When he found out two of his own bodyguards were part of an assassination plot against him, he threw a banquet in their honor, and while delivering a glowing testimonial to them, Capone suddenly pulled out a club and beat both men to death.

But life has a way of catching up to people, and after being sent to Alcatraz for tax evasion and eventually released, the seeds had been sown. Though he was only in his late forties, he looked old beyond his years. His brain was eaten by syphilis, his face scarred from earlier wars, and his body was ravaged by time on the Rock. They say his detractors had called him Scarface and his victims called him Sir. He had been public enemy number one, but now, in his last days, it’s said that almost every morning, he shuffled out his back door to go fishing. All day, he would sit in the same old lawn chair under the Florida sun, next to the same fishing hole, holding the same rod, dangling the same hook.

But, time and syphilis had done its work – although he spent day after day fishing, the swimming pool that contained nothing but chlorine yielded up zero fish. Capone died in 1947 at the ripe old age of 48! Galatians 6 warns us: “Don’t be misled – you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life.” That word “mock” in the Greek is to “turn one’s nose at God and treat with contempt.” Robert Louis Stevenson sagely remarked: “Sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.”

A man with no self-control is like a car without brakes — out-of-control and unrestrained. Each choice we make brings with it a consequence. If we make wise, God-honoring decisions, then we will have positive consequences, but sinful choices lead to negative consequences. Not rocket science here!

But I also submit to you that not only do we reap what we sow, we will reap more than we sow! If a farmer plants a kernel of corn, that one kernel has the potential to produce a stalk with several ears that contain a bonanza of more kernels. If the stalk produces just two ears of corn, that would be approximately 1,600 kernels – 1,599 more than he started with!

Hosea 8:7 tells us that there are those who have sown the wind (in evil) and will reap the whirlwind (in disaster). Just as the whirlwind is much greater than the wind, so the consequences of our actions end up being greater than the deed itself – think 1,599!

Years ago, our government schools said God was no longer welcome – but the devil was welcomed with open arms! How’s that working out for us? Many are now mad about the very new world they helped to create! They sowed the seeds of abolishing religious and moral standards and we are now reaping the whirlwind of an “anything goes” society!

Are we surprised that sowing division on every front has brought whirlwinds of conflict and strife? Are we surprised that sowing greed has brought dust-devils of selfishness, greed and poverty, or that sowing dishonesty has brought in storms of distrust across the land?! Someone once remarked, “If you wait long enough, you reap what you sow – that holds for men, that holds for towns, that holds for a whole country.”

So – what to do? Plato (428-347 BC) long ago remarked – “Your silence gives consent.” If you don’t like what’s being reaped, you need to sow different seeds; then you need to take a stand for integrity, justice, and honesty! Martin Luther King Jr. warned, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” but I think Elie Wiesel says it best with this: “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.” We can do this – just stand up for the good and find your voice!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychiurch.org

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Some distractions are an easy fix, but what happens when distractions are deliberately sent our way to take focus off life-altering concerns? Many today have purposely brought distraction after discretion our way – dividing and tearing our families and communities apart – all the while spinning our focus off truly weighty issues.

It’s amazing how one bad slap at the Oscars can grab the full attention of mainstream media, all the while ignoring the root causes of inflation & gas hikes, cancel culture, the border crisis, the woke agenda, etc. The list goes on and on. We have been fed an endless diet of fear!

I recently read a truly grisly description of the long-ago (thank God) practice of killing people by strapping each leg and arm to a horse and then sending the horses in separate directions. Of course, this tore the person into pieces. It was gruesome! The practice was called “distraction.” The root meaning of “distraction” conveys a clear sense of being pulled out and away.

Distraction today is defined as “a pulling apart, separating, or to draw in different directions.” The picture is pretty clear as to what distractions can do to our minds and eventually our actions! We are ultimately pulled in many different directions, more often than not, neglecting real issues. The hippo lives!

But where should our brain-boxes be during these times? At home? Buried in a computer? Seduced by the TV set? There’s a story of two boys who went fishing one day, with their mom telling them, “If you catch enough, we’ll have a fish fry for dinner.” They came home empty-handed. Why? There were a lot of snakes in that pond, and they keep poking their heads up out of the water, so the boys threw rocks at them all day and never got their poles out to fish.

That’s a picture of many today throwing rocks at sneaky snakes while our nation twists in the wind. Colossians 3:2 tells us to “Set your mind (focus) on things above, not on things on the earth.” But as freedoms are slowly being eroded, what is distraction and what are things we should pay attention to? After all, paying attention to the wrong things distracts us from living life on purpose and having an impact.

Jude 3 has an interesting phrase embedded in it. We are told to “contend earnestly for the faith.” People fight and give their lives for that which they love – Jesus loved the church and gave His life for it. We need to take a cue here – you can never fight a battle from a rocking chair or in a lazy Boy! Remember – no one ever said this would be easy – they said it would be worth it.

There’s a captivating story about an incident that happened during the victorious march of Alexander the Great as he conquered the known world for the Grecian Empire. A young soldier became extremely fearful in the heat of battle, dropped his sword & shield, and fled. An officer sent several soldiers to seize the fleeing warrior and bring him back to face execution.

The frightened soldier was brought before Alexander. “What is your name soldier?” He replied, “Alexander, sir.” Alexander the Great replied, “Young man, change your ways or change your name.” Ultimately, Alexander sent him back to his division with this command: “Return to your unit and show the courage that our name implies.” As Christ-followers, we are not called to shrink back in the day of battle. Someone once said, “I will not allow my life’s light to be determined by the darkness around me.” How about not allowing your life’s light to be distracted by the darkness around you either?! We need to be about actions – not distractions! So, be on guard and beware of the hippo!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Place at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you can contact them at DPCitychurch.org

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Some people have left gigantic footprints in our history. Alfred Nobel left us with dynamite and the Nobel Peace Prize. Louis Pasteur left us with vaccines against anthrax and rabies but is best remembered for inventing the process that bears his name, pasteurization. On the dark side, Hugh Hefner left a much darker footprint with his Playboy brand of a sexual revolution and his dream of a “Disneyland for adults.” This has come with a huge negative price tag for our society.

What we leave as a legacy reveals our inner priorities, and it shouts how we want to be remembered. Are we pointing future generations toward good or towards evil? Are we giving people a spiritual inheritance or passing on a darker fate? I believe God’s plan for our lives has always been what Joshua told a group in the Old Testament: “If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” As always – our choice!

Once upon a time – true story – there was an ordinary Christ-follower named Edward Kimball. In 1854, Edward taught Sunday school in his home church and made a living selling shoes at the local shoe store. Still, Edward had a passion – for sharing the gospel – and one day, he determined that he would look for an opportunity to present the gospel to another shoe salesman named Dwight, who had just joined the staff. Edward was a bit nervous as he hemmed and hawed, but he finally mustered up the courage to talk to Dwight. That day Dwight gave his life to Jesus.

Dwight is better known as D.L. Moody (1837-1899), who went on to become a great evangelist as well as founding the Moody Bible Institute. But the story doesn’t stop there. One day, Moody was preaching, and a pastor by the name of FB Meyer (1847-1929) was there listening. He was deeply stirred by what he heard and established a nationwide preaching ministry. But the story goes on.

Sometime later, while Meyer was preaching, a young man in the audience named Wilbur Chapman (1859-1918) accepted Christ. Chapman later felt the call to ministry. As he shared the gospel in various places, he decided he needed some help. He knew of a young former baseball player, named Billy Sunday (1862-1935) who was looking for work, so Chapman hired him. Billy asked if he could preach every now and then, and ultimately emerged as one of the greatest preachers of the early 1900s.

But the story doesn’t end there either. One day Bill Sunday was preaching in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the revival was taking place. Many people there came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. These new believers then invited a relatively unknown preacher, Mordecai Ham (1877-1961) to set up his tent in Charlotte and keep preaching.

It was then that a tall, lanky farm boy walked down the aisle and gave his heart to Jesus. His name was Billy Frank, but we know him better as Billy Graham (1918-2018). It’s said that Billy Graham has personally delivered the great news of the gospel to more people than any other man in history. All because of the legacy of Edward Kimball – the shoe salesman from 1854!

These men all shared one main characteristic – a passion for souls. They were all what I call “Cardiac Christians.” Their hearts followed hard after God and their individual lives proved out their faith in amazing ways. I love what D.L. Moody had to say about time passages: “Moses spent forty years thinking he was a somebody; forty years learning he was a nobody; and forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody.” As someone once noted, “A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.”

Openings for “Cardiac Christians” are currently available. Contact info: Your local church.

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org

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March was “Woman’s History Month” – the month to celebrate women – and what did it get us? Let’s see – a man is knocking it out of the ballpark at women’s swim competitions. A man has been declared one of USA Today’s “Women of the Year” – and a woman nominee for the highest court in the land can’t define what a woman is. God help us – we are in real trouble if we can’t even answer that. How in the world will we ever be able to tackle the really hard stuff?!

In this woman’s humble opinion, women had better unite around the truth – a novel concept – if things are ever going to get back on track. Whatever happened to common sense? The opposite of common sense is folly, absurdity, and illogical. This ought to give us all pause for thought.

In 1971, Helen Reddy came out with the hit song, “I Am Woman.” It was heard during the closing credits for the 1972 film Stand Up and Be Counted. (That’s a thought!) “I Am Woman” is about female empowerment; Reddy said she wanted to write a song to inspire women. It did. Helen Reddy died in 2020, but I have to wonder where she would have stood on our current “woman” issue?!

Here’s a selection from part of her song: “I am woman, hear me roar, in numbers too big to ignore, and I know too much to go back an’ pretend.” Pretend? Humm! I also have to wonder if those words would even be allowed on Facebook today, knowing of the sensitivity of our “woke” crowd and their hurry to censure anything and everything they don’t approve of!!

Thankfully, there are many amazing, strong women working behind the scenes these days, bringing truth, family structure, and Godly values to our lives. There’s a gal I know personally who was married fairly young at 20 to a wonderful Christian man. They had known each other since they were children. They had a beautiful wedding, attended by almost everyone in their church family, but within just five months, tragedy struck. Due to complications from a rare type of cancer, her husband passed away.

Of course, she was devastated as her life was turned upside down. She lost her home, declared bankruptcy and moved back in with her parents. It was rough going, but she eventually got back on her feet, moved into her own place again, and rebuilt her life. Five years later, this young lady remarried and eventually had two beautiful daughters.

One day, a position opened up for her at a local Christian school – they needed a new principal just into their first year and she jumped at the chance to not only enroll her two daughters but also build up a local school with Godly values and truth. And she did exactly that. Now, seven years later, with an enrollment of almost two hundred students, she has grown and guided the school with integrity and ethics that the parents are proud to stand behind and support. It’s an amazing story, actually, of a successful, confident, and courageous young woman.

So, how do I know this lady? Well – actually, this is my youngest daughter Susanne and I am extremely proud of the woman of God she has become and the work she is doing in our valley. Susanne is a no-nonsense gal who I would nominate in a heartbeat for Woman of the Year. But, then again, I’m her mom!

If we want to turn things around, I think it’s time we step up and start celebrating every woman we know of who is doing their darnedest to bring incontestable truth to our local communities because that’s where change has to start – on the local level. Take time to personally thank a good mom, or a great school teacher, or a mom-neighbor who is working hard to raise her family in a godly manner. It’s an uphill battle these days, but it’s not impossible. Just hard.

Sheryl Sandberg has said, “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.” She is wrong!! Let’s go with what Margaret Thatcher said instead: “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.” As someone toasted – “Here’s to strong women: may we know them. May we be them. May we raise them!”

I’m personally aligned with Jessica Kirkland: “As for my girls, I’ll raise them to think they breathe fire!”

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org

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We scurried down the hill to check things out. It turned out an ambulance had been called but that was it. The parents had not been notified, so Bob climbed back up the ravine to get cell phone reception and make the calls while I stayed at the bottom with the teens. Another young gal had also made her way to the bottom and while I stood there, the three of them talked about going to the river and partying. I could hardly believe what I was hearing – this teen could have major injuries and they still wanted to party on. Finally, I spoke up and said, “I think we need to pray.” Instantly and without hesitation, all three bowed their heads on cue. Well, I thought, guess we’re praying, and I did. I prayed a hearty prayer and we all ended with an enthusiastic Amen!

2 Timothy 4:2 tells us to “Be ready in season and out.” Another translation reads: “Be ready whether it’s convenient or inconvenient.” What does that mean? We should always be prepared to allow the living water of Jesus to flow out of us and minister, whether it’s a good time for us or not. We are to love people when they least expect it.

In John 7, Jesus stood before a crowd of people and proclaimed this: If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believes in Me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Jesus wasn’t talking about a natural thirst when He shouted these words. He was talking about spiritual thirst. The Holy Spirit is like rivers of living water, meant to flow into us and out to the world.

When Bob and I first came to this valley in 1974, we lived on a ranch back in the foothills of Soboba. We were dependent on wells for our water. My first few days out there were eye-opening. There was so much iron and minerals in the water that it was brown. Hard to get used to and I often boiled it just to be on the safe side! Water is universally a big deal and absolutely essential for all forms of life.

So, when Jesus shared about having living water, people paid attention. They all knew of the Dead Sea not far away, so named because it contains no fish or plant life. There are zero outlets of this body of water so water pours in but nothing flows out! Inlets plus no outlets equals a dead, lifeless sea.

This can also apply to Christ-follows today. We are living in a dry and thirsty land right now, even though nearly every household in America has access to Bibles, a church, and Christian TV. But that’s not enough! We can burp out Bible verses all day long but if we are not ministering out the love of Christ, we are children of the Dead Sea. If you are a Christ-follower, your story has power. It’s personal. It can be shared over lunch, at the gym or on a dog walk.

There’s an interesting account of a wealthy Christian lady living in Kenya who had a young man employed as her houseboy. After about three months, he asked the lady for a letter of reference to a Muslim family a few miles away. The lady didn’t want him to leave just as he was getting the hang of household duties, so she offered to increase his pay. But the young man told her he wasn’t leaving for more money. He said he had decided to either become a Christian or a Muslim. This was why he had come to work of her in the first place – he wanted to see how Christian’s act.

Now he wanted to work for the sheik to observe the ways of the Muslims. Then he would make his decision of which way of life he would follow. The Christian lady was stunned as she thought about all the times she had blown it with the houseboy.

As he was leaving, she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me at the beginning?” But – alas – too late. As Alistair Begg has noted, “Our witness – good or bad – is the overflow of our lives.” You are the only Bible some unbelievers will ever read – so, be well-read!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard, Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCityChurch.org

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Months went by and one day we noticed that we had not seen John nor his family for some time. Giving John a buzz, Bob found out that he was so booked up with work that John no longer had time to attend church. He was on the job every Sunday now. Maybe soon, he said.

Time passed – then one day, there was an early morning call to the police – a local store was being robbed. Bob, being a police chaplain, was called to the scene. It turned out that John’s teenage son was one of three involved in the robbery. When confronted by the police from the outside, they set the place on fire, hoping to distract law enforcement and escape temporarily. But the police had the place pretty much surrounded, so that wouldn’t happen anytime soon. Two of the men finally surrendered and came out, but the third, John’s son – wouldn’t give up and died in the fire.

I remember attending the funeral – most of our congregation showed up and filed by John and his grieving wife and daughter, giving hugs and condolences. Lots of tears. It was a huge tragedy. But I couldn’t help but wonder – what if John had kept his family plugged into church? What if his teenage kids had kept attending church and youth events? What if, what if…?

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:25, “Do not forsake (neglect) our meeting together, as some do.” Don’t forsake the gathering…but why? Why is it good for us to be in church? Why is it a good thing to take our children and grands to church? The verse goes on to say that when we meet, we are to “encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.”

Attending church with other Christ-followers means we exhort one another. We edify and love one another, and we encourage each other. We keep each other accountable and pray for one another. We sing praises to God as one Body and fellowship with other families. We comfort one another and collectively hear God’s Word preached and taught. Hard to do all that if you’re at Disneyland!

So, what are some of the great reasons people miss Sunday church? Laundry. Or they stayed up too late the night before watching the Late, Late Movie of the Week. Or perhaps someone was sick. Maybe just not interested. All kinds of stuff, really. These days, if God can get one hour a week out of us, He should be happy because people are busy and we’re all booked up that day. But we’re booked up every day!! It all boils down to our priorities.

So where do we go for our 911s? The horoscope? Oprah Winfrey? gov.com? Dr. Phil? Friends at the gym? Dr. Fauci? CNN? Nothing compares to the wisdom and support we get from our local living body of believers. Nothing!

Here’s a list of the top ten excuses for avoiding church services. If you took these excuses and applied them to eating, this is what it might look like:

10. I was forced to eat as a child.

9. People who eat all the time are hypocrites; they aren’t really hungry.

8. There are so many different kinds of food; I can’t decide what to eat.

7. I used to eat, but I got bored and stopped.

6. I only eat on special occasions, like Christmas and Easter.

5. None of my friends will eat with me.

4. I’ll start eating when I get older.

3. I don’t really have time to eat.

2. I don’t believe that eating does anybody any good. It’s just a crutch.

And the #1 excuse for not eating…

1. Restaurants and grocery stores are only after your money.

So — Ch _ _ ch. What’s missing?

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org

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What exactly is deception? It’s actually the Greek word “planao,” which means to lead astray or to wander off course. It can depict a single person who has wandered away or it could describe an entire nation that has veered from truth. In the Bible, the word “deceive” was often used to forecast the wide-scale deception that would one day take over the world. Many believe it’s a foreshadow to the end times.

As Bible scholar Rick Renner has said, “It’s clear that we have entered into the very last part of the last days.” It’s prophesied that things will intensify as the days pass because we’re living at the end of the age where society as a whole will be deceived on a massive scale. In Matthew 24:4, Jesus warned: “Don’t let anyone deceive you….” One translation says that “deception will ruin rampant. So beware that you are not fooled.”

Matthew 24 goes on to tell us what those end times will look like: wars and rumors of wars, nations rising up against nations, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes…plus a culture that has strayed so far off, that, as Rick Runner relates, “It has become beguiled, bewitched, duped, and seduced into believing a lie in place of the truth.” Renner goes on to say: “This period of deceitfulness will be so intense that people will believe what is false over what is obviously true, even denying facts and truths that are common sense and what nature itself teaches.” Just look around – deception is everywhere – some pretty innocent and others not so much. I read a survey recently where it was disclosed that 15% of women dye their hair, 38% wear blush, 98% use eye shadow, and 22% have false eyelashes. And – 100% voted in favor of a resolution condemning any kind of false packaging. Pretty head-shaking funny! Yes — we gals do love our makeup!

But other deceptions are more weighty – government trickeries, corporate frauds, or moral shenanigans are all on the rise. Take, for instance, the male swimmer who is now smashing women’s records at the University of Pennsylvania. He’s a big dude – of course, he’s going to out-swim his female counterparts! But people are cheering him on nonetheless and vilifying those who would call foul.

Someone once remarked that “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” But truth doesn’t cease to exist because it’s ignored, nor does denying the truth change the facts.

2 Timothy 4 tells us that “The time will come when people will not put up with sound instruction…and they will turn away from hearing the truth and wander off to myths.” I think we are there! 2 Corinthians 4 goes on to say that “Satan, who is the god of this age, has blinded the minds of unbelievers.” Francis Chan once remarked that, “Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers,” so I don’t expect the “world” to come banging on my door and reward me for telling the truth – I fully expect push-back on every front.

Telling the truth to a culture running on lies and deception is an act of spiritual warfare and not always welcomed. I’m not sure who said this, but it bears repeating: “Men are not women, women are not men, animals are not children, live-in boyfriends or girlfriends are not spouses. The internet is not the local church; words are not guns, feelings are not facts, creatures are not the Creator. Jesus is the answer. The gospel still has power. The blood still works. The Bible is still true, and the church is still advancing by force and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

May truth prevail in our land and may God bless the United States of America!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychuirch.org

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ESTHER tried to calm her heart as she approached the courtyard in the palace at Shushan. It was not easy. Everything about the castle was designed to inspire awe—its multicolored relief sculptures of winged bulls, archers, and lions of glazed brickwork, its fluted stone columns and imposing statues, even its position atop huge platforms near the snowcapped Zagros Mountains and overlooking the pure waters of the river Choaspes. All of it was intended to remind each visitor of the immense power of the man whom Esther was going to see, the one who called himself “the great king.” He was also her husband.

2 Husband! How different Ahasuerus was from the kind of husband any faithful Jewish girl might have expected! * He did not look to such examples as Abraham, a man who humbly accepted God’s direction to listen to Sarah, his wife. (Gen. 21:12) The king knew little or nothing of Esther’s God, Jehovah, or of His Law. Ahasuerus knew Persian law, though, including a law forbidding the very thing that Esther was about to do. What was that? Well, the law said that anyone who appeared before the Persian monarch without first being summoned by the king was liable to death. Esther had not been summoned, but she was going to the king anyway. As she drew near to the inner courtyard, where she would be visible from the king’s throne, she may have felt that she was walking to her death.—Read Esther 4:11; 5:1.

3 Why did she take such a risk? And what can we learn from the faith of this remarkable woman? First, let us see how Esther got into the unusual position of being a queen in Persia.

ESTHER’S BACKGROUND

4. What was Esther’s background, and how did she come to live with her cousin Mordecai?

4 Esther was an orphan. We know very little of the parents who named her Hadassah, a Hebrew word for “myrtle,” a lovely white-blossomed shrub. When Esther’s parents died, one of her relatives, a kindly man named Mordecai, took pity on the child. He was her cousin, but Mordecai was much older. He brought Esther into his home and treated her as his own daughter.—Esther 2:5-7, 15.

5, 6. (a) How did Mordecai raise Esther? (b) What kind of life did Esther and Mordecai lead in Shushan?

5 Mordecai and Esther lived as Jewish exiles in that Persian capital, where they probably had to deal with a measure of disdain because of their religion and the Law they tried to follow. But Esther surely drew closer to her cousin as he taught her about Jehovah, the merciful God who had rescued His people from trouble many times in the past—and would do so again. (Lev. 26:44, 45) Clearly, a loving and loyal bond grew between Esther and Mordecai.

6 Mordecai evidently worked as some kind of official at the castle at Shushan, regularly sitting within its gate, along with other servants of the king. (Esther 2:19, 21; 3:3) How the young Esther passed her time as she grew up, we can only guess, although it seems safe to say that she took good care of her older cousin and his home, which was likely situated in the humbler quarters across the river from the royal castle. Perhaps she enjoyed going to the market in Shushan, where goldsmiths, silversmiths, and other merchants displayed their wares. Esther could not have imagined that such luxuries would later become commonplace to her; she had no idea of the future in store for her.

“BEAUTIFUL IN APPEARANCE”

7. Why was Vashti deposed as queen, and what was the result?

7 One day, Shushan was buzzing with gossip about turmoil in the household of the king. At a grand feast, where Ahasuerus was entertaining his noblemen with sumptuous food and wine, the king decided to summon his beautiful queen, Vashti, who was feasting separately with the women. But Vashti refused to come. Humiliated and enraged, the king asked his advisers how Vashti should be punished. The result? She was deposed as queen. The king’s servants began searching throughout the land for beautiful young virgins; from among them the king would select a new queen.—Esther 1:1–2:4.

8. (a) Why might Mordecai have felt some concern about Esther as she grew up? (b) How do you think we might apply the Bible’s balanced view of physical beauty? (See also Proverbs 31:30.)

8 We may imagine Mordecai gazing fondly at Esther from time to time and noting with a mixture of pride and concern that his little cousin was grown-up—and had turned out to be a remarkable beauty. “The young woman was pretty in form and beautiful in appearance,” we read. (Esther 2:7) The Bible presents a balanced view of physical beauty—it is delightful, but it needs to be coupled with wisdom and humility. Otherwise, it may breed vanity, pride, and other ugly traits of the heart. (Read Proverbs 11:22.) Have you ever seen that to be true? In Esther’s case, what would beauty turn out to be—an asset or a liability? Time would tell.

9. (a) What happened when the king’s servants noticed Esther, and why must her parting from Mordecai have been difficult? (b) Why did Mordecai allow Esther to marry a pagan unbeliever?

9 The king’s servants noticed Esther. They gathered her up in their search, taking her away from Mordecai and off to the grand palace across the river. (Esther 2:8) It must have been a difficult parting, for the two were like father and daughter. Mordecai would not have wanted his adopted daughter to marry any unbeliever, even a king, but events were out of his control. * How eagerly Esther must have listened to Mordecai’s words of advice before she was taken away! As she was led to Shushan the castle, her mind was filled with questions. What kind of life lay ahead of her?

SHE WON FAVOR “IN THE EYES OF EVERYONE SEEING HER”

10, 11. (a) How might Esther’s new environment easily have affected her? (b) How did Mordecai show his concern for Esther’s welfare?

10 Esther found herself ushered into a world that was entirely new and strange to her. She was among “many young women” who had been gathered from far and wide in the Persian Empire. Their customs, languages, and attitudes must have varied greatly. Placed under the charge of an official named Hegai, the young women were to undergo an extensive beauty treatment, a yearlong program that included massages with fragrant oils. (Esther 2:8, 12) Such an environment and lifestyle might easily have bred an obsession with personal appearance among those young women, along with vanity and competitiveness. How was Esther affected?

11 No one on earth could have been more concerned about Esther than Mordecai was. We read that day by day, he made his way as near as he could to the house of the women and endeavored to learn of Esther’s welfare. (Esther 2:11) As bits of information trickled out to him, perhaps through cooperative servants in the household, he must have beamed with fatherly pride. Why?

12, 13. (a) What impression did Esther make on those around her? (b) Why would Mordecai have been pleased to learn that Esther had not revealed her Jewish heritage?

12 Esther so impressed Hegai that he treated her with great loving-kindness, giving her seven servant girls and the best place in the house of the women. The account even says: “All the while Esther was continually gaining favor in the eyes of everyone seeing her.” (Esther 2:9, 15) Would beauty alone have impressed everyone so profoundly? No, there was much more to Esther than that.

13 For instance, we read: “Esther had not told about her people or about her relatives, for Mordecai himself had laid the command upon her that she should not tell.” (Esther 2:10) Mordecai had instructed the girl to be discreet about her Jewish heritage; he no doubt saw that among Persian royalty, there was much prejudice against his people. What a pleasure it was for him to learn that now, even though Esther was out of his sight, she still showed the same wise and obedient spirit!

14. How can young people today imitate Esther’s example?

14 Young people today can likewise bring joy to the hearts of parents and guardians. When out of their parents’ sight—even if surrounded by people who are shallow, immoral, or vicious—they can resist bad influences and stick to the standards that they know are right. When they do so, like Esther, they make the heart of their heavenly Father rejoice.—Read Proverbs 27:11.

15, 16. (a) How did Esther win the king’s love? (b) Why might the changes in Esther’s life have been challenging? 15 When the time came for Esther to be presented to the king, she was given the liberty to select any items that she thought she might need, perhaps to beautify herself further. Modestly, though, she asked for nothing beyond what Hegai mentioned to her. (Esther 2:15) She probably realized that beauty alone would not win the king’s heart; a modest and humble spirit would prove a far rarer commodity in that court. Was she right?

16 The account answers: “The king came to love Esther more than all the other women, so that she gained more favor and loving-kindness before him than all the other virgins. And he proceeded to put the royal headdress upon her head and make her queen instead of Vashti.” (Esther 2:17) It must have been hard for this humble Jewish girl to adjust to the change in her life—she was the new queen, wife to the most powerful monarch on earth at that time! Did her new position go to her head, filling her with pride? Far from it!

17. (a) In what ways did Esther remain obedient to her adoptive father? (b) Why is Esther’s example an important one for us today?

17 Esther remained obedient to her adoptive father, Mordecai. She kept her connection to the Jewish people a secret. Further, when Mordecai uncovered a plot to assassinate Ahasuerus, Esther obediently passed his warning along to the king, and the plotters were foiled. (Esther 2:20-23) She still expressed faith in her God by showing a humble, obedient spirit. How we need Esther’s example today, when obedience is rarely valued as a virtue and when disobedience and rebellion are the norm! But people of genuine faith treasure obedience, as Esther did.

ESTHER’S FAITH UNDER TEST

18. (a) Why might Mordecai have refused to bow down to Haman? (See also footnote.) (b) How do men and women of faith today imitate the example of Mordecai?

18 A man named Haman rose to prominence in the court of Ahasuerus. The king appointed him prime minister, making Haman his principal adviser and the second in command in the empire. The king even decreed that all who saw this official must bow down to him. (Esther 3:1-4) For Mordecai, that law posed a problem. He believed in obeying the king but not at the cost of disrespecting God. You see, Haman was an Agagite. That evidently means that he was a descendant of Agag, the Amalekite king who was executed by God’s prophet Samuel. (1 Sam. 15:33) So wicked were the Amalekites that they had made themselves enemies of Jehovah and Israel. As a people, the Amalekites stood condemned by God. * (Deut. 25:19) How could a faithful Jew bow down to an Amalekite? Mordecai could not. He stood his ground. To this day, men and women of faith have risked their lives to adhere to this principle: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.”—Acts 5:29.

19. What did Haman want to do, and how did he go about persuading the king?

19 Haman was enraged. But it was not enough for him to find a way to kill off Mordecai. He wanted to exterminate all of Mordecai’s people! Haman persuaded the king by painting a dark portrait of the Jews. Without naming them, he implied that they were inconsequential, a people “scattered and separated among the peoples.” Even worse, he said that they did not obey the king’s laws; hence, they were dangerous rebels. He proposed to donate to the king’s treasury an immense sum of money to cover the expense of slaughtering all the Jews in the empire. * Ahasuerus gave Haman the king’s own signet ring to seal any order that he had in mind.—Esther 3:5-10.

20, 21. (a) How did Haman’s proclamation affect the Jews throughout the Persian Empire, including Mordecai?

(b) What did Mordecai implore Esther to do?

20 Soon messengers were speeding on horseback to every corner of the vast empire, delivering what amounted to a death sentence on the Jewish people. Imagine the impact of such a proclamation when it reached far-off Jerusalem, where a remnant of Jews who had returned from exile in Babylon were struggling to rebuild a city that still had no wall to defend it. Perhaps Mordecai thought of them, as well as of his own friends and relatives in Shushan, when he heard the terrible news. Distraught, he ripped his clothes, wore sackcloth and placed ashes on his head, and cried aloud in the middle of the city. Haman, however, sat drinking with the king, unmoved by the grief he had stirred up among the many Jews and their friends in Shushan.—Read Esther 3:12–4:1.

21 Mordecai knew that he had to act. But what could he do? Esther heard of his distress and sent clothes to him, but Mordecai refused to take comfort. Maybe he had long wondered why his God, Jehovah, had allowed dear Esther to be taken from him and made the queen of a pagan ruler. Now the reason seemed to be emerging. Mordecai sent a message to the queen, imploring Esther to intercede with the king, to stand up “for her own people.”—Esther 4:4-8.

22. Why was Esther afraid to appear before her husband the king?

22 Esther’s heart must have sunk when she heard that message. Here was her greatest test of faith. She was afraid, as she freely revealed in her reply to Mordecai. She reminded him of the king’s law. To appear before the king unsummoned meant a death sentence. Only if the king held out his golden scepter was the offender spared. And did Esther have any reason to expect such clemency, especially in view of Vashti’s fate when she had refused the king’s command to appear? Esther told Mordecai that the king had not invited her to see him in 30 days! Such neglect left her plenty of reason to wonder if she had fallen out of favor with this capricious monarch. *—Esther 4:9-11.

23. (a) What did Mordecai say to bolster Esther’s faith? (b) Why is Mordecai worthy of imitation?

23 Mordecai replied firmly to bolster Esther’s faith. He assured her that if she failed to act, salvation for the Jews would arise from some other source. But how could she expect to be spared once the persecution gathered force? Here Mordecai showed his profound faith in Jehovah, who would never let His people be exterminated and His promises go unfulfilled. (Josh. 23:14) Then Mordecai asked Esther: “Who is there knowing whether it is for a time like this that you have attained to royal dignity?” (Esther 4:12-14) Is not Mordecai worthy of imitation? He trusted completely in his God, Jehovah. Do we?—Prov. 3:5,

6. A FAITH STRONGER THAN THE FEAR OF DEATH

24. How did Esther show faith and courage?

24 For Esther, the time of decision had arrived. She asked Mordecai to get her countrymen to join her in a three-day fast, concluding her message with a statement that resonates down to this day in its simple faith and courage: “In case I must perish, I must perish.” (Esther 4:15-17) She must have prayed more fervently in those three days than she ever had in her life. Finally, though, the moment came. She dressed in her very best royal finery, doing all she could to appeal to the king. Then she went.

25. Describe how events unfolded as Esther appeared before her husband.

25 As described at the outset of this chapter, Esther made her way to the king’s court. We can only imagine the anxious thoughts and fervent prayers filling her mind and heart. She entered the courtyard, where she could see Ahasuerus on his throne. Perhaps she tried to read the expression on his face—the face that was framed by the carefully tended, symmetrical curls of his hair and of his squared beard. If she had to wait, it must have felt like an eternity. But the moment passed—her husband saw her. He was surely surprised, but his expression softened. He held out his golden scepter!—Esther 5:1, 2.

26. Why do true Christians need courage like Esther’s, and why was her work only beginning?

26 Esther had gained an audience, a hearing ear. She had taken a stand for her God and for her people, setting a beautiful example of faith for all servants of God down through time. True Christians today cherish such examples. Jesus said that his genuine followers would be marked by self-sacrificing love. (Read John 13:34, 35.) Showing such love often requires courage like Esther’s. But even after Esther stood up for God’s people that day, her work was only beginning. How would she convince the king that his favorite adviser, Haman, was a wicked schemer? How could she help to save her people? We will consider these questions in the following chapter.

Jehovah’s Witnesses | Contributed

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It reminds me of a story I heard about the Russian czar back in 1903, who came across a sentry posted for no apparent reason on Kremlin grounds. Upon inquiry, he discovered that back in 1776, Catherine the Great found the first flower of spring on that very spot “Post a sentry here,” she commanded, “so that no one tramples that flower underfoot!” And that was that. Well, over a hundred years later, a sentry was still posted. Some traditions die hard and changing the mood in church has been one of them. But I, for one, love the change and love the passion in our churches today.

Most people are passionate about something – be it God, football, family, food, or their work. Someone once noted that the world admires every passionate enthusiasm except one: Love for God! I have found that to be true. Our word “fan” comes from the word “fanatic.” We hear of sports fans, celebrity fans, and music fans – but where are all the God fans?! People will fight for a front-row seat at a sporting event or a music concert, but how about church? Not so much. To bad ~

I once heard that the famous Hungarian-born American conductor, Eugene Ormandy, dislocated his shoulder while directing the Philadelphia Orchestra – so passionate! So fanatic about his music! I don’t know what they were playing, but he was giving it his all. It may be hard to imagine that, but as T.S. Eliot said, “It is obvious that we can no more explain a passion to a person who has never experienced it than we can explain light to the blind.” It makes you feel sad for those poor souls who have no passion.

Romans 12:11 has handed us this great verse on passion: “Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your passion toward Him boiling hot!” To keep your passion towards God “boiling hot” one must keep the fire burning, stoked with His word and singing His praises! Without that, we often find ourselves warbling out songs like, “Make the World Go Away” – “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” – “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” or, “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights.”

I recently read an article about the man responsible for the development of the Polaris Submarine – Rear Admiral William Reborn, Jr. He was always careful to keep an eye on his top management personnel and when first coming on the job, he would give them a patriotic pep talk on the importance of their work. If it ever appeared that someone was not doing their best, he would call them into his office for what he termed, “rededication.” One officer, recalling one of those emotional sessions said, “When I walked out, I knew I was ready to die for someone. I didn’t know whether it was for the admiral, the president, or the head of the Boy Scouts, but brother, I was ready to die if necessary!”

That’s what I call passion! Passion captures the attention of others. Why? Because it glows. It flashes. It illuminates. It’s daring. It’s contagious! Passionate people are just so “out there!”

I’ve always loved this writing by Steve Jobs, and invariably think of a zealous, passionate person – it’s a great little read. “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things, they push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

That’s real passion, and honestly, I think Jesus would have loved that read too!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor the Dwelling Place City church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you can contact them at DPCitychurch.org

Susan Beckett | Dwelling Place City

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Many people think God no longer speaks to people – I think people no longer listen to God. The obvious disconnect is that we just don’t “escuchen” as we should. Matthew 13:15 tells us, “The people’s hearts have become dull, their ears can barely hear…” One translation even says, “Their ears are clogged.” It seems that would be on our end – certainly not God’s!

There’s a story told of Franklin Roosevelt, who often had to endure long receiving lines during his time in the White House. He often complained that no one really paid any attention to what he said. One day, during one such reception line, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who passed down the line and shook his hands, he murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous! Keep up the good work. We are proud of you. God bless you, sir.” It wasn’t until the very end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were actually heard. Unfazed, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming.” Ahh – poor Nana!

There is good news though – there’s hope for us semi-deaf persons. If we would just take time to spend with God meditating on His word, studying His word, and praying (communicating) with Him, we can develop a “feel” for the voice of God. He speaks in so many ways – best not to put Him in a box – we can actually learn to listen. It’s not rocket science. Just take the time as you would with any other relationship. As Will Rogers once said, “Never miss a good chance to shut up.” Just escuchen!

It really all goes back to choice. Ugh – the ball always seems to end up back in our court for these important issues. It reminds me of the story of a pastors son who went off to his first junior high camp – let’s call him John. In the middle of the week, John got into a fight with another kid., His fault. His pastor dad drove up to the camp to intervene, but John was unrepentant, wanted to leave camp, gathered all his stuff, and shoved it all into the car.

His father took him for a walk – “John,” he asked, “Is there any voice inside telling you what you should do?” “Yes,” he nodded. “What’s the voice telling you?” Dad asked. “That I should stay and work it out!” he said. Dad responded, “Can you identify that voice?” “Yes,” he said immediately. “It’s God” “John,” the dad said, “do you realize what just happened? You heard God’s voice. He spoke to you from within your soul.” But here was John’s response: “Well, I’m still not doing what God said.”

But – smart dad that he was – here’s what he told his son: “If you reject the voice of God coming from deep within and chose to disobey His guidance, your heart will become hardened, and your ears will eventually become dull to His voice. But if you treasure God’s voice and respond with obedience, then your heart will be open, and your ears will always be able to hear the whisper of God into your soul.” Thankfully, John chose to stay on in camp. Hallelujah! Tough decision, I’m sure, for such a disgruntled, young soul.

Mark Batterson once gave this extremely insightful quote: “We usually hear what we want to hear and turn a deaf ear to everything else. But if we don’t listen to everything God has to say, we eventually won’t hear anything He has to say. And we probably need to hear most what we want to hear least.” Wow! That speaks volumes. Someone once remarked, “Is God’s voice the loudest in your life? That’s the question. If the answer is no, that’s the problem.” Escuchen por favor! Just escuchen!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you can contact them at DPCitychurch.org.

Susan Beckett | The Dwelling Place City Church

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