My God My Everything

With all this talk of beauty treatments and outward adornments I want to take a moment and talk about what is hidden within. It’s very common for us to have a hard exterior when we meet new people, begin new adventures or find ourselves in different circumstances than we are used to. But hidden within every believer is our true identity and that is…… Christ in us! In our story of Esther we read that her uncle Mordecai had instructed her not to reveal her nationality and family background. At the proper time it would be revealed and at that time it would have the desired effect. In the Bible…

When the king had issued his new proclamation and many young women were being brought to Susa, Esther was among them. She too was put in the royal palace in the care of Hegai, who had charge of the harem.  Hegai liked Esther, and she won his favor. He lost no time in beginning her beauty treatment of massage and special diet. He gave her the best place in the harem and assigned seven young women specially chosen from the royal palace to serve her. (Esther 2:8-9) Hegai had hundreds of women all vying for the King’s affection. It was like a modern day “Bachelor” contest. Can you just imagine the…

It’s that time of year when we are bombarded with advertisements for gym memberships and diet programs. These messages are meant to spark our motivation to change our appearances and live their version of a healthier lifestyle. We have a choice whether or not to participate. That was not the case with Esther. She was selected to be one of the women that would be brought into the kings harem and who would receive a year long beauty makeover. While that may seem intriguing on the surface the truth was that each young girl that was chosen would have one chance to impress the king and if she didn’t, she…

In the story of Esther, King Xerxes made several decisions in the heat of the moment which later, he showed signs of regretting. Most of his decisions were made after listening to personal attendants who only had their own best interests in mind. First it was the decision to banish Vashti for her refusal to be paraded around at his drunken banquet. The attendants suggested that she be removed and punished so that other women, their wives, would not follow suit and disobey them. Years later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti, meaning he longed for her. Then he again listened to a proposal from his personal…

The book of Esther begins with a Queen named Vashti. The bible describes her as beautiful and lovely to look at. All who gazed upon her would think that she had it all. Royalty, servants, wealth and looks. But we quickly learn that appearances are not always what they seem. Behind her outward beauty and worldly luxuries was a defiant heart that resulted in her being removed from her position as Queen and exiled. Believe it or not we can all relate with her story. As women we are constantly looking and comparing ourselves with others be it in the check out line at the grocery store, looking at magazine…

The first mention of Esther in the bible is by her Hebrew name Hadassah. The rest of her story is told using her Persian name Esther. We are told that she was raised by her cousin Mordecai because she had neither father nor mother and that she had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother had died. So much can be learned from that one verse about Esther’s identity. How tragic that must have been for a young girl to lose both her parents. She was orphaned but also taken in by her cousin and loved as if…

Lord, I have chosen you alone as my inheritance. You are my prize, my pleasure, and my portion. I leave my destiny and its timing in your hands. -Psalm 16:5 TPT Have you ever wondered what might be written about you in your obituary? What would be the defining moments of your life? What would be the achievements? You and I have a God given destiny. Our lives have purpose and therefore meaning. The bible tells us that before we were even born, God gave us our destiny; that we would fulfill the plan of God who always accomplishes every purpose and plan in his heart. For we are God’s workmanship,…

For the month of February we will discover some of the many lessons that can be learned from studying the life of Esther. Overview – You have a Destiny Esther was a woman that boldly walked in the full authority of what God had positioned her to do.  As an orphan she was raised by her uncle Mordecai who instructed her throughout her life.  She was lovely in form and figure and was chosen to become part of the quest to find the King of Persia a new queen.  This set in place a refining process that not only included her outward appearance but would also require the refining of…