Tag: Haman

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

A Victorious God

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From the journal of the LGG Study, For Such A Time As This, p171

Read: Esther 7:9-10 and SOAP: Proverbs 26:27

If you set a trap for others,
    you will get caught in it yourself.
If you roll a boulder down on others,
    it will crush you instead.

Proverbs 26:27

It never gets old seeing God so visibly at work and/or seeing His Word played out in our own lives or on the pages of Scripture. What perfect correlation is seen in Haman hanging on the gallows he had built to hang Mordecai from, and the words of today’s Proverb: If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead.

As I read through today’s micro portion of Esther’s story, I found myself rejoicing when I read the words: “They hanged Haman on the very gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.” However, I immediately felt bad for celebrating the demise of another person, but in searching my heart, I was reminded I wasn’t celebrating the death of a man but the victory of our God over the wicked enemy. As battles loom around or in us, what a blessing to know that our God is fighting for us. He goes before us, comes around, and behind us. Isaiah shared this message from God: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.1“ We can rest assured, no matter the enemy or the battle, our God is with us and in perfect control. There is no enemy He cannot defeat nor battle He cannot win.

As today’s journal entry points out, when we look beyond the story of Haman’s demise, we will find a warning that we would be wise not to miss. Check it out below. (Note this entry is also available at lovegodgreatly.com)

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study

God Has the Final Word

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From the journal of the LGG Study, For Such A Time As This, p161

Read: Esther 7:7-8 and SOAP: Proverbs 16:4

The Lord has worked everything for his own ends—
even the wicked for the day of disaster.

Proverbs 16:4

I believe this is the first time I’ve read Esther’s story broken up into short segments. However, I must say that I’ve appreciated digesting it like this. It has helped me not only focus on specific actions, words, and reactions, but it has also helped me to visualize God’s sovereignty in micro detail rather than just the bigger picture. Something I noticed and shared yesterday bears repeating today: God’s presence is indisputable.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Romans 8:28

”Romans 8:28 is one of my life verses and perhaps one of the reasons I am, more often than not, aware of and/or looking for God’s fingerprints throughout every day and situation. While I’m not certain this verse correlates with Proverbs 16:4, what I do know is that Esther and Mordecai loved God and were used and/or called, for such a time as this, to fulfill God’s purpose to save His people from Haman’s wicked plot to destroy the Jews. Not only that, but consider Mordecai’s presence at the gate of the King at just the right time to hear the plot to kill the king1 and later the plot to destroy the Jews.2 Consider also the fact that while many captives had returned to their homes,3 Esther and Mordecai were still within the radius of the search for a new queen, and out of all that were brought to the palace, it was Esther who totally captivated the King’s heart and was positioned by God to save His people from annihilation.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

God’s Indisputable Presence

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From the journal of the LGG Study, For Such A Time As This, p157

Read: Esther 7:5-6 and SOAP: Psalm 37:28

For the Lord promotes justice,
and never abandons his faithful followers.
They are permanently secure,
but the children of the wicked are wiped out.

Psalm 37:28

If we were to backtrack on our journey through Esther’s story, we would see that there was a time when telling the king about her heritage was not on Esther’s agenda. However, when Mordecai pushed her on the issue with his “for such a time as this” speech, she acquiesced with the condition that the people would pray and fast for a period of three days, and she would do the same.1 As we have seen. While God’s name has not been mentioned, the evidence that He not only heard the prayers but answered them is indisputable.

 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Esther 4:13-17

Today’s journal entry says it best …

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Prayer > Anxiety

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From the journal of the LGG Study, For Such A Time As This, p153

Read: Esther 7:1-4 and SOAP: Philippians 4:6

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Philippians 4:6

Sisters 💕 Philippians 4:6 is one of my life verses. It is a verse that has changed my life in many ways. It has not only rescued me from pits of anxiety and fear, but it has also taught me to pray and shown me that I can trust God with my life. This was a truth that Esther knew as well, which is why, from the time Mordecai called on her to make the plot to destroy the Jews known to the king, she insisted that she would only go before the king after a time of fasting and praying. Friends, may we always be so faithful to keep prayer at the forefront of the battles that we face.

Believing that God was with her, Esther does as Mordecai had instructed her. With courage and boldness, she reveals not only the slaughter planned for the Jews but the truth of who she is.

Posted in Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Trust God’s Timing

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From the journal, For Such a Time As This, by Love God Greatly, p145/w5d1

Read: Esther 6:10-11 and SOAP: Proverbs 25:6-7

Don’t demand an audience with the king
    or push for a place among the great.
7 It’s better to wait for an invitation to the head table
    than to be sent away in public disgrace.

Just because you’ve seen something,

Proverbs 25:6-7

Have you ever watched a contest and at the end, just as the announcer says, “the winner is…” the loser, certain that she has won, begins to step forward – only to hear some other name announced? As I read today’s portion of Esther’s story, this scenario filled my mind. I can’t help but imagine Haman, who was so certain that the King meant to honor him that he gave details of all he hoped to receive from King Xerxes, never dreaming the rewards and honor would go to his arch nemesis. I can only imagine the shock and displeasure/anger at hearing Mordecai’s name instead of his own. However, the humility and anger he must have felt having to clothe Mordecai in the royal garments worn by the king and lead him around on a horse the king had ridden – all the while shouting out a statement of the king’s wish to honor Mordecai. All of this was a far cry from the death he had planned for Mordecai and ‘his people.’

Pride goes before destruction,
    and haughtiness before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18

Today’s journal entry from the LGG journal, p 145, is a wonderful commentary and correlation between today’s portion of Esther’s story, the SOAP passage from Proverbs, and Proverbs 16:18, where we are given a warning about the dangers of pride. May it be a rich blessing and an encouragement to lay down any pride or self-seeking attitude we might be battling.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Truth & Love Go Hand-in-Hand

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From the Journal of: For Such A Time As This / w4d4, p131

READ: Esther 6:1-6 and SOAP: Proverbs 16:13

The king is pleased with words from righteous lips;
    he loves those who speak honestly.

Proverbs 16:13
The More We Know

What does it mean to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)?

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Faithful Covenant Love

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Read: Esther 5:12-14 and SOAP: Proverbs 14:22

Do not those who devise evil go astray? But those who plan good exhibit faithful covenant love.

Proverbs 14:22

Have you ever played the role of Haman? While I hate to admit it, I can look back on my life and see moments, if not seasons of ‘Haman’ in me. Perhaps you know the feeling as well … You know what you want in life, so you pursue it … There’s nothing wrong with that, but then you plan and plot and dwell on it. You are so focused on the end result that little else matters, and you chase after it at all costs. You find yourself unhappy with everyone and everything around you, and continue to plot and plan, determined to make your desire/dream a reality. Yet all the while, you are leading yourself further and further away from it.

Friends, one thing is clear – we cannot chase God’s way if our eyes are on ourselves and our desires, and/or the world around us.

Consider this, Haman already had a ranking position and the trust of the king, as well as the added glory of the people bowing to him. However, he was so angered by the fact that Mordecai would not bow to him … and so intent on destroying the Jews that he lost his way and fell prey to his own evil plans.

May God help us to keep our eyes on Him and always move toward what is good and right, that we might experience and exhibit His faithful covenant love. – Amen

The More We Know

Be sure and follow the link below for today’s wonderful post from Love God Greatly.

https://lovegodgreatly.com/for-such-a-time-as-this/desire-significance

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Be Careful What You Say

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Based on the LGG Study, For Such A Time As This, w2d5

Read: Esther 3:5-11 and SOAP: Psalm 52:2

All day long you plot destruction.
    Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor;
    you’re an expert at telling lies.

Psalm 52:2

Due to an ongoing problem with a recent injury to my eye, I am having to limit my time on the computer. Thankfully, today’s Love God Greatly journal entry is absolutely fabulous. It is insightful into what’s happening in the story of Esther and Mordecai, and it is filled with wise instruction for us today. I’m reminded again of the children’s song from the days of my childhood that was used to train children to be careful with what they saw, heard, said, did with their hands, or went with their feet – always circling around to the the final line of each chorus: “… there’s a Father up above and He’s looking down in love … oh be careful little ‘mouth what you speak.” If you’ve never struggled with what you say or using your words to manipulate others, then this may not register with you as it has with me, but something tells me every reader can benefit from the teaching of this passage and journal entry. May it be a rich blessing – and a rich lesson both for how we speak and who we listen to.