was more to this story, and time would tell all the succulent details. He would certainly be among the first to know. For now he would drink wine and be merry.

No one else had been invited to the banquet the lovely Queen Esther had prepared! Haman figured that said something about his rank, his status in this kingdom. Indeed, it said something about Haman in general. He was above them all.

But a short time later, Haman did not feel so jubilant. He saw Mordecai at the king's gate. It did not surprise him that Mordecai did not rise or tremble with awe before him, but it still filled him with rage. Why, he had just been dinning with the King and Queen! To come out here, and see such insolence was outrageous. He wanted to run Mordecai through, right then and there! He could not wait any longer.

Inhaling sharply, Haman restrained himself and went home. He would send for his friends and his wife, Zeresh. He would recount his glory and success. His favor and honor. His riches, splendor, and advancements. Even the magnificent number of sons he had.

Haman did just that. They fawned all over him, acting as if he were king himself. "Even Queen Esther let not one but me come with the King to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the King." Mordecai's face flashed before him. Haman scrunched his eyes closed in agony and frustration, for it was all meaningless. "Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."

"What if Mordecai wasn't at the king's gate? What if he was dead?"

His eyes popped open. "What do you mean?"

"What if a gallows was built?" His friend said.

"Fifty cubits high!" His wife added.

"And in the morning, petition the King to have Mordecai hanged upon it! Then you can go joyfully to your feast," said another.

This was perfect. This way Haman would be rid of Mordecai immediately. Once and for all.

Haman was feeling better already.

Based on Esther 5:4-14

It was choices that led Haman to this point, this point on the opposite lines of God. We always need to remember that the stands and choices we make can raise us up, or separate us from God. In Esther 3 we see that Haman choose to avenge his pride. From there, it morphed into a stand against God's people, and God Himself.

"I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Genesis 12:3

"The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you.They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways." Deuteronomy 28:7

"But the multitude of your foreign foes shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the ruthless like passing chaff." Isaiah 29:5a

"At evening time, behold, terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us, and the lot of those who plunder us." Isaiah 17:14

Haman choose to stand against Mordecai. It was the wrong stand. He choose to stand against one of God's people, and as we can see from the above verses, that doesn't end to well for the challengers. The Bible is filled with examples of men and women who stood against God and His people. And we always see God rise up, and avenge His people, defend His people, and deliver His people. We see Haman come to such a realization in Esther 6. We talked about how Haman had to take Mordecai through the city, proclaiming how the king delighted in Mordecai. Oh, how God arranges things! That must have annoyed him so much! Then in Esther 6:12-13 we see the people in Haman's life say, "Dude, Mordecai is of the Jewish people. You are already starting to fall before him. You will not overcome him. You're going down." It's so awesome knowing that our Father, our God, our King will take care of us like that!

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

Indeed, who can stand against us? As long as we walk with Jesus, nothing, no one, not even the prince of darkness can stand against us.

"Reserved For God"

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

Today I would like to put a thought out there before you to consider. I was watching Jason Castro on I am Second and he was talking about what it meant to him to be able to sing Hallelujah before millions of people. At one point he said these words, "Even the word Hallelujah is a special word, and its a word reserved for God." I really liked the whole interview but these words have just been hanging around my spirit ever since. This thought that this special word is reserved for God; it made me stop and to think about what else is reserved for God? I alluded to it about our trust being due God at the end of Thursdays message.

So what is it about this word that makes it special? Why is it a word that is reserved for God?The word Hallelujah simply means; praise ye Jah; and it is an adoring exclamation! It is reserved for God because it is about Him and it is for Him alone! I looked it up and I only found it listed in the Word four times in the New Testament in Revelations 19:1,3,4,6 where it was being sung by the elders and the saints in Heaven. Interesting?

The words "Reserved for God." are still hanging around so lets consider what else in our lives besides this special word, that represents our adoration, is reserved for God? What else can we do or say that will give Him the praise and adoration that is due Him? As I was pondering this thought all the usual things came to mind, you know, praise, worship, prayer, the Word, trust, obedience, etc. and then the Holy Spirit brought this verse in Romans to mind ...that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, (you know your life) holy, acceptable, to God which is your reasonable service..." According to this verse it is a reasonable expectation that we bring our whole life before Him. He then goes on to say that out of that bringing, out of that reasonable service is this thought; that we need to be transformed! Too often this verse is quoted without verse two and you can't. You can't stop this thought at the word service, you have to keep going because the word 'And' means there is more to this thought about our reasonable service.

The more is this ... its not just our bodies its also our thoughts. It tells us to 'not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind' It tells us to do that for a purpose. ..."to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." We need to not think or act like the world but to be a living, walking, talking. breathing, servant of the Lord. That happens as we are renewed in our mind. Our thoughts are important and they should be thoughts of Him. If we will renew our thoughts then we will with our whole life be reserved for Him! ... a chosen generation, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim His praises...1 Peter 2:9

His thoughts will be our thoughts and we will know His good, acceptable, perfect will. As we surrender our bodies, our thoughts, our words, our actions etc, we are transformed and we become a people reserved for Him.  A people who know that it is His good and perfect will in their lives that is reserved only for Jah!


Link if you would like to see the I am Second interview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaKoE2lm7XY&list=LLI-IGlZtrVMGzeC5wbvs8OA&index=3

Choose to Stand

King Ahasuerus was annoyed. Annoyed with this court. Annoyed with his advisers. Annoyed with the people. They were all one blunder away from really unleashing his anger. He flipped his hand towards a servant, motioning that his cup be refilled, and continued barking out orders and instructions. They were all moving in petrified obedience, not even daring to raise their face to his.

King Ahasuerus heard the doors open, and those towards the back of the court looked to see who dared enter, for he had not called anyone to the court. He heard a collective gasp, but could not see who they were staring at from his throne. Then the herald announced his visitor, "Queen Esther, your majesty."

Time seemed to slow down. The people parted from around her as water flows around a rock in the middle of a river. She looked beautiful! Her robes cascaded around her eloquently, and her head and throat sparkled from all the jewels, giving her the appearance of almost glowing.

And she looked right at him! Eyes staring deep into his soul. They spoke a message of determination, mixed with fear. She knew exactly what she was doing. She was here for a reason. Something great enough that it drove her to risk death itself, just for the chance to speak to him.

Should he be angry? In the past he would have been angry, had her executed. For a fleeting second, he struggled about what to do. Idiot. He chided himself. He loved her! He slowly started to smile, and let the emotion spread through him. Raising his scepter, he held it out towards her, as a beacon of love and life.

He watched in amusement and anguish as his queen stood there shell-shocked for a moment. She walked towards him, dignified and resplendent. She touched the tip of his scepter, looking at him in earnest, her eyes asking him, "What happens next?"

Boldly he declared, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom."

Based on Esther 5:2-3

In the book of Esther, King Ahasuerus makes very few decisions by himself. He had been letting his own rage, the pressure of how his wise men thought the kingdom should be run, and the evil motives of Haman dictate the show. You see this mighty king easily given to anger and peer pressure.  You don't see him make decisions all his own, from his heart, until Esther comes into the picture, and he chooses her.

King Ahasuerus makes a real stand when he spies Queen Esther standing in the court. He holds out his scepter to her, offering her life. He choose not to be offended at her blunt approach and obvious disregard for the law. If there were any advisers in the court who were offended, he chose not to listen to them. He chose love. He chose life. He chose to choose for himself.

"So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ." Ephesians 4:14-15

Are our decisions based on anger? Are they based on what other people think? Are they based on selfish motives? Who is really making the decisions in our lives? As the body of Christ, shouldn't our decisions be based on love, life, and becoming more like our Lord Jesus? If we really want to grow into Christ in every way, we can't let the devil's ploys manipulate and influence us.

For those reading this who want to choose, who don't want to hide, who want to live for God, this message is for you. Choose to stand. Choose to stand for real. Choose Christ. Don't let them manipulate you any longer. Today, you choose to stand for yourself, for Jesus, for life. Amen!