10/5/2011 5:44:20 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: False Confidence
Bible Reading & Mediation Reference: Ester 5:6-9a
Message of the verses: “6 As 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." 7 So Esther replied, "My petition and my request is: 8 if 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."
“9 ¶ Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart;”
Haman’s false confidence was the second force that was against him. Haman must have had his head grow a few sizes after becoming the only guest to eat with the king and queen. This over confidence would be part of his downfall, for in a few short hours Haman would die, and his over confidence would be part of the reason for his death.
Dr. Wiersbe points out three evidences of the sovereignty of God from what took place at this first banquet. The first evidence was that Ester did not divulge the reason as to why she had invited the king and Haman there. This is important because of what would happen to Mordecia the next morning, for he would be honored by the king, and Haman would be the one who is used by the king to bring this honor to Mordecai.
The sovereign hand of the Lord was also seen in this delay to the next day for the king. This is not the kind of a thing that these kings were used to, that is being told what to do, and that is exactly what Ester was doing, however God was in charge of this drama.
The third evidence of the providence of God is seen in those who were aids of the queen, for if they had told Haman that Ester was a Jewess then we would have seen a different attitude in Haman, trying to even getting rid of the queen. God saw to it that none of those involved with Ester would tell Haman of this.
Now that Haman was invited to another banquet with the king and queen must have made his confidence become larger, but soon his bubble would burst.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: What I have been reminded in this section is that my confidence should always and only be in the Lord, and this again is part of learning contentment, for to have confidence in my own ability is not the way that I can learn contentment, for contentment is realizing that the Lord is in control of all that goes on in my life and me accepting that even though at times it is not pleasant, but necessary for Christian growth, becoming like my Lord (Romans 8:29).
My Steps of Faith for Today:
1. Placing my confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ, for after all He loved me even before I was His child, and therefore after becoming His child through His work on the cross, I must realize that I surely can trust Him.
2. Continue to learn contentment.
3. Trust the Lord to get me through this morning without any bad effects from IBS.
10/5/2011 6:05:55 AM
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