HONOUR AND DISHONOUR

Today’s Reading: Esther 5-6

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

A horse grazing among the ruins of ancient Jerash in Jordan. Jerash was a Greco-Roman city located 80 miles north of Amman, the capital of the modern kingdom of Jordan, near the place where Gideon and his 300 crossed over Jordan.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verses: Esther 5:13, 6:1

Yet all this avails me nothing as long as I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at the king’s gate…That night the king could not sleep. So he commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

“Great riches,” “multitude of children,” “promotion and advancement,” and the Queen’s invitation to dinner were meaningless to Haman because of his wounded ego. When this world’s gain is all we have, the least thing that goes wrong can spoil it all. Scripture teaches, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (read 1 Timothy 6:3-11).

A couple of movies have been made in recent years on “Esther” (click here for one, and here to watch another). It would be humorous if it was not so tragic, that Haman gets his just desserts when he has to do for the Jew what he thought was the honour he, himself, deserved. We cannot miss the protecting hand of God on his servant Mordecai. Haman, at the suggestion of his wife, built a gallows so high that everyone in the capital city could see who was hanged on it. Haman was hung on his own gallows. What are we building in our lives? Is it on a foundation of truth and a structure of love and righteousness, or is it a gallows on which we ourselves will be hung?

Let us meditate on Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” These words would not be written by Paul for another 540 years, but Mordecai knew the truth of this promise from God. Amen!!! Probably Mordecai knew the truth of God’s promise to Samuel, the prophet of God, written at least 500 years before, “Those who honour Me, I will honour” (1 Samuel 2:30b).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, You promised that if I acknowledge You (know who You are and recognize You), You will direct my paths (Proverbs 3:6). I pray that I will fully embrace Your promises and know without doubting that You keep Your promises. Thank You for this amazing grace! Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Proverbs 3:5-6 are Norma-Jean’s life verses. Among the songs she has written, she has put some verses of Scripture to music. Below is her sheet music for that song “He Shall Direct Thy Paths.”

On my way to the church where Norma-Jean and I were married (now a French Roman Catholic Church where I have brought the message to the R.C.s in French), I prayed, “Lord if this marriage is not Your perfect will, You can still stop it.” I surely did not want it stopped, but my understanding of the promise of God’s direction is that I must be willing for Him to intervene and change my direction. I’ve experienced His intervention to stop my intentions several times. I have the gas pedal and the brakes of my life under my control, but I take my hands off the steering wheel, trusting Him to steer my life. Is that good advice or not? If I happen to see Mordecai sometime in the eternal future, I’ll ask him what he thinks!

Yours for God’s overruling guidance based on our willingness for Him to be in control of our destinies,

David

P.S. Coming up, August 31st, is the financial year end for Crossroads/100 Huntley Street, and we all need to help the ministry finish strongly! Our CEO, Lorna Dueck, needs our prayers and support right now… and YOU can help! Here is an important message from Lorna which I’ll repeat often this month on my blog…

This has been a remarkable year at 100 Huntley Street with a growing audience on TV and an exploding audience on the web through our website, social media platforms and on You Tube (where we now reach almost 1 million views every month).  It’s also looking like a turnaround year financially because we’re SO CLOSE to finishing our fiscal year (August 31) with a balanced budget…the first time in six years!  Lots of hard work, cost-cutting, financial restraint and generous donors who believe in this ministry have made this goal achievable. We have exciting, new plans in mind for our new media mission year that begins in September.  I’m so committed that Crossroads be Canada’s “megaphone of the Gospel”…and we will not be silent about how Jesus can change lives… Jesus alone offers hope! Your donation today will make a difference in many lives.  – Lorna            

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A SPECIAL YEAR-END GIFT TO HELP US BALANCE THE BUDGET AND YOUR DONATION WILL BE MATCHED THROUGH A SPECIAL $10,000 CHALLENGE GRANT! YOU CAN ALSO CALL 1-800-265-3100 TO DONATE BY PHONE.

P.P.S. Below is the published sheet music of Norma-Jean’s song that I referred to above. Click on the images to enlarge them (and print, if you wish).