“Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.
“Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.” Esther 8:7-8 KJV
I have really enjoyed re-reading Esther and took a lot of time to study and meditate and glean as much as I could from it. Perhaps my writing about her encouraged you to revisit the story and mine out revelation for yourself. If so, I’d love for you to share your findings.
Anyway, I like what King Ahasuerus said to Esther and Mordecai: What is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s ring can not be revoked. Have you a Bible verse, multiple verses, or passages that have been dropped into your spirit? Look again at the power of King Ahasuerus, a mortal man, during his reign. He is no comparison to the King of Kings, but a reflection of the power and authority bought for us through Christ. Think again on the promises that He has given to you; hold them fast to your heart and they will hold fast to you. When weariness and the temptation to quit come knocking, answer with the Word spoken from your lips. Why? Because God is not a man that He should lie, and …
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 KJV
Thinking of petitioning God, made me think of this verse, and that we do not need to fear approaching His throne as Queen Esther did King Ahasuerus in her day:
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16 KJV
We have something much better than what King Ahasuerus offered Esther and Mordecai and that was pretty cool. I don’t know about you but I think it’d be great to have a king offer me up to half his kingdom, give me his name, and give me his ring. But wait: He did. In many of the passages pertaining to communion, Jesus says it represents a “new covenant”, sealed with His blood. Only Jesus didn’t stop with half of His kingdom like King Ahasuerus did, no, His sacrifice provides all.
Did you also realize the believer is sealed?
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.” Ephesians 1:13 KJV
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30 KJV
Join me today and proclaim:
How wonderful You are, O LORD, for giving us Your Word, Your name, and Your seal. Thank You!
King Ahasuerus swirled the remains of the wine in his golden, animal shaped vessel before draining it. Satisfied, smile curling his lips, he sat back, hazel eyes twinkling as he observed the rare beauty of his queen. He loved her above all the others. Perhaps even more now that she had exhibited such courage in approaching him without being summoned by him. She was as intriguing as she was beautiful.
The king cast a sidelong glance at Haman, the only other guest save he. Haman wore flowing violet and white robes and a smug expression. The king’s brow furrowed in contemplation as to why she had invited this man to his banquet, both the day before and this; perhaps it was because of his status in the kingdom. His mind circled back around to Esther and her unspoken petition. His thoughts kept returning there since she had risked her life to approach him yesterday.
He was unaware that he had been stroking his wavy, dark beard until he once again cast his eyes upon the young woman who had stolen his heart. He dropped his hand mid-stroke.
“Queen Esther,” he addressed, breaking his rumination, “what is it that you wish? What is your request? Ask and it shall be done for you, up to half of my kingdom!” It was the third time he had spoken to her in this manner. His tone reinforced the sincerity of the promise he made. One eyebrow slightly raised. Did his discriminating eye detect a slight shiver? What was it that perplexed her so?
As if steeling herself, her shoulders squared, her chin slightly tilted up, and she drew a steadying breath. This was the face of the courageous woman that intrigued him.
“If I have found favor in your sight, O King, and if it please the king, I request that you give me my life and the life of my people.”
He sat more upright; his lips slightly parted.
She had his full attention and continued. “I and my people are sold, but not into slavery, for that would not have been worth bothering you. We have been sold, instead, to be destroyed, murdered, and annihilated.”
The king sat forward. Red crept up his neck and met his hairline. “Who is he?” he exploded. “And where is he, that he dares to do such a thing?”
“The adversary and enemy,” she answered, pointing, “is this wicked man, Haman.”
The king nearly toppled the banquet setting at his sudden rising. His full, royal blue and white robes billowed behind him as he stormed from the room to the palace garden. There, he angrily paced, plunging a fist into his other hand. The rings on his fingers clanged and banged as they smacked off one another. Finally, his foot lightened on the ornate stones and he became still. He breathed deeply of the fresh air, ready to return to the room where the banquet was held.
All of the calm he obtained in the garden dissipated when he saw Haman laying across the couch upon which Esther reclined. Of course King Ahasuerus suspected that Haman, the man he had promoted to a position higher than all of the princes who were with him, was groveling, begging the queen for his life, but he had had enough. There is a place where a man’s tolerance no longer exists and Haman had breached it. The king’s chest heaved, veins stood out on his neck and temple, fists were clenched at his sides. His narrowed eyes pierced the despicable man.
“Will he assault the queen while I am in the house?!” he boomed.
His word was all that the alert attendants needed to hear to spring into action. Haman’s face was immediately covered.
“Haman has made gallows at his house for Mordecai (Esther’s relative), who has spoken good on the king’s behalf,” informed Harbonah, one of the chamberlains.
The king did not hesitate. “Hang him there.”
So Haman was hung. Thus the king’s wrath was pacified.
Talk about poetic justice. On this, the second day of the banquet, Haman had to first parade his archenemy, Mordecai, around the town square wearing the king’s finest, mounted on the king’s horse, announcing to all that this was how the king honors someone in whom he delights. To rub salt in the wound, it was Haman’s idea as he wrongfully assumed that it was he that the king wished to honor. That was his morning; his day ended with him swinging.
After the hanging, the king gave Esther Haman’s house who then set Mordecai over it. Long story short, Mordecai got the king’s signet ring, permission to use the king’s name, authority (being only second to the king), fame and respect. He and Esther devised a plan to save their people. Their success was so great, and God’s people so feared, that people converted and joined their side. It was said by Mordecai that the evil Haman devised would be upon his own head and his 10 sons (who were killed in battle) who were also hung for all to see. How’s that for justice?
Jesus took all of our sin and the effects of it on the cross, thus satisfying the wrath of God. Unlike Haman, that was an injustice to the perfect Lamb, the only begotten Son of God. And yet because of His sacrifice, His unfathomable gift to His Father and to us, we can partake of the life He had in heaven — and the one He demonstrated for us while He walked on this earth.
Beloved, do you feel assaulted? in your body? your finances? your emotions? your relationships? IF we have chosen Jesus, then the King is in the house. Pertaining to that, the question King Ahasuerus asked rang in my ears. Will he assault the queen while I am in the house? The revelation brought me to tears.
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJ
Esther petitioned the king because she belonged to him. More so, she recognized his power and authority. We belong to the greatest One: Creator, Master, King of kings, LORD of lords, and He lives in us.
This is difficult to bring to you today because people are suffering and it is real. I am battling on several fronts and it is real. But this word brought me to happy tears: God is in the house. What I am facing I am not facing alone. My Savior does not sit idly by. He cares for me. If I could but grasp, like Esther, the magnitude of His power and authority and that He gave that to me (Luke 10:19), then the Hamans in my life would be vanquished. Hold on! God is in the house! Please join me in using the authority that the King gave to us.
LORD, I thank You for this Word. I needed reminded that You are in the house, and greater are You who is in me than he that is in the world. Holy Spirit, cause me to be more aware of Your presence, Your gentle nudging, and Your leading. There are battles I am facing today, battles that have already been won through the cross; remind me that I war from the winning side.
I appreciate You and thank You. You have given me Your name and Your authority. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Amen.
“For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.” Joshua 5:6
Now that we’re into the third month of 2025, I have a question for you: How are you doing with your New Year resolutions? (That is, if you made some). I think I mentioned in a post some time ago that I quit making them years ago. That doesn’t mean I don’t have goals or things I aspire to, it just means I’m not married to a to-do list. Something happened recently, though, that made me reflect on dreams and our journeys . . .
I was at the sink when one of the girls made this statement: “Lady bugs sure do have sorry little lives, don’t they?”
“What?”
“I’ve been watching this lady bug and all it does is walk in the same circle.”
I turned away from the sink to find all four of us girls watching in silence as a lone lady bug made the same path on the edge of a lid on an empty container. Round and round and round.
Rachel pet it. It dropped to the handle and began its mad march there until it encountered the curve; then it stalled. She pet it and it began again.
“Oh, for crying out loud!” I said. “Put it with the plants.”
I have heard it said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Such as our lady bug friend walking round and round.
Such as the Israelites and their 40 year journey that ought to have been an 11 day trip.
Such as me, literally crying out to the LORD, “When does circling this mountain end?!”
I had given too much power away, thinking as long as others in my life, those I’m closest to, “misbehaved”, I’d have to suffer along with them. To a certain extent, that’s true. Look at Joshua and Caleb; they weren’t in the Promised Land nor could they enter until the disbelieving, disobedient whiners passed. Yet I can follow their example.
I don’t think they disobeyed and gathered too much manna. I don’t think they overindulged on quail. I don’t think they bowed to the graven idol. I imagine they sealed their lips as the people around them complained and wavered and dropped off one by one; but they held the line, continuing to hope. They held to their faith in God. They eventually received the promise.
Like them, I can have peace in this mountain time. I can maintain my faith in God. I can walk in forgiveness, and obedience, and joy. I don’t know how the LORD rectifies the things that break our hearts or redeems time that seems forever lost, but I know that He does, and somehow He will. The things I aspire to may take a little longer, but there are plenty of places I can now begin to trod in freedom, places I couldn’t go before because I was immobilized due to pain and bitterness.
Have you, like me, like Caleb and Joshua, found yourself yearning for advancement but feel somewhat oppressed due to circumstances out of your control? Then join me in giving it all to Jesus. Decide to stay forgiving and cheerful, learn to put off offense immediately so that the LORD can take you where you will let Him. We can be blessed even if those in our circles aren’t themselves conduits for blessing.
It may be a difficult adjustment, and I often return to:
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2 KJV
Even if I must break though this cycle incrementally, one tweaked, disciplined thought at a time, one day at time, so be it, at least I have hope that I will get through and I will get to enter the Promised Land.
Let’s pray:
Thank You, LORD, for being a Comforter to me, for mending my broken heart, and restoring hope. Thank You, LORD, for the strength to forgive in the face of pain, to maintain joy in the moments of sorrow, to be still in peace when the tempest rages around me.
Thank You for teaching me when to be silent and when it is beneficial to speak — and to do so in love.
There’s no power like Your power. There’s no way like Your way. There’s no One like You, God, no One but You who gives beauty for ashes. May I be a healed helper, a useful vessel in Your hands, one that brings glory and honor to Your name.
Amen
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:1-3 KJV
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:7 KJV
or as the New Living Translation words it:
“You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
Some time ago, Bob had brought in the mail after getting home from work. He walked out to where I was and briefly glanced at each envelope, reading out loud.
“I want your money.” Toss on the table top. “I need your money.” Toss. “I got your money.” Toss. “When’s somebody going to send us some money?” was his disgusted question before he trudged upstairs to change out of his work clothes.
I sighed. I like to give but, sadly, at times I have given because I was moved in my emotions to do so. In those times I usually later regretted giving the amount I gave or giving at all.
I have given reluctantly, thinking, It’s a good cause. Why should I feel resistant about it? That was not the time or place to give either.
Sometimes giving opportunities come unexpectedly, but the opening scripture kind of sounds like more often than not, we know in advance. Thereby, we have the luxury of time to ask for an amount, purpose in our hearts, and give cheerfully. I like those times the best.
Life is full of opportunities to give. And giving is an opportunity. To give is to have our heavenly Father’s nature. I cringe to say it this way, but I’m going to: To give is to get. For quite some time now I have given compliments to strangers. For instance, I was in the post office several years ago and I took notice of the woman waiting on me. I hesitated a little, contemplating our age of sexual anything and everything and what I wanted to say to her; I did not want to be misunderstood. But I felt strongly to tell her what was on my heart.
“I know this might sound strange, especially this day and age, and I’m not trying to be weird about this, but I just want to tell you that you are a very pretty woman.”
It didn’t feel weird. She smiled. “Thank you.”
Not long ago Beth and I were in a small store with a return/exchange. The young woman there was helpful. In fact, it was the same girl I had quizzed once about nail polish. She walked with me to the display and pointed out what she had used, what customers seemed to purchase the most, and what seemed like a good product for the price. Our transaction with her on this day was also a smooth and happy one.
“I just want to tell you,” I said, “you are so helpful and pleasant. I really appreciate that you are pleasant.”
She seemed a little taken aback but continued to smile. “Just doing my job.”
“Not everybody does their job,” I quipped, smiling in return.
After so many years of passing out compliments, I noticed several years ago that strangers were beginning to compliment me. If we are faithful to sow, we will reap.
Yes, I know the scripture pertains to money in particular; many, many scriptures pertain to money, but we can give all sorts of things. It was Jesus Himself who said,
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
“Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
“Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
“When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
“Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:34-50 KJV
Food, drink, clothes, shelter, visits — even a kind word waters parched souls, and all of these things are rewarded.
I had just recently solicited help from people Mum had ministered to because she and Dad have found themselves in a rough spot. I drafted the request and sat on it for quite some time because I didn’t want to sound like a beggar, nor did I want to embarrass them. I reasoned within myself that they themselves have always given, even when times were tough. And Mum, being a minister, has been a servant worthy of her hire. When their bank account was hacked, and they had to shut down their coal furnace, (main heat source), and had only a little heating oil during one of our longest, coldest snaps, I decided to send the text — without their knowing.
I had wrestled with it before and questioned it after … until the LORD gave me this scripture:
“Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.” Philippians 4:14
And I also thought of this scripture:
“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” Proverbs 19:17 KJV
I like this in the NIV:
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
If you strive to be a purposeful, cheerful giver as I have, then I have a blessing to pronounce upon us based on Matthew 5:7. If you have not been a giver, won’t you consider joining me?
“Blessed are we, the merciful, the kind, the compassionate, the sympathetic and sensitive, for we will obtain mercy. May we receive the same tenderness that we have displayed and receive back 100 fold of what we have given.”
Thank you for spending time here with me. I pray your time is multiplied back to you and that you have been blessed by today’s post. I truly hope you soon receive dividends on the good seeds that you have sown. (We’ll pray crop failure on the rest 🙂 ).
May God richly bless you.
In closing, a scripture and a song:
“May the Lord give you increase more and more, You and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 115:14-15 NKJV
I woke with a chorus I remember from what feels like a lifetime ago, Reach Out and Touch the LORD. I’ve closed this post with it.
Then I thought of a portion of scripture from Mark 6.
45 And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.
46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
47 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.
48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
Jesus had compelled them to go to the other side. And there they were, on what was normally a two hour trip, still fighting the elements, when Jesus came walking on the water to them somewhere between 3-6 a.m. Now if I had left at sundown as they had, and still found myself straining for all I was worth, I will confess that I might have turned around and went back to shore. It is to their credit that they toiled and fought with all their might to get to where Jesus told them to go. He gave them an edict and they would fulfill it come hell or high water.
Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? You know that you know that you know that you are doing the will of God yet you find yourself in the center of a tempest. Consider again Mary, mother of Jesus. Mary was highly favored by God and yet look at the price she paid to fulfill His calling and purpose for her life. Favor is expensive. Favor is given because we say yes to Jesus and sometimes saying yes to Jesus again will cost the favor we just obtained. Add to that, not everyone is happy with God showing us favor.
The disciples were favored. They were handpicked by Jesus. They were His closest friends. And being such put them in some awkward places and positions. This, in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, is one of them. How favored do you think they felt in that moment? Were they glad to be chosen by Him? Apparently they knew He loved them, and they in turn loved Him enough to continue to struggle to do His will, but that didn’t make their mission easy.
And where was Jesus? He wasn’t at the Ritz; He went to a mountain to pray. He was outdoors, same as the disciples. He knew what was going on and He was responsible for them being where they were. Why did He take so long going to them? I don’t know. Maybe He was hoping they’d take courage since they had just witnessed the miraculous feeding of the 5,000. Besides that, He had stilled the storm in Mark 4:35-41. Maybe He hoped they’d remember that and draw strength from it, and trust that He would deliver them. Eventually, He did go to them, and though it probably felt like an eternity to the disciples, He wasn’t late.
“…and would have passed by them.”
Why? I don’t know. Again, perhaps it was a testing of their faith. God answers prayer and He’s entitled to answer prayer anyway He sees fit. In this case, they were tested again because they thought what they were seeing was a spirit on the water and it only added to their consternation. When we are in the midst of the tempest, and we are trusting the LORD to answer our prayers, are we willing to be humble enough to let Him answer as He sees fit? We must continue to look for Him in our midst. He is greater than the thing that threatens to drown us but He won’t force Himself on us. Will we recognize Him when He comes and call out to Him? You know, there were times when Bob was angry with me for not helping him with ________, fill in the blank. I told him I would have helped had I known but I’m not a mind reader — all he had to do was ask.
Maybe you are in “that place”. You know that you are the favored of God. You are doing His bidding. Then out of nowhere, there it is, the tempest. Will you continue to look for Him and call out to Him when He comes?
Mark 6:
53 And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,
55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.
Is the struggle worth it? Is it worth it to continue to trust the LORD? Is it worth it to continue to look for Jesus in the midst of us, even if His way be unfamiliar to us? Ask Jesus: He sent the disciples on what appeared to be an impossible mission and then showed up. Ask the disciples: they experienced His salvation and deliverance. Ask the people who were on the other side: they were made whole. The struggles we face, and the victories that come after, are meant to be like stones in a pond; they are meant to ripple. They are meant to encourage others who are in the tempest to trust Jesus, to continue to look for Him, to cry out to Him, and ultimately get to the other side so wholeness is multiplied again and again and again.
Thou highly favored one, will you join me in peering beyond the tempest to look for our Deliverer? To see what magnificent way He will come? To call out to Him? To be saved? To spread the Word to others so that when we have reached the other side they may be made whole? I hope so.
LORD, there are readers hurting today. The tempest is threatening to swallow some of them whole; may they continue to look for You. There are others still who see You but don’t recognize You beyond their preconceived notions as to how You will answer; may they humble themselves and may You give them eyes to see. There are those who are afraid to cry out; help them find their voice in their time of need. There are those still who are on the other side; may they share their miracle with others so that when they come to Jesus they may be made whole .
We need You, Jesus, in all stages and all phases. May we never forget that. And may You be glorified. Amen.
One of my closest friends called me for a long and rare Friday evening phone call because she wanted to talk to me about a dream. “You know me, Chris, I don’t dream, so I’m thinking there’s something to this,” is basically what she said. I agreed with her but didn’t have much insight that evening.
See, the life wasn’t sucked out of me per se, but my world sure did go tilt in June of 2024. Dad had a heart attack and triple by-pass surgery. All of the medical staff involved was encouraged because Dad was active and healthy. With all of the glowing reports prior and post surgery, the speed bumps in his recovery process have sent us sideways. A snapshot of how this affected me is reflected in my journal. Me, a normally avid writer, especially in my journal, wrote nearly as many pages in one month prior to the heart attack as I did in six months following the heart attack. As a matter of fact, my last entry for 2024 was in the beginning of November and I literally left a sentence unfinished.
When my friend told me her dream I was a little envious and felt like I was re-entering a realm of by-gone days. I haven’t only been slack where writing is concerned but I haven’t been having the best of sleeps let alone dreaming as I once did either. I miss having dreams and what the LORD speaks to me through them. When I was still single I had a very brief dream about meeting a young man that was interested in me; I was warned to not go along with him. There was a couple I babysat for who introduced me to that young man, hoping to make a match for me! Because I had been forewarned I knew not to pursue a relationship with him. So, whatever you do, I implore you to not immediately label a dream as a “pizza dream”, or something created by your own soul, until you’ve asked the LORD about it. If you get no answer straightway, at least temporarily bank it; the meaning of it might show at a later time. I’ve had that happen to me as well.
It could not have been coincidence that I had been thinking about dreams in general (and my lack thereof) and then my friend’s phone call. It also couldn’t be coincidence that these scripture verses have been trotting through my mind lately:
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
“And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” Joel 2:28-29 and is repeated in Acts 2:17-18.
I can’t recall if it was that night or the next morning that I suggested to my friend that she pray about the dream and see if God might be opening revelation up to her and leading her into the prophetic by this avenue. But not just her. Was the LORD turning my mind, and wanting to draw others as well into this mode of communication? Sure enough I came across a message a couple of days later that confirmed my thoughts. See there? Even when I felt I was in an abyss God was speaking to me! There’s hope for us who feel in a whirl right now.
The minister referred to this scripture:
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7
Before God does a new thing He speaks to His prophets. The minister qualified this by saying that the bulk of what he was particularly addressing did not necessarily refer to the office of a prophet, but the believer. That simply means we are able to hear, dream, and perceive what God is saying and doing; that is the heart of a prophet and that is what God would desire for all of us. All we need do is say, “Yes” — that invites His voice. Now, lest you fear the office of prophet is being downgraded, I assure you that it is not. I stand in agreement with the minister when he said, “Our ability to hear from God doesn’t replace the prophet. And the prophet doesn’t replace our need to hear from God.”
I also agree with the minister that there is a shift in seasons and this particular method of communication between the LORD and us is going to amp up. He believes that we are in a block of time where there will be unusual breakthroughs in every area that we can think of. I agree with that as well. Dreams from the LORD must not negate what we hear from God while we are awake, but they could go a long way to preparing us, directing us, and answering us as to what lay ahead. That being said, are you willing to join me and move into the arena of dreams?
Dear LORD,
You say that You give Your beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2). You also say that You are the Giver of witty inventions (Proverbs 8:12). You say You speak in dreams and visions, You warn us, turn us from wrong, keep us from pride, and protect us from the grave while we sleep (Job 33:15-18). I believe Your Word.
I say “Yes” to You, to hearing Your voice in this capacity. I commit my sleep time to You. When I dream, I trust You to help me discern between “pizza dreams”, my own thoughts, Your communication, and the enemy should he intrude on this sacred time, this gift from You. And I trust You to help me remember what You are speaking to me. As a token of my sincerity in this endeavor, I will keep a notebook and pen by my bed to record what You bring to me through the night. (Oh God, for strength to be awake long enough to record Your words! 😉 )
Thank You for sleep, and thank You for desiring to communicate with me this way. I desire it as well.
There we were, Dad and I at the emergency room again. He and Mum have probably seen more of the e.r. this year than they have in the last 10 years. Unlike over six months ago when we were there for the heart attack, Mum was not with us; she was home sick. Being a wife I know that gnawed at her but she was in no condition to go out herself. In the back of my mind I wondered if he’d get sent again by ambulance some place else and I, directionally challenged, would be left alone to try and track him down. That would be bad. As it was, (due to a miscommunication), I got turned around on the way to the e.r. and called Bob from a juncture to get me on the right highway again. “How do you not know where you are?” he asked. I don’t know . . . that’s it, I don’t know. To my meek, mild dad’s credit he never once scolded. I apologized over and over for not taking the road he motioned to saying I had it all figured out . . . until I realized I didn’t. Wow. Don’t ever take a road trip with me unless you are driving . . . or you know where you are going and you are directing me.
The e.r. was a nightmare. I think they were passing out raffle tickets for a large prize of which we were unaware. There was the lady who became very vocal because she’d been hauled in by an ambulance, her personal wheel chair was left at home, and she had an appointment she had to keep at a place she probably wasn’t going to make and it was all the staff’s fault. They did find her a ride. They did offer the wheel chair. She continued to lament until they threatened to get security. Guess her next appointment wasn’t all that important or she would have said “Thanks” and got moving to get there instead of wasting precious time complaining.
There was the woman who’d been there since 1 a.m., hadn’t been seen until 6 a.m., and vacillated between sitting and laying across the chairs in the waiting room. She didn’t drive nor could she find a ride home. Can’t tell you how thankful I was in that moment that not only do we drive but we have vehicles to drive. That woman had nearly every disease existing and if she didn’t have it she was waiting to be diagnosed with it. I was relieved for her and me when her ride finally came.
There was the elderly couple, married 53 years. The wife had a urinary tract infection but they still managed to be pleasant.
There was the man who came with paper towels stuffed up his profusely bleeding nose.
There were two women who seemed to be in excruciating pain in their left sides.
Arriving some time after noon was a boy, no more than 14, if that, wearing Hello Kitty p.j. bottoms and red nail polish. Law enforcement began to appear shortly after he did.
And that was just “our” side of the waiting area.
Then there was Dad, quietly suffering with pain, (although I did hear him muttering prayers for others), going where he was led and doing what was asked of him. Neither of us had eaten and we were both contemplating stretching out on the chairs ourselves . . . but they kept being filled, vacated, filled. It was musical chairs in the e.r.
After about 5 hours in the waiting room we were finally taken through the double doors to find out the results of the blood tests, which one more was taken, and C.T. scan, and treatment if required. It was a crazy, and I mean a crazy sight. Beds and chairs lined the hallways. It looked like war fallout. This was no typical day in the e.r.
I saw the man with the profusely bleeding nose be “treated”. The doctor told him he’d feel some pressure; that was an understatement. The way that man’s head went back I’d have thought a rocket was shot through his nose.
An elderly woman was wheeled by whose face was covered with bruises.
I think it was the kid that triggered some kind of code, personnel went scurrying, he was screaming . . .
There was Dad, quietly laying on the bed, thankful for the warm blanket that was placed on him, not a complaint escaped his lips — which a staff member noticed and thanked him.
I marveled when I overheard a doctor asking at the counter if there were any rooms upstairs. I heard one person at the desk reply, “There are no rooms.” I texted to Mum, “Does that sound familiar?” “Yes,” she answered.
For the most part, Dad and I were both very quiet. Our time at the e.r. was probably the stillest I’d been since, well, I don’t remember when. Mum texted, apologizing for needing so much help. Dad apologized for taking up my day. For the most part, I remained quiet. As I had for most of this Christmas season, I was pondering on Mary and Joseph. The “no rooms” statement at the desk drilled my thoughts deeper.
Sometimes I think we become so familiar with the story that we forget that these were real people with real plans. Like most of us they daydreamed about how their lives would unfold. But their lives didn’t unfold like a neat package; it was messy. I imagine they were both ostracized for being promiscuous. The women whispered behind Mary’s back and Joseph may have lost some business. To add insult to injury, they had to make a very long journey when Mary was very pregnant . . . all to fulfill prophecy — of which we may also become too familiar. Mary and Joseph were willing to let their reputations be trashed. When the LORD spoke they answered/acted immediately. They let God’s truth in their hearts trump the opinions of others. They endured hardships to fulfill prophecies. And they did so not fully comprehending the impact their obedience would have on generations to come.
I’m overflowing with awe for the very real, imperfect people, past and present, who let their radical love and devotion to God inconvenience their lives. Of course there is Christ Himself and God who gave Him. As if God’s greatest gift to all of mankind didn’t cause ripples in all the realms for all eternity. Face it, if it’s always easy and convenient chances are it isn’t true love.
My parents’ apologies were lost on me. Mum came and sat with me for 4 months straight, missing only one day after the twins were born. Dad took on our yard work without us requesting his help after Bob’s surgeries. Love is present when it’s inconvenient. It is present when the gossipers tongues are wagging, when there isn’t any room in the inn, when all of humanity’s eternal resting place lies in the balance. Love is present, for the sake of future generations, even when it doesn’t see the promise in its time.
I want to carry the glow of Christmas into this coming year. I pray that I am willing to live out radical love and devotion to God for the sake of mankind, present and future, even when it’s inconvenient. And I hope that you will join me.
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 NKJV
We were sitting at the supper table looking at a brochure from Benezette, Pa, a.k.a., Elk Country. There were the typical rules, such as, keep your distance from elk, don’t feed elk, and one that mystified Bob: Don’t name elk.
“Who would name the elk?” he asked.
“I don’t know, maybe people who visit regularly. It seems silly to me, too,” I said.
It wasn’t long after our discussion that I got to thinking about that brief conversation. Name the elk…
“And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
“And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; …” Genesis 2:19,20 KJV …..
What a job! Then …
“…God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 NKJV
Then came the governing of the earth and ruling over the creatures. Giving something a name shows ownership of it. We name countries, states, cities, towns, streets; pets, cars, businesses; songs, books, poems, jewelry, perfume …. The list of what we humans name is endless. So then, were visitors not to feed the elk so as not to breed familiarity which could end up inadvertently harming a human? Hmm…
Many parents put a lot of time and consideration into naming their children. I do wonder about some people’s names…. Then I’ve met people whose name I can’t remember to save my life — I just figure their parents got the name wrong. Seriously, think about it. Ever met somebody who’s Susan and Claire seems so much more fitting? I prayed about what to name our children then Bob and I compromised. I liked Bethany, he liked Beth — period — turns out she prefers it, too. He’s the one who came up with Laura which suits her just fine and pleased my grandmother to no end. She had an Aunt Laura that she was very fond of — I didn’t know that beforehand. Rachel sailed through the naming process.
My dad comes from a family of 13 children. He says he didn’t care what he was called as long as he wasn’t called late to dinner.
My mom came after 3 sons: Junior, Joe, John, so she got “J-Barb.”
We have an older friend who named his donkey after his sister. I bet she was flattered.
Rachel’s hackles used to get raised when Mom would accidentally call her after their dog.
I grew up with an unflattering maiden name and hoped marriage would be an improvement. It wasn’t. I basically went from lame to stupid. Our saving grace is that our families are so large, and the names so prevalent, that we don’t get made fun of . . . much.
Now let me wax serious.
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words shall never hurt me, goes the childhood rhyme.
Tell that to our grown friend whose mother wouldn’t name her; the delivery nurse did.
Try to comfort the young girls who were called “fat” by classmates for no apparent reason.
Explain to the adult man why his dad sandwiched cursing him by God’s name in his full given name during his tender years.
Stupid, ugly, sick, poor, failure, pig, waste, worthless — the list goes on, with the walking wounded trying to come out from beneath the weight of derogatory words. Words do hurt. Words can kill. But they can also give life. I want to inject some life today. (Proverbs 18:2 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”)
People may call us all sorts of names, some flattering, some cruel. The important thing is that we know what God calls us.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” Isaiah 43:1
Mine.
If we so choose, we belong to Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He calls us His. We can be called by no one higher.
I’m going to go farther by bringing in one of my favorite passages from Dick Mills The Spirit-Filled Believer’s Daily Devotional book.
The Lord called your name, Green Olive Tree, Lovely and of Good Fruit… Jeremiah 11:16 NKJV
This Mills translates: “He states you are: 1) good looking, 2) thriving, and 3) in great shape!
Doesn’t that bring a measure of comfort to the aging — which is all of us!
Listen, I don’t know your upbringing, I don’t know your past, nor do I know your current situation, but I can almost guarantee everyone present here today has a hurt to hurdle that has to do with words. So my greatest hope is that as you read this today, you know that the Creator of all calls you by name, and not the names of those who have hurt you. You are:
His child and heir. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Roman 8:16-17 NKJV
Chosen. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” 1 Peter 2:9 NKJV
Redeemed. “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),” Galatians 3:13 NKJV
Overcomer. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” 1 John 5:4 NKJV
Loved. “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV
Back to our original question: What’s in a name? Everything when the name is Jesus.
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV
So then, if Jesus is in us …
“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 NKJV …
…all that matters is what God calls us and what He’s spoken over us.
Dear LORD,
So many of us today are running around with names and words resounding in our ears that are contrary to what You have called us, to what You have said about us. Break bonds off, set us free to be who You have called us to be.
We thank You for being our Savior, Deliverer, Redeemer, Counselor, Father, Friend. There is none like You. We praise You today for doing a work in us. We thank You for being in us, empowering us to overcome. Help our ears and our hearts to hear and receive the names and words that You have for us today. We bless You and Your holy name. Thank You. Amen.
We’ve all been there. Just as the believers of old who used to lay themselves across the altar crying out to God, we know that we”prayed through”, and the answer is on the way. This happened with my mom when she asked the LORD for a son. She knew that she knew.
When she showed the “going home” outfit to a couple of aunts of mine they asked, “What are you going to do if it’s a girl?”
“Well,” she says, “if it’s a girl I guess we’ll have to buy another outfit. But it’s going to be a boy.”
Sure enough it was my brother, and he weighed over 8 lbs., just what she requested so that Dad would be proud — not that he wouldn’t have been otherwise. In hindsight, says she smiling, if she knew what she was asking for, she wouldn’t have requested such a large baby 🙂 .
There are times we hear from the LORD, like I did with Foxy in the post It is Settled.
What about those times when we know that we prayed through … and yet we don’t see the fruition of those prayers? What about those times when we’re so sure we’ve heard from the LORD, and yet the words that dropped in our hearts don’t materialize before our eyes? I admit to having been befuddled during such times.
A friend directed me to this video and it was of great encouragement to me. I hope you will take the time to watch it now.
Wasn’t that encouraging? In those times when I feel like my praying through flopped or that my word from the LORD really wasn’t, doesn’t mean it won’t come to pass. I was empowered thinking that just because I don’t see the expectation to my prayers come the way I think or in the time or fashion that I believed for doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened. It very well could have happened for someone else. And just because I continue to wait doesn’t mean that it won’t happen for me. Isn’t it marvelous to think that God is using our personal pain and our prayers in our own battles to be conduits to answer the prayers of others? It removed the mantle of befuddlement and discouragement that tried to cover me and drag me down. Our prayers are effective and mighty to the pulling down of strongholds! (James 5:16) I was jubilant, thinking that even when I do not see what I’m expecting in the fashion or time I’m expecting, someone somewhere is benefiting from my prayers. The how and when I see the answers in my life is up to God. The point is, His intentions toward me are good and in Him all of His promises are Yes and Amen.
If the first video blessed you, you may want to take the time to watch this one as well. In fact, maybe take time to digest the prior content of today’s post before moving forward with this one. Meditate. Pray. Seek the LORD. God is on the move. I don’t know about you, but I want to be in on it. Please join me for believing for the impossible because with God all things are possible.
.Let us not grow weary in well doing, especially in our prayers (Galatians 6:9).
Dear LORD, There are people reading this today, watching these videos, and they may be as discouraged and befuddled as I have been, and afraid to proclaim Your word to them and their expectations. Lets us no longer be discouraged or feel weak and defunct, You are God Almighty and You abide in us. When we do not see what we have heard or believed for in the manner or time we think, continue to let us be encouraged by the thought that our prayers are going forth like waves across the earth and You are answering prayer. You are awesome, mighty, and so wonderful to us. Let us proclaim with confidence today that our faith is the substance of the things we hope for, that we will see those things for which have believed if we do not lose heart. And in the meantime, someone, somewhere, is reaping the benefit of the seeds of our prayers; let us be glad and encouraged by that. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Hubby was YouTube surfing one evening and I was flitting about doing chores. When passing through the living room I found that he’d happened upon an interview with a woman who I assume came to the U.S. for sanctuary. As this piqued my curiosity, I paused. The little bit I heard went something like this:
“What do you think Americans take for granted the most?”
“The right to choose,” was her instant reply.
That being a catch phrase here I was curious where she was going with her answer.
“In the country where I come from we don’t have cookbooks. Even if we did we couldn’t afford the ingredients for the recipes. Americans choose where they go, where they work, where they live, and they take it for granted.”
There was no mention of abortion.
It’s been weeks since I heard that snippet of conversation and I haven’t been able to shake it.
Here’s something else I’ve been ruminating over: a letter someone wrote to an editor imploring people to “vote their God-given conscience” – that being, vote for candidates whose platform is abortion. Apparently, he doesn’t know God and I’ll prove it.
“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil; … therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; …” Deuteronomy 30:15,19
God set before us life and death and told us to choose life.
The pro-choice phrase has been hijacked by the left; the way they define it is actually pro-death and God tells us to have no part of it. To accept their definition is to set up in their camp and live in small perimeters. They don’t comprehend that true and pure freedom of choice is actually very vast and is synonymous with life, productivity, and creativity — even to the minute detail of having cookbooks and being able to afford the ingredients to make the recipes. This correct definition of pro-choice is for all people, those inside as well as outside of the womb. If the fine art of critical thinking still existed proponents of abortion might eventually conclude that if life in the womb is expendable then lives outside of the womb are expendable as well, including theirs.
God Himself said it: Choose life so that you and your descendants may live. With life comes blessing and good. This is the “God-given conscience”. The other “choice”, which kills the choice of one, will sink this nation as well as the lives of those who are upholding this deadly, evil philosophy.
Let’s, all of us in all nations, show wisdom by exercising our right to choose life so that we and our descendants will have good and blessed lives.
God's Word Girl 