Esther

So I got into watching movies yesterday and decided to watch "One night with the King".  Wow, God is on a roll with me this week. It is about Esther.  Outside of Mary, she's probably one of the best named women of the Bible, but to be honest, I really didn't know anything about her other than she was a queen and obviously did something great in God's name (Otherwise, why would we hear of her so much in the bible?).  So I got to watching it and was just sucked in. It's an amazing story of how once again, God will take someone who seems so insignificant and do great things through them.  This was a trailer to give you an idea...

I guess I got sucked in, because Esther was this orphan, who was well educated, and a dreamer.  She dreamed of Jerusalem, but just as she got permission to go, the King was looking for a queen and sent his guards to round up young women from the land. Esther was one of the girls taken. She hid her faith from everyone so as not to be killed, but when the kingdom decides to kill all the Jews. She had to come forth and ended up saving the Jews from genocide.  She was terrified of being killed. Wouldn't we all be, but this young woman sought out God and gathered the courage to stand against a Kingdom!  One person can make all the difference.

OK, so I have to admit, I still have the little girl side of me, that totally fell for the whole Cinderella side of the story. I mean think about it. It is a rags to riches story in a way. Not to mention a Jewish girl who's race had been exiled to Persia, became the queen of the Kingdom. Then there's the side of me who is a bit of a tomboy who longs to be strong and courageous like Joshua. She pushed all fears aside and offered her life for the lives of her people! I can't imagine more courage than that!

I have to love my buddy Micheal, he sent me this text yesterday afternoon right after I watched this movie.

"The next time you feel like GOD can't use YOU, just remember...Noah was a drunk, Abraham was too old, Isaac was a daydreamer, Jacob was a liar, Leah was ugly, Joseph was abused, Moses had a stuttering problem, Gideon was afraid, Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer, Rahab was a prostitute, Jeremiah and timothy were too young, David had an affair and was a murderer, Elijah was suicidal, Isaiah preached naked, Jonah ran from God, Naomi was a widow, Job went bankrupt, John the Baptist ate bugs, Peter denied Christ, The disciples fell asleep during prayer, Martha worried about everything, the Samaritan woman was divorced more than once, Zaccheus was too small, Paul was too religious, Timothy had an ulcer...AND LAZARUS WAS DEAD!!!!"

So the question today is not "Will God use me?" It's "How do I prepare for God to use me." Esther was in a sticky situation to say the least, but she kept her heart open to God, kept her faith, and acted when God commanded her to do so. 

A second chance

Have you ever felt as though you have totally failed?  I know that I have, especially when it comes to God.  Even though I have an understanding that I can never let God down, because he holds me up in His right hand and He doesn't need me to suceed to be great, after all, He is God!  But I still really get down on myself when I feel like I have not met his goal for my life.  I mean, I really feel awful!  I also have a tendency to look at God and say "Father, how could you ever want me. I'm not even worth the trouble.  What do you see in me?"  I got to this point the other day, the same day that I posted "Don't quit, Your very best".  So, I found myself sitting on my floor and crying out to God, "I'm sorry..." I felt so worthless.  I sat there with my bible in front of me, it was closed and I began to pray, "Father guide my hand".  Finally I flipped open the bible and my right hand was laying on the beggining sentance of Isaish 43. And this is what the Father spoke to me....

Israel’s Only Savior

 ¹ But now, this is what the LORD says—
   he who created you, O Jacob,
   he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
   I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters,
   I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
   they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
   you will not be burned;
   the flames will not set you ablaze.
³ For I am the LORD, your God,
   the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
   Cush^[a] and Seba in your stead.
⁴ Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
   and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
   and people in exchange for your life.
⁵ Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
   I will bring your children from the east
   and gather you from the west.
⁶ I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
   and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
   and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
⁷ everyone who is called by my name,
   whom I created for my glory,
   whom I formed and made.”

 ⁸ Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
   who have ears but are deaf.
⁹ All the nations gather together
   and the peoples assemble.
Which of them foretold this
   and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
   so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,
   “and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
   and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
   nor will there be one after me.
¹¹ I, even I, am the LORD,
   and apart from me there is no savior.
¹² I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
   I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.
 ¹³ Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
   When I act, who can reverse it?”

WOW! God started this statement by stating how He is God who formed us, but then He goes straight into telling us not to be scared, because He has REDEEMED us. We have been redeemed, our transgretions wiped away.  Then He said that He has called us by name, you have been called by His name, the holiest of all names! And then He said something that brought tears to my eyes, "you are mine." The God of the universe claims us as His own. He goes on to tell us how we will not walk through trials alone, and how though it might look scary, He will let no harm come to us.  And then He says it again, "Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you," Wow! We are precious and honored! And again He says I love you! Then God says again, don't fear, He will call all of us called by His name from all over the earth. He will not let anyone hold us back from Him. He calls us his wintnesses, and says that He is the only Savior. But then He says something at the end something that stuck me like lightning.  Something I should know, but we all need to be reminded every once in a while, He says this..."When I act, who can reverse it?"

Why is it as christians, that we question God when He tells us to do something?  I mean I get it, If crazy uncle Bubba tells us "What you need to do is this!" and it involves a getaway car, then by all means, question away!!! But we are talking about the Creator.  We're talking about the One who formed you. Of course He knows best, He knows the future!  Why would we even consult anyone else?  We are His, He loves us a million times over and beyond. He promises to deliver us.  He says that we are precious in His sight. And He states very clearly that when He acts no one can reverse it! 

So I wrote this today thinking of how I was feeling about myself the other day, and how God just lifted me with it. Number one, God is God, His greatness is not dependant on our actions, He doesn't need us to be the Ultimate, rather He chooses to be with us. He stoops down out off His heavenly thone to pick you up.  Number two, if you are saved, you are called by His name. You are redeemed.  Matt Pitt, a local pastor, once said, that when we look at God, broken and feeling lost, knowing that we failed and asking God "Can I please start again?" God's answer is "ALWAYS!"  We may give up at times, but He never gives up on us. He always wants you, always loves you, will always come back for you. Finally, the christian road does get rocky. At times it can be down right trechurous! But we never walk alone. When God acts, noone can reverse it. If He tells you to do something, it's because He has prepared a way for it to happen. So walk with confidence today, that you serve the one true God! You are His child! You are His love! You are called by His name! Stand up and stand out!

Don't quit! Your very best!

If you have never watched facing the giants, I am telling you that you are missing a blessing!  It is an amazing story of how our God can take something so small and make it into greatness. The clip above is my favorite part of the entire movie.  Brock who is somewhat of a troublemaker and has a bad attitude about what his team can do is called out by the coach. He tells Brock to do the death crawl again, in which he has to crawl feet and hands with another team mate clinging to his back. Brock then asks, "want me to go to the twenty yard line?" The coach replies "nope I think you can go to the fifty." Brock's response is "I can go to the fifty without my teammate on my back." The coach comes back with, "I believe you can go with him on your back." But there is a catch, the coach asks him to do it blindfolded, because he doesn't want Brock to quit when he has more to give. Brock laughs at the idea, but agrees. All the team is in laughter as Brock starts down the field, but then you see them in awe as they start to stand up and watch. Brock begins to get tired, and the coach begins telling him "don't you give up, you've got more." Brock struggles on, but then begins to cry out in pain, "IT HURTS!".  The coach is now on the ground crawling with him, "DON'T YOU QUIT ON ME! DON'T YOU QUIT ON ME!! YOU'VE GOT MORE IN YOU THAN THIS! DON'T YOU QUIT BROCK!! DON'T YOU QUIT! YOU KEEP GOING!" Brock continues to struggle, reaching for more and more, crying out "IT'S TOO HARD!". Coach is right there with him, yelling and encouraging him on. Finally Brock collapses and says "I can't go anymore. I don't have anymore." The coach, lying on the ground next to him tells him to look up, "Brock, you in the end zone."

How many times as Christians are we walking blindly in faith, screaming out "IT HURTS! ITS TOO HARD! I CAN'T GO ANYMORE!"  And there is our heavenly Father, screaming back at us, "DON'T YOU QUIT! DON'T YOU QUIT! YOU'VE GOT MORE IN YOU THAN THIS! YOU KEEP GOING!!!"  God has placed in us a strength, a potential, that we don't even realize we have.  And when we get to a certain point, we give up because we know that we reached to goal that was expected of us. God wants us to exceed all expectations. God has proved throughout time that He works by taking the person you least expect and doing something great through them.  But you have to be willing to push it, to give it your all, to negotiate with your body to find more strength when you think you have none left to give and know that God will honor those who honor Him.

 My challenge for all my brothers and sisters in Christ today is this, watch the clip above. If it won't load go to youtube and look up "don't quit facing the giants". Watch it again and you place yourself in Brock's position and put God in the coaches position. Then ask yourself today, what obstacle are you facing that God is yelling for you, "don't quit on me!" Pray about it, if you feel led, share it and allow your brothers and sisters to pray for you today. Feel free to post it below this, I promise that I will pray with you. Imagine what our faith would be like, if none of us quit.

Father I come to You today, asking for forgiveness. I have failed at this.  I have failed in times of ministry, in my family, and as a christian. I have given up, when I know that you will never give me a task that you have not given me the strength to complete.  I have given up when it got hard and when it hurt. I have not listened when you told me not to quit. I have been selfish and had a bad attitude about what you told me do. Father, help me to see what you see in me. Don't give up on me, keeping yelling and encouraging me like the coach to not quit. I love you Father and I praise You!

life is a highway...

I'm planning on doing my day 6 tonight, but I can't help but think of a conclusion my husband and I came to the other night. As Christians, we talk often about how God has set a path before us, or stay on the straight and narrow road. We happened to be going down the interstate the other day and the comment came about, that our lives are like the interstate. God lays down this big road in front of you and gives you a destination.  Hypothetically, you have a car that never runs out of gas and everything you need in the car, because we believe as Christians that God provides all we need. So it makes sense that you would just floor it right? An straight road, with no red lights, and all we need. So why wouldn't we have a lead foot down this open road?



Yep just a big ole' open road to God. So why is it that we find ourselves not rolling on it sometimes. My husband and I came to the conclusion that it is because the devil has set up tourist traps! That's right! Tourist traps!

I mean seriously, the kid in all of us, wants to see the worlds largest McDonald's!

or the hole in the rock!

and who wouldn't want to stop here?

You can't tell me your not the least bit interested in eating with a giant cowboy!

and why is it we all want to know what "the thing" really is?

The devil gets us trapped, by going, "Oh just take a break for a little while, look I have fun stuff over here! Aren't you tired of traveling?" And we fall for it, we take the exit, knowing that it will put us off course, knowing that we should keep our eyes focused on the prize. I can't think of a better example of this other than when I was about 10 years old. My grandparents were taking me and my cousin Amy to Disney world.  We drove, and to a 10 and 6 year old, it is a terribly long drive. But so worth it! We were going to Disney world after all! But I remember, it was probably about 35-40 miles outside of our condo, Amy and I saw a billboard "Largest McDonald's Playground, NEXT EXIT!" Oh we begged my grandpa! "Please, please, please, PLEASE!!!!" But my Grandpa would not waiver on his decision that we would stay the course. He knew that it would throw us off schedule and something much greater awaited us ahead. How I love my grandpa, for filling my life with Godly examples! Just like Disney world awaited me and Amy, something much greater awaits all of us! God has planned greatness for all of us, none of us were made to sit idly by and watch others!

Another reason we get off course is this,

We go the wrong direction because we do not consult the map.  I believe that we as Christians are failing at staying in the word of God daily. Notice I said we, I am totally including myself in that statement. We have a map right in front of us, and here in America, the freedom to read it! So many of our brothers and sisters through out the world, would do anything for the freedom to read it in public and to share it. But some face penalty of death for even dreaming such. We take it for granted! I want to end this with a verse that has God has spoken to me many times with....

Hebrews 12;1-3
 ¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.



 Father, it's my birthday today, thank You for creating me for great purposes for Your honor. It is my prayer this year that we as Christians will truly fix our eyes on You! That we will ignore the tourist traps and stay the course, I pray for all of us, that we do not grow weary or lose heart and that we all find strength in You!

Radom act of kindness....

I'm taking the day off from "A call to die", not because I don't have the will to do it, but for two reasons. One I am looking after my best friend's two kids along with my own, and while I am enjoying every second of the giggles, I am also refereeing about every 5 seconds. While trying to get through the first chapter of Mr. Nasser's day 6, I have had to stop about 20 times. The second reason is, I have something laid very heavy on my heart today. I don't know if you have ever watched Evan Almighty. But it's one of my favorites, yes it's funny, but more so than that, it focuses on changing the world, one act of random kindness at a time.

How many times have you been having a terrible day, and someone just shoots you a smile or does something so small as a kind gesture that just changes your whole mood? I can't count how many times it has happened to me. I am a firm believer in the fact that only God can change hearts, but that we can plant the seed. What if, every day, everyone made it a point to do one random act of kindness? What would our world be like? What if today, you walked into your local branch to do business, and you smiled at the teller who had just been told off by an angry customer, and talked to her like a hurting person instead of a gopher who just needs to suck it up and do her job? What if, we looked past people's appearances and saw their feelings? What if we dropped the defensive walls and truly saw who someone was? What if we decided that we wouldn't join in on the gossip? What it we decided that we would be bold and take a stand on God's principles? What if we truly stood for righteousness? What would our world be like tomorrow? What would our children's world be like?

As a mom, I try to instill in my children everyday, that you can't control what happens to you, but you have control over how you react to it. But I know as well as anyone that sometimes we all just need a little help. So this is my challenge, I don't know how many of you will do it, but I won't be checking up on you. I'm posting this in faith alone. I challenge each of you to do one act of random kindness today. Whether it's reaching out to someone you've never talked to before and telling them that God loves them, or buying someones lunch, or even just speaking kinds words to someone who needs it. God will lead you, pray about it. Then wait, because God will bless your heart for it. Who knows, you may want to do it everyday, and if that's true, then what will our world look like in a year? Then the next part of the challenge, pass it on. Encourage others to do the same, keep it going.

Jesus said in John 13:35: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

What if the whole world, knew who we were, just by our love for other people? Christianity is not about rules, it's about love!

Day 5...EXCUSES, EXCUSES

¹⁹ Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

 ²⁰ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

 ²¹ Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

 ²² But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Matthew 8:19-22

"Our struggle with excuses is the test of our commitment to Christ."-David Nasser. For every chance we have to obey God, there are several sensible reasons to turn away. For the teacher of the law, Jesus stated that while he had wealth and comfort, he'd have to let that go it. Mr Nasser pointed out that one of the greatest examples of this, was Mother Teressa. She felt conviction to serve the poor and sick in the poorest city in India. She gave up comfort to do what God had called her to do. And because of her kindness, she was able to share the love of God with presidents and kings! The second man, who needed to bury his father, also had an excuse and a legit one at that. But Jesus was making the point, that you have to put your love for him before even the love of your own family. 

Each day we are faced with decisions, some very small and some that will affect us very deeply. Some have clear cut answers of what is right and wrong, others we go deep in prayer about. Some of our decisions affect not only us, but others as well. Will I live by example? Will I be kind to that new person or join in on the gossip ring as we try to assume who they really are? Will I follow what Jesus has commanded of me, or choose the easy way out? Should I watch movies and TV shows with skin and violence, even though I know it doesn't honor God?

Mr Nasser gave a perfect example of his own life.  One Friday night he went to the movie rental store and went to the shelves. He grabbed what was left, as it was Friday night and most everything had been gotten already, knowing that it really was not something that he should have been renting. But he shared that he though, I am a strong enough Christian to enjoy the good parts and look past the bad, so he gave the excuse and proceeded to get the movies. He took the movies up to the front and handed over his credit card. He said that as the clerk slid the video's past the metal detectors, God must have looked at his angels and said, "Watch this, David is about to get busted". For as he stepped passed the detectors, he heard "Hey David! Nasser! How you doing?!" Nasser's response was "Hey bud..." code for, who are you again?  It was one of his students. "Dave you spoke at a conference that I attended last year, I gave my life over to Christ! Hey me and some of my buddys from bible study are going to my house to watch some movies, and since there is nothing left, why don't you come? we can watch whatever you have." David's heart stopped as he reached for the movies he had picked out. As he reached, he realized, there were no other movies up on the counter but his. The student laid eyes on the movies and his face dropped. David turned to the clerk and told him, "I don't want these movies anymore". "Do you want your money back?", David replied, "No, I just don't want them."  He then went home, to sit in the dark and reflect.

As Mr. Nasser put it, this isn't about rules, and about which movies to watch. What this lesson is truly about is this: When we truly understand the sacrifice of Jesus, we won't try to see what we can get away with, we will see how much we can honor God.

Day 4...Rewards

Mr Nasser said it pretty perfectly. The past three lessons were pretty hard to swallow. Is there truly anything to make someone choose this life?

"Those who honor me I will honor"

1 Samuel 2:30

The Bible speaks of the law of reaping and sowing. Paul spoke about it.

 ⁷ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸ The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature^[a] will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Galations 6:7-9



As Mr Nasser put it, "the law of the harvest" means that we reap what we sow, we reap more than we sow and we reap after we sow. You don't go and scatter wheat seads and expect to see corn growing the next day. A farmer knows that if you scatter wheat seed, your going to get wheat and your not going to get it for several months. Sowing and reaping is the same for us, only in sin and goodness.

As I posted yesterday, we are very self-absorbed people. When we focus on sowing success, money prestige...we might reap just that, but most people who do can't even enjoy it, because they are so worried that someone will out-do them!  For those of us who seek approval, it's like an addiction. We are so anxious about what we say, what we do, that the rolling of the eyes or the shaking of one's head could destroy us. Some of us have one goal in life and that is to be number 1. In trying to be number 1 we manipulate and diminish people. What is reaped from that is that the people closest to us, feel used and abused. All three of these examples boil down to wanting to be the center of attention. The desire for power and attention always reaps a painful, destructive harvest. The result is heartache.

Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. Jeremiah 45:5

But the good news is that by sowing good seeds, such as truth, love, forgiveness, helping others. We will reap the good harvest and recieve those things back, if not by others, by Jesus. As we grow in the love and forgiveness of Jesus, our hearts will change, we will want nothing more than for God to be honored. We won't care if we go unoticed by others. If we seek only happiness, things will always get in the way of it. If we seek to honor God, nothing will be able to stand in the way. 

Mr Nasser spoke of a man by the name of Eric Liddell, he ran in the 1924 olympics in paris. He was a Christion and believed very strongly in keeping the Sabbath day for God. When he learned that his first heat was scheduled for Sunday. He refused to race. Countless people tried to convince him to change his mind. He wouldn't. Another British runner, who had already won a medal, offered to let Eric Liddell run in his place in the 200 meter race. Liddell accepted. On that day, as Eric dug out his starting point an American runner handed him a slip of paper. On it this was written: "In the good book it says, 'He who honors me I will honor'" When the starting gun sounded, Liddell took off running, the piece of paper clinched in hand. He won! He was faced with pleasing his country or his God, and for choosing God he was rewarded. He became the sensation of his country, and what an example he set! 

God will honor us too. Sometimes we will enjoy the rewards of the harvest soon after, sometimes in eternity. But it should be known that when we honor God, no action, big or small, ever goes unoticed and will never be forgotten by our Father.

 "We will reap what we sow, more than we sow, and after we sow."-David Nasser