CRUNCH TIME

In the book of Esther, we find an amazing narrative displaying the handiwork of God without a mention of His name anywhere. Sometimes we fail to recognize that God works whether we see Him at work or not. There are some vibrant characters in this account. We see the powerful king, Ahasueras, King of Persia's vast empire. We find some Jewish captives living in Shushan, one of the capital cities of Persia's empire, Mordecai and Esther. Of course a villain pokes his ugly mug into the story, too. Haman, the Agagite, acts as the Adolph Hitler in this account as he seeks to wipe the Jews from the face of the earth.

These were dark days for the Jewish captives. Haman's hatred stemmed from Mordecai's unwillingness to bow his knee to him. Anger turned to hatred and bitterness. His malicious emotions turned into actions as he plotted to destroy, not just Mordecai, but every Jew in the realm! Working closely with the King, Haman pushed a law into the books which would make Jews legal game at a certain time. Their money would be confiscated by the government (and mostly by Haman himself), but their lives were to be snuffed out.

Little did Haman know that God was already working. God had established someone on the inside, a beautiful young Jewess named Esther. Esther was the new queen. She had little political power, but she had the power of influence which would prove to be Haman's demise.

In Esther chapter four, Mordecai makes the statement that Esther had come to the kingdom for such a time as this. These times were frightening times for the Jews. What could they do if the government stepped in and made them targets of destruction? Haman thought nothing. God had a plan already. I am so glad that God always has His plans. Nothing takes Him by surprise. You cannot sneak up on Him.

We also live in tough times and can learn some vital principles on how to live in these days from Esther and Mordecai. We live in perilous times according to 2 Timothy 3. Times when men shall be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Times when men who loved God will turn cold and indifferent. Not only perilous times, but also PROUD times. We live in days when the politicians seem to act like they know more than God does. When one man and one woman are not the definition of marriage any more. When the work of God going on in a mother's womb is treated like mere scientific research materials! We are living in times of pride and arrogance. Sadly these days are also characteristically PRAYERLESS times. At the very moment when God's people should be calling the all-night prayer meetings, we are partying. At the times when our prayer closets should be filled, we are watching TV or something else as insignificant. "But God made these things for our enjoyment," someone says. Paul told Timothy, "But thou, therefor, endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. . ." We are more couch-potato type Christians. An old hymn seriously challenges my at-ease-in-Zion mentality: "Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize, and sailed through bloody seas; Sure I must fight, if I would reign, increase my courage Lord. I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy Word." Wow! Does that sting you like it does me?

It is time for us to do four things:

TIME TO STAND UP. . .not to simply fade into the background. Though there are dangers, we must stand like Esther. Her words, "If I perish, I perish" should be ours in these times when real commitment is needed. We get so tied up on the non-essentials that we fail in the essentials. The devil has us fighting each other about our hair being one inch or a half inch over our ears, while the world goes to hell in a handbasket!! God help us! Let's take our stand for Him. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

TIME TO SPEAK UP. . .Yes, to raise our voices! Never let the devil put a sock in your mouth. His socks taste terrible! Some are "socked" with the spirit of fear. Others are stymied by pride, or worry about what others might say. Some are stifled by indifference. . ."Someone else will do it." Esther could have been silent, but she would have suffered for it. She was not silent. She spoke up with discretion and diplomacy. She showed wisdom in her approach to the king and her enemy. Let's remember that our presentation of the Gospel and the truth of God's Word can be creative. Even preaching, public discourse, does not have to follow homiletical rules. Sometimes they are helpful, but let the Lord be the Lord of the sermon as well as our lives!

TIME FOR SUPPLICATION. . .actually, this is before the speaking up. Be prayed up. Spend time alone with your God. Jesus needed His time with the Father, and He shows us the path to power. Let us pray! Pray alone or with somebody. Pray as families. Pray as friends. Pray for more than the sick and hospitalized, but do not leave them out. Pray for spiritual needs. Pray for power from on high. Pray for souls to come to Christ. Pray for lives to be changed. Pray for revival among indifferent believers. PRAY!! "Pray without ceasing." Let it be our first breath in the morning and our closing breath at night. May God give us some who can pray like Elijah and call down the demonstration of real Heavenly power.

TIME FOR SOLIDARITY. . .I have borrowed this term from the Polish labor group that rose up and threw off their communistic slave masters several years back. How did they do it? SOLIDARITY. . .unity. These days of danger and demonic oppression call for Christians, those who truly believe in the Bible and the deity of Jesus Christ (real Christians), to stand together. Mordecai was told to go and to gather the Jews in Shushan so that they could pray together with Esther's handmaidens. You might be called a Baptist or a Presbyterian, but if you love the Lord Jesus, and are true to the Bible the Word of God, then I will stand with you in these days. May God help us to stop shooting our friends and our wounded, but especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. Read Acts 2:1. The early believers were all with one accord, in one place. That is the solidarity about which I am speaking.

Let's take these four principles and put them into action today. No time for waiting around until the next battle is lost. Do it now! God bless you this week.