Tag: ESTHER

Articles, Jeanette Porter

AT THE APPOINTED TIME

| Jeanette

MANY PEOPLE STRUGGLE FROM HEARING FROM GOD, AND TODAY I BELIEVE YOU WILL BE ENLIGHTENED ON THIS SUBJECT.

GENESIS 8:14 – IS ANYTHING TO HARD FOR THE LORD? AT THE TIME APPOINTED I WILL RETURN UNTO THEE, ACCORDING TO THE TIME OF LIFE, AND SARAH WILL HAVE A SON.                            GENESIS 21:1,2 – AND THE LORD VISITED SARAH AS HE SAID, AND THE LORD DID UNTO SARAH AS HE HAD SPOKEN. FOR SARAH HAD CONCEIVED AND BARE ABRAHAM A SON IN HIS OLD AGE, AT THE SET TIME OF WHICH GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM.

THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD “APPOINTED” IS, ASSIGNED OR ARRANGED.

HOW MANY OF US HAVE HEARD FROM THE LORD, AND BECAUSE IT DIDN’T HAPPEN WHEN WE THOUGHT IT SHOULD, WE SAID,”MAYBE THIS WAS IN MY MIND; MAYBE I DIDN’T REALLY HEAR FROM GOD.”

THIS IS WHEN DOUBT COMES IN AND FAITH GOES OUT.

II SAMUEL 17:14 —-HERE WE FIND ABSALOM, TRYING TO TAKE OVER DAVID’S KINGDOM; BUT DAVID WAS CHOSEN BY GOD AS KING. AND EVEN THOUGH DAVID IS RUNNING IN THE NATURAL, HE KNOWS HIS APPOINTMENT—-FOR THE LORD HAD APPOINTED TO DEFEAT THE GOOD COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL, TO THE INTENT THAT THE LORD MIGHT BRING EVIL UPON ABSALOM. 

     15:31 – AND ONE TOLD DAVID, SAYING, AHITHOPHEL IS AMONG THE CONSPIRATORS WITH ABSALOM. AND DAVID SAID, O LORD, I PRAY THEE, TURN THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL INTO FOOLISHNESS.

DAVID HAD A REBEL SON, ABSALOM, WHOSE PLAN WAS TO TAKE OVER THE KINGDOM GIVEN TO HIM BY GOD. FOR THE PROMISED SEED TO COME : JESUS, WAS TO COME FROM THE LOINS OF DAVID.

ABSALOM TOOK COUNSEL FROM TWO MEN, BUT HE ACCEPTED THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL, ONE OF DAVID’S COUNSELORS WHO JOINED IN THE CONSPIRACY WITH ABSALOM AGAINST DAVID, THE KING.

WHEN SOMEONE TOLD DAVID THAT AHITHOPHEL, HIS OWN ADVISOR, WAS BACKING ABSALOM, DAVID PRAYED, “O LORD, PLEASE MAKE AHITHOPHEL GIVE ABSALOM FOOLISH ADVICE.” 

AS SOON AS HE HAD FINISHED PRAYING, AND HAD REACHED THE TOP OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, WHERE PEOPLE WORSHIPPED GOD, DAVID FOUND HUSHAI THE ARCHITE WAITING FOR HIM. BUT DAVID TOLD HIM, “IF YOU GO WITH ME, YOU WILL ONLY BE A BURDEN. RETURN TO JERUSALEM AND TELL ABSALOM, I WILL COUNSEL YOU AS I DID YOUR FATHER. THEN YOU CAN FRUSTRATE AND COUNTER AHITHOPHEL’S ADVICE. SEND WORD BACK TO ME WHAT IS GOING ON.”

SO WHEN DAVID’S FRIEND, HUSHAI, ARRIVED, HE WENT IMMEDIATELY TO SEE ABSALON.

ABSALOM ASKED HIM, “WHY AREN’T YOU WITH DAVID?” AND HE ANSWERED, “BECAUSE I WORK FOR THE MAN WHO IS CHOSEN BY THE LORD AND BY ISRAEL, AND ANY WAY, WHY SHOULDN’T I? I HELPED YOUR FATHER AND NOW I WILL HELP YOU!”

THEN ABSALOM TURNED TO AHITHOPHEL AND ASKED HIM, “WHAT SHALL I DO NEXT?” AHITHOPHEL TOLD HIM, “. GO SLEEP WITH YOUR FATHER’S WIVES, FOR HE HAS LEFT THEM HERE TO KEEP THE HOUSE. THEN ALL ISRAEL  WILL KNOW THAT YOU HAVE INSULTED HIM  BEYOND RECONCILATION, AND THEY WILL SUPPORT YOU.”

SO ABSALOM DID EVERYTHING AHITHOPHEL TOLD HIM, UNTIL ONE DAY AHITHOPHEL ASKED FOR TWELVE THOUSAND MEN TO GO AFTER DAVID AND KILL HIM WHILE HE WAS DISCOURAGED.”HE AND HIS TROOPS WILL BE THROWN INTO A PANIC AND EVERYONE WILL RUN AWAY,” HE SAID. BUT ABASOLOM ASKED HUSHAI HIS OPINION.

“WELL,” HUSHAI REPLIED, “THIS TIME I THINK AHITHOPHEL IS MISTAKEN. YOU KNOW YOUR FATHER AND HIS MEN; THEY ARE MIGHTY WARRIORS AND ARE PROBABLY AS UPSET AS A MOTHER BEAR WHO HAS BEEN ROBBED OF HER CUBS.

YOUR FATHER IS AN OLD SOLDIER AND ISN’T GOING TO SPEND THE NIGHT AMONG THE TROOPS. HE HAS PROBABLY ALREADY HIDDEN IN SOME PIT OR CAVE. WHEN HE COMES OUT AND ATTACKS AND SOME OF YOUR MEN FALL, THERE WILL BE PANIC AMONG YOUR TROOPS AND EVERYONE WILL START SHOUTING THAT YOUR MEN ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED. THEN, EVEN THE BRAVEST OF THEM WILL BE PARALIZED WITH FEAR, BECAUSE ALL ISRAEL KNOWS WHAT A MIGHTY MAN YOUR FATHER IS AND HOW COURAGOUS HIS SOLDIERS ARE.’

“I SUGGEST YOU MOBILIZE THE ENTIRE ARMY OF ISRAEL. AND I THINK YOU SHOULD PERSONALLY LEAD THE TROOPS. THEN, WHEN WE FIND HIM, WE CAN DESTROY HIS ENTIRE ARMY, SO THAT NO ONE IS LEFT ALIVE.”

THEN ABSALOM AND ALL THE MEN OF ISRAEL SAID, HUSHAI’S IS BETTER THAN AHITHOPHEL’S.” FOR THE  LORD HAD APPOINTED TO DEFEAT THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL, WHICH REALLY WAS  THE BETTER PLAN; SO HE COUD BRING DISASTER UPON ABSALOM. —-AND HE DID.

WHEN GOD GIVES US A WORD, THAT HE IS GOING TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE, IT IS BEST FOR US TO KEEP OUR MOUTHS SHUT UNTIL THE APPOINTED TIME, AS WAS IN THE LIFE OF ZACHARIAS AND ELIZABETH (LUKE 1). THE ANGEL TOLD HIM WHILE HE WAS DOING HIS SERVICE TO GOD IN THE TEMPLE, THAT HIS WIFE, ELIZABETH, WOULD HAVE A SON NAMED JOHN. BECAUSE OF ZACHARIAS’ UNBELIEF THE ANGEL STRUCK HIM DUMB UNTIL THE APPOINTED TIME.

WHEN GOD DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING, HE HAS A PURPOSE AND A PLAN HOW HE WANTS IT CARRIED-OUT.

THE BEST  THING WE CAN DO, IS WAIT IT OUT UNTIL IT COMES TO PASS. IT IS VERY EASY FOR US TO GET INTO UNBELIEF. WHEN WE GET TIRED OF WAITING, WE CAN BRING AN ISHMAEL INTO OUR LIVES, AS DID ABRAHAM AND SARAH. THEN WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE ACTIONS THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

WHEN THE PROMISE DOES COME, WE FIND WE CAN ENJOY IT LIKE GOD PLANNED IN THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE WE HAVE NO ISHMAELS TO DEAL WITH.

WHEN WE BEGIN TO QUESTION GOD—-WE SHOULD BE SAYING, “GOD, I TRUST YOU WITH JUST THE RIGHT TIMING, AND I TRUST YOU WITH WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND ME.”

IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER, ESTHER’S UNCLE, MORDECAI HAD TOLD HER. “NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO ACT. NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO REVEAL YOURSELF.”

ESTHER 4:14 – FOR IF THOU ALTOGETHER HOLDEST THY PEACE AT THIS TIME, THEN SHALL THEIR ENLARGEMENT (OR HELP) AND DELIVERANCE COME FROM ANOTHER PLACE; BUT THOU AND THY FATHER’S HOUSE SHALL BE DESTROYED: AND WHO KNOWETH WHETHER THOU ART COME TO THE KINGDOM FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS?

BY MAKING HER MOVE AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, SHE DESTROYED ALL THE ENEMIES PLANS.  

Share
Articles, Jeanette Porter

SWEET SLEEP

| Jeanette

SLEEP IS IMPORTANT TO OUR DAILY HEALTH.

OUR BODIES CAN GO  JUST SO MANY HOURS WITHOUT IT, THEN MAJOR PARTS OF OUR BODIES BEGIN TO BE FATIGUED  AND OR EMOTIONS BECOME ALL OUT OF SORTS; WE CAN’T THINK CLEARLY, AND OTHERS AROUND US ARE AFFECTED.

IT WAS EASIER FOR US TO GET A GOOD NIGHT’S REST WHEN OUR EMPLOYMENT WAS FARMING AND PHYSICAL LABOR; BUT NOW, WE ARE BOMBARDED WITH MUCH MENTAL STRESS: ON THE JOB AND AT HOME. WE HAVE MACHINERY AND ALL KINDS OF APPLIANCES NOW, THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE OUR WORK EASIER BUT WE JUST SEEM TO “ADD-IT-ON” INSTEAD OF REST WHILE WE CAN.

SOME YEARS BACK, I HAD AN ILLNESS, THAT REQUIRED MUCH REST AND SLEEP.  I QUICKLY NOTICED HOW THE NAPS I WAS TAKING WERE HEALING. IWAS WEARING OUT MY BODY AND WAS ALL STRESSED-OUT.

SLEEP IS DEFINED AS A STATE OF COMPLETE OR PARTIAL UNCONSCIOUSNESS.

IN THE SCRIPTURES, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 21 REFERENCES, AND MAYBE MORE, REFERRING TO SLEEP OR THE LACK OF IT.

SLEEP IS DESCRIBED AS SLUMBER IN PROVERBS 6:4,10.          PROVERBS 3:24, IT IS DESCRIBED AS SWEET – WHEN THOU LIEST DOWN, THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID: YEA, THOU SHALT LIE DOWN, AND THY SLEEP SHALL BE SWEET. HERE, IT SAYS…THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID…

SO WE MUST ASSUME, FEAR KEEPS SOME FROM HAVING SWEET SLEEP.

VERSE 25 – BE NOT AFFRAID OF SUDDEN FEAR , NEITHER OF THE DESOLATION OF THE WICKED, WHEN IT COMETH; AND VERSE 26 READS –  FOR THE LORD SHALL BE THY CONFIDENCE, AND SHALL KEEP THY FOOT FROM BEING TAKEN.

MANY PEOPLE ARE PARALIZED WITH FEAR, AND FEAR BRINGS WITH IT TORMENT. WE ARE TOLD IN THE BIBLE, THAT FEAR IS A SPIRIT; IT IS A HARASSING DEMON THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM BEING AT PEACE SO THEY CAN’T ENJOY A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP.

SOMETIMES GOD USES THE LACK OF SLEEP FOR HIS PURPOSE:               IN DANIEL 8:18, DANIEL WAS GIVEN A PROPHETIC VISION IN HIS SLEEP: – NOW AS HE WAS SPEAKING WITH ME, I WAS IN A DEEP SLEEP ON MY FACE TOWARD THE GROUND: BUT HE TOUCHED ME ND SET ME UPRIGHT  ( OR MADE ME STAND UP).

IN DANIEL 2:1, WE SEE WHERE THE INABILITY TO SLEEP IS CAUSED BY WORRY – NEBUCHADNEZZAR DREAMED DREAMS…WHEREIN HIS SPIRIT WAS TROUBLED, AND SLEEP BROKE FROM HIM (HE COULD NOT SLEEP). WORRY CAN CAUSE ANY OF US TO HAVE INSOMNIA. IN ESTHER 6:1, THE KING COULD NOT SLEEP BECAUSE GOD WANTED HIM TO READ THE BOOK OF CHRONICLES.

INTERCESSORS AND MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL, CAN’T SLEEP BECAUSE GOD HAS A PURPOSE IN MIND: MOSTLY, SO THEY CAN PRAY AND INTERCEDE ABOUT SOMETHING OR FOR SOMEONE.

PETER WAS FAST ASLEEP IN A PRISON (DUNGEON). JAMES HAD ALREADY BEEN BEHEADED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE GOSPEL, AND PETER WAS NEXT IN LINE: ACTS 12:1-11 – NOW ABOUT THAT TIME HEROD THE KING, STRETCHED FORTH HIS HANDS TO  VEX CERTAIN OF THE CHURCH. AND HE KILLED JAMES THE BROTHER OF JOHN WITH THE SWORD. AND BECAUSE HE SAW IT PLEASED THE JEWS, HE PROCEEDED FURTHER TO TAKE PETER ALSO. (THEN WERE THE DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD).  AND WHEN HE HAD APPREHENDED HIM , HE PUT HIM IN PRISON, AND DELIVERED HIM TO FOUR QUATERNIONS OF SOLDIERS TO KEEP HIM; INTENDING  AFTER EASTER (PASSOVER) TO BRING HIM FORTH TO THE PEOPLE. PETER THEREFORE WAS KEPT IN PRISON; BUT PRAYER WAS MADE WITHOUT CEASING OF THE CHURCH UNTO GOD FOR HIM. AND WHEN HEROD WOULD HAVE BROUGHT HIM FORTH, THE SAME NIGHT PETER WAS SLEEPING BETWEEN TWO SOLDIERS BOUND WITH TWO CHAINS: AND THE KEEPERS BEFORE THE DOOR KEPT THE PRISON.

     AND BEHOLD, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME UPON HIM, AND A LIGHT SHINED IN THE PRISON: AND HE SMOTE PETER ON THE SIDE, AND RAISED HIM UP, SAYING, ARISE UP QUICKLY. AND HIS CHAINS FELL OFF FROM HIS HANDS. AND THE ANGEL SAID UNTO HIM, GIRD THYSELF, AND BIND ON THY SANDELS. AND SO HE DID. AND HE SAITH UNTO HIM, CAST THY GARMENT ABOUT THEE, AND FOLLOW ME. AND HE WENT OUT, AND FOLLOWED HIM; AND WIST NOT THAT IT WAS TRUE WHICH WAS DONE BY THE ANGEL; BUT THOUGHT HE SAW A VISION. WHEN THEY WERE PAST THE FIRST AND SECOND WARD THEY CAME UNTO THE IRON GATE THAT LEADETH INTO THE CITY; WHICH OPENED TO THEM OF HIS OWN ACCORD. AND THEY WENT OUT, AND PASSED ON THROUGH THE STREET; AND FORTHWITH THE ANGEL DEPARTED FROM HIM. AND WHEN PETER WAS COME TO HIMSELF, HE SAID, NOW I KNOW OF A SURETY, THAT THE LORD SENT HIS ANGEL, AND HATH DELIVERED ME OUT OF THE HAND OF HEROD, AND FROM ALL THE EXPECTATION OF THE JEWS.

THIS WAS A TRYING TIME IN OUR HISTORY WHERE THE CHURCH WAS GOING THROUGH HARASSMENT AND PERSECUTION. WE FIND PETER FAST ASLEEP IN A PRISON.

BECAUSE HEROD, THE KING, SAW HOW IT PLEASED THE JEWS TO WATCH JAMES BE KILLED BY THE SWORD, THAT HE DECIDED PETER WOULD BE NEXT: AFTER THE PASSOVER.

SOMETIMES WE FIND IT HARD TO SLEEP AFTER WE HAVE PASSED THROUGH A TRIAL DURING THE DAY OR WE ATE PIZZA LATE IN THE EVENING.

THIS STORY OF PETER AMAZES ME BECAUSE PETER KNEW WHAT WAS TO TAKE PLACE THE NEXT MORNING, YET WE FIND HIM THE NIGHT BEFORE WHE WAS TO BE EXECUTED, AN A DEEP SLEEP, CHAINED BETWEEN TWO SOLDIERS, AND GUARDED WELL.

HEROD’S GREAT DESIRE TO PLEASE THE PEOPLE BY GIFTS AND SHOWS OF BLOOD TO WIN THEIR FAVER, HAD BEEN FOILED. HE WAS PLANNING TO BRING PETER UP ONTO A STAGE OR SOME HIGH GROUND WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE COULD SEE HIM CONDEMNED WHICH WOULD BE AS GOOD THEM AS A GLADIATORIAL SLAUGHTER TO A ROMAN AUDIENCE.

THIS IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION WAS JUST THE RIGHT TIMING FOR A MIRACULOUS EVEN IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. WHEN THE BATTLE SEEMS THE HOTTEST, THE VICTORY IS USUALLY THE SWEETEST.

SUDDENLY, THE LIGHT SHOWN IN THE PRISON! THE ANGEL HAD TO AWAKE PETER OUT OF A VERY DEEP SLEEP AND RESCUE HIM AS THE SOLDIERS SLEPT ON DUTY. THIS, BY THE WAY, IS AN UNFORGIVABLE ACTION OF A SOLDIER. THIS WAS HIS DEATH WARRENT.

WHY DID PETER HAVE SUCH A CALM DEEP SLEEP ON THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS INTENDED DEATH? BECAUSE HE KNEW HE WAS IN THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD, AND KNEW IT EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A BATTLE GOING ON FOR HIS LIFE. PETER LIVED WHAT HE TAUGHT THE CHURCH.

WE LEARN SWEET SLEEP AND REST FROM THESE GREAT SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS; BUT THERE IS ONE MORE WAY WE LEARN: AND THAT IS THROUGH EXPERIENCING GOD’S PROMISES THROUGH OUR BEING TESTED.

LAST NIGHT I WAS STUNG IN THREE PLACES ON MY BODY BY A SCORPION IN BED DURING MY SLEEP. THE LAST TWO STINGS CAUSED ME TO JUMP OUT OF BED AND TURN ON THE LIGHT. THERE HE WAS, A BROWN SCORPION, READY TO STING AGAIN. MY HUSBAND SOON CAPTURED MY LITTLE ENEMY, AND I WENT BACK TO BED, AFTER CHECKING FOR MORE OF HIS LITTLE SCORPION FRIENDS. —-DID THIS KEEP ME AWAKE? NO! —-I WENT BACK TO SLEEP, LEAVING MYSELF IN THE HANDS OF THE ONE WHO IS FAITHFUL: MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. 

Share