Father God, my mind is open to Your Thoughts, and closed today to every thought but Yours. I rule my mind, and offer it to You. Accept my precious gift, for it is Yours to me. Amen and Amen.
07/13/2017 OCM-83656272 {Member of ULC 9/23/22
7545620-0414Susan Ruth Robertson202004377}
Father God, let this touch someone’s heart today in Jesus Precious Name Amen.
God has shared His life with us. He has given us so many gifts like this new day, like the air we breathe and the gift that He woke us up to these gifts. God shares His life with us every day because He loves us. God with no matter what our days are like, His promises are truth and within our reach. What a gift sharing life with the Lord Jesus.
It reads in Romans 6:1-14, ~ What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin, because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
{Let’s Pray}
Father God, I thank You and praise You for this life You have given us as Your gift for us to take care of. Guide my appreciation for all Your gifts each day that You guide my way. I thank You and praise You for Your loving kindness towards me and all others. I thank You, praise You and give You all the glory in Jesus Precious Name Amen.
{Power Verse}
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. Psalm 19:9
Father God, let this touch someone’s heart in Jesus Precious Name Amen.
When I look at others, I try to put my feet in their shoes. I was told remember where you are going. Never forget where you came from. Your story is yours. Although your past doesn’t define you, it is part of who you are today. I hope you enjoy that person. Yes, I do. If I look carefully enough, I can see which aspects of my life have shaped me. She’s stronger because of what she’s gone through. I know what it feels like to think it is the end of my life. I can give you a few of happenings but not my life story of mishaps. I know what it is like to be in a wheelchair and staying on the ground for a day till my husband came home to pick me up. Now I can tell you how good my God is to me. I can do anything I put my mind to doing now. God is good all the time. Give to God all your situations and move on. Love those who deserve Gods love as well as He loves you.
It reads in Romans 12:15-21: Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. {Lets Pray} Father God, let me be a good steward of Your harmony and peace thank You in Jesus Precious Name Amen.
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{Power Verse} Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:14
Father God, let this touch someone’s heart. Let them know You are only a breath away In Jesus Precious Name Amen.
I used to walk everywhere I went. One day I was walking I was headed home. Well, I remember taking another direction home. As I was walking by this fence, and it was barking. I heard a puppy barking. As it got louder, I could hear the puppy. But I could not see him. Well, there was bushes on the fence. I got to the end of the fence, and I didn’t see no puppy. So, I looked through the bushes up and down. I didn’t see no puppy. So, I started moving the branches. and right in the middle of the bush, I guess the puppy climbed that bush and got his head stuck in the fence. I thought God this is weird. So, I got the puppy’s head out of the hole in the fence. I ended up bringing that puppy home and naming him Mikey. I believe it was God that wanted me to take that way home to save little Mikey. Otherwise, that puppy would have still been there. That puppy was in a weird situation. God can change weird situations into amazing blessings and conversation. Little Mikey became a part of the family. A gift from God. But isn’t this like sin. We get stuck in our mess and God saves us and brings us home to be in His family.
It reads in Jeremiah 33:1-3,~ While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time: “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it, the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ As long as we are in this life, we will always need to learn about prayer. and knowing conversation with Him is beneficial gift from God.
I believe the more we pray and walk with God the more we love Him and know He loves us. If we stop having conversation with Him.
There is no education end from the school of prayer, this gift is eternal. There are endless lessons for us to learn about the gift of prayer. With careful attention prayer must be something very close to our hearts. The breath of our spiritual life. If we stop breathing, so our spiritual life would die if we stopped praying. The spiritual life is just a breath away and is our gift to answered prayers. God himself breathed life in us, which is a gift, in turn we breathe and speak because we already have God. We just need not ignore Him. This is amazing cause God is not hard to reach at all. We don’t need a pager, landline, cell phone, computer or walkie talkie. We can pray anywhere from our heart that is another gift from God. We can pray anywhere we would like. What a gift. You know that God gives full personal attention to you when you pray, as if you are the only one in the whole world who is praying to Him? To me it is really amazing that the Lord can listen to the prayers of hundreds and thousands of people that are living from all over the world, and all at the same time, and yet God can give each child of His as much personal attention as if he were the only one who is praying! God actually commands His people to pray.
It reads in 2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV: If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
{Let’s Pray}
Father God, I thank You and praise You for prayer and conversations with You that are an eternal gift. Thank You for choosing, accepting and loving me and others. Help us to live one day at a time and enjoying each gift that You have given us. Guide and encourage us to be glad and rejoice in each new day that You have given us. I love You, thank You and give You all the glory in Jesus Precious Name Amen.
{Power Verse’s}
I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:9-10
Father God, let whoever reads this learn to know their limitations and give You all the glory for what they can do in Christ’s Precious Name Amen.
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do, living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
1 Peter4:1-5
So, this one day I was working with Kathy. We had a flood. This damaged a lot of people’s homes. Through our church we had our prayer team at Woodlands Church and with Franklin Graham. We all went out to the sites where they were gutting out flood homes and they had teams doing this. They were doing this to help people out. They were tearing down walls and all kinds of work was going on. So, we prayed for homeowners. But then we didn’t have nothing else to do. So, Kathy said let’s ask them if they need help. So, we talked to Denise, and she said sure we can use all the help we can possibly find. This was such an experience. This is the will of God for us to help the less fortunate. While the time and talents are free to give of yourself. There is a lot of money that needs to be put into materials and stuff to do the job. This is where the tiding comes in through the church. The money that comes in the church is used to help the less fortunate and run the church. Can you imagine in the olden days? People had church outside till they had enough money to start building. Churches don’t build themselves. It takes the will of God to accomplish His church through all believers. Can’t build a home for your family without money. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work. I have seen the elderly gut out flood homes. Children and the Pastors and their families. It takes love to build life together.
I heard someone say. All that church does is sell books etc. I say hey! Do you know what all it takes to write a book? Don’t knock it till you have written one yourself. People are going to have opinions. It is God’s deal to straighten them out. Not mine! I just pray for them from my heart and move on. Same with sin. We see sin in others. We pray for them. We hate the sin and love the sinner.
{Let’s Pray}
Father God, I thank You and praise You that all will fall into the hands of the living God. It is terrible to realise that those who have not accepted Your offer of salvation and trusted Christ for the forgiveness of sins, will one day stand before You to give a full account of themselves. Give me a heart for the less fortunate and lost. I believe, and ask You fill me with compassion for those that malign and abuse me for Your sake. Guide me to show the love of Jesus to those who persecute the church and enable me to share the gospel of grace to everyone, knowing that Your blood was shared for everyone for the remission of sins and life everlasting. I thank You and praise You for the wonderful example of Christ Jesus my Lord Who came to earth to identify with my sin and suffered in the flesh on my account so that I might be saved by faith in His sacrificial work on the Cross. I am believing that this also will be opened to someone who does not know You and they will embrace Your love for them that is eternal in Jesus Precious Name Amen.
{Power Verse}
I am Your servant; therefore, give me common sense to apply Your rules to everything I do.
Father God, I thank you for whoever is reading this that you will bless them today and let them give You all their cares and guide encouragement in their lives this day in Jesus Precious Name Amen.
The joy of the Lord is a supernatural confidence that God is sovereign, loving, powerful, and for us. It is the inner understanding, granted by the Holy Spirit, that no matter our circumstances, our condition, or our surroundings, God is working things out for our good. It reads in Romans 8:28, ~ Romans that God uses all things for our good, not that all things are good. No matter how optimistic you are, some things just suck. Stuff like war, death, human trafficking, and crimes that are awful. Our God is more powerful than all the forces of evil and all the rotten things that happen in our lives. First, there is no condemnation, at all, for those in Christ. Last, nothing will ever be able to separate us from God’s love for us in Christ. Here is a example. I had this friend that let me borrow his television when the children was small. This guy Jack didn’t have to let me borrow it. Praise God he did. Anyways I decided to watch this guy Sam’s Doberman Pinscher. His Doberman Pinscher was a good dog. I just kept him in my hallway. Well the guy Sam with the Doberman Pinscher say’s where did you get that Television. I said Jack let me borrow it for the children. He said it is really nice I would like a television like that. Why don’t you let me borrow it Joking with me. So anyways he took his dog home. Cause he worked nights and picked his dog up in the morning’s. Well a few days went by. I took me and my children to the grocery store to get groceries and walked home with the grocery cart. I got home and my door was unlocked and my window to the hall was opened and my curtain was on the floor and the dog was gone. I had time to go to the grocery store before Sam picked up his dog. Obviously he picked up his dog. But the television was gone also. I put my groceries away and went right over to Sam’s house with my children. His wife answered the door and let me in and I noticed in her living room that she had the television. So I didn’t say nothing to her. I went to Jack’s house and knocked on his door. I told Jack what happened to his television. I told him the whole story. So Jack said don’t worry Susan I will deal with this. See I didn’t have a phone. So, I walked everywhere to get to everywhere and to deal with all the little stuff. I couldn’t just pick up a cell phone and have all the evidence in front of me. What it showed me is people can be giving, you can do and give to others and they can betray you. But all and all God will never abandon you. Stay close to God and He will stay close to you. This is where with God prayer and action rules. God is good at all times for those in Christ and nothing could ever separate us from the love of Christ. {Let’s Pray} Father God, I thank You and praise You for Jesus Christ who weeds out the schemes of Satan. I thank You and praise You for Your indwelling Holy Spirit, Who knows my heart better than I know myself. The Holy Spirit can take the inner yearnings of my heart and beautify them and guide me in doing right. I thank you that I am in Christ, Who died and rose from the dead to save me from my sins. I thank you and praise You that because I am in Him I am not condemned. Sometimes I find this hard to comprehend but thank You for the wonderful encouragement from Your word that keeps my heart longing to see You one day. I love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the glory in Jesus Precious Name Amen.
{Power Verse} I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Father God let this encourage someone not to give up and to move forward in all that they say and do for Your glory today in Jesus Precious Name Amen. What is cool about walking with God is that we don’t go where we think we are going each day. Each day is a new day full of blessings worth being thankful for. Life happens God’s way. ( Apostle Paul is laser-focused on the race, the goal, and the finish line of his journey of faith.)In the Christian life, we run the race of faith. We don’t strive for the crown that only one can receive. We strive to finish strong in our faith. God makes us all winners when we cross the line. “Crossing the starting line may be an act of courage, but crossing the finish line is an act of faith. Faith is what keeps us going when nothing else will. Faith is the emotion that will give you victory over your past, the demons in your soul, & all of those voices that tell you what you can & cannot do & can & cannot be.”
We cannot interpret these words to mean that for Paul the past counts for nothing. Rather this is a statement about the overall outlook of Paul’s life. On balance, the future was more important to him, more in his thinking, than the past. The way this is recorded in Scripture, suggests that this should be our outlook too. It reads in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, ~ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. {Let’s Pray} Father God, I thank You and praise You that I am Your child. I want to live my life the way that You have ordained and run the race that You have set before me. Guide me to press on towards the goal of my calling in Christ Jesus, trusting in Him to overcome every problem, disappointment and challenge I may face. I believe that in the power of Your Holy Spirit I may conduct my Christian life in spirit and in truth. Guide me to exercise self-control and to consider the needs of others before my own. Guide me to endure patiently in the trials of life, life godly in Christ Jesus and run the race that is set before me in Your Precious Name Jesus Amen.
{Power Verse} Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
Father God, let this touch someone’s heart and let them know they are loved in Jesus Precious Name Amen. And above all this put-on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:14
I remember when I was younger there was this girl with short blond curly hair. She would be mean to us; call us names and we would actually walk on the other side of the street to keep away from her. This one day she followed me and as I was going in the house, she was calling me names. I would ignore her and go in the house. We had tried to be friends and talk nice to her. But she just yelled at us. I thought maybe she just had something wrong with her. Then days went by, and I didn’t see her. Couldn’t understand, but I was enjoying that peaceful walk home. Just saying. We found out from a friend she had passed away. I was upset. I should of prayed from my heart instead of letting fear get the best of me. But who knew. No one taught me to pray from my heart that young. I remember talking to God from my heart though. I felt it when I was just not thinking it. When things was hard not easy I say inside me God help me. Or Oh thank you when something worked out. But you know no matter what someone else does or says pray from your heart always. Cause you do not know what they are going through. I have learned over the years to ask questions even if someone yells in my face. Sometimes its God’s way of telling me to be still and pray for that person and to encourage and bless them in what ever they are going through. Or guide someone who can assist them in what they are going through. God’s word speaks often about God’s acceptance of us and how we should be accepting of others. When Jesus walked on earth, He was our perfect example of accepting others, no matter their sin or choices. Jesus extended grace and forgiveness to all, and we are commanded to do the same! Accept your people for who they are. The people in your life may or may not have values and habits that are similar to your own. If you re out there in your neighborhood put on love. If you know someone is having it rough ask them if they need any assistance or prayer. Appreciate others for what they do. If you have people in your life who love you, help you, and support you, try to express to them how grateful you are for their encouragement. Thank God for these gifts. God calls us to love others, just as He loves us. We show love to others by forgiving, accepting and honoring them. We can only love others when we are full of God’s love. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” “John 13:34” The bottom line is that simple (not big and glorious) acts of kindness are effective ways of loving others like Jesus. None of these are glamorous. None of them will get you recognized in church. God will bless, compassionately love those and God answers their prayers and you see the blessings from your prayers to God working in others’ lives. This is being the family of God. We are all His treasure and HIs children (The Church).
Here is an ideal project. Help your child place all the small hearts face down in a circle around the large heart. We can teach our children the benefits of prayer and love for others. Have your child turn over the large heart first. Explain that Jesus loves him so much that He puts people in his life, people who love him and whom he can love. When we love Jesus, it helps us to love others. Like you can also make a bunch of large hearts and put his or hers friends name on each heart. So they can see that each friend is just as important as he or she is. If your child should see that a child fell while he is out. You can teach him or her to say Jesus please heal that little boy. When my children was growing up it was easier to teach them to pray and follow Jesus. Once the world get’s them we pray for God to keep them safe, guide Christians in their path to encourage and bless them. We can’t help their choices. Only pray they make the right ones. Amen.
{Let’s Pray} Father God, I thank You and praise You for Your Word. I need to have a gentle spirit of compassion, humility and love into my life so that I may be an example of a godly believer and help me Lord to apply this in my life give You all the glory. Let me help those less fortunate than me with the knowledge You have given me to share. I love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the honor and glory in Jesus Precious Name Amen.
{Power Verse}
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8
{Power Verse} Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8
“Everything Is God’s” Father God, let this touch someone’s heart in Jesus Precious Name Amen. “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” It reads in 1 Corinthians 3:17-23, ~ No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred, and you, remember, are the temple. Don’t fool yourself. Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being up to date with the times. Be God’s fool – that’s the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid. It’s written in Scripture; He exposes the chicanery of the chic. The Master sees through the smoke screens of the know-it-alls. I don’t want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else. Everything is already yours as a gift, Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, the future, all of it is yours, and you are privileged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God.
Christians believe the spirit of God lives within and the body houses the Holy Spirit. To keep a healthy temple, it’s important to eat healthy foods, get the right amount of sleep and exercise. What do you need to do to give it the respect, love, and care that it deserves? Because our bodies belong to God, we should not use it in committing sin. Romans 6:13 says, “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So, use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Rest in the Lord’s presence. This is beyond physical and emotional rest – it’s about us spending time with God, who heals all diseases. Enjoy His presence daily. Rest in His love, and trust in His goodness to take care of you. Claim His promises and believe His Word. Remember, by Jesus’ stripes, we are healed. It reads in Isaiah 53:5,~But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
{Let’s Pray} Father God, I believe that I may abide in You and grow in grace so that day by day I may be conformed into Your image. So that I may become more and more like You. I thank You and praise You for the many warnings against worldliness and fleshly desires. Help me to press on for the upward call of eternity through Jesus Christ. I want to become one whose focus is on Jesus. My desire is to live and work for Your honor and glory. I love You, Thank You, praise You in Your Precious Name Jesus Amen.
{Power Verse} Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Father God, let this touch someone’s heart in Jesus Precious Name Amen. Let me say thank you to all the mothers out there in this life who do their best and work hard for their families. You are precious and a child of God and God looks on you as His princess. {All glorious is the princess in her chamber; her gown is embroidered with gold. All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold. Psalm 45:13} It reads in Matthew 6:25-34, ~ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you-you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Now my nephew brought me a black bird he found that fell on the ground Friday. I took a plant container and put cedar bedding in the container and rest it on its side. Rest the little bird on the cedar. I took a cover and put water. I took bird food and placed it on a saucer. The bird was sleeping by the time I was finished. I looked closely to make sure he was still breathing. I checked on him before I went to bed, and he was still sleeping. I got up Saturday morning and the bird had found his way out of the garage. We have openings on the on the roof on the side walls. This is a mother’s love. Always caring and concerned about the needs of others before herself. Amen. I want to talk a little about Miriam and the encouragement that can be grasped in helping those in need, also how disobedience brings obedience and forgiveness working for God’s glory. The sister of Moses and Aaron, “Miriam the prophetess” (It reads in Exodus 15:20,~ Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. ) was assigned to watch Moses when he lay as a baby in the bulrushes. Moses’ is older and married. Miriam and Aaron Opposes Moses. Moses was a humble man. The Lord spoke directly to Miriam and Aaron when they took pride in their prophetic gifts, and He cursed Miriam with leprosy (It reads in Numbers 12:1-16,~ Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this. (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth. Humble means: having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance: ) At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, he said, “Listen to my words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them. When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous, it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!” The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back. After that, the people left Hazeroth and encamped in the Desert of Paran.} “Like what my mom told us growing up. You judge someone wrongfully, then you get it back double by someone who isn’t associated with the one you judged. She’d say think before you judge and put yourself in that person’s shoes first. Not everything is what it seems.” Miriam is later named as one of the three who helped lead the children of Israel out of Egypt: God speaks: “I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” {It reads in Micah 6:4, ~ I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery . I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam.} Learning that team work between the three makes a big difference and they was never alone on this journey. Reading the relationship between Moses and Aaron that God knows our hearts and our capabilities, and He places us in positions suited for us. Aaron had to humble himself to accept God’s choice, and Moses had to accept the help. By working together, the brothers and Miriam accomplished much more than either of them could do alone. By Aaron serving faithfully as the spokesman for Moses, Aaron compensated for his brother’s weakness and feelings of inadequacy. Aaron, in turn, was given “dignity and honor” It reads in Exodus 28:2. Because of their cooperation with each other and with the Lord, the nation of Israel survived a difficult and challenging time. {Let’s Pray} Father God, I thank You and praise You that sometimes You have to step in our sin to get us to snap out of it and to walk in righteousness. I thank You and praise You that You made Miriam a example of how we should walk so we don’t make You upset enough to show us the hard way out of our selfishness. I thank You and praise You that You can make a bad situation through us work out for Your glory and our good. I thank You and praise You for Your word of truth and the amazing way they all point to Jesus Christ, Who is the one and only way to You, and that by faith in the redemptive power of Jesus shed blood on the Cross, we may receive forgiveness of sin and life everlasting. I thank You and praise You that Jesus Christ ever lives to make intercession for His people and I believe that I too may learn to pray without ceasing, to give thanks in all things, and to love You with all my heart and soul and mind and strength and You fulfill our needs in our weakness. I love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the honor and glory in Your Precious Name Jesus Amen.
{Power Verse} Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Proverbs 31:8
Father God let this encourage and touch someones heart today in Jesus Precious Name Amen. May we see Esther’s life as an example of how to continue to follow God through both joyous and challenging seasons of life. Despite adversity that we will face, God has equipped and empowered us to overcome and accomplish the purposes good God has for us. I invite you to learn and be inspired by Esther in the Bible who never wavered in her commitment to following God. In the face of adversity, Queen Esther demonstrated amazing courage. Esther was courageous when she spoke to King Xerxes of Persia asking him to spare the life of the Jews. She knew that her speaking up would have consequences, but she spoke up anyway. Esther wanted to defend her people. To follow God with boldness, she was willing to let go of her position or status to be led by God and follow out his calling. It reads in Read Esther Chapters 1-4, ~ “Queen Vashti Deposed” It reads in Esther 1:1 -22, ~ This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present. For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality. By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished. Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes. On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas, to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger. Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times 14 and were closest to the king Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom. “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.” Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord. “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.” The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed. He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.
“Esther Made Queen” It reads in Esther 2:1-18,~ Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it. Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died. When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem. Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her. Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name. When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.
“Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy” It reads in Esther 2:19-23, ~ When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up. During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.
Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews It reads in Esther 3-1-15, ~ After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes. In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur (that is, the lot) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar. Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.” So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.” Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring. Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, women and children, on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day. The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered. “Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help” It reads in Esther 4:1-17,~ When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes. When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why. So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people. Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.” When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.
{To all woman out there in this life. I want to know whether teens, single women in general, mom’s, grandmothers, Great grandmothers on and on. All women. God will equip you with all you need to courageously live out the calling He has placed on your life. Similarly, to Esther who rose to speak on behalf of the Jews, we must rise up and take our rightful place. With tenacity and zeal, I invite you step out and fulfill the specific assignment that God has for you. Same for men who respect and honor their lives and others. Mordecai respected and was dedicated to Esther his adopted daughter that he loved and cared for. We can learn from Esther’s story the value and importance of standing up for what is right, even when we are standing alone.} {Let’s Pray} Father God, I thank You and praise You that no problem we face in our life, church fellowship, local community, or nation, is too difficult for You and that You are the God of the possible and impossible. I thank You and praise You for Esthers boldness and encouragement. I thank You and praise You for Your truth and the book of Esther and the wonderful way that You used her and Mordecai to prevent the annihilation of the Jewish nation during the time of the Persian empire. I rejoice to see how their faith and hope in You was rekindled, and that despite their many failings, You used them to forward Your redemptive plan. Put us into families and set a father as the leader and role model for each family, but Lord, there are many families that are being torn apart by a spouse and or parent that has become addicted to alcohol, drugs or something worse. Knowing the damaging home wrecking stuff and the nature of this disease, I believe that You would prompt each one to turn away from this evil habit to become the responsible spouse and or parent that You desire each one to be. Lord Jesus, we know that there are many alcoholic spouses that abuse their spouses both physically and emotionally and that many children are also placed in danger due to abuse from an alcoholic spouse. And also Lord, we know that such drinking habits can often leave families with insufficient money to live on and poverty stricken. Protect all those that are vulnerable from all forms of abuse, and convict such people of the responsibilities of being loving spouse’s and dependable parents. We are believing that they turn from their evil ways to turn to You Lord Jesus, knowing that only in You is true freedom found. I commit all families that are in this position into Your safe-keeping in Your Precious Name Jesus Amen.
{Power Verse} He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luke 11:28
"Only Life Changes" 