11th study/ ESTHER found in the book of Esther

Hope everyone is having a wonderfully blessed day!  This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!  Thank you to Sarah Henderson for choosing today's lesson, and for her input, below is what God gave her.

ESTHER 2: 5 - 7). Esther is chosen to be Queen.
She had favour with the King and so did Mordecai. Even Jesus grew in favour with God and man (Luke 2:52). When we live a life pleasing to God, by obeying His will we will have favour with Him. God will also give you favour with people. To prevent the execution of all the Jews Mordecai calls on Esther to intercede to the King. The only problem here is that the King does not know that Esther is a Jew. Esther has no ideal of how the King will respond to this news. Although God is never mentioned in the book of Esther we can see His acts in the background. Nothing takes God unaware.
I feel it was love for her people tha she put her life in danger.God never forgets our labour of love (Hebrews 6:10).
Thank you Sis. Sarah.

FACTS ABOUT ESTHER

~ Her name was actually Hadassah, changed to Esther - 2:7~

~She was fair and beautiful~2:7

~Mordeci her cousin raised her after her parents death.~2:7

~ Esther pleased Hegai keeper of the women for the king ~ 2:9

~Esther waited tweleve months before seening the king~ 2:12

~Esther required nothing to see the king, but what Hegai appointed her~ 2:15

~ Esther obtained favour with the king.~ 2:15

~The king loved Esther~ 2:17

~Esther saved her people, the jews, from death~

In 2006, God gave me a message on Esther.  It was more than just the Cindrella story we here so often , of Rags to Riches.  That's a great one, don't get me wrong.  But this is what God revealed to me.

After Queen Vashti refused to come when the King called for her found in the first chapter, The king sent forth a decree to find a new queen.  Esther whom's name was orgionally Hadassah, was taken along with all the other maidens to the King.  Esther was in preperation, a purification process for twelve months.  How many know that sometimes we need to go through a purification process? It was six months of oil of myrr, and six months of sweet odours and other things for the purifying of women.  When Hegai took the women to choose their items for their time before the king, Esther required nothing but what Hegai appointed her.  When it came her time to go before the King, the King found favour with her.  In fact the bible says the King loved her. 
Esther was a jew.  Haman which I think was like second in command, hated the jews and wanted them killed.  No one knew that Esther, whom had just been chosen queen, was in fact a jew.
When Esther found out, she was greatly grieved.  Mordeci told Esther: Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this!

This is what I want to focus on "For such a time as this"
You see, it wasn't by chance Esther went to the palace, it wasn't by chance that she found favour with Hegai, it wasn't by chance that when she went before the king, she found favour with him and he fell in love with her.  It wasn't by chance that Esther was chosen Queen.  GOD himself put her in that place.  GOD made the king fall in love with her!  Even though God's name is not mentioned once in the book of Esther, you can clearly see Him through everything. 
God knew what was going to come into plan for the jews, and GOD chose Esther, hm my, my, my....GOD CHOSE ESTHER to become queen so she could save His people!  God knew that Esther could accomplish what He wanted done.  So you see it's more than a Cinderella story.  It's more than a fairy tale. 
Wow! What an honor for God to choose Esther, above all the other young maidens who went along with her.  When anyone of them could have been chosen.  The king loved Esther because God had already chosen her.  It was already in God's plan!  FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!!!!

Whatever you may be going through, even though you may not think so, God may be using you to help somebody.  It may be for such a time as this. 

Questions for today's lesson:

1. what was Esther's orgional name?

2.  What did she require before going befor the king?

3.  How long did Esther wait before seeing the king?

4.  Why was Esther chosen to be the queen?

First three to answer correctly, wins a cd of us.  A combination of our two albums on one cd.  *Note* I will let you know by comment or email on fb if you were one of the first three.  If you were I will be asking for your address.

TOMORROW'S LESSON: MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS

trivia questions for tomorrow's lesson:

1.  Who was Mary's cousin that gave birth also?

2.  Who did Mary's cousin give birth too?

3.  How did Joseph feel when Mary told him she was expecting?

4.  Who told Mary she would give birth?

OK, COME ON LADIES!!!!  Look forward to hearing from you.  Also, tell me what you get out of the story of Esther.  There's no right or wrong answer for what you get out of a story.  I love you all!

Be blessed & Be encoraged ~God can use you~
Evang. Patti Smith