You Must Be Born Again

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Chapters: Esther 6-10
Message: You Must Be Born Again

Hello My Friend,

As I was consoling a friend who lost her husband (it is his birthday today) something hit me, birthday’s must be a big celebration in heaven because it was the day that God gave them life. But think about it, what gives God more joy than bringing a new life into the world? A second birth, one that would give life to their soul so they can be in heaven. Life is precious to God, so precious that He sent His own Son to make sure we do not have just one birthday, but two. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” - John 3:6-8.

Sometimes when God lays it on my heart to write about something I wonder what it has to do with the chapters I am reading. Then God reminds me that there is always a new moral to every story, which is why we are to read His word continually. As we continue reading the Book of Esther we learn that evil never prevails. As Haman schemed to try and get all the Jews destroyed, God was working to make sure that did not happen. First, God was going to make sure Haman would be humiliated for what he was doing. The king called for Haman as he discovered that Mordecai never got the proper honor given to him for saving the kings life.

“So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour, Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head: And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour. And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.” - Esther 6:6-12.

“To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?” It is interesting to see how wicked people are so stuck on themselves. The wicked never prosper, and those who do only do for a short time until God sees His plan through. When we belong to God we will be exalted in due time, we just have to wait and be faithful to Him. People often wonder why the ones who obey the laws suffer while the ones who disobey them do not, but the truth is, they suffer more. God will take His own home to ease their suffering, but He will let the wicked die in their own shame. A drunk person that causes a person die under the hands of their influence will remain alive so they can suffer the repercussions of taking that life. Likewise, the same thing goes for those who end a child’s life in their womb. The wicked will always suffer for their sin, but God’s people will be exalted for their faith.

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” - 1 Peter 5:6-10.

The Book of Esther testifies to the secret watch and care that God has over His people. Amazingly not once is His name mentioned, but there is no other book in the Bible that His presence is revealed. With the threat of all the Jews lives in danger, Esther made the decision to expose Haman for who he was. The humiliation of taking Mordecai through the streets to honor him was just the beginning. During the second banquet Esther requested with the king, she exposed Haman for writing the decree to have the Jews killed.

“Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage. Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.” - Esther 7:3-7,10.

“If I have found favour in thy sight,” You know, we do not have to go very far to find God’s favor, our first step is humbling ourselves before Him and admitting that we cannot do this alone. The second step is to receive His Son as our Saviour. God’s favor, while it is good to live honorably, is not in our deeds, but by first becoming one of His people. The only way to become one of His people is to be born again, God has already given life to our flesh even while being conceived, He gives life to our soul by believing on His Son and accepting Him as our personal Saviour. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” - John 3:3.

After Haman was hung by the very gallows he had made for Mordecai, the king asked Esther what else he could do to make things right. She asked him to allow the Jews to defend themselves of the decree that Haman had forged concerning that all Jews be executed. And that is exactly what they did, even having his sons hung.

“On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her. And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour. And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.” - Esther 8:1-3,16,17.

“And many of the people of the land became Jews;” It often takes fear of death for people to realize they need Christ. When believers trust God through their difficulties His people will always increase in number. We must understand that all life is precious to God, they would not have been conceived if He did not have plans for them. However, people are going to do what they want to do, and will face God for it. Yet, we must also understand that we are all sinners, and God will use any circumstance for good. A woman who aborts her child can turn her life around with Christ and through the forgiveness of that sin teach others how precious life is. Likewise, a person who killed someone in a drunken state can turn their life around with Christ and teach others how precious life is. We are all born predestined to become born again, but the choice is up to us whether or not we fulfill that will. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” - Romans 8:28-30.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today, Jesus is revealed through Mordecai, who was honored through the streets. Jesus was greatly honored in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. “And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” - Matthew 21:8,9.

Today's Prayer: God, As I look back on my life I can see all the difficulties that You have allowed in my life and just how much Your hand played a part in my enduring them, even when I did not always have obey You. I thank You for the cross that I bare and how You bring me to victory every time I place my faith and trust in You. I am glad to be a member of Your church and learning to live day by day on Your daily bread. I love You and pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://godsprice.com/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Missed A Message: http://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Visit I'm Following Jesus: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
Like I'm Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2016 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.