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Quick Thought - God is the same everywhere

Today, I got to visit with a friend from Ecuador, and one of the things that he said in our conversation was (not exact wording) "God is the same everywhere, I come up here and He is the same as He is in Quito. All around the world, He is speaking the same things to His church."

We talk about missions and changing the world, but something that rarely occurs to us, me at least, is that God is consistant EVERYWHERE, He wants to see this world changed even more than we do. So it would be really cool if we would connect with the rest of God's church throughout the world, and start working together.

Bible Study - Esther 1

Queen Vashti Deposed

1 This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: 2 At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, 3 and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

4 For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. 5 When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. 6 The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. 7 Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality. 8 By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.

9 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

10 On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas— 11 to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at.12 But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.

13 Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times 14 and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

15 “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”

16 Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. 17 For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ 18 This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.

19 “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. 20 Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”

21 The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed. 22 He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.

This is difficult to write a bible study on, so I will just talk a little about what some things that hit me while reading this. What we find in this chapter is about the attitude of king Xerxes, he’s obviously very wealthy (as you would expect for a king of such a great region), and powerful in more than battle. - When I think of a king being powerful, I usually think of military, not necessarily in politics (which we notice he is not exactly, but I am referring to how he simply says a law shall be passed, and it will be done) - Something that really stuck out to me was that the nobles were concerned about how the wives in the kingdom would treat their men. Looking through the Bible, we can find places where it says the wife shall submit to the husband…

Ephesians 5

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Colossians 3

18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

1Peter 3

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

I’m not sure what exactly is meant to get across here, that just really stood out to me, especially when it says “from the least to the greatest”. If you would like to look more into this, or form an opinion, please share!

Check back next week to see how Esther is involved.

Worship - Set a Fire

It's amazing the impact a song can have on the emotions of your day. Take some time to listen to this song and really sing it to God. Just give it all to Him!

Rest in the LORD

I have been told a lot lately to just rest, spend some time just for you, and forget about trying to be a servant, forget about your school work, take some time and just do something that you enjoy, get away from everything/everyone else, and just spend some time for yourself. This is something that is really hard for me to do, because I am just going, going, going all the time, but if you look in the Bible, you will find that God rested, Jesus rested.

Genesis 2

2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Matthew 11

28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Luke 5

15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Exodus 34

21 "Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.

Ezra 8

31 On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. 32 So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.

These are just a few of the times that resting is emphasized in the Bible. If God, the maker of all things good, finds it necessary to rest, how much more should we? Jesus was the perfect being on earth, yet he still rested, how much more should we?

I want to challenge you all this week to take some time to just do nothing, just rest.

The Importance of Scripture

Something that I have been learning a lot about lately, is the importance of scripture. When I was younger I thought that it would be enough to just go to church on Sunday and youth group on Wednesday. Then I started wanting to share about my beliefs with unbelievers. I realized that I was not comfortable with my knowledge in the scripture, and was scared that if people would try to ask me more about God, and the Bible, I would not know what to say.

Since then I have been working to further my knowledge in the scriptures, I am still working at this, however, I would be more comfortable sharing my faith now than I would have been then.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 

Another plus to reading the Bible on a regular basis is that you are spending time with God, reading his word, and just that can powerfully influence the rest of your day tremendously! As well as teaching you God’s promises for your life.

Worship - For The Cross

Just listening to this song has improved my day so much!