{Part 1 of 3}
Regardless of ones views on homosexuality,
the greater issue I have with the whole Phil Robertson/Duck Dynasty attack is
the huge risk we have of losing our freedom of speech! If we can't see
that, then we really need to wake up!
I often refer to my favorite political
figure, Sarah Palin, as being a current day Esther; the reason I say this is
because she, like Esther, has been called for such a time as this, to speak
Truth to those willing to hear. However,
is she alone? How about you & me? Aren’t we too called for such a time as
this? Is it not our civil duty as
Christians, to boldly stand up for the Word of God?
Esther 4:14,
"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and 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?”
I’d like to give a little history on Esther:
she came from a family where she was cared for by her Uncle Mordecai
because she lost both of her parents to death. When King Xerxes ordered
that "all the single ladies" be brought to the palace, Esther was no
doubt afraid; after all she was Jewish. The opportunity she was given to
be part of the King's harem was a dream for most women, much less a Jewish
woman. Yet even in the midst of the glitz & glamour, when given the
instructions by Uncle Mordecai that her voice was needed to save her people,
she did not focus on the potential fame & fortune; she clung to her Lord
& in doing so became the most influential voice in King Xerxes palace! How
is that for power?
During a day and age when the media promotes
right as wrong & wrong as right, all I can do is point to the Bible &
get my direction from Christ. Esther's example ignites within me a fire
of passion to stand up for what I believe & to unashamedly & boldly
speak what God has placed on my heart.
The steps that I see Esther having taken back
then, I will be presenting to you for life-application today, in a 3-part
series.
1) She was afraid, but she didn't let fear
paralyze her:
Psalm 27:3, "Though
an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident."
Isaiah 41:10, "So do
not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right
hand."
I know, first hand, how it feels to walk into
a situation with my knees shaking from the fear of rejection, or fear of backlash.
However, I have also seen, first hand, that obedience to God in these situations
yields far greater results than I could ever imagine: open doors where I didn’t
see a door, softened hearts that were hardened like rocks and favor when I was
despised. Identifying the call, and walking in obedience, defuses fear
& the author of fear {Satan}. Allowing fear to paralyze us only
hinders The Call that God has placed on our lives & delays His message
and/or work.
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