Wed.’s Devo - God’s Turn Around

Read: Esther 4:1-7:10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-26; Psalm 36:1-12; Proverbs 21:21-22 Mordecai heard the decree read to annihilate the Jews and tore his clothes, put on burlap and asked and went into the city wailing and all the way to the palace gate. The Jews fasted and prayed and wore clothes of mourning. When Esther heard of what Mordecai had done, she sent clothes for him by her eunuch. She told him to ask what was going on. Mordecai begged her to go and speak to the king about it but Esther knew that it might cost her her life to do that. (I have to say that Esther’s reaction was so human. The edict said she would die, but common sense doesn’t always come into play in a crisis.) Mordecai explained that just because she was in the palace wouldn’t excuse her and maybe she was placed there for this very moment. That was when Esther went into action. She called for a three day fast and called on the Lord for help. God gave her perfect strategy. She dressed to look like a queen and went to see the king. He raised the scepter to her because God gave her favor. Instead of giving him the request, she baited him. She invited him and Haman to a banquet instead. God had some things he needed to orchestrate. Haman went home elated and proud, until he saw Mordecai standing fearlessly instead of bowing when he passed. Haman went home to build a 75 foot pole to impale Mordecai on and Esther went to the palace to plan a banquet to end Haman. We all know the conclusion. Haman ended up impaled on the pole and Mordecai ended up with Haman’s job. All because of insomnia of the king. When he couldn’t sleep that night, he ordered the books of his kingdom to be brought to him and he just happened to open to the part where Mordecai saved his life. He realized he had not rewarded him so he asked Haman what he should do for someone he wanted to honor. Haman told the king what he wanted to happen to himself because he thought he would be the recipient of this honor. Instead, what he wanted fell to Mordecai and he had to be the one to deliver it. This was the beginning of his demise. What a picture of what is going to happen in America. What the devil is planning for our demise is going to be the shoe that he has to wear. Let’s just keep praying and believing. In Corinthians, Paul talked about spiritual gifts which in the Strong’s Concordance means “supernatural” gifts. We all have them! They are given out to people in the body to benefit the others. These gifts are the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, different kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues. They are given by the Holy Spirit and he empowers us to do them. We are to covet these gifts and ask for them. Their purpose is not to make us look great but to glorify God and help the body. We are all suppose to work together in our gifts and use them together as one big machine on the earth. We need one another and each one’s gifts. They are to bring us together, not divide us. We can not measure someone’s gifts by human measurements because some of the most hidden gifts are the most important. God sees everything hidden and exposed and judges the hearts which is most important to him. Lord, help us to keep our hearts pure and repentant. Thank you that you are the God of triumph and your Word succeeds in everything it says.