Category Archives: Pride

Compassion, Compassionate, Humility, Love, Loving / Kind, Pride, Selfishness

Regard Others as More Important than Yourself, in Humility and Love

Yeshua set a powerful example of humility and love for others. Let us follow in His example. Read and reflect on the words in Phil 2.

Philippians 2:1-11

Be Like Christ

     1Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

As you read and reflect on this scripture, ask yourself the following. How do you measure up? What changes do you need to make?

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.

Bitterness / Resentment, Compassion, Murder, Pride, Repenting from Sin, Revenge, Selfishness

The Fatal Dance of Herod: A Revealing Tale of Worldly Ways and Divine Truth

Scripture’s account of the death of John the Baptist is quite appalling and at the same time quite revealing about the way of the worldly, of those who do not follow Yahweh. John is executed ultimately because Herod makes a foolish offer and then holds himself to account to enforce it even when he, himself, does not want to. Too bad Herod did not show as much obedience to Yahweh and His ways as he did to his own foolish, off hand “promise”.

Mark 6:14-32

John’s Fate Recalled

      14And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” 15But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”

      17For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. 18For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so; 20for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him. 21A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee; 22and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” 23And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half of my kingdom.” 24And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. 27Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded in the prison, 28and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. 29When his disciples heard about this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb.

      30The apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. 31And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) 32They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves.

I want to explore what this passage of scripture shows us about the ways of the worldly. Follow carefully, you may find even more insight than I share in this writing. Challenge yourself to identify where you may be vulnerable to doing similar things in your life. Watch for the patterns and do not focus too much on the specifics of it being an execution of someone, which most of us do not expect to do in our lives.

When Herod heard tell of the miraculous power of Yeshua, he believed that John the Baptist had risen from the dead. Consider then, the context that all that Herod did to John was done with knowledge and recognition that John was doing miracles. He knew that John was a righteous and holy man!

Herod, who is willing to kill a righteous and holy man to uphold his own foolish offer to a girl for a dance, was unwilling to listen to a man he identified as righteous and holy tell him about God’s word and what was right and wrong. Herod places himself and any offhand decision he makes above question, but directly and violently confronts God’s instructions through His messenger. It is not that Herod does not recognize or follow authority or acknowledge right and wrong. No, instead, it is that Herod placed his faith and obedience in himself and perhaps the opinions of others about him (reputation) instead of in God. Let us take caution and remind ourselves that Yahweh is the final authority on all things. His instructions are comprehensive and should rule our attitudes and behaviors.

We could also explore the wickedness of Herod’s wife. She is upset because someone dares to point out her wrong behavior. Is it revenge she seeks, based on bitterness and resentment toward John? Is it pride to protect her reputation? She is so upset that she plots to kill John. Consider how much more fruitful the request from her daughter to the king could have been. Consider all the things she could have asked for that could have benefited her for a long time, perhaps a lifetime. Instead, the wicked mother is interested only in herself and her vanity and reputation. Rather than concern or wise advice for her daughter, pride drives her to ask for John to be killed. What a foolish, wicked and selfish request in response to the king’s offer. It did absolutely nothing for the daughter, who received the offer. The wicked care not even for their own children as much as for their own selfish desires. Take heed to consider the needs of others and what is best for them, especially our children.

Let us also look at the response of the apostles and Yeshua. They returned from their journeys and gathered together. They had gone out to preach in pairs and now returned to debrief on their journeys with Yeshua and their peers. Likely they heard about John the Baptist during their journeys. We see again the importance of rest. Yeshua lead the group to a secluded location where they could rest and recharge. This is important for us and often we neglect it. God repeatedly demonstrates the value of rest in scripture. Let us be careful to listen and take His instruction carefully. We must make opportunity to rest, even when we are going about work for the kingdom of heaven. Observing Sabbath every week is a great way to seek rest in obedience to God’s instruction.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please do not let me see the world through my own selfish view. Open my eyes to see the world as You do. Lead me in righteousness and away from wickedness. Let me trust in You and Your ways rather than my own. Help me not get defensive when I am confronted about my sin, but rather let the Spirit lead me to repentance. 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.

 

Faith / Trusting God, Heaven and Hell, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Justice / Judgment, Learning To Pray Effectively, Murder, Obeying God, Pride, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms, Wickedness / Evil

O Lord, Hear My Plea for Justice. Listen To My Cry For Help.

Psalm 17 contains a faithful and heartfelt prayer from David. David had enemies that were stronger than him, but turned to God and relied on Him for protection. David was certainly willing to fight his enemies and demonstrated this on many occasions in his life, but he relied heavily on God.

Also, note that David did not walk his own way and then ask God to save him. He declares his innocence of wrongdoing. He has followed God’s commands, focused on not sinning in what he says, stayed on God’s path, and kept from cruel and evil people. He has not wavered from following God.

Psalm 17

1 O Lord, hear my plea for justice.
    Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer,
    for it comes from honest lips.
2 Declare me innocent,
    for you see those who do right.

3 You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night.
    You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong.
    I am determined not to sin in what I say.
4 I have followed your commands,
    which keep me from following cruel and evil people.
5 My steps have stayed on your path;
    I have not wavered from following you.

6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
    Bend down and listen as I pray.
7 Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways.
    By your mighty power you rescue
    those who seek refuge from their enemies.
8 Guard me as you would guard your own eyes.[a]
    Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
9 Protect me from wicked people who attack me,
    from murderous enemies who surround me.
10 They are without pity.
    Listen to their boasting!
11 They track me down and surround me,
    watching for the chance to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart—
    like young lions hiding in ambush.

13 Arise, O Lord!
    Stand against them, and bring them to their knees!
    Rescue me from the wicked with your sword!
14 By the power of your hand, O Lord,
    destroy those who look to this world for their reward.
But satisfy the hunger of your treasured ones.
    May their children have plenty,
    leaving an inheritance for their descendants.
15 Because I am righteous, I will see you.
    When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied.

David’s prayer is as relevant today as it was when he first prayed it. There is much wickedness and evil throughout the world today, as in days long ago. The face of wickedness and evil may change, but the true enemy remains Satan and the failure of people to recognize and submit to the one, true God.

I invite you to pray with me…

God, please stand against the evil around the world and bring them to their knees. Rescue the righteous from the hands of the wicked. Open my eyes, ears, and heart to listen to your guidance for how you want me to make a difference in defeating evil and protecting the righteous. Help me to walk in righteousness. In all things, not my will but your will be done.   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.

Faith / Trusting God, Loving / Kind, Lying / Deceiving, Murder, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Prayer, Pride, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms, Seeking God, Wickedness / Evil

God, Listen to My Cry for Help

David wrote many of the Psalms when he was in times of personal adversity. As a man after God’s own heart, he consistently turned to God during suffering.

In Psalm 5, David demonstrates trust in God, reflects on God’s character, recognizes God’s love for him and his unworthiness to come before a holy God, and ends with a call to be joyful and praise God. When David prayed, he expected to hear from God.

Psalm 5

1 O Lord, hear me as I pray;
    pay attention to my groaning.
2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
    for I pray to no one but you.
3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
    Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
    you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked.
5 Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence,
    for you hate all who do evil.
6 You will destroy those who tell lies.
    The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.

7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
    I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.
8 Lead me in the right path, O Lord,
    or my enemies will conquer me.
Make your way plain for me to follow.

9 My enemies cannot speak a truthful word.
    Their deepest desire is to destroy others.
Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
    Their tongues are filled with flattery.[a]
10 O God, declare them guilty.
    Let them be caught in their own traps.
Drive them away because of their many sins,
    for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
    that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
12 For you bless the godly, O Lord;
    you surround them with your shield of love.

As with many scriptures, there is much wisdom packed into these precious verses. I admire the relationship David had with God.

We can challenge ourselves to do the following when we have times of suffering:

  • Rely on God. Ask Him for protection and help.
  • Expect God to answer our prayers.
  • Reflect on the character of our holy God.
  • Remember God’s love for us.
  •  Sing joyfully and praise Him even in adversity.

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.

Humility, Kindness / Gentleness, Pride, Prophecy, Through Prophets

Humility and Caring for Others Are Good Qualities

Reading Isaiah 39 today, it struck me that there were two things missing from Hezekiah’s actions in this chapter. For context, he has just been healed of a fatal disease and given 15 more years to his life. On top of that, God defeated an invading army and protected His people under the care of Hezekiah.

Visitors from Babylon come bearing a gift recognizing his recovery. Hezekiah apparently lets his guard down completely and shows them all that is in his possession. He shows them all the wealth of his treasury. One must ask, “Why would he be so careless?” I conclude that it is likely a bit of pride. He was showing off. He did not stop to think of the risk of bragging about all the wealth he has to someone else who may want that same wealth. Humility and discretion would have been very good here. We can still learn a lesson from this today. Have discretion. There is no need to show off all you have to anyone. Just be humble about what you have to others.

The second issue seems to be a disregard for the impact of his actions on his sons in the future and on his people as a nation. Hezekiah has seen the life-altering power of prayer when God changed the course of his personal illness which was going to kill him and gave him 15 more years. Now when God tells Him that there is great hardship coming to the next generation because of his actions, Hezekiah accepts it plainly because it will not affect him personally. He seemed unconcerned to repent and pray for God to change the outcome for others who are to be affected by his mistake. I would like to have seen him pray as hard for his nation and his descendants as he did for his own life only a chapter earlier.

Isaiah 39

Hezekiah Shows His Treasures

      1At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2Hezekiah was pleased, and showed them all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oil and his whole armory and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. 3Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where have they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.” 4He said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them.”

      5Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD of hosts, 6‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the LORD. 7‘And some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away, and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 8Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “For there will be peace and truth in my days.”

As you reflect on today’s scripture, ask God right now to show you any areas of your life in which you are lacking humility or not showing kindness and caring for others because you are too focused on your own well-being.  Ask Him to show you what you should do about it. Start today.

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.

Arrogance, Grace / Forgiveness, Humility, Learning To Pray Effectively, Pride

Pray Humbly and Genuinely with a Repentant Heart

For those of us who wish to indeed submit to Yeshua and follow Him, we must be willing to humbly admit our faults to change them. Yeshua provides a wonderful example of a sinful man who genuinely comes before God for repentance and contrasts that with someone who is just making a show of prayer in a noticeably prideful manner. I encourage each of us to thoughtfully and humbly read the scripture from Luke and then come before God in genuine humility, admitting our sins, and asking for forgiveness with a commitment to repent and sin no more. For those of us who have already accepted Yeshua as our savior, our sins have been forgiven. We come to admit our sins and accept the forgiveness already provided through Yeshua with a commitment to repent and sin no more.

Luke 18:9-14       9And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13“But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

We all remain sinful, no matter where we are on our journey. Take time to identify an area in which you need change and come before God with a pure motive and pure heart, privately, and ask forgiveness and ask His help with repentance. Then work consciously to change your wrong behavior and He will help you.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for forgiveness through Yeshua. Thank You for the grace and mercy You have already given us. I am genuinely sorry for my sin and my transgressions against You. Help me be transformed through the renewing of my mind to walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit as you intend. Help me to walk in Your ways. I pray this in the name of Yeshua. 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.

Consequences of Sin, Merciful, Pride

Don’t Put the Things of Man Above the Things of God

Tyre in many ways symbolized the pride of man lifted up above God. It was a grand center of trade and worldly wealth. The LORD brought humility to Tyre through its destruction.  The LORD does not like pride and does not like man glorifying himself and his accomplishments over that of God.

This applies to our lives still today, if we take heed. Do not take pride in our own accomplishments or the things of man. Instead, keep God first in our hearts.

Isaiah 23

The Fall of Tyre

1The oracle concerning Tyre.
Wail, O ships of Tarshish,
For Tyre is destroyed, without house or harbor;
It is reported to them from the land of Cyprus.

2Be silent, you inhabitants of the coastland,
You merchants of Sidon;
Your messengers crossed the sea

3And were on many waters.
The grain of the Nile, the harvest of the River was her revenue;
And she was the market of nations.

4Be ashamed, O Sidon;
For the sea speaks, the stronghold of the sea, saying,
“I have neither travailed nor given birth,
I have neither brought up young men nor reared virgins.”

5When the report reaches Egypt,
They will be in anguish at the report of Tyre.

6Pass over to Tarshish;
Wail, O inhabitants of the coastland.

7Is this your jubilant city,
Whose origin is from antiquity,
Whose feet used to carry her to colonize distant places?

8Who has planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns,
Whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?

9The LORD of hosts has planned it, to defile the pride of all beauty,
To despise all the honored of the earth.

10Overflow your land like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish,
There is no more restraint.

11He has stretched His hand out over the sea,
He has made the kingdoms tremble;
The LORD has given a command concerning Canaan to demolish its strongholds.

12He has said, “You shall exult no more, O crushed virgin daughter of Sidon.
Arise, pass over to Cyprus; even there you will find no rest.”

13Behold, the land of the Chaldeans—this is the people which was not; Assyria appointed it for desert creatures—they erected their siege towers, they stripped its palaces, they made it a ruin.

14Wail, O ships of Tarshish,
For your stronghold is destroyed.

15Now in that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

16Take your harp, walk about the city,
O forgotten harlot;
Pluck the strings skillfully, sing many songs,
That you may be remembered.

17It will come about at the end of seventy years that the LORD will visit Tyre. Then she will go back to her harlot’s wages and will play the harlot with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. 18Her gain and her harlot’s wages will be set apart to the LORD; it will not be stored up or hoarded, but her gain will become sufficient food and choice attire for those who dwell in the presence of the LORD.

Today, we can still learn the lesson of Tyre. Avoid sinful pride, putting the accomplishments of man or our own accomplishments in a place of honor in our hearts above God. We can also see that after 70 years, God had mercy on Tyre. Sadly, they quickly went back to their old ways. If we have sinned and received God’s mercy, let us not go back to our sinful ways. Instead, let us repent and be transformed to honor God and live His way. We can harvest great benefits from the mercy of God, but we must change our ways!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me not to be prideful. Help me to be humble. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. Let me not put my own achievements of those of man above Your place as first in my heart! I pray these things in Yeshua’s name. 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.

Am I on the path?, Arrogance, Discipline / Guidance From God, Drunkenness, Greed, Guide, Justice / Judgment, Lying / Deceiving, Pride, Through Prophets, Unteachable / Foolish, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Warnings and Caution from Isaiah

Neither God’s nature nor human nature have changed. These timeless warnings from Isaiah’s time serve still to caution us even today.

Just to help get you started on verse 8, think of it as a transition from many small businesses and homes to fewer, consolidated homes and businesses of a much smaller group now running things. Sort of sounds something like… “Beware of shutting down small family businesses to be replaced with a few behemoths like Amazon or Walmart”.  Could be a similar concept with homes as well as businesses.

Isaiah 5:8-30

Woes for the Wicked

8Woe to those who add house to house and join field to field,
Until there is no more room,
So that you have to live alone in the midst of the land!

      9In my ears the LORD of hosts has sworn, “Surely, many houses shall become desolate,
Even great and fine ones, without occupants.

      10“For ten acres of vineyard will yield only one bath of wine,
And a homer of seed will yield but an ephah of grain.”

      11Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink,
Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!

      12Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine;
But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD,
Nor do they consider the work of His hands.

      13Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge;
And their honorable men are famished,
And their multitude is parched with thirst.

      14Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat and opened its mouth without measure;
And Jerusalem’s splendor, her multitude, her din of revelry and the jubilant within her, descend into it.

      15So the common man will be humbled and the man of importance abased,
The eyes of the proud also will be abased.

      16But the LORD of hosts will be exalted in judgment,
And the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.

      17Then the lambs will graze as in their pasture,
And strangers will eat in the waste places of the wealthy.

      18Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood,
And sin as if with cart ropes;

      19Who say, “Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it;
And let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near
And come to pass, that we may know it!”

      20Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

      21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight!

      22Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine
And valiant men in mixing strong drink,

      23Who justify the wicked for a bribe,
And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!

      24Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble
And dry grass collapses into the flame,
So their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust;
For they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts
And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

      25On this account the anger of the LORD has burned against His people,
And He has stretched out His hand against them and struck them down.
And the mountains quaked, and their corpses lay like refuse in the middle of the streets.
For all this His anger is not spent,
But His hand is still stretched out.

      26He will also lift up a standard to the distant nation,
And will whistle for it from the ends of the earth;
And behold, it will come with speed swiftly.

      27No one in it is weary or stumbles,
None slumbers or sleeps;
Nor is the belt at its waist undone,
Nor its sandal strap broken.

      28Its arrows are sharp and all its bows are bent;
The hoofs of its horses seem like flint and its chariot wheels like a whirlwind.

      29Its roaring is like a lioness, and it roars like young lions;
It growls as it seizes the prey
And carries it off with no one to deliver it.

      30And it will growl over it in that day like the roaring of the sea.
If one looks to the land, behold, there is darkness and distress;
Even the light is darkened by its clouds.

This prophecy contains quite the vision of warning and punishment to come. While Jerusalem has already experienced this in Isaiah’s time, we can learn from it and apply it still today, hopefully to avoid God’s wrath.

Spend sometime rereading this scripture today, reflecting on each piece as you seek to understand it clearly. Ask the Spirit to guide you in understanding and applying it to your life. I would highlight the following section again for your prayerful consideration. This runs rampant today throughout society and even churches.

      20Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

      21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please grant us understanding and wisdom. Increase our faith. Let Your people have greater clarity than ever in regard to what is good and what is evil. Help us to be humble and not be “clever in our own sight”. Help us rely on You and Your word. Thank You for Your word which is good for teaching and instruction forever. Amen.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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.

All Powerful / King of All, Fasting, Interceding for Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Pride, Protector / Deliverer, Seeking God, Wise

Prayer, Fasting, and Thoughtful Planning

As we continue to read in Esther, we pick up in chapter 5. Haman has previously set about a plan to destroy the Jews in Persia. Esther risks her life to come before the king uninvited in order to try to save her people. She and the Jews of Susa have prayed and fasted for three days. Still, she has a plan for how to surface the request to save the Jews. She plans two banquets and includes Haman in them. This is interesting and there could be interesting study in why she might have chosen this path instead of just talking privately to the king.

However, a key point to focus on here today is much simpler. Having prayed and fasted, and having asked others to do so with her, she still is thoughtful about how she proceeds. She is clever and subtle at first, not just laying it out there bluntly to the king. She gains his favor. Of course, do not overlook that God is at work in response to the prayer and fasting that is helping her be successful as well. There is much to be learned that we can apply in our own lives.

Esther 5

Esther Plans a Banquet

      1Now it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace in front of the king’s rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace. 2When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter. 3Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.” 4Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

      5Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly that we may do as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. 6As they drank their wine at the banquet, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” 7So Esther replied, “My petition and my request is: 8if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and do what I request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king says.”

Haman’s Pride

      9Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. 10Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had promoted him above the princes and servants of the king. 12Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. 13“Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” 14Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.

When we face difficult situations, and we come before God in fasting and prayer, we can also still be thoughtful in how we approach any situation to try to get the best outcome. Don’t underestimate, however, that part of why the plan is working so well is because God is at work. Esther has taken personal risk and is carefully engaging the king, but she did so after first engaging God to help!

As a side note, we also see Haman’s pride on display, which leads him to construct gallows for Mordecai. (Spoiler alert: Mordecai is not the one who will hang on them.)

What situations do you have in your life that require you to overcome significant challenges? Are you praying and fasting to seek the LORD? If you are praying and fasting, are you also planning thoughtfully how to proceed?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You that we can approach You in prayer and fasting to seek Your help. Thank You for examples in scripture that can help guide us in how we should live. Thank You for having mercy and forgiveness for Your people and redeeming us through Yeshua. Please help us to defeat the plans of the enemy and to protect Your people still today. 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.

Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Pride, Purposeful / Intentional, Wickedness / Evil

Stand Strong for God, Even When the World Comes Against You

Sometimes those who are of the world will come against God’s people because we refuse to conform to their ways. It may be a pride issue, or simply resentment because we are different. Many are not comfortable tolerating others who have a different belief system and are living for God. It seems especially difficult when it results in highly visible differences in how we behave, as in the case with Haman and Mordecai.

Esther 3

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

      1After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him. 2All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage. 3Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you transgressing the king’s command?” 4Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

      7In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, Pur, that is the lot, was cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth month, that is the month Adar. 8Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. 9“If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” 10Then the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11The king said to Haman, “The silver is yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”

      12Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their possessions as plunder. 14A copy of the edict to be issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day. 15The couriers went out impelled by the king’s command while the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in confusion.

Of course, not all those who come against God’s people are going to try to execute all of us. However, do not fool yourself. There are still places in this world today that are very aggressive against those who follow Yeshua including persecution up to and including death. In countries like the United States, we more often see attempts to use the legal system and lawsuits to try to force us to turn away from our beliefs. To a lesser, but still powerful extent, social media and corporations and government and school systems all tend to be heavily biased against those who would visibly live our lives for God and follow His instructions.

We should stand firm in our faith and what we believe is right. We should seek the LORD to help protect and guide us.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help Your people stand strong in the face of opposition and persecution. Please protect us and bless us. Help us to thrive even among the godless culture in which we live. Open the eyes of the spiritually blind that they may see the truth around them and change their lives to live for You according to Your instructions. 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.