Esther: For Such a Time as This!

Notes: “For Such a Time as This!”


Pastor Greg Laurie

Harvest OC

June 20, 2013

Part 1 of Esther 1

Psalm 37:23 (NKJV)

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.

Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

John 14:27 (NKJV)

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
(Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)

5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”)

XERXES

Esther 2:5-9 (NKJV)

In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite. [6] Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been captured with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. [7] And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. [8] So it was, when the king's command and decree were heard, and when many young women were gathered at Shushan the citadel, under the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was taken to the king's palace, into the care of Hegai the custodian of the women. [9] Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king's palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women.

1. We all have talents and gifts that God has given us.

2. We need to take what God has given us and cultivate it.

“Do not neglect the gift that is given to you.”
(1 Timothy 4:14)

Many of us never find out what we can or cannot do, because we never try!

3. There is a time to speak up and a time to be quiet.
(Esther 2:10 (NKJV)

Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it.)

1 Peter 3:1-4 (NKJV)

Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, [2] when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. [3] Do not let your adornment be merely outward-arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel- [4] rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

“Beauty is empty; a woman who reverences the Lord shall be praised.”
(Proverbs 31:30)

HAMAN

Esther 3:8-11 (NKJV)

8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”

10 So 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. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money and the people are given to you, to do with them as seems good to you.”

Esther 4:10-14 (NKJV)

10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.” 12 So they told Mordecai Esther’s words.

13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Has God placed you where you are for such a time as this?

God has something for you to do and something for you to say.

God has placed you where you are to be an influence for Him.

JOSEPH

Genesis 45:1-5 (NKJV)

Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, "Make everyone go out from me!" So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. [2] And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. [3] Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. [4] And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. [5] But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

Your life: “God did it!”

Instead of isolating, you need to infiltrate and permeate.

Esther 4:15-16 (NKJV)

Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: [16] "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!"

4. Our lives belong to God. He created us, called us, gifted us, and now He wants to use us.

How to Divorce-Proof Your Marriage

Notes: How to Divorce-Proof Your Marriage

Matthew 19

Pastor Greg Laurie

Happily Even After

1. Selfishness: our culture is completely self absorbed.

2 Timothy 3:1-2 (NKJV)

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: [2] For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Genesis 4:7 (NKJV)

If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."

Ephesians 5:28 (NKJV)

So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

Philippians 2:3-5 (NKJV)

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. [4] Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. [5] Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

2. Communication Breakdown.

Deal with conflict as it arises. Do not let it escalate. If its important to your mate then it should be important to you.

We should not answer a matter before we hear it.

Ephesians 4:31-32 (NKJV)

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. [32] And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Fight to resolve NOT to win.

3. Adultery.

This one "made Gods top ten."

Unfaithfulness is one of the greatest threats against marriage.

1 Corinthians 6:9 (NKJV)

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

Proverbs 7:24-27 (NKJV)

Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth: [25] Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; [26] For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men. [27] Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.

Matthew 5:27-28 (NKJV)

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' [28] But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Sexual temptation is everywhere

This does damage to you and to your spouse.

1 Corinthians 6:16-18 (NKJV)

Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh." [17] But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. [18] Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

This does damage to your children. They will follow your example for good or bad.

This does damage to the church. If one is affected we all are affected.

This is a damage to your witness.

This hurts God that you have sinned.

Matthew 19:7-9 (NKJV)

They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" [8] He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. [9] And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."

1 Corinthians 7:15 (NKJV)

But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.

Protecting your Family:

1: walk with God

2: walk with your spouse

3: don't walk in the council of the ungodly.

4: count the cost

God forgives and gives a second chance. Jesus said let him who is sinless cast the first stone.

"Go and sin no more"

Which Fig Are You?

Notes: Which Fig Are You

Watched Online

June, 2013

Book of Daniel

Bob Coy

2 Chronicles 16:9 (NKJV)

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars."

Jeremiah 24:1-10 (NKJV)

The LORD showed me, and there were two baskets of figs set before the temple of the LORD, after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. [2] One basket had very good figs, like the figs that are first ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs which could not be eaten, they were so bad. [3] Then the LORD said to me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?"And I said, "Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad." [4] Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, [5] "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. [6] For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. [7] Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart. [8] 'And as the bad figs which cannot be eaten, they are so bad'-surely thus says the LORD-'so will I give up Zedekiah the king of Judah, his princes, the residue of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt. [9] I will deliver them to trouble into all the kingdoms of the earth, for their harm, to be a reproach and a byword, a taunt and a curse, in all places where I shall drive them. [10] And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence among them, till they are consumed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers.'"

Which fig are you?

1 of 4 words Problem

Jeremiah 2:28 (NKJV)

But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, If they can save you in the time of your trouble; For according to the number of your cities Are your gods, O Judah.

Jeremiah 25:6-7 (NKJV)

Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.' [7] Yet you have not listened to Me," says the LORD, "that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.

Self inflicted wounds

2nd word Provision

Do not reject the word of God because of the messenger.

Daniel 1:8 (NKJV)

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

3rd word Purpose

Ephesians 4:28 (NKJV)

Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

4th word Prize

2 Timothy 2:5 (NKJV)

And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

1 Corinthians 9:24 (NKJV)

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

Philippians 3:14 (NKJV)

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Judah Smith at Saddleback

Notes: Pastor Judah Smith at Saddleback

June 1st 2013

Romans 5:20 (NLT)

God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant.

Romans 5:20 (NKJV)

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,

Matthew 9:9 (NKJV)

As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him.

God is a guarantee of protection.

Mark 16:7 (NLT)

Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died."