Esther 3-5, Revelation 12

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.  They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore, rejoice you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” Revelation 12:10-12

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?” Esther 4:14

Satan desired to destroy the nation of Israel through Haman. God placed Esther as Queen, precisely at that point in time, to rescue the Jews. If she had not acted, her family would have perished and a deliverer would have come from another place.

The nation of Israel gave birth to the Messiah, who gave his life for all mankind. Jesus, the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world, won the victory over sin and death. Even though the blood of the Lamb defeated Satan, the devil still roams about the earth, seeking to devour, kill and destroy. His hatred toward God’s people has not changed over the centuries. TV news has become his publicity department.

Our voices must not be feeble or hesitant in speaking the truth. Like Esther, we have a part to play in God’s plan to broadcast the Good News of salvation through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. God desires that our neighbor, mechanic, grocer, co-worker, classmate etc. will not perish, but have everlasting life.

Today, God calls us to share Christ for such a time as this.

yicareggie

Haggai 1-2, 2 John

You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” Haggai 1:6

 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 2 John 1:9-10 

Haggai could well be talking about the hustle and bustle of this Christmas season. Marathon baking sessions and Christmas parties stretch clothing and budgets to the breaking point. Wallets really do seem to have holes in them. In a matter of weeks, no one even remembers what they received for Christmas or what they spent hours doing. Valuable time and energy end up yielding nothing but a chasing after the wind.

The gift of hospitality comes in handy this time of year. A diverse crowd at a party gives us opportunities to share the love of Christ with others. However, John does warn us not to welcome just anyone to stay in our houses, at least not for lengthy periods.

Pray to stay focused on the Christ in Christmas. It’s so easy to become side-tracked by all the distractions.

Wishing, as Tiny Tim said so well in A Christmas Carole, “God bless us everyone.”

yicareggie

Ezekiel 20-21, 2 Timothy 4

“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive. Ezekiel 21:24 

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist,  discharge all the duties of your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:2-5

This is a timeless warning from the Lord God. True, yesterday, today and always. We will be taken captive by our own rebellion. Whatever the sin of our choosing that exalts itself above God, that thing will bind us up so that we are unable to move freely toward the God we say we love.

Just as it is impossible to walk in the light and the dark at the same time. It is impossible to serve our God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength while we are serving some other idol. We can not split ourselves in half and say we are totally devoted to God.

God wants all of us, not just the part that is left over after we serve our bosses, families, clubs, charities, hobbies or ourselves. We can engage in these things for the Lord, but not without Him.

Timothy and Ezekiel had the same job. They were charged with telling the truth, no matter what the people wanted to hear. A thankless and sometimes dangerous job.

I hope and pray that I am up to the task. I would much rather say the positive words of salvation and not have to point to the ugliness of sin. But without seeing and understanding our need for redemption, the salvation message just sounds like a sales job for a newer and better face cream. Why would anyone elect to partake of something they don’t really see a need for?

Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.  Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

“‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe,  even if someone told you.’” Acts 13:38-41

We are deeply steeped in sin, every single one of us. We all need a Savior. Until we all get on our faces and admit our depravity and our need for a cure, the wrath of God will hang over us. Be forewarned. God will not be mocked, not then, not now.

Let Jesus cleanse you of all your sins by believing He died for you sins. Let it be finished.

yicareggie

Lamentations 2-4, Hebrews 13

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land, to deny people their rights before the Most High, to deprive them of justice—would not the Lord see such things? Lamentations 3:31-36

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering… And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased…Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. Hebrews 13:1, 3, 15-17

Since the presidential election, the words of Hebrews seem to be good rules to live by. They are principals that guide us in godly behavior regardless of our feelings toward those who govern us. Our nation need our prayers. Our rulers need our respect and our cooperation.

My husband likes to remind me. If you believe the bible is the word of God, how can you then pick and choose what you want to obey?

If God is love, how can we then say we hate people in the opposing political party or ethnic group? I don’t like politics. I just wish we could love one another and get along regardless of our differences. My husband and I almost always cancel each others votes out, but we’ve been happily married for 33 years.

Lord, please help us to embrace the similarities and let go of our differences in this country, that others may see we can and will live up to the name, United States. In Jesus Name I pray.

yicareggie

 

Jeremiah 25,45-46; Hebrews 1

And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention. They said, “Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever. Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.”

“But you did not listen to me,” declares the Lord, “and you have aroused my anger with what your hands have made, and you have brought harm to yourselves.” Jeremiah 25:4-7

I will discipline you but only in due measure; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.”

Jeremiah 46:28

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Hebrews 1:1,3b  

Jesus told the parable of the talents to illustrate how the Jews repeatedly rejected the prophets. (Matthew 21:33-45)

God could not leave sins unpunished. The owner of the vineyard- God used the death of his heir – Jesus, as part of the plan to save even the tenants. God’s only Son took the penalty for the sins of the world.

I praise and thank you Lord that your Son may a way for us wayward people. I am no different in my behavior than Israel. Like the song says “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, Lord take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above.” (Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing)

yicareggie