Monthly Archives: November 2017

Random Devotional Thoughts

Story of Queen Esther, Part Twelve.

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Peace for God’s People.

Esther  8:1-17

   We see here that Esther was a woman of great influence with the king. This was no doubt God’s doing and she was able to see to it that Mordecai was advanced to a high position….

But Esther wasn’t satisfied with just that….. the evil that Haman had put in place had to be reversed. So she begged the king that further letters be written to release the Jews  from the sentence of death that was still hanging over them.

Not only was this done, but authority was given to them to destroy those who were their enemies without fear of reparation. What a wonderful day of rejoicing that was for the Jews! Not only that, but many of the surrounding people saw the Jews’ deliverance and “became Jews” themselves. If we live our lives as God intends us to, people around us will see that we are different and want to know the peace of God as well. This is when there will be a listening ear and a ready heart to hear what God says to them.

It will be the same for all of God’s people at the end of time too, to see all wrongs righted and evil put away for ever. What great rejoicing there will be in heaven in that day! But before that time comes, it is up to God’s people to put right as much as they can of wrong in their lives and families now, so there will be no shame when they see the Lord face to face. (1 John 2:28)

What a wonderful day when wrong is put right,                                               When there’s  day without end  and no more dark night;                                   The master of evil no more to be seen,                                                                   We can’t understand what  this will all  mean!!

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Random Devotional Thoughts

Story of Queen Esther (Part Eleven)

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                                                 Only Good Reigns.  

Esther    9:1-32

    Chapter nine seems to go back in more detail over what has already been said in the previous chapter….

Mordecai was now promoted to Haman’s position, and whereas Haman was evil and self seeking, Mordecai was God-fearing and seeking the good of others. We see here the picture of Satan who always tries to tear down, and the Holy Spirit Who tries to encourage and build up God’s people. What a contrast!

We can also see in these two men the difference between a person who is godly and trying to do God’s will in obedience to His Word, and one who is selfish, greedy and ambitious. In other words the difference between a Spirit led believer and one who is controlled by the flesh. Sadly, there are Christians who allow the flesh to rule their lives.

So we see that when good is promoted what a difference it makes to a nation. There is prosperity…. notice that the Jews did not plunder their enemies…. and peace in the whole land once evil is dealt with and done away with.

We see God’s hand come in for good over His people….. in this case they had physical prosperity… but we as believers can also see God’s hand for good in our lives. It may not always be for physical good, but it is always for our spiritual good. Paul could write, ALL things work together for good to those who love God and who are called according to His plan (Romans 8:28).

We can see when we look back over our lives, that we always learn more of God’s care, provision and protection in the tough times than in the good times.

To learn from life is the main way, As we walk life’s path ev’ry day,

We see God’s hand around  us all, He picks us up  whene’er we fall.

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Random Devotional Thoughts

Story of Queen Esther, Part Ten

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                                                         Evil Dealt With.

Esther 7:1-10

       As the king strolled into Esther’s banquet room, he had no idea of all the emotions that had torn Haman apart that day. Haman was broken emotionally and before the evening was over, he would be totally destroyed…..

But at the banquet, he had to pretend that nothing was wrong, when in fact his pride had been trodden on with every clop of the horse’s feet that day. He was as shamed and as angry as a man could be. Not only that, but he had got no comfort at home from his wife and friends.

Now he had to look and act pleasant in front of the king and queen. The king was asking Esther once more, what her request was and what was the reason for the banquet. There she stood looking so sweet and beautiful, revealing the fact that she was one of these hated Jews who were scheduled to be destroyed shortly. The enemy was none other than  the king’s favourite, this “wicked”  Haman. The king rose up in anger, and paced up and down in the garden taking all this in.

Haman threw himself onto the queen’s couch begging for mercy. This only made the king angrier and when the servant piped up and said that Haman had built gallows for Mordecai, the king ordered him (Haman) to be hung on them. Less than twenty-four hours after they were built, Haman was taking his last breath there.

Truly, pride comes before a fall! Proverbs 16:18 -20 makes this very clear and the crux of the whole matter is contained in verse 20 where it shows that  those who trust in the Lord are the ones who are happy. Those who are always trying to climb the social ladder  are chasing a will-o’-the-wisp that will never bring real  joy and satisfaction.

We see here in our spiritual picture, that Satan is going to meet his doom one day, and although he seems to be flourishing in the world today, it is not going to last. He is doing his best now to drag God’s people down, but he will not have the last say.

Haman was filled with shame and dismay, As the queen told the king                                                             the truth that day,                                                       He was overcome with panic and fear, Knowing that his end was near.

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Random Devotional Thoughts

The Story of Queen Esther, Part Nine.

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                                            Pride Comes Before a Fall.

Esther 6: 4-14

   We see now that Haman’s star has begun to slip badly. Here he was rushing in to see the king first thing in the morning to get permission to see Mordecai swing from the gallows…

   The king meantime, had just woken up and was still thinking about his lack of a  reward for Mordecai for saving his life.

His first words to Haman  were, “What should be done to the man who the king wants to honour?” Haman in his arrogance immediately thought, “Who would that be but me?”  As his pride rose to the top, he told the king to have him robed in the highest uniform and insignia of the day, the king’s own clothes and crown in fact. The man was to be put on the king’s own horse and paraded around the city streets with trumpets blaring and placards saying that the king was honouring this man. How his face must have fallen when he was commanded to do this himself to his hated enemy Mordecai!

He nearly fell over in shock, but knew that to refuse was to sign his own death warrant. It would be impossible to know exactly how Haman felt, having to do this to the man he hated so much! Every step would have been like a sword turning in his heart.

He rushed home in mortification and went to bed sulking with his face to the wall. His wife was no comfort to him either, she merely said “You’ve begun to fall from grace, be careful now!” As she was speaking to him, the servant came rushing in reminding him that he was late for his appointment to the queen’s banquet this night as well.

This is one of the most graphic stories there is, illustrating the fact that pride comes before a fall. Our Lord Jesus tells a parable concerning this very thing and points out that it is better to stay humble and wait for others to give one honour than to take it for oneself!   (Luke 14:7-11)

Haman so proud was told to go, And put Mordecai on public show   “Here is the king’s honoured one”, He had to shout as this was done.

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