Daily Devotional

Scripture Esth 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.[

Observation: That seems to be one of the harder things for us to do is to seek the good of others. I seem to always come first when there is any good to be received and Mordecai would even seek the good of his people. What a great leader he must have been seeking the good of others, speaking peace no wonder he was received so well. He was everything God has called us all to be, so why is it so hard for us? We are all sinners and are so focused on us it is hard to see God at times and the needs of others even harder.

Application: We’re starting another new year and with all the resolutions I’m trying to make this should be on the top of the list. To look for the needs of others and to treat others as God as called me to do. I need to know this is a command from God and not just a choice of mine. I’m called to serve and not myself. I have a Master and He has given me my orders and I need to follow them and to follow them with joy. To please my Lord should be on the top of my list.

Prayer: My Lord soften this hard heart of mine and put the interest of others on my heart. May it not just be because it is the beginning of a new year, but because it is your desire that I live a life of service to others. May my actions reflect your glory. I love you and want to be obedient to you, help me honor you.

Scripture Esth 9:25 but when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letter that this wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

Observation: How often has that happened to you. You think you’re getting away with something and bam it comes back to haunt you. It’s happened to me more than once. I’ve always had a vengeful spirit, if someone does something wrong to me or even if I think they have I want revenge, instead of forgiveness. I would plot something against them or hope something terrible would happen to them or say something about them and sure enough my words would return to me or my actions would be found out and now I was the bad guy and in reality I was. God tells us over and over to forgive and that judgment is His and these instances are just a reminder that they are. There is nothing that others can do to us that God doesn’t know about and instead of justifying ourselves we should be justifying God by our actions.

Application: I have an evil heart. I can’t think without some negative thought or wicked things comes up. I need to work harder when I find myself drifting off to thoughts that don’t honor God. I need to be in prayer and when I find myself alone in thought I need to take them to God and think of things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy as my Lord calls me to do.

Prayer: Dear Lord help me please. Give me a forgiving and loving spirit and take all this junk out of my heart and mind. Make me like Jesus whose heart is pure. I love you my Lord and want to honor you all the days of my life.

Scripture Esth 8:5 and said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.

Observation: This is how we should make all of our decisions, we should ask ourselves if what we are about to do would please our King. Do we find favor or our we pleasing in our Lord’s sight and will this action seem right to Him? So often I have to say no, I react quickly with my best interest in mind and I pay the consequences of my rash actions. Before we make any decision let us go before our King, live a life that would be pleasing to Him so that we might find favor and make sure what we are about to do is right in His eyes.

Application: Those are the steps I need to make every time I have a decision to make, I need to go before the King. He has given me His commands through His word, He has told me how to live this life He has blessed me and has told me how I might bless Him with my actions. I can’t play dumb anymore no matter how much I would try to justify my actions I know what is right and what is wrong. I need to live a life worthy of coming before my King, I want Him to hold out the golden scepter to me when I want to approach Him and I want to bring Him joy.

Prayer: My King I come before you a humble man, but troubled. Help me control my thoughts and actions so that they will be pleasing before you. Make me worthy to enter into your presence, soften my heart to others and take this anxiety from my spirit. May I come before your throne with a pure heart and the desire to do nothing but please and honor you. I love you my King and wait until it is time to enter your kingdom as your faithful servant.

Scripture Esth 7:9 Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, “Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king’s behalf, is standing at the house of Haman.” Then the king said, “Hang him on it!”

Observation: Has that ever happened to you? You plan something evil for someone, but it backfires and goes against you. I know that has happened in my life I try to get back at someone and somehow I’m the one suffering. God tells us in His word to do for others what you would want to be done for you. It also says do not pay evil for evil and forgive others so God can forgive you. All over the Bible it tells us how to handle any situation that might come our way and not once does it tell us it is right to do something wrong to someone else. So why is that our first impulse? We have a sinful nature and our enemy prowls around like a lion.

Application: My mind races all day long and almost always it goes in a negative direction. When I imagine someone doing something wrong to me I want to do something far worst to them. My mind is already thinking evil towards others instead of doing what God calls me to do. I need to obey God in all things and especially in how I treat others. He loves us all and wants me to treat His children with love, forgiveness and respect.

Prayer: My Lord give me that forgiving spirit I need. Help me think of all the positive things I can be doing that would glorify you and remove this evil from my spirit. Help me finish will each day and that there will be no evil thoughts left in me. I’m your child help me show my brothers and sisters how much I can love them.

Scripture Esth 6:6 So Haman came in, and the king asked him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought in his heart, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?”

Observation: So many times we get full of ourselves that there is no room for anything or anybody else. Most people think of themselves more than anything else and that would be me included. I feel the gifts that God has given me are my own and think how I should be honored when I use those gifts. Instead of for God’s glory, I honor myself. I’m not sure I do this because of all the times I’m acting in ways that our not honorable to make up for those times or if it just feels good for the moment. At those times I don’t think of anyone else or God but I put myself in the limelight expecting others to praise me for something God has allowed me to do. These are the times when we might do something deserving of rewards, but don’t receive them because the wrong person got the honor. Short lived praise for an audience of one and not the right one.

Application: Most of my thoughts are about myself, even now so many things are happening in my life and all I do is spend my time worrying about me. God has told me over and over in the Word that I should not worry about myself, but to trust in Him. I need to put the spotlight on my Lord and when I come into times of trouble show others that I put my trust in my Lord and King. That my life reflects Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. It is all about God and not about us.

Prayer: I need to trust fully in You, my Lord and stop thinking about myself, but to do what You command me to do and obey You in everything. I want to prove my love for you with my actions and thoughts. Help me Lord I am weak and need your strength to live a life worthy of you. Take charge of your servant and guide me through the rest of this life that it may please you. I love you Lord, may my life prove that.

Scripture Esth 5:11 Then Haman told them of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king.

Observation: It seems almost automatic if we are talking to someone we tell them of our prosperity and brag about what we have or done. It seems at times that is where our joy is found in bragging to others making us feel worthy. We become so busy trying to impress others about what we have that we forget who gave it to us. People aren’t impressed and if anything you might hurt someone’s feelings that they are not as blessed as you are. If we spent that time trying to impress our Heavenly Father with worship and service our true life in heaven would be filled with rewards and treasures that will last and God would be glorified. If we would humble ourselves before others and give God the glory that would help others seek God and not what God has given us.

Application: I’m one of the worst offenders of this. I need to justify myself before man instead of my Lord. I want people to think highly of me instead of my creator. Even when I serve I still have the focus on me instead of the one who asks me to serve, my Master. I need to do things in glory to God and let others know that is why I do it and that everything that I have comes from my generous God and I have nothing to do with it.

Prayer: My Master help me be a better servant, help humble me before others and take this arrogance from my spirit. Teach me how to be the best servant I can be to you and do everything that you call me to do. Take this pride from me that the only thing that I’m proud of is being your child.

Scripture Esth 4:14 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?”

Observation: I’ve always loved this scripture, because it is a reminder for all Christians that we are here for a purpose. God doesn’t just randomly do things and if we are here there is a reason and a purpose to our life and we need to search for it. When an opportunity arises for us to do something in God’s name we need to do it, we may not know where it will lead, but God knows. We are here now and God has placed people in our path and we need to do what honors God when the time comes. There is a reason and purpose to our lives and when it is time to go home I want to be able to say mission accomplished to my Lord and Savior.

Application: I need to be in the path of my purpose. I’ll never find it sitting at home on the couch watching television. I need to find ways to serve and make a difference. I believe my depression testimony is a gift from God that He wants me to share with others and I need to find more opportunities to use that gift for His glory and to help others.

Prayer: My Lord I know I’m not here by mistake, but that you have a purpose for me being here. Lord open my eyes and guide me on how you want it used for your glory. Please guide me through the rest of this life you have given me. I’m here to make a difference for you may I accomplish that through the Holy Spirit’s guidance. I love you and want to do what pleases you.