Devotion
Do not anger the king’s queen!
David Jacobs
It may sound chauvinistic, but I am extremely protective of the women that I care about the most in my life. If anyone tries to harm my mother, sister, or wife, they will certainly have to deal with me as well. I try to be a good Christian and control my temper, but it is easy to lose my temper even thinking about something bad happening to them because of someone else. Unfortunately for the genocidal prince to King Xerxes, Haman, he messed with the wrong woman.
Esther was a Jewish woman and wife of King Xerxes. When Haman was promoted to the highest aid of the king, a Jewish man, Mordecai, refused to bow to him. Infuriated by Mordecai's lack of respect, Haman approached the king with a plan to kill all of the Jews in the kingdom. When Esther learnt of this, she hatched her own plan to kill Haman. She organized two feasts with Haman and the king, hoping to get them a bit drunk and let their guards down. On the second day and after winning the favor of her husband, Esther asked him to kill Haman. When the king left in a fury, he came back to see that Haman had collapsed, perhaps hiding from the king, in the same bed as Esther. Further enraged, Xerxes ordered Haman to be killed on the exact gallows that Haman had constructed for Mordecai. Ah, sweet revenge!
Although this passage is devoid of much Godly action, it does paint a good picture of what the Jews have faced throughout much of their existence: persecution, slavery, and genocide. Brother and sisters of Christ! We must be better than the wicked Haman!
Prayer
Although there are certainly differences between people, we know that we should treat others as we would like them to treat us (Matthew 7:12). Not as Haman, Xerxes, or Esther, but like Christ. Let us give thanks to God for allowing us the choice. Amen.
Night Prayer
Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
Inspiration
We humble ourselves before the Lord when we come to Him with earthly burdens. We understand we do not have the power to control or fix our problems alone, so we lay our egos down and align our lives with the will of God. We are proud to be His servants and accept His help throughout our struggles. His love is unconditional, and His wisdom parallels none other.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we humble ourselves before You, seeking Your wisdom and guidance all the days of our lives. Thank You for Your presence and unfailing love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
You are a Temple of The Holy Spirit
Frances Taylor
This is a hard saying in today's world. Sexual immorality is so rampant and public that few people believe it to be immoral! People no longer think of sexual behavior outside of marriage as wrong and, in fact, have no problem with going from one person to another quite publicly, broadcasting their behavior on social media and if you're famous enough, on twitter, on TV, in magazines, etc. What happened to "Thou shalt not commit adultery?" I guess I'm old fashioned. I'm not about to condemn anyone who truly loves another and is faithful to them regardless of marriage, but I don't understand and cannot condone random sexual encounters that are not based on love but lust, have no desire for permanency but are literally just to satisfy a sexual itch.
Sorry if I offend anyone, but if we believe that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit to be kept holy, how can we treat them as what – toys, prizes? I'm aware that women have often ...
Morning Prayer
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Inspiration
Think of a grudge that you held on for a long time. Did you feel better from holding this grudge? Now think about this deeper: what if God held a grudge against us? Wow, how blessed we are that he forgives our sins! He leads by example, forgiving those of us that do exactly what he asks us not to do. We all should all be more forgiving, like God is to us.
Prayer
You sent your only son to the world to die so that we may be forgiven, merciful God. Forgive me, once again, for being too selfish and proud to not forgive those that trespass against me. I wish that I can sin less and ask for forgiveness and guidance when I need it. I thank you for sending your son to us, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
