I’M AVAILABLE

by Charles R. Swindoll

Read Esther 2:19--4:14

Let's look at Haman. This guy hates Mordecai not just because he's a Jew, but because Mordecai will not bow down to him. So Haman talks the king into a game plan. "If you follow my rules, I will pour money into your treasury. All I ask is that you give me the right to rid the land of all these Jews." And so King Ahasuerus, believing Haman and ignoring the brutal genocide he is plotting, passes it off with a wave of his hand, "Go ahead, do whatever you need to do."

When Mordecai gets word of what Haman is planning, he makes a crucial but dangerous decision. He must tell his adopted daughter, Esther; she must know about Haman's evil plan. Because, you see, by now Esther had become queen, but nobody knew she was a Jew. When she was chosen as the king's consort, Mordecai had advised her not to tell anybody about her ethnic origins. Obediently, she hadn't (Esther 2:10).

Mordecai entertained no doubt that the Jews would survive this holocaust. He was convinced that God would not let His people be wiped from the face of the earth. He and Esther might be killed, but ultimately someone would deliver the Jews. However, what if God's plan was already in process? What if the means to that deliverance had already been put in place by the hand of God? What if it included Esther's getting involved? She was, after all, the queen.

"Esther, listen!" says Mordecai. "God's hand was on my getting the message from Haman that the Jews will be killed. And God's hand was on your being appointed queen. Perhaps you were put into this position just for this altogether unique hour in our history. Don't be silent. This is your greatest hour. Speak! Plead with the king. Stop this plot against our people!"

I've heard some people claim that they can't believe in the sovereignty of God because doing so makes you passive. Frankly, I don't see it. Not if it stays balanced and biblically oriented. If anything, the sovereignty of God makes me active. It drives me before Him as I plead, "Lord, involve me in the process, if it pleases You. Activate me in Your action plan. I'm available. Speak through me. Use me."

Your Day Is Coming

Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Revelation 3:11

Some of you have never won a prize in your life. Oh, maybe you were quartermaster in your Boy Scout troupe or in charge of sodas at the homeroom Christmas party, but that's about it. You've never won much. You have watched the Mark McGwires (insert your favorite sport star) of this world carry home the trophies and walk away with the ribbons. All you have are "almosts" and "what-if's".

If that hits home, then you will cherish this promise, "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away" (1Peter 5:4 NIV).

Your day is coming, what the world has overlooked, your Father has remembered, and sooner than you can imagine, you will be blessed by Him.

from When Christ Comes by Max Lucado

And the Winner Is

Yes, I do believe from the ladies willing to 'fess up (comment) that we have a winner!
The lady by the name of Love has won.
__Well, alright, this really wasn't a contest - just a time of fun.

Much unlike Esther's beauty treatments and contest to win the crown.
In the process to gain the crown she "gained some favor"
I wonder early this morning how will we go about our day?
Will I/we be full of "grace and truth" or exercise charm which
can be very deceptive.
What is my/your motivation?........The "crown"or My Eternal King?

Watch for another reading tonight on "the" crown.

Wednesday morning group, you will have a great lesson today, we Monday night ladies
were blown away.

Sowing in Tears - Psalm 126

Sowing In Tears
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Saturday, February 09 2008

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." - Psalm 126:5

Psalm 126 describes an interesting process that goes against our natural tendencies when we are taken into a difficult period in our lives. Whenever we are hurled into a crisis that brings tears, our tendency is to retreat or recoil in fear and hurt. However, there is a better way that God tells us to handle such times of travail.

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. "He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him" (Ps. 126:5-6). God is telling us that if we will do what is unnatural for us in these circumstances, He will make sure that what we sow in tears will return in joy. This is one of the most important lessons I have learned when faced with difficult circumstances. Rather than sit back and allow self-pity and discouragement to consume us, we should plant seed during this time. Reach out to a person who needs a friend. Invest in the life of another. See where you can be a blessing to someone. Give of yourself.

The psalmist acknowledges that we are doing this while we are in our pain. However, during this time we are to sow seed. That seed will return to us in another form. Here is what will happen when we do this. "He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." We will receive joy and fruit from the seed that we plant during this time. Sheaves represent the fruit of a harvest. We will actually get a harvest from this seed.

"You must not let the circumstances destroy you! Too many in the Kingdom are counting on you to come through this because of the calling on your life!" Those were the words spoken to me by a friend one time when I was in the midst of a very difficult business and personal circumstance that was threatening to destroy me emotionally. This person saw what God was doing and the fruit that God wanted to bring from these circumstances. Sometimes we need others around us to push us through the difficult times. If you find yourself in a difficult place today, see where you can sow some seed. Soon you will be reaping songs of joy.

from TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman

You can sign-up for Today God Is First at http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/

MAXINE??

Have yall met Maxine? I'm sorry, maybe it is my age, but I love her. If you don't know her, she is Hallmark Greeting Cards' crabby character that has sold millions of cards. Somehow, her irreverent quips about aging, the workplace and political correctness has struck a cord. The thing that struck me with this one, especially since we have been talking about spring cleaning during the Lenten season, is that we use every excuse to avoid letting God do the necessary cleaning to make us more like Him. Unfortunately, we chose to look like Maxine. But anyway, if this works on your house, so be it, but let's let God clean our spiritual house, okay? jl

THIS SURE SOLD ME! I AM GOING

TO THE DOLLAR STORE TODAY

& GET A DOZEN!

Maxine's Good Housekeeping Tip#1

Always keep several

get well cards on the mantle...
So if unexpected guests arrive,
They will think you've been sick

and unable to clean.

REPAIRING BROKEN BRIDGES

We have been talking about the Lenten season when those who observe it spend time fasting, praying and drawing closer to God. I received a note from the Temple Institute in Jerusalem that was so interesting, and I had to share it with you.

Today is February 7, 2008 on the Gregorian calendar which we use. But it is Adar Rishon 5768 on the Jewish Calendar. The Jews operate on a lunar calendar and count time from creation, whereas we count from the death of Jesus. But what is interesting, with the lunar calendar, there has to be an extra month added occasionally so that Passover can be observed at it's proper time. Adar Rishon is that month. It only occurs seven out of nineteen years, and today begins that month. Remember that I told you that when God told Moses to celebrate Passover, He told them that this was to be the first month of their year. (Exodus 12:1)

For what reasons do we invoke the thirteenth month? Today it is for the purpose of ensuring that the Passover commemoration of our miraculous emergence from Egypt is observed in its appointed season: the time of Aviv (ibid 13:4), when the flax and barley are ripening (ibid 9:31), after the vernal equinox. During the days of the Holy Temple the Sanhedrin could declare an Adar Rishon when it was clear that the winter rains had caused damage to the roads and bridges, or erased traces of burial sites. In order to ensure that every Jew could complete his pilgrimage to the Holy Temple and participate in the Passover offering, the extra month was declared, granting extra time for the roads and bridges to be repaired and the graveyards to be clearly marked so that travelers would not inadvertently tread over them. To repair the broken paths and bridges that separate us from G-d - this is the proper way to spend this timeless month of Adar Rishon! To use this time to reflect on those who came before us, and to honor them as we mark our own path to the Holy One, Blessed be He - this is a fitting way to engage in G-d's creation and to bring it to a purposeful conclusion!

Time created, whether by G-d, or by man, as in the case of Adar Rishon, is much too precious to squander.

Isn't that what Lent is, a time to repair the broken paths and bridges that separate us from God? On our journey to Jerusalem, I hope we have seen that there are indeed things in our lives that need mending. So as the Christian world is fasting and praying as we draw near to God, and Jewish world is spending time doing the same, wouldn't it be something if we just do it together! If we allowed that "wall of separation" to really be torn down and never be rebuilt. If we allow God to repair the broken paths and bridges that separate us from Him, and tear down the walls that separate us from His people, wouldn't worship be unbelievable.

Talk about release from bondage!! It might even make the exodus from Egypt pale in comparison. Why not just let is start with us. -jl

Ash Wednesday Experience

Marilyn asked me to write to you about our Ash Wednesday experience today. She and I attended a service celebrating Ash Wednesday at All Saints Episcopal Church during our lunch hour. I think she may have been a bit nervous about going since the Episcopal Church can be a bit intimidating to those not accustomed to the service. First off, there is a lot of sit/kneel/stand, sit/kneel/stand and when you don’t have someone versed in the tradition you often find yourself standing when all others are kneeling and kneeling when they’re standing. But Marilyn’s curiosity and commitment to this Lenten season got the best of her so off we went.

We sat in the back of the church so if things got too rough – or too long – we could slip out. To Marilyn’s surprise, and my relief, she found it to be a very meaningful service.

Growing up in the Episcopal Church, I am accustomed to giving up things for Lent: things like chocolate, sweets, even cokes, but I’ve never thought of giving up those barriers I place between myself and God that keep me from knowing him deeper.

The sermon began with a description of Shrove Tuesday (which was yesterday and which is also referred to as Fat Tuesday in Mardis Gras terms). It is a time of celebration involving costumes and masks. It is the last hoorah. Today, on Ash Wednesday, we are to remove those masks, remove those personas that we wear in our daily lives; the ones that we use to hide ourselves and to guard us against life and come before God as we are, our true selves, right where we are today.

We were invited to the altar to receive the blessing and imposition of ashes. “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” was recited as each person knelt at the altar. What a powerful message that was on its own, but to hear it so many times only reinforced its meaning.

Marilyn and I enjoyed sharing Ash Wednesday service today with our fellow Christians; it was a worthwhile experience for the both of us. We are eager to use this Lenten season and this Bible study to remove those barriers that keep us from knowing God more fully and to use this time to reenergize our relationship with him. –Julie Hinds

ASH WEDNESDAY

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a 40 day period when many Christians prepare themselves to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. This season, known as Lent, is used as a time to examine their lives, to turn their backs on the sin that so easily creeps into our lives, and to re-dedicate their lives to God.

Sounds to me like what our pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover would be doing as they sang the Psalms of Ascent. They would be going to celebrate their redemption from Egyptian bondage. These Psalms reflect the heart of the pilgrim as they too, begin the process of examining their lives as they approach the temple of God. Christians now will be celebrating the redemption of our bondage of sin by The Passover Lamb.

Those who observe Lent, prepare themselves by asking God to show them their failures and repenting of their wrong doings. It is a time for new beginnings that start with repentance and receiving the forgiveness of God. It is a time of self sacrifice and self discipline. It is a time of fasting and praying. Many choose to "give up" things in their lives that hinder them from being the type of follower that Jesus would have us to be.

I started observing Lent several years ago, and I can tell you, that it has been a huge difference in how I celebrate the Easter season. Working in retail during the "religious holidays", I tend to lose the meaning of what we are really celebrating. I know many of you have been in Christian denominations that celebrate the Lenten season. Most of us have not had that privilege. Please share your experiences with us.

As we travel the road to Jerusalem together, may we use this time to re-examine our own lives, and allow God to do some "spring cleaning". It will require sacrifice on our part, but remember, the One who is the ultimate Sacrifice, is the one we most desire to imitate. It's worth the journey. - jl