I just finished my homework from my study on Esther, and it sure puts things in perspective.
The book starts off with a description of King Xerxes - he was said to be the most handsome, the tallest, and most powerful man of that time. He didn't earn his wealth - he just happened to come from a gene pool, to where it was all handed down to him on a silver platter.
In this first chapter, it tells us about this party he threw in his palace for 180 days for all the military officials and nobles of the day, and THEN when that one was over, he threw yet another party for seven days for "those who were the least to the greatest in all the kingdom" - can you imagine attending a party that lasted that long? As Beth Moore states in our study, " imagine how exhausting a 7 day party would be, particularly after the drama of tearing through our closets, trying to decide what to wear. Think of how our feet would kill us because we'd choose cute over comfortable shoes".
This Xerxes loved to flaunt himself and all that was his. He thought he was "all that and a bag of chips".
Verse 4 says, "He displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty". Again, Beth Moore reminds us that the words 'splendor, glory and majesty' are words that should be attributed to God alone. I would suggest you read Psalm 49: 6 - 20, to see the fate of those who attribute those words of praise to themselves.
One last thing I want to share from today's homework is this: "Our culture's mountain-high piece of the pie premium on riches is not so different from ancient Persia's, and the wealth around us can become as intoxicating as Xerxe's royal wine".
I know I have been guilty on many occasions to be jealous of the homes, clothes and other material things of others. What we see on the outside doesn't always reflect what's going on inside the lives of the people who seem to have it all; many times they have all those things as a means to try to fill a void in their life that only God can fill. I know, because I was that person once - I had the big house in the desired neighborhood; the paid for Mercedes in my garage; unlimited spending on credit cards that were paid off each month; more clothes than I could ever wear - many with tags on them as I'd donate them to Goodwill or some other charity because "they weren't in style anymore".....
What a pitiful and empty person I was. Thank God for the events in my life that brought all that crashing down! I ended up losing everything I owned, and gaining a LIFE! It wasn't until I was alone and broke and had nothing of material worth to my name any longer, that I actually realized how blessed I was, because I then had a new life in Christ. I was learning an invaluable lesson on being content in any and all situations.
I pray that God will use this to speak to you about some area in your life as well....I'm so thankful that I am able to be a part of this study of "Esther - It's Tough Being a Woman", and that God is showing me what kind of woman he desires for me to be...
Have a blessed Thursday...
Janelle
Showing posts with label contentment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contentment. Show all posts
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Things That Matter
Back to my study in the book of James - Chapter 4 starts out with the topic of "worldliness" - it's cause and its consequences.
Vs 1 - 2 - The Cause
" What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
Vs 3 - 6 - Its Consequences
" When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your own pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says,' God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble'."
God doesn't want us to be friends with "the world" - it's ways and ideologies. What is legal doesn't always mean it's ok with God, or that it lines up with His Word. That's the measuring stick we need to use in our lives.
The world is always tempting us with "stuff". We live in a society that strives to achieve more; to have more than others - to be "prosperous".
I've lived on that side of the fence. I had beautiful houses, nice cars that were paid for, unlimited spending on credit cards that were paid off each month, money in the bank, nice clothes, etc. From the outside, I looked like I was living the American dream and had it all. Material wise, I did seem to have it all, but on the inside I was lonely and miserable. The one thing I didn't have was a loving and faithful husband. You wouldn't have known it by seeing us in public - everyone thought we were the perfect couple, but what went on behind closed doors was anything but perfect.
When we seperated and divorced, I literally lost everything material. I had nothing, and the Lord reminded me of what my daddy used to always tell me which was, "Baby girl, when you think you've got it bad, worse than anyone else, go read the book of Job". I did that very thing, and when I was done reading it, I thanked God for allowing me to lose everything. It was a blessing to have nothing to rely on but Him. I had to trust him for everything in my life, and he did bring me through it.
What I wrote at the top of the page at the beginning of the book of Job:
"The Holy Spirit led me to read this entire book and He opened my eyes to the gift of suffering. He gave me the ability to trust him even in making a phone call to a friend for prayer. I thank Him for allowing me to be at this place of "natural disaster" in my life".
I now live in a humble little house which I rent. In this house, I now have a husband who loves me and is faithful to me. No, I don't have all the things I used to have, but I am now living a life where I am content, and compared to a lot of people across this great Earth, I live like a queen.
Thank God for what you do have - keep Him first in your life, and you'll find more peace and happiness in your home. Continue to pray for those who were devastated by Hurricane Ike, for those who lost family members in the train wreck in Los Angeles, and for those who lost family in the plane crash in Russia. Lastly, continue to pray for our soldiers and our leaders.
Have a blessed week...
Janelle
Vs 1 - 2 - The Cause
" What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
Vs 3 - 6 - Its Consequences
" When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your own pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says,' God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble'."
God doesn't want us to be friends with "the world" - it's ways and ideologies. What is legal doesn't always mean it's ok with God, or that it lines up with His Word. That's the measuring stick we need to use in our lives.
The world is always tempting us with "stuff". We live in a society that strives to achieve more; to have more than others - to be "prosperous".
I've lived on that side of the fence. I had beautiful houses, nice cars that were paid for, unlimited spending on credit cards that were paid off each month, money in the bank, nice clothes, etc. From the outside, I looked like I was living the American dream and had it all. Material wise, I did seem to have it all, but on the inside I was lonely and miserable. The one thing I didn't have was a loving and faithful husband. You wouldn't have known it by seeing us in public - everyone thought we were the perfect couple, but what went on behind closed doors was anything but perfect.
When we seperated and divorced, I literally lost everything material. I had nothing, and the Lord reminded me of what my daddy used to always tell me which was, "Baby girl, when you think you've got it bad, worse than anyone else, go read the book of Job". I did that very thing, and when I was done reading it, I thanked God for allowing me to lose everything. It was a blessing to have nothing to rely on but Him. I had to trust him for everything in my life, and he did bring me through it.
What I wrote at the top of the page at the beginning of the book of Job:
"The Holy Spirit led me to read this entire book and He opened my eyes to the gift of suffering. He gave me the ability to trust him even in making a phone call to a friend for prayer. I thank Him for allowing me to be at this place of "natural disaster" in my life".
I now live in a humble little house which I rent. In this house, I now have a husband who loves me and is faithful to me. No, I don't have all the things I used to have, but I am now living a life where I am content, and compared to a lot of people across this great Earth, I live like a queen.
Thank God for what you do have - keep Him first in your life, and you'll find more peace and happiness in your home. Continue to pray for those who were devastated by Hurricane Ike, for those who lost family members in the train wreck in Los Angeles, and for those who lost family in the plane crash in Russia. Lastly, continue to pray for our soldiers and our leaders.
Have a blessed week...
Janelle
Monday, July 14, 2008
Contentment
After taking a break for a few days, I am back to finishing up the final chapter of Philippians.
Today I'm reading chapter 4: 11 - 13
"For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength".
This is one passage that I do understand because I have lived on "both sides of the fence". There was a time in my life when I had the financial means to have whatever I wanted, and at another point in my life, I was penniless and on the brink of being homeless.
God was there with me at all times, but I felt his presence more in my life when I was stripped of all material things and had to depend on Him completely for shelter, food, and all my other needs. Once I surrendered myself to rely on Him to get me through my situation, I had unspeakable peace. He taught me what contentment truly means.
It's not wrong to have "things", but it is wrong when we depend on those things for our happiness and well being. I am thankful that I experienced having the things I held as security, taken from me.
I pray that you have a blessed week, and that you seek the One who can bring you peace and contentment in your life, no matter what your circumstances may be.
Janelle
Today I'm reading chapter 4: 11 - 13
"For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength".
This is one passage that I do understand because I have lived on "both sides of the fence". There was a time in my life when I had the financial means to have whatever I wanted, and at another point in my life, I was penniless and on the brink of being homeless.
God was there with me at all times, but I felt his presence more in my life when I was stripped of all material things and had to depend on Him completely for shelter, food, and all my other needs. Once I surrendered myself to rely on Him to get me through my situation, I had unspeakable peace. He taught me what contentment truly means.
It's not wrong to have "things", but it is wrong when we depend on those things for our happiness and well being. I am thankful that I experienced having the things I held as security, taken from me.
I pray that you have a blessed week, and that you seek the One who can bring you peace and contentment in your life, no matter what your circumstances may be.
Janelle
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