Worship - Who You Are

Bible Study - Esther 4

Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help

4 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. 2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. 3 In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.

6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.

We know that God places us where we are, and in certain situations for a reason. In this chapter, Mordecai believes that Esther was placed in her position for a reason, and his reasoning in this lends Esther the strength to do what she has to do.

Discuss:

All → Would you be willing to sacrifice your life for your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, or would you rather stay in your comfort zone for the sake of saving your own life?

Worship - You Raise Me Up

Worship - To Know You More

Worship - Find Your Own Flame

Bible Study - Esther 3

Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews

After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. 2 All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

3 Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” 4 Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. 6 Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

7 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur (that is, the lot) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on[a] the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

8 Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents[b] of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”

10 So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”

12 Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring. 13 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. 14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.

15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered.

Here we see a king, demanding that his people kneel before a mere man, and worship him, and Mordecai refuses. Therefore it is decreed that anyone who follows the same religion as Mordecai, will be abolished. We also see a similar scenario in Daniel, where Nebuchadnezzar throws Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the fire, because they would not worship his golden statue.

Discuss:

All → If you were in Mordecai’s position, would you have knelt down to Haman?

Worship - Fill Me Up

True Story - Healing Happens

I recently got to attend a service lead by a member of Bethel, and even just the presence of God that was expected, really goes to show that God truly is the same everywhere. Even though they were miles from California, from their home-base, they still expected God to be the same, the same mentality that my friend from Ecuador was saying “God is the same everywhere” and he was really trying to get us to understand that. Now I can say that I do. (Although, I still think I'll flip when I go to Ecuador and God uses me)

It’s just crazy awesome what faith can do, at this service I witnessed two people’s legs grow out, my head, arm and knees were healed, and a friend of mine had her kneecaps re-aligned. These things, among many, are only possible through the grace of Jesus Christ our LORD and Savior.

Bible Study - Esther 2

Esther Made Queen

1Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. 2 Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. 3 Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. 4 Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.

5 Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, 6 who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin[a] king of Judah. 7 Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

8 When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. 9 She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.

10 Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. 11 Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

12 Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. 13 And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.

15 When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. 16 She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.

Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy

19 When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20 But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.

21 During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana[b] and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. 22 But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. 23 And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.

    Verse 20 shows us how important it is to raise our children to obey, and trust what we tell them. Esther, by listening to Mordecai and, not telling of her nationality or background will come into play MAJORLY throughout the rest of the book. Because she listens to Mordecai she is able to get close to the king and prevent some nasty stuff from happening. We find places in the bible that tell us to obey our parents, and this is a great example of why it is important to do so.

Proverbs 23

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,

   and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—

   wisdom, instruction and insight as well.

24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;

   a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.

25 May your father and mother rejoice;

   may she who gave you birth be joyful!

Proverbs 1

8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction

   and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

9 They are a garland to grace your head

   and a chain to adorn your neck.

Deuteronomy 5

16 “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

              

              Discuss:

Girls → If you were in Esther’s position, how would you feel about being summoned to the king with the possibility of becoming his queen?

Guys → If you were king Xerxes, how would you choose your queen? What kind of beauty would you want her to have? Spiritual, Physical, etc.?

Video - Jesus>Religion

This guy makes some pretty powerful videos, please take some time to check this out.

Something Small - Get Exercise

In our crazy lives it can be insanely hard to do simple, essential things, like exercise. I know what you're thinking; "You want me to exercise? What do you know about my life?" I don't mean go lift for three hours everyday, or take a ten mile run everyday, but a 10 minute walk or bike ride through the neighborhood, or at the park. Doing something daily that gets you outside, not only refreshes your body, but creates time for just you and your thoughts, just you and God.

I want to challenge you to take a walk or bike ride everyday, and when you get back, write down how you felt before you went, what you thought about while you were gone, and how you felt after. This is not something that you have to share with everyone, rather your own personal record of what God can do for you during a short outing, how much just spending that little bit of time can really re-shape your day, and help you see how something small can make a HUGE difference.

Worship - Our Father

Based off the LORD's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13

Scripture - Love

1 Corinthians 13 (NIV)

1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

No matter how hard you try to gain anything, be it a friendship, a family, a hope, etc., no matter how hard you try, you will not gain it without Love, for there is nothing greater.  If you are without Love, you are without God, in the same way, if you are without God, you are without Love.

1 John 4:8

“Whoever does not know Love does not know God, because God is Love.”

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Since we just learned that God is Love we can replace God with Love in any verse, this one is a great example:

“God is patient, God is kind.  He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud.  He does not dishonor, He is not self seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs.  God does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth.  He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

If you do not know Love you do not know God.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

When we find God(Love), we find perfection, and everything else goes away.  Everything we know disappears , and the truth is revealed to us.  God loves us so much that He wants us to reach this level of understanding, where we fully know all his glory.  Love never fails, but anything that is not love, or of love will, one day, fail.  Love never fails, never ends, never gives up, never harms, Love, God’s Love is perfect.  God’s Love is like infinity, 1 and 1 million are equally distant from infinity.  The amount of God’s Love that you feel now is nothing compared to the amount that He has in store for you.  Currently, all we have is a taste of God’s Love, but when we have received even half the amount that he has for us, it will be like a feast that one cannot fathom keeping to himself.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Anyone can have faith - they know that something will happen, that someone will walk through that door, that their superhero won’t die - everyone has hope - that something will happen, that they will find someone someday who cares -.  Love is also something that everyone has, it’s something that everyone is always searching for, but how many things do you have that you are not aware of?  When we do find Love we rejoice, and Love rejoices, because it has been longing to be found.  In the same way everyone is searching for God, and He simply waits to be seen, and to be accepted.  When we find God, we rejoice and He rejoices with us.

"Random" Post - Something Small

So, my family life is hard, and I know that probably most of yours are too. Even though you may think this is hard to do, pick one (1) chore that you can do around the house everyday, and make the place feel a little neater, more comfortable. It's something small, that can make a HUGE difference.