Strategic Intercession

The central character of the Bible is Jesus and in the Old Testament we see shadows of Him as an ark, a lamb, or rock. In the book of Esther, Jesus is portrayed as a woman.

WE SEE JESUS PROMOTED, 2:17

Esther, a Jewish orphan, wins a beauty contest and becomes queen of Persia. 

In the same way Jesus was a servant, obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross; therefore, God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. And just as Queen Esther was promoted to the royal court, so Jesus has now ascended to the right hand of the Father.

Esther was promoted because of her beauty, but Jesus was exalted because of His obedience.

This was Esther's first experience with royalty, but for Jesus it was a reunion.

This exciting similarity is heightened when we realize we are "in Christ" and identify with him in His death, resurrection, and ascension. God "raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:6).

WE SEE JESUS PERSECUTED, 3:13

Haman is enraged at Mordecai and wants to exterminate all Jews. It is ironic this took place in ancient Persia which is modern-day Iran. Anti-semitism is an persistent ugly irrational hatred of God's people inspired from hell and rooted in the curse (Gen. 3:15). Satan hates Israel because they are the ancestoral people of Jesus and he hates Christians because they are the spiritual descendents of Jesus. This puts us in the cross-hairs (2 Tim. 3:12, Matt. 24:9)!

WE SEE JESUS PRAYING, 4:11-16 & 5:2-3

If Haman's plot to destroy the Jews was to be stopped, Esther had to talk to the king. Yet going into the king's presence uninvited was strickly forbidden. Despite personal danger, Esther summoned her courage and advocated for her people in much the same way Jesus now advocates for us (1 Jn. 2:1). The Bible says Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father where He ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25).

Again the similarity between Christ and Esther is made even more special when we realize that because we are "in Christ" we too can "come boldly before the throne of grace."

Mordecai appealed to the King through his cousin Esther. Likewise, when we pray in Jesus' name we appeal to the Father through our Savior Jesus Christ. 

It is not an overstatement to say that Esther's intercession changed the course of human history. If Haman had eradicated the Jews there would be no Jesus, Bible, or church. We have similar intercessory potential as we appeal to the Father. Christians should never approach God as a flat-lander but as a cloud-walker since they too are seated in the heavenlies!

God is judging America, but as we call on to the Lord we can save this country. Mordecai told Esther she ascended for such a special moment (Esther 4:14) . Perhaps we are alive now for a similar intercessory opportunity. 

 

 

 

How to be Popular

Mordecai was popular because according to Esther 10:3 he did two things:

  1. He sought the welfare of his people.
  2. He spoke peace to all the people.

It seems pretty simple, but it is a good reminder.

  1. Serve people.
  2. Say pleasant things.

Because let's face it, there are too many self-serving individuals who say ugly things.

The Second Coming like the Days of Noah and Lot

In both the days of Noah and Lot there was 

  • destruction of the many
  • deliverance for the few

Prior to the flood God told Noah

 

 

 

Before the fire and brimstone fell on Sodom

Current events may be frightening, but we must keep trusting the Lord. He will see us through the coming storm. 

For further study see Luke 17:26-30.

Our Great High Priest

Here are three reasons that Jesus is the great high priest.

  1. Jesus is perfect. All other high priests were sinful, frail human beings. They had to be cleansed from their own sins before they could intercede for the people. But since Jesus never had a bad thought, word, or deed, He doesn't need to confess His sins like all the other high priests. 
  2. Jesus is immortal. The other high priests eventually would die and a new priest would have to be trained. Because Jesus is eternal, He is still on the job, where He "ever lives to make intercession for us." 
  3. Jesus is the final sacrifice. In the Old Testament animals had to be offered regularly, but at Calvary Jesus became a perfect once-and-for-all sacrifice. In a remarkable twist, Jesus is both priest and offering. In an amazing act of love the Priest offered Himself. What the blood of bulls and goats could not do, Jesus accomplished by shedding His own life blood.

What a Savior!

Have you Hugged Your Cross Today?

The cross is the central symbol of the Christian life. But the cross is not just about Jesus. The cross is also about us and how we follow the Lord in His death and resurrection.

Temptations and struggles frequently come our way. How do we respond? Bite the bullet? Grin and bear it? Will power? I am learning one of the best way to way to overcome life's struggles is to embrace the cross and consider myself dead to sin and self. 

Romans 6 says that when we become Chrisitans we are immersed into Christ (1 Cor. 12:13) and share in his crucifixion. Paul said in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ." This is a mystical reality that is difficult to grasp, but somehow all believers are transported back in time to that lonely windswept hill of Golgotha where Christ died upon the cross. We participate in His death in order that we may share in His resurrection life.

Meditate on Romans 6:11. When someone or something agitates you remember you are dead and you can't tempt a dead man!

Reverse the Curse

King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and commanded his wise men to tell him what it meant (Daniel 2). Only problem is, he wouldn't tell them what he dreamed. The king required both the recounting of the dream and its interpretation. To make matters worse, if the wise men failed they would be killed. Without delay the executions began. 

This was the double dilema facing Daniel: darkness and danger. 

But amazing things happend when God's people call on the Lord! Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego had a little prayer meeting and after their supplication, God revealed to Daniel the king's dream and its meaning. The Lord had given Nebuchadnezzar insight into future world history.

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The chapter ends with an amazing reversal. Where there had been darkness and death, now there is light and life and all this as a result of prayer. 

What confusing frightening situation are you facing? Learn the lesson of Daniel and his three friends. Call a prayer meeting right away!

National Suicide

Samaria, the capital of Israel, fell in 722 BC to the Assyrians.

God brought judgment on His people and there is no doubt why. 2 Kings 17:7-17 mentions five specific sins that offended God. America better pay attention here because the similarities are frightening.

  1. Worldliness (acting like the heathens)
  2. Idolatry (as Peter Lord said, "an idol is a doll of the eye, an eye-doll")
  3. Rejecting God's word and God's warnings
  4. Child sacrifice (abortion)
  5. Occult

This should lead us to confession and repentance. God is merciful. There is still time to turn back to God. But take note, if the Hebrews were not above judgment, neither are Americans. 

 

Escaping Tribulation

 Luke 21:36 says, "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." 

Observe first, there is hope! Some will escape the tribulation to come upon the earth and they will be left standing when Christ returns. The travail of the earth will not bend them nor break them, because God will remove them from harms way. So there is hope for some. But what must we do to be included in this elite number?

Notice the standard. One has to be counted worthy. Only those deemed fit will be spared from wrath and able to stand when Christ returns. What does one have to do to be "counted worthy?" The text doesn't say, but drawing upon a wider range of scripture here are three possibilities. First, it surely involves the imputed righteousness of Christ. One must be in Christ and clothed in His righteousness. What else? Positional righteousness must be fleshed out in practical righteousness (Rev. 19:8). That is you can't just be considered righteous, you have to live righeous. Finally, when it says to be counted worthy I think of John 15 and the Lord's emphasis on fruitfulness. The fruitful Christian has Jesus living through them (Gal. 5:22-23) and they are influcencing others toward Christlikeness (1 Cor. 11:1).

Finally notice the way to worthiness which involves both watching and praying. Watch current events, being wise like the sons of Issachar. Watch over those you are discipling, don't let any sheep stray. And watch over your own soul and purity. Then pray for God's kingdom to come in this world and in your family. Pray for the bride of Christ. Also see Mark 14:38.

An alert and praying Christian is valuable to the Lord and He will extend special protective graces to that individual much like He did to Noah in the days before the flood.

Heart Check

In discussing our love for Him, Jesus listed the heart before soul, mind, or strength. And heart-felt love is always mentioned first in parallel passages. Click on the following verses to see for yourself.

Deut. 6:5

Mark 12:30

 

We are to love God with our entire being, but it is significant that scritpure always lists the heart first. Yes we are to love God totally with our thoughts and efforts but it begins with heart-felt passion.