Author: LB

Pharaohs of Life

We will face Pharaoh’s in this life that will want to have their way because of their prideful nature and lack of faith to be obedient to God. May the God of Abraham restore to you anything that is destroyed because of the Pharaohs that you encounter in this life. Allow those encounters to draw you closer to God. Do not allow them to harden your heart and become like Pharaoh himself. God will make you stronger in your faith because of your Pharaoh encounters. God is good. He does restore. The key for us is to allow Him to work.

Let no man…

  • come between you and God
  • cause you to stumble
  • have power in your life to keep you from what God has for you

May you be blessed.

Judicial Forgiveness and Relational Forgiveness

We have all sinned (Romans 3:23) and in order to escape the wages of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23), we need forgiveness.

Judicial Forgiveness

We have judicial forgiveness available to us from God that allows us to receive salvation because of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Relational Forgiveness

In order to be in close fellowship with Christ, we are in need of relational forgiveness. We have this by walking in the light He places on our path and in honest confession before God.

If we at anytime decide to be disobedient to what God tells us or we don’t walk in the light He reveals to us, we have disrupted that relational forgiveness.

It is similar in human relationships. If we disagree with a sibling or spouse or friend etc., we are still their sibling, spouse or potential friend but the relationship is no longer the same. It becomes stressed, distant, or uncomfortable. Until honest confession is practiced, those negative aspects will remain and often grow within that relationship. With God and humans, when we aren’t remaining close then we are often becoming more distant.

If a disobedience/sin (disobedience is sin) separates us from God, we can’t ignore it and continue to hear from God in the same way as we once did. That disobedience/sin needs to be taken care of in order to reestablish the closeness that was once there. Often times the relationship will be more intimate than before.

It will always be our wrong decisions that will be the cause of a disruption in the peace we have with God because He will never be the cause of disunity. He is always the perfect part of the relationship.

God Wants Us to Live at Peace

God wants us to live at peace with Him and at peace with others. God wants unity. (John 17:23, Ephesians 4:13, Colossians 3:4) Awesome thought of what could be accomplished in becoming “mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

With respect to people, we can only do so much to live at peace. It is not just based on one party because there is no perfect side to the relationship as in the relationship with God. We are called to do our part (Romans 12:18) as Christ commands and then leave the rest up to Him. We can love them and pray for them but the results are left up to God and their response to Him. God gives each of us the free will to choose to be obedient or not. We will know those that know Him if they are obeying His commands. (1 John 2:4-11)

In order to see the way God sees, we must hear what He says. (Romans 10:17) You have to be in His Word and have that close relationship with Him to know what He says and to have His perspective.

Esther Chapter 9 & 10 notes

Esther 9:1-15
God loves you. He sees every tear and every moment you hurt. He sees our efforts to be closer to Him and to be more like Him. He knows you and loves you. When satan comes against a child of God, he thinks he has much to gain but with God’s providence he actually has a whole lot more to lose. The tables have turned and the Jews have the advantage. Their day seemed to be successful. Why then did Esther request another day? Was she afraid? Did she need to be sure their future was secure? Did she abuse the power that was given her? Was she out for revenge? We don’t really know but it should tell us that when God has put us in a position of power, no matter what level that power might be, we need to cover our actions in prayer and examine our motives. Luke 12:48 tells us if we are given much then much will be required of us. We must handle whatever we have been given with diligence.
Again, we are not sure of Esther’s motives but to hang the sons on the gallows seemed to be about revenge since they were already dead. Do we ever witness those that not only want to stab someone but also want to twist the sword? Although Haman was not king, Esther’s request was most likely based on the custom that the sons of an assassinated ruler were also to be killed. Once again if Xerxes would put some thought into the advice he receives, he may have realized Esther may have perceived Haman as such thus taking a blow to his own ego. His lack of awareness had worked to Esther’s advantage.
Seems as if the Jews acted humbly. Even though the edict listed women and children, and even of the men, they seemed to focus on killing the real enemies and also did not take advantage of taking the plunder. They realized this war was not about possession. They knew their circumstance was a result of their disobedience to God back when God instructed them to destroy the Amalekites. They also knew that God did not want them to have their plunder. Check out the battle with the Amalekites in 1Samuel 15:13-23 when God says “No”, He means “No”. Saul tried justifying his actions but when God gives us specific instructions, He does not settle for partial obedience. The Jews at this point were determined to follow God’s instructions in order to be successful.
We don’t know if Esther’s second day of vengeance was to complete a task or not. We do see in the Old Testament, many wars where God used people to carry out His wrath. At the coming of Christ, we are taught to love our enemies. It is the Lord’s right to avenge. (Romans 12:19) It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to do this and any vengeance that is due us or others can be satisfied by Christ’s blood shed for us on the cross.
Esther 9:16-19
In these verses we realize that Esther had another reason for wanting another day since 800 were killed in Susa. It seems many of the enemies were being killed in the other provinces making it possible that a second day was needed to complete the task. When we get victory, we need to rest, reflect, celebrate. The Jews are celebrating because their day of death has come and gone and they are still standing. They are alive!
People are turning to so many worldly things to fill the emptiness in their heart. Those that are deceived by drugs live everyday with the possibility of dying of an overdose. Relieve can come when they are willing to go to rehab. It seems a shame that relief can also come when they end up in jail because that has a possibility of getting them to participate in some form of rehab. Either way peace comes to their loved ones because the threat of death is no longer there. Continued prayer is definitely still needed and a good outcome is not guaranteed but hope is revived.
The enemy is out to slaughter in any way he sees possible. It is a victory when you see where you are compared to where you would be had you allowed his schemes to come to fruition. A celebration is due when the schemes crumble. Walking in God’s way will prove to bring victory. Because Christ overcame sin and the grave, we have reason to have joy everyday and should be intentional about celebrating. The word “presents” is translated from portion and is also used in Psalm 16:5-6 where it is related to destiny. God’s providence marks our pilgrimage through our problem filled life and in the end instead of falling apart, God’s involvement has kept us in one piece. The psalmist says his lot is secure. In Esther 3:7, the lot fell as God wanted. No matter what life or satan hands us, God’s favor causes that lot and our portion to bring us to our destiny as we trust in our God instead of to destruction. God’s way is right and full of purpose. When you realize the portion God has assigned you, you will have to share it with others.
Esther 9:20-22
We can be confident in who God made us to be and not hindered by how we see our circumstance. At times we can feel we don’t have what it takes or that someone else can do a better job. We see in Esther how God’s providence can unfold in our ordinary lives. Look for turn arounds in your own life and give God the praise He deserves. He is a faithful God. Psalm 37: 3 tells us to “Trust in the Lord and do good” so keep doing that and turnarounds will become a reality, sometimes when we least expect it. Purim to us is celebrating any deliverance that God has brought about in our life. We have reason to celebrate even when we can’t recall those because Jesus provided the ultimate deliverance when He went to the cross that we can receive eternal life. A part of their celebration involved giving to the poor. We can give out of our riches but at times we can experience overwhelming humility when we receive out of someone else’s poverty because of their willingness to show gratitude.
Esther 9:23-28
This is a summary of the events in Esther and why Purim is celebrated. Esther is not remembered for her beauty or her way with people but because God remembered a people who had forgotten Him. God is faithful and good. If we are not remembered for what we do, may we be remembered for what God does through us and who we have become because of Him. Notice Esther was not given credit in these verses in the NIV. Doing the right thing is right whether we get any credit or not.
Beth explains that one of her Jewish commentaries translates the phrase “establish the custom” to “undertook and irrevocably obligated themselves.” We saw in Esther 1:19 that the Persian law is irrevocable. Persians made laws that were irrevocable and the Jews took it upon themselves to do the same. The Jews obligated themselves to “never stop observing the date of this deliverance”. As Beth put it, “You want irrevocable?, I’ll give you irrevocable!” This was a holiday that the Jews created not only to remind themselves of what God had done for them but to bless God.
God had a plan for man’s redemption and He also has laws that are irrevocable. The Jews will be delivered. God has many witnesses to the truth of the Bible. The Jew is an obvious witness who always keeps standing up and living. If people would examine and listen to the evidence, they may be drawn to realize there is a God that loves them and wants to be a purposeful part of their life. We are only sustained by God whether we acknowledge Him or not. It is to our benefit to acknowledge Him as God.
God works out everything (Ephesians 1:11) according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:13) for our good. (Romans 8:28) God’s providence is able to accomplish good for the big picture because only God sees the big picture. No matter what Haman’s of life come against us, God will work it out and work it well. Ask God to help you hear from Him.
Esther 9:29-10:3
We all have a long way to go in our pursuit of God, but by studying His word and living life in that pursuit, we will be better today than where we were yesterday. The story ends with tables turned. Esther lived by decree and now writes hers. Mordecai the overlooked is now the overseer. No matter what we go through, if we allow God to finish the story, it will end well. God always has the last word. If we look around many things don’t go well in life but with God there is a crown.
God is zealous for His house, His people. In John 2:13-17 He overturns tables because of a people looking for profit instead of inviting God’s presence. We need a fresh work of God on a regular basis to keep from being led astray to legalism, our own fleshly desires, and deception. In Luke 24:14-16, 19-20, Jesus set up a new covenant. He said, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you…” He said this with no exception to Judas. He desires to sit and dine with you no matter who you are. He was fully aware that Judas was going to deceive Him but He still desired to be in the presence of all of them.
During the time of King Xerxes, you recall there were people that became Jews because the fear of the Jews came upon them. They desired to be a Jew. God met them in Susa and then drew them to Jerusalem. God wants to meet you where you are and draw you to Himself through faith in Jesus Christ His Son. We all have a story. Our story is an important scene in the large story that takes place under God’s heaven for God’s purpose.
We must believe in a God even when we don’t see Him or feel Him. We need a Deliverer and He will deliver. Sometimes it is a little later than we expect but just as the Jews in Esther and the Jews in the Holocaust would have ceased to exist if it were not for God’s providence. Deliverance always comes for God’s people. Just as Esther was in a “royal position for such a time as this”, you are also in a position at any given time to fulfill God’s purpose. When that time is the roughest is when the most will be accomplished.

Esther Chapter 8 notes

Esther 8:1-6
With all that Xerxes has given Esther, she has still not received what she went before the king to attain. Now she was comfortable enough in her position to beg the king for mercy as Mordecai had instructed her to do in Esther 4:8. Sometimes good advice has to be handled with good timing.
Esther’s pleading involved an exposure to her heart which was that she could not survive seeing her family destroyed. How we ache at the loss of a loved one or even the thought of losing someone we hold dear to our heart. As much as we feel like we can’t go on we find that we do and over time our hearts actually heal.
We are made whole by the community of people, our family and friends, whose lives are tied to our heart strings. God intended for us to be relational. He never intended for us to live disconnected on our own emotional island. There is comfort in knowing that those that have Christ as their Savior will someday be together in glory never to be separated again.
Esther 8:7-8
People word their requests for what they want a certain way hoping to convince the potential giver to comply. Do we do this with God hoping he doesn’t recognize our selfish motive. Thank goodness He knows our heart and knows how to handle us. Sometimes that involves receiving our demands even when they are not in our best interests along with all the consequences such as with the Israelites in I Samuel 8:20. We should include the phase “if it pleases Him” in our requests and we would save ourselves from receiving the things that we want out of selfish ambition that come with negative consequences.
I have been using the NIV for our verses but Beth points out that the NLT that I used in this section points out Xerxes impatience. He feels he has done more than enough. The king’s lack of passion probably has Esther wanting him to realize it is life that she wants for her and her family not possessions. Someone on the giving end can come to a point where they feel they have given enough. Xerxes basically tells her to do whatever as long as she doesn’t overturn the law that is already written.
Xerxes has come to the point that he may want to do for Esther but when it comes to her family, he doesn’t care enough for that. Our devotion to a loved one can be tested by what we are willing to do to help someone that they love and that we aren’t as close to. Even when it comes to prayer, we can ask someone to pray for a situation that is dear to us but without them recognizing the passion in that request or loving us or that person enough, their prayer may not be as fervent as it could be.
All of us as earthly vessels have had the opportunity to be a hero for someone, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing. We have also experienced having heroes fail us. This is because we are all human and God wants us to recognize that He wants to be our Hero. He will never fail us. He wants us to look to Jesus for the real solutions to our problems. We can turn to Jesus when others disappoint us and are not sufficient for our need. The more we are disappointed by humans, the more we appreciate the friendship we have in Jesus. When people fail us and we turn to God, we realize it is only Him that is perfect. We can also try to let others know that we cannot meet their every need but there is a God who can. Exodus 20:3, Deuteronomy 4:35 and 39, Isaiah 44:8, Isaiah 45:5-6, Acts 4:12 all tell us we have no other. They will all fail at some point just as we will. God will never fail us. If we had a human hero or an object that could satisfy, we would neglect our God. For those that still have an emptiness that they are trying to fill with someone or something, may you know that there is a God that can fill your every longing.
In Esther 8:8, Xerxes puts the ball in Esther’s hand. Sometimes God does not give us someone to solve our problem, but instead allows us to realize with Him all things are possible, we are capable of doing far more than we realize.
Esther 8:9-13
The words used indicate Mordecai and Esther were acting at once. Sometimes God tells us to wait and sometimes He tells us to act. Starting our day with prayer will help prepare us for what we will face during our day. Mordecai and Esther had days of fasting and praying that prepared them for the decisions they were making. Why the rush? It would take 3 months to get the message to the borders of the Persian Empire plus the Jews needed to prepare to be warriors. Just as they needed to prepare to defend themselves physically, we need to learn to defend ourselves spiritually. We have an enemy that seeks to steal, kill and destroy. Even though the war has been won, we still have battles to fight. In order to experience the thrill of victory, we must learn to overcome. To overcome, we must allow ourselves to be taught by the Overcomer. We have to learn ourselves but also allow God to teach others including our loved ones to fight battles because there will be battles that we cannot fight for them.
The edict declared the Jews had the right to assemble and protect themselves. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us to assemble, encourage each other. When we go through difficult times, we may ask “why”? God is making a warrior out of you. We are not meant to fight alone. God calls us to unite with our brothers and sisters in Christ and defend ourselves and our families. When we do this, we are guaranteed a victory. When we fully obey God our enemies will come against us from one direction but flee from us in seven. (Deuteronomy 28:1a,7)
Esther 8:14-15
When we accept Christ as our Savior we are robed in righteousness and garments of salvation. Just as the city of Susa held a joyous celebration over their physical salvation, heaven rejoices over our spiritual salvation.(Luke 15:7) Jesus Christ is not only King but Priest. God’s people are members of a royal priesthood. Mordecai left the king’s presence but we never have to leave the King’s presence. He said in Matthew 28:18-20 “I am with you always, to the end of the age”.
Esther 8:16-17
Life is hard and full of suffering and broken hearts. We are all desperately in need of Jesus. The hard things in life make hard things even harder. Life can be stressful, frustrating, lonely and much more. When life is really tough, we can feel these at the same time or one right after another. When times of happiness come, take time to bask in it. What a relief these times are. The word “happiness” in Esther 8:16 is translated from the Hebrew word meaning lightness. It is so relieving to feel the heaviness lifted off of our shoulders at times. God gives us relief for our weary souls. He knows when we need it. Back in Esther 4:30 we saw the Jews mourning, fasting, weeping and wailing. Now in Esther 8:16 we see them happy, joyful, glad and honored. Our God is a God of reversals. He turns our sadness into gladness, our tears to joy, our ashes into beauty, our broken pieces into a masterpiece. He turns everything negative into a positive if we let Him. We don’t suddenly attain perfect conditions. We will have battles. Even when we don’t see complete restoration, we can know our reversals will be completed in heaven.
Exercise to bring about some God ordained reversals into your life:
If you have some feelings that you would rather not be experiencing during the circumstance you are currently in, jot down those feelings. Now beside them jot down what you would like to be feeling instead. If they line up with what would please God, then pray and ask Him, in Jesus name, to bring some reversals into your life that would result in a change of how you feel. Confess anything that needs confessed and share with God the deepest desire’s of your heart. Now write down how God would be glorified if these changes would take place. How could you be used to further God’s kingdom? How would the people around you be affected?

God cares about you and loves you. He wants to do something with your negative circumstance. When He begins a good work in you, ask Him to complete it. He can be glorified in our suffering and also in our celebrating.
The impact this edict had on the Jews made others want to become Jews. Because of our obedience and the impact Christ has on our life should make others want Christ in their life.
God took a people that were doomed to a place of honor because of their reliance on God and their willingness to allow others to see that they cried out to God. What God does in our life is a testimony to others. (Psalm 40:2-3)