delight

When Our Delight Overtakes Our Distractions {Psalm 1-4}

8:00 PM

Did you know there are only two kinds of people in this world?
Psalm 1 is actually an introduction to the rest of the Book of Psalms. It introduces us to the two different kinds of people that can be found throughout the Psalms and actually, the whole Bible. It speaks of the blessedness of the righteous and the misery and future of the wicked. It seems as though the author introduces us to the two ways of life in order for us to consider which category we fit in. I also found it interesting that all of this is based upon what we do with God’s Word, but I’m getting ahead of myself.  

“Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the way of the wicked [following their advice and example],
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And on His law [teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.

And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season;
Its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.” –Psalm 1:1-3 (AMP)

Psalm 1 describes two ways to live: the way of the world, or the way of the Word. Those who “walk in the way of the wicked…” are simply people who settle on the world’s values. They are those who seek independence from God, those who have only a human or earthly perspective on life; who choose to live according to the world’s standards and not God’s. For a time this way of life may seem to be a prosperous life, but Psalm 1 makes it clear that it is only for a time, for in the end they will suffer and be blown away like chaff. 

BUT, not so the one who depends and delight in The Word of God! This one recognizes the worthlessness of the world’s wisdom and values and chooses to follow God’s Word. This is the one who chooses a life of faith (Jeremiah 17:7–8) that leads to fruitfulness, blessings and fellowship with God; both now and for eternity.
As I’ve meditate on these verses, I believe the key to the difference between the two is found in verse 2, “but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." Did you notice the progression: delight, then meditation? Delight is a response of the heart to something or someone—in this case, to God’s Word.
The word “delight” means a high degree of gratification or pleasure: joy, extreme satisfaction, something that gives great pleasure. (Like being able to enjoy a hot fudge sundae with all the fixings guilt-FREE! :-). It means we’re devouring and digging into the Scriptures to find every bit of treasure we can! No one ever described it better than the author of Psalm 119, 

Since I love your commands more than gold, even the purest gold.-Psalm 119:127
Instruction from your lips is better for me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.-Psalm 119:72

 David felt his desire for God was even more important than sleep,
When I think of you as I lie on my bed, I meditate on you during the night watches. -Psalm 63:6

 Job would say that his love for God’s Word was more important to him than food.
I have not departed from the commands from his lips; I have treasured the words from his mouth more than my daily food.- Job 23:12

 I found myself asking, “Is my delight for God’s Word like these men are describing?  Do I desire being in His Word more than food, sleep, or riches?

 The second response the author uses is the word, meditate. Meditation involves careful thought—it takes work, which needs to involve our will. To meditate means to saturate your mind. This word “meditate” has been described as a cow chewing their cud. It is the idea of mulling over something in the mind, and giving deep thought to it.

 The trouble is our lives are becoming more and more distracting. We’re becoming experts at multi-tasking, surfing, and skimming articles, but it’s getting harder to simply slow down and meditate on what we’re reading. Therefore, we’ve got to be intentional about finding a way to begin meditating on God’s Word if that’s truly our desire.

 I’ve come up with a few suggestions, but it’s going to be up to you to discover what works best for you.
·         Find a consistent time, place, and plan. Be intentional about your good intentions!
·         Read slowly and carefully.
·         Read out loud (which is implied in the Hebrew word for meditation in Psalm 1:2).
·         OR, listen to the Word read out loud to you, rewind and listen again.
·         Read prayerfully.
·         Read with a pen in hand.
·         Memorize texts that jump out to you.
·         Read with others and talk about what you’ve seen. (On WitW)

I’ve started trying to memorize Scriptures that jump out to me, by writing them down in several places throughout my home. First I’ll add them into my journal, then on sticky notes that are placed on the refrigerator, mirrors, etc. and finally on a decorative plate that I pass by often. I find by writing the verse(s) out several times it helps to truly break down the verse to gather it’s true meaning, and I can remember it far easier, which means I’m more apt to follow it.

 One example of this was after my mother went home to heaven; I became overwhelmed with the task of settling her estate! I immediately went to work calling companies to cancel all her accounts and so forth, and I found my brain became so filled with the daunting task that I was becoming very forgetful about other important or even simple tasks, and the stress was becoming overwhelming. The Lord jumped in almost immediately with the verse in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God…” It kept popping up everywhere; even the song, which includes Psalm 46:10 was sung at my mother’s funeral, and I knew instantly it was meant for me. Since, I can’t begin to describe to you how many times the Lord has used it to speak to my heart and the instant peace that washes over me. (He is so good!)

 I believe the greatest benefit that comes from delighting in and meditating on God’s Word is knowing the God of the Word more deeply and intimately, rather than simply knowing His Word. When He begins to reveal Himself to you more and more through your time spent in His Word, your heart will also be able to echo the words of Job, David and the author of Psalm 119.     

 I pray all of us will lay hold of the blessings of Psalm 1 as we begin to delight in God’s Word and seek to strengthen our relationship with our Lord and Savior this year through intentionally meditating on His words to each of us.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Through the month of May we'll be reading through The Book of Psalms and I can think of no better place to begin if you truly desire to know God better. If you'd like to join us for this adventure, I want to invite you to join a wonderful eclectic group of women from all over the world on a Facebook group we call Women in the Word! Simply click the link and there will be someone there to welcome you to our group!

God's Mercy

The Challenger Becomes The Challenged {Job 38:1-42:17}

12:00 AM


I don’t know about you, but the book of Job is one of the hardest for me to get through. It’s a book filled with suffering, unanswered questions, and a man seemingly punished because of the whim of the enemy. I too have experienced times in my life where like Job I cry out to God, “Why?” I demand to know His reasons behind what is happening in my life and challenge Him for answers. But like Job soon discovered, God is not One to be challenged. And the lesson to be learned is that He is sovereign in every and all aspect of our lives, and we need to trust that He knows exactly what He’s doing.

Chapter 38 begins with God speaking to Job, “out of the whirlwind and said, ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man and I will ask you, and you will instruct Me!’”(vs. 38:1:3) Could you just imagine? Waiting for God to respond and He comes back with this! Eugene Peterson simplifies God’s challenge, “Why do you confuse the issue? Why do you talk without knowing what you’re talking about? Pull yourself together, Job! Up on your feet! Stand tall! I have some questions for you, and I want some straight answers!” And over the next few chapters God asks Job a series of questions that as a mere human, he can’t possibly answer.

In Isaiah 55:9 God declares, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” There is no way we can ever understand why God does what He does. And you know what? We don’t need to. All we need to do is obey His will even when we don’t comprehend or even agree with it. For there is only one Living God, and we aren’t Him. “He is the Creator, we are the Created. He is the Original, we are the image. He is our Friend, but not our peer.” (Dr. Charles Stanley) In verse 38:4 God asks Job, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me if you have understanding.” God is warning that if Job, or us for that matter, dare to question His dealings with us, we’d better be able to prove that we have the same knowledge and wisdom that He does. And of course, we don’t.

I don’t think that God minds us asking questions. After all He is the One who gave us an inquisitive nature. And there’s not a single Christian who at some time hasn’t had doubts or questions. It comes with being human. Instead I think God looks at the motive behind our questioning. In verse 40:2 God asks Job, “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?” When we cry out to God from a point of pain and truly wanting to know His will, He understands. Even Jesus Himself while nailed to the Cross cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46) What gets us into trouble is when from a prideful heart we question God or His authority because we think we know better, or have the audacity to presume that the God of the universe owes us an explanation.

In the end after his encounter with God, Job understands just how wrong he was and confesses, “I have heard of You by hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” (vs. 42:5-6) And how does God respond? By blessing, “the latter days of Job more than his beginning.” (vs. 42:12)  Once again God shows that even in His sovereignty, He is loving, caring, and eager to bless our obedience. James 5:11 talks about Job this way, “You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” 

As long as we are on the earth, we will all have to deal with suffering in our lives. So the next time you are knee deep in sorrow, remember that even though you may not understand the reason for your troubles, God does. And He will see you through to the other side. Because of this you, like Job can say, “Though He will slay me, I will hope in Him.” (Job 13:15)


Esther

SoulSearching Sunday - Heaven Bound!

12:00 AM

Sunday, April 29, 2018



Week Seventeen

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Esther 1 - Job 37:24...

 1. What is your calling? In what current life situations do you think God has placed you to make a difference for Him? Knowing that everything you do can be an act of worship - or rebellion - against the LORD, how will you live?

 “If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. What’s more, who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

 2. God is actively at work in every part of your life. Every event, every word that you utter, and every emotion you feel is consequential. It all matters. Reflect on a time when something that seemed small at the time turned out to be significant, and how God used it for your growth and His glory.

 “He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts to each other and to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.” (Esther 9:22)

 3. What do you anticipate for the afterlife? What excites you most about being heaven-bound? How does your knowledge of heaven and the things to come impact how you live on earth? Worship God for the knowledge that He lives and that you will see Him face-to-face.
“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought! (Job 19:25-27)


Brownies

Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

10:11 AM


Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

3 large eggs, divided use
6 tablespoons, softened
1 cup sugar, divided
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Separate two eggs, putting each white in a separate bowl (discard yolks or save for another use); set aside. In a small bowl, beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar until crumbly. Beat in the whole egg, one egg white and vanilla until well combined. Combine flour and cocoa; gradually add to egg mixture until blended. Pour into a 9-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray; set aside. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth. Beat in the second egg white. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls over the batter; cut through batter with a knife to swirl. Bake 25-30 minutes or until set and edges pull away from sides of pan. Cool on a wire rack.

Comfort

Scripture Saturday ~ Our LORD's comfort

12:00 AM


Saturday, April 28, 2018



Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verses are Psalm 23:1-3. Initially I had scheduled just verse 2  to memorize, but how could I not include the other verses in the stanza? 

 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. (ESV)

 Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!

Angie Benjamin

Hills and Valleys {Job 15:1-21:34}

10:30 PM




For I know: My Redeemer lives

But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last and after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! (Job 19:25-26)

Job endured many tests and trials, but his patience and faith triumphed at the end (We will see this at the end of the study on this book).

I believe we have all gone through mountaintop experiences as well as "valleys".
We have all gone through dry times in our prayer and personal time with the Lord. Times when we have experienced God so intensively at a service at church and some other times when we haven't quite "felt" anything.

There are times when we can hear God so clearly and yet others when we cannot hear anything at all.

One thing for sure is that God is with us whether we feel Him or not.

Faith is not based on feelings, is about certainty.. knowing... Knowing that our Redeemer lives...Knowing who our God really is.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.- Hebrews 11:1
We can walk through life with hope, peace and joy knowing that God knows what He is doing in us, through the trials and tests that we will all inevitably have to go through, as long as we live in this broken, corrupted and fallen world.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

So today, you may be facing great difficulty. Perhaps even feeling abandoned by all who are supposed to care for you. Job certainly did. But like Job, realize that YOUR REDEEMER LIVES and that He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you (Job 19:25)



Ask God to fill you with His presence and His peace.

Be patient and remain faithful, for God will come through for you, and you will be amazed!

Remain blessed and have an amazing weekend ahead :-)

PS. I'm leaving this video to encourage you today. This song blessed my life in a powerful way when I went through a very personal and painful loss last year. It's a great reminder that God remains the same and close to us whether we are on the "hills or valleys" of life. I pray it blesses your life today.. lots of love xx


Becky Austin

A Friend In Adversity (Job 6 - 14)

4:31 AM


Job is in a low place.  He’s overwhelmed, frustrated, grieving, and trying to make sense of all that is happening to him and all that he has lost.  In fact, his perspective is so depressed and bleak that he feels like God is punishing him.  He doesn’t understand why God would allow such tragedy and suffering.

““Oh that my vexation were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.”(6:2-4)

Can you relate?  Have you ever felt so stripped of what brought comfort and joy to your life that you can’t even imagine you will ever know joy in this life again? Perhaps, like Job, you find no purpose in even continuing to live and you welcome death to end your pain.  

I’ve been there and like Job, I found the well - intentioned advice of many of my friends to often just add to my confusion and pain.  I was in too dark of a place for “pat answers” and the judgements of others to benefit me.  Job’s friends insisted that Job must be under the judgement of God for sin in his life which would be remedied if Job confessed his wrongs. Job, although aware that he was far from sinless, also knew that he had been faithful in his walk with God. He needed comfort and encouragement to trust God’s love for Him, not condemnation for assumed blame. 
““He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”
(6:14)

In contrast, I was blessed to also have the experience of sincere, authentic Christian friendship extended to me as I dealt with my sorrows. These few friends encouraged me to work through my pain as they listened without judgement, prayed for and with me, and helped me process the pain including the pain of feeling abandoned by God. They encouraged me to be honest with God, and to continue in my pursuit of Him as I dealt with the negativity and disappointments. They knew that God was refining, stretching, challenging and growing me and they were willing to accompany me and share in my journey. 

What kind of friend are you when you see others struggling with trials, pain, heartache, depression and confusion?  The Bible encourages us to encourage and support one another.
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”(Hebrews10:24-25)

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”(Galatians 6:2)

We all will face difficult trials in this life and during those times we need the support of genuine friends who extend the love, compassion, and patience we need to process our pain.  We need friends who pray for us and encourage us to seek God as a friend as well.  


I want to love you without clutching
Appreciate you without judging
Join you without invading
Invite you without demanding
Leave you without guilt
Criticise you without blaming
And help you without insulting
If I can have the same from you
then we can truly meet
and enrich each other
           Author Unknown

God

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? {Job 1-5}

8:00 PM



Why do bad things happen to good people? Have you ever found yourself wondering, just why does God allow His people to suffer if He loves us and we have been faithful to Him? The Book of Job teaches us that our sufferings may be caused by a lot of things. Our suffering doesn’t necessarily mean God is angry with us, or that we’re being punished for our sins.

We’re never told who wrote the book of Job. The Jews tend to believe it was written by Moses, and others think Job was written by Solomon. Most believe Job lived prior to the Law of Moses being written, therefore, this book gives us a glimpse into how life was prior to then.

The Bible is quick to point out three important things about Job:

1.)  He was a good family man. Even though he lived in an age when it was common for a man to have many wives, he had only one (Job 2:9). Job had a large family of seven sons and three daughters (Job 1:2).
2.) He was a very rich man. The Bible says he was “the greatest of all the people of the East” (Job 1:3). He owned thousands of sheep, camels, donkeys, and oxen. He also had many servants.
3.) He was a very good man; “blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). He rose early in the mornings to offer sacrifices to God on behalf of his children (Job 1:5). AND God held up Job as a good example to Satan: “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8)?

Have you ever wondered if God and Satan ever had a similar conversation about you?

Satan believed that the only reason Job served God was because God blessed him, but if his blessings were taken away, Job would curse Him. So, God gave Satan permission to test Job, and only placed one restriction on Satan. He was not allowed to harm Job himself (Job 1:9-12). Have you ever wondered if you would remain as faithful as Job if the same was permitted to happen to you?

Satan then tempts Job by taking away all his wealth, and sending a storm to wipe out all of Job’s children at one time. BUT Job did not curse God, but instead he worshiped Him by saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” -Job 1:21, 22.

Though Satan wasn’t done! He’s not about to give up that easily!! We all know that for a fact!

 Satan then goes back and says, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has, he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face” (Job 2:4,5). God gives Satan permission to afflict Job’s body, but prevents him from taking Job’s life, which tells us that our God reigns over the evil and the good. He has limited Satan’s power.

Satan afflicts Job with terrible sores which covered his entire body. Job has lost his children, his possessions and now his health is impacted. Job’s wife has already given up and encourages him to “Curse God and die” (Job 2:9). But even then Job replies, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”! Does that amaze you as much as it does me? Job continued to trust in God in spite of everything!

Much of the rest of the book is made up of the speeches between Job’s three so-called, “friends” and Job’s replies to them, until finally God begins to speak!

If you’ve ever read through the Book of Job, you’ve probably already noticed that God never reveals to any of them His previous conversations with Satan! They never truly find out why all this has happened to Job, but there are more than a few important truth that we can learn from Job’s story that will help us when we face trials of any kind, and if I’ve missed some, I hope you’ll feel free to add them!

  •  God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. His wisdom is far above anything that we can ever understand. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
    Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9
  •  We can count on our faith in Him! If one truly has faith in God, he will remain faithful to God no matter what happens. We may not understand what is happening, but we can trust God because God loves us and knows what is best for us. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”- Romans 8:28
  • God has a plan for our life!  For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. – Jeremiah 29:11
  • There are times when innocent people suffer in this life along with wicked ones. Natural disasters such as floods and famines affect everybody. Accidents happen. Sickness and especially death will come to everyone. “…for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him].” – Mt 5:45 (AMP)
  • Satan has only limited power over us. Only God is Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent.
  • Satan may use others to try to discourage us. In Job’s case, Satan used his wife and his three friends. We must seek first and foremost seek His kingdom and His way of doing things. (Mt 6:33)
  • Like Job, we to must learn to endure the hardships of life. You know how we call those blessed (happy) who were steadfast [who endured]. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the Lord’s [purpose and how He richly blessed him in the] end, inasmuch as the Lord is full of pity and compassion and tenderness and mercy.”- James 5:11.

Finally, this life is fleeting. The older I get, the better I understand that fact! The Bible tells us that a day is like a thousand years and a thousands years is but a day to God (2Pet 3:8). God has such a little while to conform us into His Son’s likeness and He will use everything He can to conform us, including the trials we face today. I honestly used to dread God and Satan ever having that same conversation about me, for I liked the world’s idea of a blessed life (Palm trees and white sandy beaches included). I will probably never get to the point of asking The Lord to send more trials, but when they do come, I trust the Lord to walk with me through them knowing I will be blessed because of them.

Lisa Thayer

Where is God? {Esther 5:1 - 10:3}

12:30 AM


April 24, 2018

Where is God?  As you read the book of Esther, did you wonder why God isn’t mentioned once?  Do we even know who wrote the book of Esther? Who is Esther?   What is the purpose of this book?

Let me begin with who wrote this book.  It is unknown who wrote the book of Esther, but it was most likely a Jew and someone very familiar with the Persian court.  It was more than likely an eyewitness to the accounts that occurred.  Some believe it was Mordecai himself, while others believe it was someone younger than him who witnessed the lives of Mordecai and Esther.
  
The Persian name Esther means “Star”.  And a Star she became to the Jewish people.  The events of the book of Esther occurred between 483 BC and 473 BC, during the first half of the reign of King Xerxes.  During this time the first remnant of Jews who had returned to Judah were struggling to reestablish temple worship according to the Law of Moses.  But Esther and Mordecai, along with many other Jews, chose not to make the trip back to Judah. 

Back to my first question; where is God, and why isn’t He mentioned in the book of Esther?  God is not absent in this book – His presence permeates much of the story.  It’s like God is behind the scenes coordinating the circumstances to make His will happen. 

We may not recognize God’s skill in this book, but early Jewish readers would have noticed the eight feasts mentioned here and this book uses a Hebrew literary device in which mirrors each other inside out.  They would have recognized the significant events and followed the rising tension with understanding.

The evil Haman was a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites, who were ancient enemies of God’s people (Numbers 24:7; 1 Samuel 15:8).  He cast the lot, called “pur”, in order to determine the day that the Jews would be obliterated (Esther 3:7-9)  

The primary purpose of the book of Esther was to relate the dramatic origins of the feast of Purim.  The sovereignty and faithfulness of God permeate each scene in this book.  Nothing is coincidental.  God’s sovereignty is best summarized in Mordecai’s exhortation to Esther, “And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”  Esther 4:14

Image result for purim


When it seemed like the events were out of control to Esther and Mordecai, when evil was ready to triumph, God was at work.  He worked through the dark days when Esther was taken into the harem (2:1-16).  God was at work during their faithful obedience and Esther risked her life before the king (5:1-3).  God was at work when Esther revealed Haman’s evil plot and the Jew’s destruction of their enemies (7 – 9).  The message is clear:  God is sovereign even when life doesn’t make sense. 

I don’t know about you, but I have been at a place in life that seems very hard.  Difficult times do happen and pain cannot be avoided.  Life just doesn’t make sense.  Do you run to God or do you turn away from Him?  As you look to the book of Esther, let it encourage you to remember that God is ALWAYS present.

Trust and obey, as Esther did, and watch God silently weave all events for His glory.   And for our good!




Image result for esther 9:22

Esther

Don’t Give Up {Esther 1:1-4:17}

12:00 AM



We all have times when striving to do the right thing and serving the Lord feels too hard or like a burden. We get caught up in the unfair circumstances life hands us, and wallow in self pity. We wonder where God is and get impatient waiting for answered prayers. Mordecai could have felt this way too. An exiled Jew, he could have grown weary of persecution and of waiting for God to fulfill His promises. But instead he lived a life of faith and obedience. Whatever God asked of him he did. He never gave up and never compromised; even when his life and the life of the Jewish people hung in the balance.

The book of Esther tells us that Mordecai was living in Susa caring for his orphaned cousin Hadassah (Esther). That couldn’t have been an easy thing to do. A single man trying to take care of himself along with raising a young woman. Yet that’s just what he did. He stepped up and embraced his obligations under the Law of God. And he did so fully. Instead of treating her as a burden, we are told Mordecai loved Esther as a daughter and cared for her as he would his very own. No matter what God asks us to do; no matter our circumstances or the inconvenience, we are to do it faithfully and cheerfully with joy in our hearts. The last thing He wants is for us to serve Him begrudgingly or out of a sense of duty. The Bible tells us to do everything “heartily, as to the Lord” (Col. 3:23), and to serve Him “with gladness” (Ps. 100:2).  

After queen Vashti was removed from the throne because of her refusal to come at the king’s command, King Ahasuerus issued a decree that all the young beautiful virgins in the region be brought to him; from which he would choose a new queen. Imagine Mordecai’s distress. He wouldn’t have wanted his dear Esther to be taken to join a gentile King’s harem. What kind of life would that be for a young Jewish girl. Could you imagine having to give up your child to enter into a lifestyle that went against all you believed in? But walking in faith, Mordecai sent her to the palace to be prepared and presented to the king with the advice to use wisdom and not reveal that she was a Jew.  

After Esther was taken Mordecai didn’t give up and go home leaving Esther to her own devices. Instead he continued to do the right thing by loving her as a father and walking, “back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared.” (vs. 2:11) Unknown to Mordecai, God was working behind the scenes to deliver His people of Israel. And in verse 2:17 we learn, “The king loved Esther more than all the women and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.”

In yet another example of the character of Mordecai, we learn that sometime later while sitting at the king’s gate, Mordecai learns of a plot against the king which he then shares with queen Esther.  And Esther, “told the king in the name of Mordecai” (Esther 2:22) You’d think that this would earn Mordecai some sort of reward, but instead it was merely recorded in the king’s Book of the Chronicles and soon forgotten. If that had happened to me I might have felt sorry for myself and thought, “See if I ever save the king’s life again!” But not Mordecai. He remained loyal and steadfast. Especially when faced with going against what he knew was right.

Later in the story we learn of a wicked man named Haman who was in the king's service. Haman wanted to be worshiped and demanded that the people bow to him by order of the king. But because of his strong faith, Mordecai wouldn’t compromise against God’s commandment to never bow down in worship to anyone but Him. And so at the risk of losing his life, he refused to get on his knees before the newly elevated Haman. Even when day after day other officials tried to get him to change his mind, Mordecai refused to disobey God. This caused Haman to despise Mordecai, who not being content with only killing Mordecai, “sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.” (v. 3:6) But as we’ll see later, God had other plans. And we know that nothing can stop the plans of God. 

Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of a man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.” When we fear the Lord we have no need to fear anything this world can throw at us. We too can stand in the face of opposition, remembering that the most brilliant diamonds are created under the greatest of pressure. So be like Mordecai. Never give up. Be the diamond that God created you to be; strong, uncompromising in faith, and shining brightly for the world to see. 

Ezra

SoulSearching Sunday ~ Pray BIG Prayers

12:00 AM

Sunday, April 22, 2018



Week Sixteen

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Ezra 1 - Nehemiah 13:31...

 1. Sometimes we limit God in our minds, assuming that He can’t or won’t answer a specific prayer. What big requests would you like to present to the LORD? Pray big prayers and have faith that God can do what to the human mind seems positively impossible.

 “In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the LORD fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy by stirring the heart of Cyrus to put his proclamation into writing and to send it throughout his kingdom.” (Ezra 1:1)

 2. What causes you to delay in confessing your sins? What sins have been piling up and now block the way to wholehearted worship. Lay them all before the LORD - remove anything that stands between you and the Savior.

 “I prayed, ‘O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens.’” (Ezra 9:6)

 3. Write down these three headings: participation, holiness and joy. Consider how you have experienced each in your worship - whether personally or corporately. Jot down ways you can incorporate these elements into your worship habit.
“Here is the list of the priests and Levites who had returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the high priests: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra…” (Nehemiah 12:1)


dinner rolls

Garlic Herb Cheese Bombs

11:19 AM



Garlic Herb Cheese Bombs


Dinner Roll Dough 
Mozzarella cheese sticks (cut into one inch cubes)
4-5 Garlic cloves (diced)
3 tbsp. butter
Parsley finely chopped
Salt

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Defrost your dinner roll by leaving out on the counter. Flatten out the dough. Place cube of mozzarella into center of dough and roll-up. Mix parsley, garlic and a pinch of salt into small bowl. Add melted butter and mix together. Brush mixture over tops of each roll. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Comfort

Scripture Saturday ~ Face-to Face

12:00 AM

Saturday, April 21, 2018


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verses are Job 19: 25, 26...

 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in  my body, I will see God! I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes.  (NLT)

 Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!

Mari Sandoval

Building Up in Love {Nehemiah 5-7}

9:00 PM




Chapter four ended with great victory! The people of God were doing the work of God, and they did it despite all obstacles. They worked with a sword in one hand and their weapon in the other, and they would not let their enemies stop them! (Neh. 4:17-23) But in chapter five, we find that the work stopped because of opposition among God's people. The enemy could not stop the work of God by direct attack, but the work stopped when God's people weren't unified and working together!

“Now there was a great outcry of the [poorer] people and their wives against their Jewish brothers [to whom they were deeply in debt]” (5:1 AMP)

When God's people fight one another they certainly are neither fighting the real enemy nor getting God's work done.

Is any of this familiar to you? Isn’t this actually happening in some of our families and churches? At work, school and even in our own Country?



“What leads to [the unending] [a]quarrels and conflicts among you? Do they not come from your [hedonistic] desires that wage war in your [bodily] members [fighting for control over you]? 2 You are jealous and covet [what others have] and [b]your lust goes unfulfilled; so you [c]murder. You are envious and cannot obtain [the object of your envy]; so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask [it of God].” (James 4:1-2 AMP)

Jesus said: “Any kingdom that is divided against  itself is being laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will [continue to] stand.” (Matt. 12:25)

Nehemiah was a Godly man and he wisely confronted them in love, even though these people where “building a wall of separation” among their brethren and he also took the proper steps for restoration (5:9-11).

"When God shows his people a particular sin that we are guilty of, He doesn't tell us to take our time dealing with it.  No, He says, `Deal with it now.' When we realize we are doing wrong, now is the time to stop it.  Making long range plans to correct a problem allows the sands of time to hone off the raw edges of God's reproof in our lives.  We end up tolerating that sin and maybe even protecting it.  Such laxity greatly concerns our Lord.  A prompt and thorough dealing with wrong in our lives is essential." (Chuck Swindoll)


Paul gives us the following instructions: “So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation], 2 with all humility [forsaking self-righteousness], and gentleness [maintaining self-control], with patience, bearing with one another [a]in [unselfish] love. 3 Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful].” (Ephes. 4:1-3)

So let us not be weary and let our arms fall in dismay, for we have much work to do! We must fall on our knees and humbly pray without ceasing to our God, so He can overcome those separation walls and restore all broken relationships! Yes, He is Able AND He is Faithful (we can pray these verses in Eph. 4 for ourselves and our loved ones)!!

“But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ. 16 From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up [b]in [unselfish] love.” (Ephes. 4:15-16)


May we as Nehemiah, be willing to continue the good work: building up in love! (Neh. 5:14-18)
Blessings my sisters!!
Mari