Tag: Jesus

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

Against All Odds

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from the Love God Greatly Journal, For Such A Time As This, p1811

Read: Esther 9:1-10 and SOAP: Psalm 71:13

Bring disgrace and destruction on my accusers.
    Humiliate and shame those who want to harm me.

Psalm 71:13 NLT

I love the “BUT GOD” moments of everyday life and consider them nuggets of gold when I find them in His Word. I’ve even been compiling a list of them from my own life for years. I especially love today’s moment where it is written, “In the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), on its thirteenth day, the edict of the king and his law were to be executed. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had supposed that they would gain power over them. But contrary to expectations, the Jews gained power over their enemies (Esther 9:1).

Haman’s edict to kill all of the Jews was scheduled for this day. But God, through His sovereign power, intervened, and the Jews were not only spared, but they also put to death their enemies, including the sons of Haman (Esther 9:1, 5-10). With this in mind, when I read Psalm 71:13, I couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps Esther or Mordecai, or any number of the other Jews who prayed and fasted in those three days before Esther approached the King, prayed a prayer similar to David’s prayer. Did they ask God for Haman and the others rising up against them to be humiliated and defeated? Did they pray for those who wanted to harm them to be covered with scorn and disgrace? From the outcome of death and shame that came to Haman, his family, and the others who rose up against the Jews, it seems very possible, or at least quite plausible, to think this is exactly how they prayed.

May we not lose heart in our battles. May we remember that contrary to expectations, the Jews who were supposed to die at the hands of wicked men, instead, (surely by Your hands), gained power over their enemies and lived to celebrate the triumph and deliverance You gave to them. May our eyes be open to see Your fingerprints and all the ‘but God moments’ of our own lives – and may we be quick to celebrate and rejoice – giving God all the glory.

Today’s devotional by Love God Greatly is below (I apologize for marking it up so much but it is exceptionally good and inspiring). Soak it in, then ask God to remind you of a but God moment in your life and share it in the comment section. 💕

The More We Know

A question that came to my mind as I thought about this prayer was, how should we pray for those who rise up or plot against us today? A couple of verses came to mind as I considered this question, the first being Matthew 5:44, where Jesus taught that we are not only to love our enemies but pray for them. The second verse that came to mind was Romans 12:19, where Paul used a quote from Deuteronomy to remind the people that vengeance belongs to God. – May God guide us in our battles with the enemy/enemies of our lives. May our prayers be based on love and the knowledge that vengeance belongs to the Lord. May we trust God to stand with us and fight for us and deal with the enemy as He sees fit.

But I say love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 5:44

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Romans 12:19
  1. Journal entry by Love God Greatly; embellishments/notes by me ↩︎

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

Delivered by Grace

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From the journal of the LGG Study, For Such A Time As This, p177/w6d2

Read: Esther 8:1-17 and SOAP: Proverbs 28:20

A faithful person will have an abundance of blessings,
but the one who hastens to gain riches will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 28:20

What an appropriate picture Proverbs 28:20 gives us of Esther’s story. Esther and Mordecai acted faithfully even in the face of certain death and the annihilation of their people. Haman, however, sought the riches of fame and fortune at all costs. I can’t help but pray this prayer found on page 174 of this session’s journal: “Give me the courage to live for You and invest my life for Your glory not mine.”

Let’s recap our story thus far and trace the fingerprints of God: Queen Vashti was dethroned in a fit of the King’s anger … A search was set in motion throughout all the kingdom’s provinces for a new queen … Esther. a Jew lived within the radius of the search and fit all of the specifications, and won the favor of the King … Mordecai, Esther’s relative who raised her, sat in the King’s gate and overheard not only a threat against the King’s life but word of the edict to annihilate the Jews … Mordecai sent word through Esther of the threat against the King. The King’s life was spared and Mordecai was eventually honored for this … Mordecai also made Esther aware of the edict which led to a time of prayer and fasting by the Jews and courage for Esther to approach the King and seek his help for her people … Esther’s courage and wisdom are testimonies to God’s guidance, and clearly answers to the prayer and fasting.

The deliverance we read about in today’s portion of the story could only come from the hand of God! The wicked Haman, who sought wealth and fame through his conniving ways with the King and a treacherous plot against Mordecai and the Jews, was rightfully put to death; and now his estate was handed over to Esther, and the King’s signet ring, once given to Haman for the edict against the Jews, was now given to Mordecai. So while the edict could not be rescinded, the King pointed out that they could write a decree according to what they believed to be right for the Jews. Oh, the creative plans and power of our God. While His name is not on the pages we’ve read, surely His fingerprints are everywhere in Esther’s story.

I was caught up in the miraculous deliverance of the Jews, and in the story of their rejoicing and celebrations, I couldn’t help but think of our own cause for rejoicing and celebration. From the beginning of time, in the garden, the cost of our sin has been death.1 This decree was not rescinded, for Paul wrote in Romans 6:23 that “wages of sin is death…2” Yet, just as God did for the Jews in Esther’s story, He made a way for us where there seemed to be no way. John’s declaration that God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life is a testament of that Way3. For, as John went on to explain, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:16-17). Paul later attests to this in his letter to the Church in Rome, when he wrote, “There is now no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). – To which my heart resounds with the chorus … “Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!“

Father, thank You – that as Your people rejoiced in the day of Esther for Your miraculous deliverance from death to life, we, too, can rejoice. For Your marvelous, matchless grace has been poured upon our lives! We celebrate Your loving kindness that has come to us because of Jesus Christ! Oh, what a joy to know Your grace! – May we demonstrate this in all we do and say. In the name of Jesus – Amen!

The More We Know

From today’s journal entry by LGG, p177

Mordecai’s story is a beautiful example of faithfulness. He didn’t seek honor or wealth for himself. Yet, God raised him to a position of great influence and entrusted him with the responsibility to save his people. .. In contrast, Haman’s pursuit of wealth, status, and honor led to his downfall. …Proverbs 28:20 reminds us that while society often praises the rich and powerful, God values faithfulness above all. The rewards of faithfulness may not always be immediate or visible. Still, they are eternal and far greater than any earthly wealth.

In a world that often pushes us to chase after success, recognition, and material wealth, we are called to something different. Instead of striving for more, let’s strive to be faithful – faithful to God, faithful to the calling He has placed on our lives, and faithful to the people He has placed around us.

Sweet friend, are you feeling overlooked or tempted to measure your worth by the world’s standards? Take heart – God sees your faithfulness, even in the small, unseen moments. And in His perfect time, He will bless you in ways that far exceed anything this world can offer.

  1. Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17 ↩︎
  2. For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 ↩︎
  3. Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 ↩︎

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

Blessing of Promise and Hope

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From the LGG Journal, For Such A Time As This, p148

Read: Esther 6:12-14 and SOAP: Genesis 12:3.

I Will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

Genesis 12:3

What joy and encouragement it is to know that we share in God’s blessing of promise and hope that He spoke to Abram so long ago. In all the chaos, pain, and suffering of this world may we never lose sight of the One to whom we belong. May we rest in the truth that He is faithful and trustworthy, and that His love never fails. And may we live lives that make these truths known to others – that they may also share in the blessing God spoke to Abraham.

Do you know the God of Abraham? Check out the truths that can make you part of the family of God. It would be my greatest pleasure to introduce you to Him. Click on the link below.
https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/

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

Pushing Pause

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Based on w3d5 of For Such a Time As This, by Love God Greatly, p109

Read: Esther 4:15-17 and SOAP: Psalm 32:8

I will instruct and teach you about how you should live. I will advise you as I look you in the eye.

Psalm 32:8

Esther’s story is full of drama, and for those unfamiliar with the story, there is undoubtedly intrigue. The Jews are facing annihilation by edict of the king. Mordecai has sent word for Esther to talk to the king about what is about to happen and why. Esther has responded with the reminder that she cannot do that because entering the king’s presence without invitation can end in death, and most recently, Mordecai has lovingly and necessarily admonished Esther with the reminder that “she may very well have achieved royal status for such a time as this.” Today, we read Esther’s reply, a beautiful and bold statement of her faith. May we be so bold with our faith.

 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast on my behalf. Don’t eat and don’t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. If I perish, I perish.”

Esther 4:15-16
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

When the Stakes are High

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based on w3d3 of For Such A Time As This, by Love God Greatly, p101

Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king;
    his throne is made secure through love.

Proverbs 20:28

Consider this question as you read today’s journal entry: When the ways or call of God on your life come with “high stakes,” what do you do?

I’ve shared today’s LGG Journal page … but what I encourage you to read is their blog post for this day. It’s truly one of the best I’ve ever read from them. Please use the link below, as we are a week behind their schedule. – Friends, if you are short on time, scroll past the devotion and read the blog post – you won’t want to miss it.

Corrie and Esther’s stories should encourage our unsteady hearts to not give way to fear but to trust that God’s faithful love will serve as our sure foundation. Earthly authority may not give an audience to our petitions, but as God’s royal daughters we always have total access to the loving ear of God Almighty. You and I can confidently approach His throne of grace today and find the mercy and help we desperately need for whatever situation we are facing.  

LoveGodGreatly.com/w3d3blogpost – click the button below for the full post
Don’t miss the full Post

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

Trustworthy Counsel

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Based on w3d1 of LGG’s For Such A Time As This

Read: Esther 3:12-15 and SOAP Proverbs 25:19

“Like a bad tooth or a foot out of joint, so is confidence in an unfaithful person at the time of trouble.” Proverbs 25:19

Friends, I am having ongoing problems with my eye and am trying to limit my screen time. Unfortunately, since my job requires a good deal of screen time, blogging and studying must be curtailed for at least another week. Meanwhile, I will be posting the journal entries here along with the reading for the day, as well as links for more insight. – I hope you’ll stick with me for the journey and keep my eye situation in your prayers.

For more insight visit: https://lovegodgreatly.com/for-such-a-time-as-this/signet-ring/