ESTHER & JOB

Today is Sunday!  Last night, we had a wonderful Valentine Banquet with a full play and it was tremendous.  We have such talented people.  Great food, an 8x10 picture of each couple, and a great hour long play that was amazing.  And that was Saturday.  Today is Sunday!  I'm so looking forward to seeing God's people and seeing what God will do in our midst.  I know Jesus meets with us, because of His promise.  I'm looking forward to knowing He shows us!  Today, I'm finished Esther, and went into Job.  Here are just a few thoughts to share today: 1) ONE THING- Haman had a lot going for him, and one thing he didn't like.  In Esther 5:10-12, it says he had a home, friends, riches, multitude of children, and a special invitation to the banquet with Esther. But in verse 13 it says:  "Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."  This sadly, is human nature.  We have so many good things going on in our lives, and we choose to focus on the one thing that is going badly.  Why would we do that?  It cost Haman his life to focus on that one thing.  He later would build a gallows for Mordecai, that Haman himself would be hung on.  He planned destruction for another, but met his own demise.  Let us choose to focus on the good in our lives.  Count your many blessings name them one by one, and it will surprise you what he LORD hath done. 2) MORDECAI'S MISSION- In Esther 10:3, it says: "For Mordecai the Jew was nest unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed." Seeing the wealth of his people became his mission in life.  He used his power and influence, to help his people.  God raises up people to bless His people.  Let us use our help and influence to help our Christian brethren around us as well. 3) HAS SATAN CONSIDERED YOU?  In Job 1:8, God asks Satan:  "Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?"  The passage goes on to say that Satan had considered Job.  I wonder if Satan has ever considered us?  I'm guessing that most of us are not doing enough for the LORD for Satan to take note of us, but it may be that He has considered us and is wanting to find ways to trip us up.  Let us pray for God to keep His hedge about us as well.  Satan thought that Job served God because God had put a hedge about him and blessed the work of his hands.  God had indeed put a hedge of protection around Job, and no doubt, Satan had tried to get through it to harm him and failed.  But, the book of Job is about God letting down this hedge of protection and letting Satan do his worst.  Still Job keeps his faith and chooses to keep loving God and serving Him.  It is an amazing story, and tomorrow and for a few days, we will look at Job.  Hope you have a blessed Sunday!  May God richly bless you and yours!  Pastor Mike Mutchler