Memorise: For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain Philippians 1:21
Read: Esther 4:5-16
5 Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.
6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate.
7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.
8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.
9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai,
11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”
12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai,
13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape.
14 For if you remain silent at this time, reliefand deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Bible in one year: 1 Kings 11, Acts 4:1-22
Message
It is important for everyone to know what he or she Is living for. When you do not live for something, you will exist for anything – good , bad or ugly. Due to the nature of man, it takes determination to live for good (Ecclesiastes 9:3, Romans 7:21-24). Open Heaven 31 May 2018
Those who live for God live for good, while those who live for the devil live for evil. In Ecclesiastes 12:13b-14, the Holy spirit reveals the essence of our living to us when he said :
“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
The question today is: What are you living for?
Esther 4:5-16 tells the story of a young lady who decided to live for God and his people. She was ready to die if only the will of God would be done in her life through it. Despite the fact that she was a queen. She declared,
“if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16).
In a similar situation, the book of Daniel tells of how three Hebrew boys disobeyed the decree of the King Nebuchadnezzar when he wanted to lead them into idolatry. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were willing to be thrown into the fiery furnace in order to obey their God (Daniel 3:16-18).
Today’s memory verse offers an answer to the question of what we should live for. When we decide to live for Christ , everything will gall into place spiritually, and when we are settled spiritually, other aspects of our lives whll receive meaning and fulfilment. This is the reason why our Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 6:31-33
“Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat?or, what shall we drink?or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Some people live for the food they will eat, the clothes they will wear, the house they will live in and the car they will ride in, all at the expense of their soul. However, if you hearken diligently to the words of the Lord to seek Him and live for Him, everything else will follow.
Prayer point:Father, helpe to live completely for you from today in Jesus’ Name
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.
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