TH130620/For Such a Time as This/Esther 1

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners to receive free email daily devotions or to become harvest partners, please visit us online@harvest.org messages for such a time is from the book of Esther now. Pretty much everyone like a fairytale, especially little girls.

How many of you have children razor. How many of you have little girls. Okay you know what I'm talking about. I with my granddaughters. Therefore granddaughters they love me to make up stories and the make of the story, and they all want to be in the stories of I make the need for character and sometimes a little animals in the forest and sometimes their mermaids and sometimes additional even fight over who gets to be wanted to know in the fake story I'm telling them but so will work out way through, and then becomes autonomous during the at the parts out. You know, so that princesses running to the poor is not running the office of the Wolf came in the tack room Woodhams a wolf in your father's so we have a lot of fun with all these little stories and you know you look at a lot of the fairytales there is a similarity in many of them confidence.

Some poor obscure girl. Maybe living with wicked stepsisters that is rescued in some way shape or form by a prince or maybe she's a beautiful woman living in the forest with seven small men that sounds a little suspicious to me. However, but as we get older, of course, we discover that fairytales are not true or are they the deep demo in our hearts, we can wish there still true when we saw Princess Diana was to resist Diana Spencer at the time chosen by Prince Charles to be his friend says that was like a fairytale and it was watched by millions of people around the world, but of course, that dream turned into more of a nightmare and ultimately Diana was killed in a tragic automobile accident in there was infidelity in the relationship and all sorts of other problems and now her son William is married with a cola commenter, a non-Royal named Kate a beautiful young girl and were all hoping that their marriage will do better but we like the idea of a fairytale coming true. But of course we realize that can't necessarily usually be the case woke him up for us in the Bible is a story that in some ways reads like a fairytale. There's no fairies there's no which is there's no princes, and sorry there's no mermaids but there's a beautiful orphan girl who wins a beauty contest and becomes a queen. There is also an evil man. The sponsor destruction along with their people because of her bravery.

She seems her nation and they really do live happily ever after this little girls name was Hadassah, but is better known as Esther, who became the Queen but of course Esther was not always the Queen and that's right story begin. The unique feature of the book of Esther the name of God is never specifically mentioned in it. For that matter, the Lord is never referenced or overtly even prayed to. However, God is present in this book from beginning to end. The Lord is present in every scene and every movement of every event that just reminds us of something as Christians, and that is there's no coincidence in our life just Provident as a believer I don't believe in coincidence I believe in Provident I don't believe in the lock. I believe in the leading of the Lord in Psalm 3723 says the steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives is sometimes people ask me to sign your Bibles I really don't know why I didn't write any of it, but those that we assign my Bible and I'll do it than those they would you put your favorite verse in Matt's hard because I have a lot of favorite verses. Don't you. I think it really depends on what I'm going through any given moment by going through a stressful situation of that very worrisome might be reversed by Bill Philippians 4 where Paul says don't worry about anything to pray about everything in the peace of God that passes all human understanding, will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. But maybe I'm looking out how crazy things are in our world right now and I'll think of John 14 where Jesus says let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You believe in God believe also in me.

In my father's house are many dwelling places and if I go I'll come again and receive you want to myself that where I am, you may be also. I had to just pick a favorite. I guess it would be Jeremiah 2911.

I think some of you agree with that and I often will write that down. It always comes to mind quickly and that's where the Lord says I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord Constantine and not to be able to give you a future and a hope no one will. I like that verse because Amber says God is in control of my life and I verses that God thinks about you know Vince said I know the single thought I once had for you for a millisecond, says the Lord. I would be happy with that but it doesn't say I know the single polyphonic towards you it says I know the thoughts that I think toward you thoughts not just a single thought its many thoughts and their constant thoughts. I think toward you, however, we can be alarmed by a statement like that because what kind of thoughts are that maybe there's someone I really dislike and I think about them a lot because I'm plotting to get some light on what that person thinking about me. Don't think about me, what the Lord says I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord will kind of thoughts are they, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a whole and then certainly plays into the story were looking at here because God was thinking about Hadassah or Esther and he had a plan and a purpose that was unique just for her.

Chuck Swindoll in his excellent commentary on the book of Esther wrote these words and I quote God's presence is not as intriguing as this absence. His voice is not as eloquent as assignment one of us of not long for a word from God's urge for a glimpse of his power are yearn for the reassurance of his presence only to feel that he somehow seems absent from the moment distant, preoccupied, yet later we realize how present he was all along." And, certainly, we see that in this great story.

Now let's get a little historical background, the story of Esther begins with the king of Persia, whose name was Xerxes. He was a powerful king ruling over the vast Persian Empire, which range from India to Ethiopia and I remember that the Babylonians were overtaken by the Medo Persians and so you had Nebuchadnezzar originally ruled Babylon and then later on we read about Salazar, who was having this drunken feast. When Cyrus came along with the Medo Persian forces and overtook his kingdom will Cyrus actually was the grandfather of Xerxes, so he was a son of Darius, the grandson of Cyrus the great, so he was always raised as a royal man. History tells us he was intolerant and insensitive of forceful leader also were told from historical sources that he was a very large man towering over all of his subjects and so here was this powerful monarch ruling over his kingdom. He expected everyone to do whatever he told them to do so when they decided have a big giant distended party. The food was plentiful. The wine was flowing freely to drink from the house. Courtesy of King Xerxes.

You could eat and drink as much is you want to drag you better eat and drink, because the king told you to the people are drinking out of gold goblets.

Each one. Custom design surrounded by lavish beauty in the royal palace. He must've been feeling very powerful. At that moment and then he did something very stupid as drunk.

People often do if you don't believe me ask Reese Witherspoon or Mel Gibson because sometimes the blood video cameras running when people going drunken rages, you know, when you're drunk you feel very justified in whatever it is you say him to, and then later when people tell you about. If you are very embarrassed about what you said and did. We are Xerxes dealing all-powerful and he says I want my Queen brought in those green thing was busty.

She was a beautiful woman and he wanted her to come and sort of parade herself up for all of his lords and dignitaries and some commentators believe that the text suggests that he wasn't asking her to just come in wearing her crown but he was asking her to come in only wearing her crown. In other words, he wanted Bosnia's beautiful queen to come in naked and walk around all of this drunken front of all of his drunken friend so he could say look at the you know, amazingly beautiful woman that I can order around to do such a humiliating thing and to varsity's credit, she flat out refuses. This is the most powerful man on the face of the earth, and she risked her life when she visits but she said no I'm not going to do it.

MacDonald walking naked in front of a bunch of drunk there's no way that's going to happen. Will this is a big scandal. Now because not all of his aides come to him and said you can't let this happen because if word of this gets out that all of the wives uncle let us humiliate them any longer and that this is a bad example and so you gotta get rid of her now. So now he is a quandary on his hands. He probably had some affection toward varsity, but he could let her treat him this way. So now a series of events are sent in the motion that are being directed by the hand of God. This is a reminder that big doors swing on small hinges and it shows us that God is in control and it also reminds us of the simple back God's in control potentially anyone he wants to be in control of that includes a king or queen a prime minister, a dictator and a president so he wants to move them a different way than they plan on moving he can do what he want the Bible says the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord and her movement wherever he wants to move it so now we have bossy exiting the story in Esther or Hadassah entering. So let's look now at Esther chapter 2 I'm going to read a few verses together for you to read verses 5 to 9 and by the way, reading from the new living translation now at the fortress of Susa. There was a certain Jew named Mordechai, son of J.

He was from the tribe of Benjamin was a descendent of Kip Kissinger my and he had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar, along with King Jehoiada Kim of Judah and many other this man had a beautiful and lovely young cousin Hadassah, who was also called Esther what her father and mother had died.

Mordechai adopted Dirk into his family and raised her as his own daughter as a result of the king's decree, Esther, along with many other young women was brought into the king's harem at the fortress of Susa and placed in pedals care pedal was impressed with Esther and treated her kindly.

He quickly ordered a special menu for her provider with beauty treatment. He also assigned seven made specially chosen from the king's palace and removed her and her maids to the best place in the Hera. There so here's the big search that the Kings is all right biases out. I want to new Queen and it's can it be a beauty contest. The best Persia beauty contest made the most beautiful woman with so they comb the land looking for the most attractive girl out there, and whoever won this contest would be the next Queen of the most powerful empire on the face of the earth, she would live in the lap of luxury. She would be in the palace he would wear a crown so many girls apply to reminds us of today.

How so many young people and girls of course want to be famous.

I read an article about how young people today are searching for fame like no other generation of this article says, quote, blame it on reality TV. Blame it on the entrenched loneliness of postmodern America blame it on an educational curriculum that was designed to promote self-esteem, but ended up overshooting the mark picture culture particular cultural poison. The result remains the same. American teenagers are fixated on staying more and more than 1/3 of them would prefer it to beauty, intelligence, or spring even more problematic. These teens are just dreaming about being famous. There planning on 31% of American teenagers expect to be famous one day and maybe this is reinforced by reality shows are or videos on YouTube that go viral, or how many people follow you on twitter or how many friends you have in Facebook or whatever it is you sort of feel like you're a little mini celebrity never any people actually care about what you eat for lunch.

They don't but some you think they do. And you know you see people on television with no discernible talent who would become famous for being famous. I'm looking to see who these people are Cardassians, but some is it one of these people do exactly that makes us want to watch them or make others want to watch them. There's many shows like this on TV and people become instant celebrity or that the situation here. Whoever won this contest would be the most famous of all, I don't think Esther cured one bid about this, though she was stunningly beautiful but I don't think she had glamour shots posted on her Facebook page or on Instagram or you know whatever, I think she just was sort of living her life. She was a young Jewish girl that believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. She'd been raised in the way of the Lord to love her people, the Jews, and she hoped one day to meet a nice Jewish boy and get married and probably live a life in relative obscurity, and I was fine for her but God chose her cinnamon up what you out of obscurity and use you in a powerful way reminds us a little bit of Mary Desmet that young peasant girl living in Nazareth, a city renowned for wickedness and God said I'm in the use you to fulfill Bible prophecy you're going to be the mother of the very Messiah of Israel similar in the story of Esther.

She's a beautiful woman. I'm sure there were other beautiful woman, but it seems from the text that her beauty was stand out because as she is brought into this, a group of girls who would be selected they take her into an inner circle that's described here is a Hera. They give her an extreme makeover sees on a special diet. I don't know if that was the gain or lose weight.

Depending on the culture I mean in our culture today are the ideal of attractive woman is reinforced by starving anorexic models try so you want to look like that of you to be attractive, but then you go back a couple of hundred years a look at paintings and let's just say the ladies were little larger. Back then, and that was the vision of beauty and that culture so it varies from generation to generation.

So I don't know if this meant that there were trying to fatten her up or thinner out but also she had this team of stylists to do her hair or makeup and effectively to teach her how to be extracted. They were making her do even a hotter chick than she already was. You know I don't approve everything those things stars without makeup and sometimes you see a picture in the piano and other times you go while they almost look better without making them may have a lot I think Esther was one of those girls.

She was already beautiful as it was the natural beauty was more than just physical beauty is a point out in a moment. And so here she is now in the inner circle.

So what we learn from the story number one we all have talents and gifts that God has given well of talents and gifts that God has given us for Esther. It was extraordinary beauty and sometimes those of the those under the most handsome are the most beautiful also are the most shallow, you know, there's no question that if you're a very attractive girl or a really good looking guy you get you get ahead, sometimes more than others. Your chosen before others are chosen on the way people react to you. If you're a beautiful child you are to grow in the cold. Such a beautiful child. Take your time stupid there figuring this out here and get a little more attention than everybody else.

All you have to do is stop my eyes a bit, or give a little smile and sometimes these people will work at heart is hard as maybe others would and really developing the mind in their inner person if you will, that certainly is not a description of our care. When here Esther.

She had a great inner life, as well as an outer life and so she took what God gave her and she used it to enter character and she had great courage and brains to go along with.

I don't what your talent is.

Some people are talented musically. Some people think are talented musically. Some people are talented artist. Some people think there talented artists sometimes will be a person is good at crunching numbers.

Another person is good at building things. One is a great visionary, but maybe not so adept at the practical. Another is a detail person, but they're not really big on vision. Whatever your gifts are fine them discover them. Cultivate them and use them because there's a place in the church for you. I will have something to do. Sometimes a way to discover which are gifted at this first finding out which are not gifted at process of elimination, Walt Disney visionary himself used to tell a story about a little boy, a circus came to town and they're going to have a parade.

The bandmaster needed some of the play trombones of the boys signed up yet. March the block. According to Disney's story before the horrible rocket comes from his horn caused two old ladies to think in a horse, a runaway, the bandmaster demanded. Why didn't you tell me you couldn't play the trombone. The little boy replied.

How did I know I never tried before. Sometimes you just have to try. You know when I was a young kid I always wanted to be a musician in the back in the early days of the Jesus movement. Other. All these Christian bands starting in.you know you put a band together in the morning be playing that night at church and so over a Calvary Chapel. All these bands were playing every night and I was in the front room Bible study with some Christian friends one night and one person that is on the start of claimant. Now there was another production was that really great flute player.

I think the column of slumped and he started playing flute and then someone else played on the guitar and people harmonizing this is good. Let's form abandoned and so they had a name and everything while I was sitting there pounding on the tabletop. They said you could do percussion. Is it okay so we went to church and nine we are introduced with a brand-new name in our one song and we went into this stage of the balance playing everyone a capable musician and employment, drop. I immediately go off rhythm and I discovered this is not what I'm supposed to do. Just process of elimination, and sometimes it's something you think you never could do a jewel binder God is giving you a gift in so blow your trombone in the circus parade or try to leave that song or teach that Bible study at lunch break or volunteer for the one thing nobody else wants to do.

You may find that the very area. God is gifted you in number two. There's a time to speak and a time to be quiet.

There's a time to speak up when there's a time to be quiet.

Esther Tuten says Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background for Mordecai and told her not another word she had identified herself as a Jew who believe in the one God is just like we do as Christians, but in the Persian Empire.

They believed in many gods, so Esther is not really come out and identified herself as a believer know was this right or wrong will and can be argued both ways. Some would say she should have identified herself as a Jew up front with everyone on to not do so was compromising her faith in there's merit to that argument. Of course, but there may be a few flaws with this well.

Sometimes we think we have to bombard everyone we need for the whole gospel and sometimes God will call us to just so a few see this would be simply living as a follower of Jesus Christ. I think it's a great thing what someone out there give me an actual Christian that is not half psycho. Let me explain.

It seems the most vocal people out there representing us are also the weirdest instead of the godly people of integrity and and live as a Christian to live. Now these are the people that tell everyone about their faith in the me doing say strange things and and I have an idea about that thought… I don't think Durfee made them weird. The people meet them. 0C become weird if you become a Christian. The listen to me. They were weird before they were there were there were where another just seemed weird just because your state doesn't make you unaware, you just quote versus now, but you were always a strange bird will always be a strange bird but thank God you're a safe strange bird okay so sometimes I wish some of these we would just keep their mouths shut.

Then there are other people I wish they would open their mouth more because they've earned the right to share their faith in the way that they live know it's interesting in first Peter a situation is laid out were we have a Christian woman married to a non-Christian man, how should she reach him and Peter says be a good wife, your husband responsive to his knee of these husbands that they are indifferent to any words about God will be captivated by your life of holy beauty. What matters is not your outward appearance the styling to be here.

The jewelry you wear the cut of your close but your inner disposition effectively when Peter think payment limit first and then I will earn you the right to preach it. Make no mistake about it, a cute chick is a powerful tool in the hands of God, you heard me right. And the reason I said that is tenable weird way of saying it is because I'm not suggesting that your goal growth is to be hot for Jesus. Okay. And because of your beauty or your attractiveness or whatever you can to bring guys in the kingdom. However, I have two illustration. The first is my hope, I came to the Lord initially because of a pretty girl on no one went up to me and talk to me about Christ.

No one invited me to a Bible study, but I saw this girl my high school campus over at Harbor high and she was attractiveness. He was in the most beautiful girl I'd ever met. But there was something about her that caught my eye that is cool is this girl and and I walked over to her because she was having a conversation with a friend and I wanted to introduce myself to her and as it were talking I was waiting for a break in the conversation and I was sort of looking at both of them, but more of her and I noticed that she had heard no books for class and she had a binder and then I noticed she had one of these books with you know ribbons coming out of the bottom. Goal pages and what she's one of them. What a waste of a perfectly cute girl and I did introduce myself to Lauren and nothing really came of it and then later on that day I went out at my lunch break and was looking for this Prozac to walk around the camp is the one to talk to her again and there was a group of Christians sitting on the front lawn. So I thought I probably find her there and sure enough she was there singing their songs to God, along with all the other weird Christians and I sat far enough away were I could canna watch them but not so close for people would think I was joining but I did want to hear what they were into and so there singing about God, them, looking at this girl watching this girl and I start looking around at the rest of them and some of them I recognize from my earlier days of partying because I partied with some of them and they were change.

Now they were in the Jesus meant that whatever they want to be and that that that's there thing I don't want to do that and I listened a little more, watch a little more and then the guy got up and began to share the gospel and I stop looking at the girl and I started listening to the words and that was a big give my life to Jesus Christ. The dog is a cute girl jacket texted me earlier today and he said today is the anniversary of when I God say and I and I was preaching the night that Jack got say over at Calvary Chapel on Monday night in his story. Solaria think of that sounds like my IQ was out cruising around looking for girls, he thought to pretty girls in a car and he followed them into the parking lot of the church. No one invited them.

He took his seat to see what it was all about his dynamism to the big party. It was in a way was a Bible study. We present the gospel and Jack walked forward and gave his life to Christ.

Now is a pastor of a church in the serving the Lord God can use cute girls you see what I'm saying.

But here's my point. This is not about outward beauty. It's about who you are.

The inside you see when the girl is godly. That is very attractive, and for that matter, when a guy is godly. It's attractive as well. When you were in virtue when you want values when you are standard that you live by me as they know I will do that although I don't like that. This is what I believe that's so rare in this culture today and that was Esther.

She was a godly woman. She was different than the sleazy Persian checks.

She follow the Lord God now you the story in slow-release outbreaks at this point she wins the beauty contest and she's chosen to be the Queen over Persia be a great place to stop and they lived happily ever after.

But no, no story.

Just getting started. Enter now the villain of the story. Haman, whose Haman, he is a power hungry Prime Minister who would do everything he could to manipulate his way to even greater power, so no little side story on Haman before we see the conflict. Developing one day Haman, the PM is walking down the street strut like a peacock thinking he's all that.

And he expects everyone to bow down before everyone does.

Because of this our and there's this one guy that won't bow and that guys name is Mordechai and weapons to be the cousin of Esther and Esther's the Queen at this point to see but payment is not made the connection thinking, so what is outrage… God is a Jew and he he will bow down before some man always you do while Terry what I meant to do with him. Haman comes up with a plot to destroy not only use it yet.

Haman comes up with a plot not only to destroy Mordechai, but the entire Jewish race. Talk about bearing a crutch.

I will wipe all your people out there sort of like a precursor to the Holocaust or what they call the final solution. The eradication of the Jewish people and Prime Minister Haman knew exactly how to get the king on board with this plan.

Now go to Esther three verse eight then Haman approached King Xerxes and said there's a certain race of people scattered throughout the provinces of your empire. Their laws are different from those of any other nation, and they refused to obey. Even the laws of the King to attend the king's interest to not let them live if it pleases your majesty as you would agree that they all be destroyed and I'll give you 375 tons of silver to the government administrators and you can put it into the royal treasury, the king agree confirming the decision by removing the signet ring up from his finger and giving it the Haman and the enemy who was the enemy of the Jews and the king said, keep the money. But go ahead and do as you like. With these people. Now, little did the king know that he was stealing his queens paint. He didn't know Esther was a joke he just like the way came in butter them up.

All they pray that this weird God, and they won't bow before his interest… Oh yeah will you would keep your money, which is wipe them out, and now the story is getting little bit more dramatic, so a decree is passed, signed by the king himself with the law now and it put up all over the kingdom, and one year are all gonna die. Interesting that in just enacted straightaway. They strung it out in one year, all Jewish people will be put to death is the Haman wanted them to suffer mentally as well is physically now.

Esther's going to find out why she one that beauty contest and why she was Queen again as I said earlier, this is not coincidence but Provident there's morning in the streets weeping everywhere. The Jewish people know that their fate is sealed and so Mordechai had to get word to Esther because she was oblivious to what was going on in the kingdom he couldn't enter into the palace wasn't authorized didn't have the right security clearance. So he sorta stood on the outside were maybe Esther. His cousin might see him and here are people weeping in the streets that she doesn't know anything about it and so finally he makes contact with her and he tells her about the situation. So she sent some clean clothes to him. Dear cousin that this is make you feel better and he comes back to any says Esther.

I don't know if you understand what's going on. Your people are going to die in your sending me a clean set of close how disconnected. Can you be you see Queen Esther did not know what was going on in the world around her, and this reminds me of some people in the church today, though sometimes we work so hard to isolate and insulate ourselves from this world.

We don't want to hear about it. We don't want to know about it and then we don't have to care about and in the church today we have a Christianized version of just about everything you know, we have Christian radio Christian TV Christian books Christian music that's all great by the way, we have Christian doctors, Christian, Dennis Christian, travel agents, Christian hotels, even Christian apparel, we have Christian gyms, you name it we have, you know, I do think we need a Christian car. Don't you. Why should I drive a secular car I wanted Christian car.

It only plays Christian radio station. It only plays Christian music. All other secular music from being played. When you hit the horn instead of honking a voice will come a thing, would you please move out of my way.

God bless you.

The GPS on a normally healthy get to my destination, but it gives me counsel as well. You know what help me out.

I need some biblical conflict pray together. You know you and your GPS can work it out another to vehicle little ejection seat like on James Bond Aston Martin remembering flipped open that little button on the shifter and pressed the button off the passenger were going we could have this thing activated. So when the trumpet sounded deep shot out of your car in case you don't understand I'm being facetious here, it's time to get out of our Christian bubble enter into the real world and do something about it.

In its fight interacting with people that's going to cause us to care about people. But the problem was.

Esther was in her bubble and she was unaware of the plight of the Jews and it was fine for her wake-up call was go to chapter 4 numbers 10 Esther told hotshots to go back and relay this message to Mordechai the whole world knows anyone who appears before the king and his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter in the king is not called me to come in more than a month, but no Mordechai's gonna put it in plain English or Hebrew for Hadassah and he comes back and says, verse 13. Don't think for a moment that you will escape there in the palace when all the other Jews are killed if you keep quiet and a time like this deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place. But who knows that God is not elevated due to the palace for such a time as so here's what's happening.

Mordechai seen you to go to the king, he got a plead for your people. She saying here. If I go to the king, and I plead for the people without being summoned I could be put to death.

I mean, at the very least I'll be fired is queens like Bost, he was in other words, to let me execute it guys on a serious power trip not seen for a long time. I'm just going to the presence of the king and Mordechai comes back and says listen you think God put you there just sit around and get manicures and pedicures to live in the lap of luxury.

God put you there for a reason for such a time as this and if you don't do it, God will find somebody else. I love this. This is my third point is God placed you where you are for such a time this listen to this.

There's only one you there's only one person walking this earth with your exact heritage. The precise events and sufferings of your life have brought you to this hour. Just as no two snowflakes are alike. You are unique from everybody else. And if you've suffered in line you been neglected or mistreated and abused. I'm sorry, but God can take this hurt and pain at the world has dealt you, and use it to make you a godly man and a woman or a woman for such a time as this. There's a time to be quiet and there's a time to speak Esther Mordechai saying it's time for you to talk girl's eye view to go to the king and speak up for your people think about this ever complained about where you are right now in life. I hate my neighborhood. My neighbors are so weird all men. I can't stand where I work there certain people I work with that really irritated me, for I don't like this about my life. I don't like that about my life way. The second did you ever stop and think about the fact that got me up with you right where you are for such time as this is Providence is something for you to do is something for you to say a classic example of this is Joseph. I mean, you want to talk about Miss treatment heartlessly rejected by his own siblings who sold him into slavery and you know the whole story of Joseph how after he was sold into slavery. He was purchased by a guy named Potiphar who took him into his house and Joseph was a hard-working and godly. He was elevated to run the house and Potiphar's wife was of full cougar was trying to get Joseph to have sex with Ernie rejected varies a very good-looking guy. The Bible tells us that she would not give up.

This went on and on and on up one day seat got all the servants to leave the house and she literally pulled them down on the bed and he did what any clear thinking red-blooded young man would do under such circumstances, he ran like crazy and I said how can I commit to sin against God. She falsely accuses him of Ray.

He is sent to prison by Potter for what I think knew better. By the way is I doubt that was the first time his wife had tried this and that. There he just suffered in prison for a long period of time, but to God's providence he was sprung from prison stood before the king interpreted his dream was made. The second most powerful man in all of the kingdom, and then one day of famine came across the land as Joseph had predicted it would in his own brothers came and stood before him and now he's in power. He doesn't look like the old Joseph doesn't look like a Hebrew with a beard and the longhair, but now his head is shaved in the way of the Egyptians and he had aged as well. He could have them all summarily executed on the spot and it would've been the ultimate feedback story, but instead it's the ultimate forgiveness story and I love what Joseph says he looks at his brothers and he said I'm Joseph, your brother, your sleep whom you sold in the Egypt don't be angry with yourselves that you did this to me. For God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your life, as Genesis 45 15. God did it. That's an amazing statement and I'll tell you it's not an easy statement to me.

It's one thing to say, God allowed it.

It's another thing to say God did it, but it's a reminder that this Christian God is in control of our lives.

I wanted a minimum that he is fine and I would set of problems you have right now. What challenges you're facing.

But I want you to know God is aware of it and God is paying attention. God is orchestrating the events of your life right now.

So here's Esther in the right place at the right time and here are you in the same position. God is been preparing equipping and allowing what is been happening in your life to get you ready for this moment and this is were Esther is as well that she's getting have to risk very life to make the stand. The Jewish people, but she's gonna put her legendary beauty and feminine influence. The great use.

See she was not a fragile queen.

She was a Hebrew warrior. One commentator wrote wherever there is a people of God. There are enemies of God realization that there is in fact an enemy forces a reassessment of priority. The moment came and set the surface.

Esther began to move from being a beauty queen to becoming a Jewish state from being an empty headed sex symbol for being a passionate intercessor from the busy, indolent life in the harem of a high risk venture of speaking for an intensifier identifying with God's people."

Wilson, I love it.

Esther says now to Mordechai and Esther for restricting Esther send this reply to Mordechai: gather all the Jews of Susa and fast for me.

Don't eat or drink for three days. They are nine my mates and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law. I will go in and see the king, and if I die, I am willing to die consummate a chemical for what happened next will have to get to that next week because we you can read ahead lazy have to do everything you go ahead and read ahead.

I think most of you know the story, but this is a two-part message is nowhere with a grim old book of Esther and the one method so will find it would happen.

It is incredible and surprising.

So let's conclude from your favorite thing I said to what we learn from this story we learn that our lives belong to God he created us, he gifted us and wants to use this time for us to come out of our Christian bubble and pay attention to the people around us instead of cursing the darkness. Try turning on the line.

The others in time to be quiet time to just live it and then there's a time to speak up because there are people that need answers right now and that's really relevant as we go into this Crusade season with our own Crusade coming up in Angel Stadium on Monday continue to challenge you to do everything you can to reach everyone. You can with the message of the gospel. I think we should treat each one of these evangelistic crusades as though it were the last one we were can I ever all because for some people it is going to be the last one, because we know that some people will enter into eternity.

Or then again we may enter into eternity. Then again, we may all get roster they have and whatever happens, we want to take every opportunity that God gives us all.

Even now on ask you to start praying for our Crusade at the Angel Stadium on August 23-25, I meant ask you to start praying for people that you can bring out the do not yet know the Lord.

Then of course on the heels of that September 2020 and 29 we have harvest America, which is really for the whole country that emanates from Philadelphia but will be going to live sites all around the United States and even abroad and will talk more about that as a gift closer, but for now just be thinking about people you know that don't know the Lord listened only for the harvest Crusade to bring them out to hear the gospel bring about the church this coming Sunday or next Thursday because of the end of each service. I'll give people an opportunity to come to Jesus Christ, but we need to let people know that there's hope in seemingly hopeless world that there is a God who loves them but they're separated from that God by their sin.

But if the turn from that sin put their faith in Jesus Christ. They can be forgiven and of the hope that they will go to have what if they don't turn from that set within.

According to Scripture the things a certain judgment. So we want to warn them. We want to tell them that they can be forgiven. They can they can spend all into eternity in God's presence in heaven. And then one day when heaven comes to earth and how is this made possible with all accomplice of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ. He was fully God and fully man that is uniquely qualified to stand in our place and absorb the wrath of God and carry our sin, he rose again from the dead three days later and now Easter with this right now standing at the door of our lives in the is knocking the using pool hear his voice and open the door he'll commit have you asked Christ to come of your life. Yet, I don't know why you're here tonight. Maybe you are Barbara's friend. When you saw two girls walk in the maybe it was some other reason, but here you are, and I believe you're here for such a time as this here because you have a divine appointment with God. Trust me when I tell you the last thing I planned on doing on that particular day in 1970. That was the year I became a Christian. The last thing I plan annoyed was becoming a follower of Jesus Christ that you would've walked up to me and said Greg to become a Christian. I want you to be a preacher. I would a lot in your face that with that would've seemed impossible to me at the time, but God had a plan for my life and he is a plan for your life. It won't necessarily be a preacher but he wants you to be a Christian and he wanted to be forgiven of your sin he wants to give your life purpose. Even if you've suffered need to have pain.

God can take it and use it for his glory, you know, Esther suffered she lost her parents she was an orphan taken in by a cousin that loved her and maybe you lost family or you've lost loved ones are you gone to great hardship will God wants to reach out and heal your broken heart but you must come to him and ask for his help and you'll do that for you tonight. The moment we can pray nominally give you an opportunity to ask Jesus Christ to come in your life.

You've never done that respond to this invitation, just like my friend Jack Kintz did years ago.

And God changed his life just like I did and not just like many others sitting around. You have done as well and maybe you fallen away from the Lord.

Maybe you're sort of disconnected living in your little bubble out there you realize you need to make a recommitment to Christ I give you that opportunity as well as we all pray together. So let's Farhad's noun. Pray together. Father, thank you for your word to us.

Thank you for the offer of forgiveness through Jesus Christ. And now I pray for any that have joined this to me not yet know you Lord help them to see their need for Jesus, help them to come to you now and be forgiven of their sins. We ask this in Jesus name or heads about our eyes are closed, praying how many of you would see the night Greg I want my sin forgiven. I want to know that when I die I'll go to heaven. I want my guilt taken away.

I want a fresh start in life. I want God on my life. I want Christ to live in my heart.

Pray for me that your desire if you would like Jesus Christ to come in your life right now. If you would like to be forgiven of your sins, would you lift your hand up and let me pray for you slip your hand or I can see accomplish what else to bless you. Lift your head up a preview tonight accomplish with your hand up review are appropriate accomplish publishes there in the back one is forgiveness want to go to heaven when you die, your ready to say yes to Jesus.

Raise your hand above. Pray for you publish, accomplish anybody else with your hand now. Bless you to little boy there. What I heads are still valid. Maybe we have some prodigal sons or daughters you need to come back to Christ tonight. You need to make a recommitment you been living the compromise life and you're ready to turn from that. If you need to come home back to your faith again back to Jesus again, would you raise your hand up and let me pray for you to need to return to the Lord accomplish anybody else with your hand accomplish you to accomplish, ask all of you if you would please raise your hand to just stand your feet nominally join a prayer just stand your feet review. Are you the just raise your hand, stand up, you heard me right. Stand up, others are standing you will be the only one. Stand up. God bless you a number of you are standing, so don't feel like you're the only one. Stand up nominally join the simple prayer even if you did not raise her hand during the last moment of prayer but you want to make this commitment a recommitment to Jesus stand your feet right now nominally join a prayer.

Anybody else accomplish stand up now there might be a few more God's been calling you, this is your night to get right with him unless you there in the back to stand up on the wait one more moment anybody else then published to anybody else stand. All right all of you that are standing.

I want you to pray this prayer out loud right where you stand again as I pray pray this out loud. This is a prayer warrior, asking God to forgive you of your sin and your saying to Jesus you going to follow him.

So as I pray you pray this out loud after me. Okay, pray this now, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but you love me and you died on the cross for me and you want to forgive me now. I'm sorry for my sin. I turned from. I ask you to come into my life and be my Savior, and be my Lord and be my God, be my friend. I choose to follow you, Jesus. From this moment forward. Thank you for calling me and accepting. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. How blessed I