Can't Box Him In

The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart one day and said, "STOP TRYING TO PUT GOD IN A BOX!"

I paused for a second and said, "wow, You're right." I began meditating on that and realized how much I WASN'T expecting because I was feeling like it was "too big" for God to handle. But, whenever I think something silly like that, I always go back to... "Wow, God of all the universe, the Maker of the Heavens and earth, the ULTIMATE Judge... can't handle my situation???? Really?" -___-

But ALL GLORY to GOD!!! 2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. Then again, Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible. And again, Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

This is what God has been speaking into my life, "Just have faith and trust Me." Simple as that. But to some, and even to myself sometimes, it doesn't seem "that simple." But didn't Jesus say Himself, "if you have faith the size of a mustard seed..." [Luke 17] Jesus said this after His disciples asked Him to INCREASE their faith.

I pray that God will continue to build us up in faith, may we not focus on the temporal or the things of this world, but place our thoughts on the things above. May God's thoughts toward us become our thoughts. May God's ways become our ways. May what He desires for us become so deeply rooted in our hearts that we will live that reality!


LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH!!

♥ Mari

For Such a Time

A VERY brief synopsis!

The Book of Esther paints a beautiful picture of redemption, favor, grace, humility, and how a  devastating situation can do a 180 degree turn!!

Esther was beautiful woman who found MUCH favor in the sight of the king. Out of the many women who tried to catch the king's eye, Esther excelled above them all! The moment King Ahasuerus [a.k.a. Xerxes] first laid eyes on her, he pretty much fell in love [awwee how precious lol]. I would like to think it was her outer and INNER beauty combined that really captured his heart.

Haman [who thought of himself as most favored of the king], an enemy of the Jews who also greatly despised Mordecai [Esther's uncle] sought to annihilate all the Jews [out of pride].

Now, instead of using her beauty to glorify herself, Esther used it to redeem her people. Through corporate fasting, Esther prepared herself spiritually to face the king to attempt to redeem her people. Esther boldly took the chance of being killed to go into the King's courts to plead for the redemption of her people.  "Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this." Esther 4:14 NKJV

Esther, of course, found favor in the king's sight! A chain of events unfolded where the circumstances changed, Mordecai found much favor in the king's sight, and Haman was no longer "the king's favorite." Long story short, the device Haman built to kill Mordecai [which didn't occur because the king favored Mordecai] was the same device that the king had  Haman killed with. [Esther 7:9-10 ~ Psalm 7:14-16, Psalm 57:6]

This is when Mordecai asked Ether to go to the king and make supplication: Esther 4:13-14 "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. 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?" NKJV

Because of one woman's boldness, a people were redeemed! My friend, is there a place in your life where God has called you to speak up, speak out and be bold? You have two choices, you can either sit back and say nothing, or step out in courage and do what God has called you to do. Know this: there is ALWAYS someone else God can use to perform His perfect will. He doesn't really need you, so count it an honor to even be elected by God "for such a time as this." Take heart and be courageous... who knows? You just may redeem a people, a city, a nation through an act of selfless faith. God Bless!

♥ Mari P.