Category Archives: Seeking God

All Powerful / King of All, Faith / Trusting God, Guide, Learning To Pray Effectively, Protector / Deliverer, Seeking God

Be Real in Your Relationship with the Father

The prayers of David in Psalms are truly worth dwelling on and praying in application to our lives today. He was indeed a man after God’s own heart, and we can learn from his relationship with YHWH. He had a genuine and open dialog with YHWH, which is perfect since YHWH knows everything already, including how we feel.  Let us not feel like we have to “fool” YHWH by putting on pretenses, but rather be real with him about what is going on in our lives. Ask him for help. Praise him. Thank him.

Psalm 141

An Evening Prayer for Sanctification and Protection.

A Psalm of David.

     1O LORD, I call upon You; hasten to me!
Give ear to my voice when I call to You!

      2May my prayer be counted as incense before You;
The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.

      3Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.

      4Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice deeds of wickedness
With men who do iniquity;
And do not let me eat of their delicacies.

      5Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me;
It is oil upon the head;
Do not let my head refuse it,
For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds.

      6Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock,
And they hear my words, for they are pleasant.

      7As when one plows and breaks open the earth,
Our bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

      8For my eyes are toward You, O GOD, the Lord;
In You I take refuge; do not leave me defenseless.

      9Keep me from the jaws of the trap which they have set for me,
And from the snares of those who do iniquity.

      10Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
While I pass by safely.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Blessed, Curse, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Grace / Forgiveness, Interceding for Others, Obeying God, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God

Pray for the USA to Turn Back to God and Become Again a Light to the Nations

The United States of America was founded based on Christian ideals and beliefs and a population by and large that accepted Christ as God. Unfortunately, over the past few hundred years we, as a nation, have largely turned their back on God and now embrace worship of self, worship of money, and many other sins. The word of God is tossed aside in favor of the wicked desires of men. God’s word shows us that when the people turn away from God, He removes His blessing. That does not mean He gives up on His people there, but rather that the country will suffer. There are consequences. The USA has great potential to serve God across the world if even those who already profess Yeshua with their lips would genuinely turn toward Him and change their behaviors and change what they accept from government policy. If the people demanded it from their politicians and leaders, our nation could once again be a light to the nation and the world. It starts with the people, not the politicians. It starts with you and me.

2 Chronicles 7:12-22

     12Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13“If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, 14and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15“Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. 16“For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. 17“As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, even to do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, 18then I will establish your royal throne as I covenanted with your father David, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to be ruler in Israel.’

      19“But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 20then I will uproot you from My land which I have given you, and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 21“As for this house, which was exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’ 22“And they will say, ‘Because they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers who brought them from the land of Egypt, and they adopted other gods and worshiped them and served them; therefore He has brought all this adversity on them.’”

Please take some time to pray for repentance and mercy for the USA as leader of the free world but also for other nations globally in which there still remains a remnant of true disciples seeking to follow the Lord’s will.

Psalm 85

Prayer for God’s Mercy upon the Nation.

For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

     1O LORD, You showed favor to Your land;
You restored the captivity of Jacob.

      2You forgave the iniquity of Your people;
You covered all their sin.

Selah.

      3You withdrew all Your fury;
You turned away from Your burning anger.

      4Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your indignation toward us to cease.

      5Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?

      6Will You not Yourself revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?

      7Show us Your lovingkindness, O LORD,
And grant us Your salvation.

      8I will hear what God the LORD will say;
For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones;
But let them not turn back to folly.

      9Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.

      10Lovingkindness and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

      11Truth springs from the earth,
And righteousness looks down from heaven.

      12Indeed, the LORD will give what is good,
And our land will yield its produce.

      13Righteousness will go before Him
And will make His footsteps into a way.

Grace and peace of Yeshua be with you.
For more Biblical examples of prayer, and for personal prayer requests, please visit our Prayer Requests page.
Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.
All Powerful / King of All, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Faithful, Holy / Set Apart, Protector / Deliverer, Seeking God, Strong in Our Weakness, Submitted / Servant

The LORD Is Sanctuary for the Believing Remnant

God always seems to sustain a righteous, believing remnant among His people. Even as the nation around them falls away from God, there are some who still seek Him and who still try to live according to His ways. The context in Isaiah is similar. The nation has fallen away from God. There is war. There is a believing remnant.

What is fascinating is that in verse 14 we see that God can at once be a sanctuary for His remnant and also a stone to strike or stumble over for the rest of the nation. There is reason to be encouraged and hopeful for the remnant. God will come. Wait for the LORD and eagerly seek Him.

Do not be drawn astray by the rest of the lost in your nation, even those who claim to follow the LORD. Seek the LORD and wait for Him. Hold fast to His instructions. Seek God and God alone for sanctuary.

Isaiah 8:9-22

A Believing Remnant

9“Be broken, O peoples, and be shattered;
And give ear, all remote places of the earth.
Gird yourselves, yet be shattered;
Gird yourselves, yet be shattered.

      10“Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted;
State a proposal, but it will not stand,
For God is with us.”

      11For thus the LORD spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

      12“You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’
In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,
And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.

      13“It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy.
And He shall be your fear,
And He shall be your dread.

      14“Then He shall become a sanctuary;
But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over,
And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

      15“Many will stumble over them,
Then they will fall and be broken;
They will even be snared and caught.”

      16Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. 17And I will wait for the LORD who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him. 18Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.

      19When they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. 21They will pass through the land hard-pressed and famished, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king and their God as they face upward. 22Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness.

I continue to be struck by how closely the book of Isaiah applies to our nation even today. Most of what was a godly nation are lost. Many claim God in name only. Those of us who find ourselves the seemingly small but faithful remnant, should not lose heart. Be encouraged. Seek the LORD earnestly and eagerly. Trust in His instructions while we wait and do not listen to the ways of the nation around us.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for hope and encouragement for Your faithful remnant. We eagerly seek You. Please turn the people’s hearts to You, many for the first time. Raise up the righteous to lead and have positions of authority throughout our nation in government, business, healthcare, education, and absolutely in Your church. Enlighten the minds of the people to understand and apply Your word and Your truth in our lives. In the name of Yeshua, our Messiah, we pray. Amen

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Compassionate, Fear / Reverence for God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Justice / Judgment, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Return to Me with All Your Heart

Joel 2 focuses on the coming judgment of YHWH on His people for their disobedience. Even as the mighty judgment comes, there is but one wise choice for those who have denied or rebelled against the LORD… repent.

Joel 2:12-13

12“Yet even now,” declares the LORD,
“Return to Me with all your heart,
And with fasting, weeping and mourning;

13And rend your heart and not your garments.”
Now return to the LORD your God,
For He is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness
And relenting of evil.

The same is true for us today. No matter how bad your situation may be, do not give up. You cannot stand against or run from the judgment of YHWH. The only wise choice, the only hopeful choice, is to come before Him humbly and repent, asking forgiveness. Do not be fooled, however. Even if we feel like our situation is not dire or dramatic. We should still take care to return to Him with all our heart. Let us not just submit to Him in part, but completely. Let us not submit to Him resentfully, but joyfully.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to submit to You and repent from my wicked ways. Please forgive me and help me to embrace You with all my  heart. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Seeking God, Share the Good News, Teachable, Wise

Blessed Are the Feet of Those Who Bring the Good News

For those of us who desire to be true disciples of Christ, we must ask ourselves, how can people call upon the name of the Lord if they do not first hear the truth about Christ? Blessed are the feet of those who bring the good news in truth rather than deception and false teaching.

As we read in Romans 10, verses 11-21, below, we must first remember the context. In the first part of Romans 10 Paul specifically addresses that those who are to be saved must truly believe in their heart and confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord. It is not simply calling upon Jesus once and then ignoring everything He taught. It is genuine, wholehearted discipleship. It is transformational and changes our lives.

Romans 10:11-21

11For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”

     14How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!”

      16However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?” 17So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

      18But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;
“THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH,
AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.”

19But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,
“I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT WHICH IS NOT A NATION,
BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU.”

20And Isaiah is very bold and says,
“I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME,
I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.”

21But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.”

The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is available to transform everyone’s life, if they will only open up to it and embrace it fully. It is so much more than just “making it to heaven”, but rather transforms our lives on earth as well.

There will be no excuse “surely I never heard the word taught accurately”. Each of us having recognized our Creator through observing Creation around us or having heard the gospel of Christ will be without excuse for choosing not to follow and obey. We all have time with which to seek out the answers in prayer and study. Consider what you spend your time on. Seek out teachers of correct doctrine and avoid those who teach false doctrine.

This means you will need to be in the word yourself and pray for and use discernment to sift truth from falsehood. God is our source of truth, but He has provided us the Bible as our guide. It is a guide which most of us have unlimited access to but choose only to use a little.

I invite you to take a few minutes right now to pray.

Prayerfully ask Yahweh to guide you in putting aside the right amount of time in the right way to know Him and His word more intimately and completely. Pray for those who are teachers of truth, that they would be able to share God’s word effectively and boldly. Pray also for those who preach false gospel, that they would gain wisdom and repent so that their talents and energy could serve God’s kingdom rather than create confusion and pull people away from Him.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, Holy / Set Apart, Learning To Pray Effectively, Persecution / Glorifying God, Protector / Deliverer, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God, Strong in Our Weakness

Let Your Light Shine For Christ

Many in our society try to compartmentalize their faith. Satan has convinced people that it is ok to keep your faith not only private, but invisible. In this way our faith will not hinder our careers or other pursuits where people may persecute or harass us for our faith. This is in direct contradiction to Christ calling us to be a light to others to shine and draw them to Him. We must not keep our faith invisible or entirely private.

Matthew 5:14-16

    14“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

For the most part, in the US, we don’t see the levels of life threatening persecution that are common in some majority Muslim countries in the Middle East or in atheist countries like China. Our brothers and sisters in Christ certainly need our prayers. They face true difficulty for their faith. They stand strong. If someone claims to be Christian there, you know they mean it. There are few lukewarm Christians there, because it is not worth the cost unless you really believe.

However, even here in the US we face some level of cultural backlash against openly living out our faith in business. There are law suits or rebukes that we may offend someone. People will come against us on social media and try to silence us. We each must decide what we are willing to do for Christ. What are we willing to risk to honor and obey Him? It is better to decide ahead of time, before the persecution comes to avoid rationalizing why we can accept a little more private faith… really an invisible faith… because we want to protect our “success” or comfort.

Daniel stands as an excellent example. He was successful at his job. He was liked by the king. He not only stood to lose these things, but also he knew he faced the lion’s den. He prayed anyway. He could have closed his window perhaps or blocked it. He could have prayed when he knew no one would be around. He refused to change his prayer behavior because of outside pressure. He did not let “it’s illegal” become an excuse to stop praying to God or to hiding his relationship with God. Daniel was a man of great faith, whom I admire.

How many of us avoid praying or have almost no prayer time even with no persecution? How many of us just allow ourselves to get “too busy” for prayer? We let the daily concerns and activities of the world choke out our prayer life with YHWH.

I hope and pray I would do like Daniel, while admittedly hoping I never have to face a situation like that one. I have, however, made conscious choices to not hide my faith at work, even if that would be more easily accepted. I am increasing my prayer time and asking YHWH to help me truly enjoy and look forward to prayer time. I pray YHWH gives me courage and boldness to live for Him and I encourage you to do the same.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to enjoy and look forward to prayer time , worship, and quiet time with You. Grant me courage and boldness to live publicly for You and help me be a light to others to lead them to You. Please also help my family, and my brothers and sisters in Christ around the globe that they would be bold for Christ and let their light shine, even if it results in persecution. Please raise up the righteous and defend them. Please defeat the plans of the wicked and remove them from power. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Learning To Pray Effectively, Obeying God, Seeking God, Thankfulness

Open Our Eyes That We May Behold the Wonderful Things of Your Law, O’ God

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. It is written originally in Hebrew in a literary style that begins one section after another, each with the next letter of the aleph bet (Hebrew alphabet). It is beautiful and passionate. It focuses on the law of God. It is only one place in scripture that speaks about the law of God, but it is a great place to start. Read and digest all that it claims about the law of God and then ask yourself, does describe the law as burdensome? difficult? harsh? or does it describe it as quite different than that? Does it describe something that we would want to be set free from? Is it bondage?

Take time and consider what was said about the law of God by New Testament writers like James. James calls on us to be doers of the word and then refers to the “perfect law, the law of liberty”. Those who abide by it will be blessed.

James 1:22-25

22But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

Paul is often misunderstood by many who take scripture out of context to claim he taught against the law. In truth, he calls on the law as holy and righteous and good. He teaches against following the law for salvation. He does not teach against following the law once we are saved through Yeshua.

Romans 7:12

12So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Put aside what you think you know about the law from those who do not understand it and listen to how it is described by one who understood it well and loved our heavenly Father very deeply. Don’t worry for now about what is the full content of “the law” or if we can fully follow the law today, but instead let us just try to better understand if scripture reveals it to be burdensome or something else.

Pray that the Lord would open our eyes that we may behold the wonderful things of His law!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please let me not be led astray by the culture around me or the ways of man which have strayed far from Your ways according to Your word in the Bible. Help me to study Your word and seek a meaningful relationship with You. Help me test every teaching against Your word. Open my eyes to the wonderful ways of Your Law. Help me to delight in all of Your commandments, not just 10. Help me to understand how to apply your Law to my life today. 

Learn more…

Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Help / Serve Others, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant

When Answering the Call to Greatness, Stay with God

When we rise to positions of authority through God’s grace and our effort, do not let that tempt us away from godliness. Continue to live honorably and according to God’s instructions. Seek the benefit of His people with your authority.  Remain submitted to God.

Esther 10

Mordecai’s Greatness

      1Now King Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. 2And all the accomplishments of his authority and strength, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia? 3For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and in favor with his many kinsmen, one who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the welfare of his whole nation.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please raise up powerful, godly leaders with positions of great authority. Help them stay true to You and Your ways as they come to power and authority. Encourage and support them as challenges come against them. Strike down those who oppose You and Your people from positions of authority or open their eyes to lead them to You. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Justice / Judgment, Protector / Deliverer, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God, Strong in Our Weakness, Thankfulness

From Defeat to Victory, God Can Flip the Results Completely

Sometimes the events in which God acts can make some of us feel uncomfortable. It does not fit our idea for how God should act. We often try to fit God in a box, to put boundaries around how He can or will act. We focus on His forgiveness and grace and lose sight of His judgment. We focus on His love and lose sight of His willingness to strike down the wicked.

If Esther 9 is uncomfortable for you, try to come at it from expanding your understanding of who God is and how he acts rather than assuming He was wrong or made a mistake. Do not assume God was uninvolved, just because He was not named in how the book of Esther was written. The evidence of God being involved is throughout the book of Esther in how the events unfold.

Esther 9

The Jews Destroy Their Enemies

      1Now in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on the thirteenth day when the king’s command and edict were about to be executed, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them. 2The Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm; and no one could stand before them, for the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples. 3Even all the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and those who were doing the king’s business assisted the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4Indeed, Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai became greater and greater. 5Thus the Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6At the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, 7and Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, 10the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

      11On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa was reported to the king. 12The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall even be granted you. And what is your further request? It shall also be done.” 13Then said Esther, “If it pleases the king, let tomorrow also be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the edict of today; and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.” 14So the king commanded that it should be done so; and an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman’s ten sons were hanged. 15The Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed three hundred men in Susa, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

      16Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces assembled, to defend their lives and rid themselves of their enemies, and kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. 17This was done on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.

      18But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth of the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. 19Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a holiday for rejoicing and feasting and sending portions of food to one another.

The Feast of Purim Instituted

      20Then Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21obliging them to celebrate the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same month, annually, 22because on those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing and sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

      23Thus the Jews undertook what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. 24For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had schemed against the Jews to destroy them and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and destroy them. 25But when it came to the king’s attention, he commanded by letter that his wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews, should return on his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. And because of the instructions in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them, 27the Jews established and made a custom for themselves and for their descendants and for all those who allied themselves with them, so that they would not fail to celebrate these two days according to their regulation and according to their appointed time annually. 28So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province and every city; and these days of Purim were not to fail from among the Jews, or their memory fade from their descendants.

      29Then Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim. 30He sent letters to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, namely, words of peace and truth, 31to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and just as they had established for themselves and for their descendants with instructions for their times of fasting and their lamentations. 32The command of Esther established these customs for Purim, and it was written in the book.

With God’s help, the Jews were able to destroy those who had plotted to destroy them. There were a lot of people killed. Keep in mind, Haman’s plot involved a lot of people because they were going to kill all the Jews in Persia. God purged those who had come against His people and put Mordecai in a place of great authority.

Maybe this is hard for most of us to understand today because we have never experienced a group of people trying to eliminate all of us as a body of Christ. We have plenty of persecution around the world ranging from lawsuits to death. However, for many of us we do not know what it is like for a group to literally be planning to kill us all. Sometimes the only way to stop them is to defend yourself, as Mordecai and the Jews did in Esther 9.

Do not assume this is always the right answer. Just allow yourself to consider that God enabled these events. He was not surprised by them. He is love, but He is also just. He is our protector.

If I generalize a bit more, I encourage you to reflect on the fact that God can make a way for His people to have victory where none existed without Him. When you find yourself overwhelmed and facing steep odds against you, turn to God and ask for His help. Then pay attention, plan and act boldly and strategically as needed. Do not just sit and wait as if you do not have a part to play in the victory He can bring.

When He does bring success, celebrate and be joyful and give thanks!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please raise up righteous leaders and put them in places of authority. Please overcome the wicked plans of the adversary as he comes after Your people. Please grant us victory to be able to boldly and plainly live according to Your ways and Your name! Help each of us understand clearly what role we should play to bring about Your plans. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Faithful, Learning To Pray Effectively, Protector / Deliverer, Seeking God

Arise, O Lord!

We live in a fallen world. It is filled with sin and rebellion against God. There will be many times when we need help and deliverance from our heavenly Father. Let us turn to Him wholeheartedly and call out for His help. He is sufficient to handle any situation, no matter how dire it seems.

However, we should also take note… David highlights some important concepts to expecting God to answer our prayers. He has a just cause and he has dedicated himself to God and living according to God’s ways. David also expresses confidence… faith in the Lord as his deliverer. He even concludes indicating he is satisfied or content with the Lord, who has not yet addressed the prayer request. We should not necessarily expect God to answer our prayers if we live in disobedience and rebellion to Him… at least not until we genuinely and wholeheartedly repent from that rebellion and submit to Him.

As you read, do not simply study, but also adapt this and consider using it as a guide for your own personal prayer.

Psalm 17

Prayer for Protection against Oppressors.

A Prayer of David.

1Hear a just cause, O LORD, give heed to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips.

2Let my judgment come forth from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look with equity.

3You have tried my heart;
You have visited me by night;
You have tested me and You find nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.

4As for the deeds of men, by the word of Your lips
I have kept from the paths of the violent.

5My steps have held fast to Your paths.
My feet have not slipped.

6I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God;
Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.

7Wondrously show Your lovingkindness,
O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand
From those who rise up against them.

8Keep me as the apple of the eye;
Hide me in the shadow of Your wings

9From the wicked who despoil me,
My deadly enemies who surround me.

10They have closed their unfeeling heart,
With their mouth they speak proudly.

11They have now surrounded us in our steps;
They set their eyes to cast us down to the ground.

12He is like a lion that is eager to tear,
And as a young lion lurking in hiding places.

13Arise, O LORD, confront him, bring him low;
Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword,

14From men with Your hand, O LORD,
From men of the world, whose portion is in this life,
And whose belly You fill with Your treasure;
They are satisfied with children,
And leave their abundance to their babes.

15As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness;
I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.