Monthly Archives: October 2022

When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested.  And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. – (Esther 2:15)

The book of Esther opens with a wife who refused to submit to her husband.  Queen Vashti refused to appear before her husband’s male guests, and the king divorced her for it.  Then a “beauty pageant” of sorts is held to find the next queen.  Enter Esther.

Esther had great favor in the sight of all the people who saw her.  But what did she do to earn that favor?  She asked the eunuch who was in charge of all the women what she should wear.  She didn’t dress seductive or assume she knew exactly what the king would like.  She humbled herself and submitted to the instruction of the one who knew the king best.  And when she went in before the king, he took her as his wife.  Wow!

Favor comes to us when we humble ourselves and submit to the Lord’s instructions.  When we are operating out of our carnal man, we can think we know best.  But the Bible never says that arrogance brings favor.  In fact, just the opposite!

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders.  All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. I Peter 5:5-6

Jesus, I declare that favor is a gift only You can bestow.  Show me where I need to practice humility and submission in my life so I can bring You glory.

So, I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.  Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” – (Nehemiah 6:3 NKJV)

After returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, Nehemiah immediately met with the harassment of Sanballat and several others.  The root meaning of Sanballat means “satan.” satan will oppose us in anything we are called upon to do for God!

Sanballat continued to harass Nehemiah, even threatening to kill the people while they worked on the walls.  But Nehemiah didn’t give up, and he didn’t allow the people to give up, either.  He simply reorganized the people and had part of them work on the walls while the other part stood with weapons on the ground for protection.

Next the enemy tried spreading false religious claims:  they said that a prophetess had told them that Nehemiah was there to set himself as king.  The enemy did everything possible to get him to come down from the wall so they could harm him, but Nehemiah and his crews worked day and night and they completed the walls in a miraculous 52 days!

Nehemiah boldly says this, and I love it so much: “I am doing a great work.  How can I come down?” It’s not hard to imagine those words coming out of Jesus’ mouth while He hung on the cross.  And God also calls us to do a great work.  How can we come down when satan besieges us, people falsely accuse us, and we are attacked again and again?  We can’t!  We must finish what God has called us to do.

Jesus, I declare that no matter what comes against me, I will keep my eyes on You, the author and finisher of my faith!

My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. – (Psalm 62:5 NKJV)

One time as I was sitting on a plane, the stewardess came to me and shared that she was a born-again believer.  Then she asked me my advice: “You know, I have many opportunities to witness on these planes.  Many people open up and tell me their problems, and I’m able to lead them to Christ or pray with them.  But I do it while serving liquor.  Do you think I’m missing God’s will for my life?”

I meditated for a moment, and it seemed that the Lord quickened something to me that I had never thought about in my whole life.  I said, “Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the king, and God used him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.  Nehemiah had to carry liquor, and God never condemned Nehemiah.  That seems to have been special positions.” (See Nehemiah 1-2).

This was the answer that she needed, but it was not an answer that came from Marilyn Hickey.  It was an answer that came from the throne of grace.  The stewardess had waited on the Lord for an answer, and she was not disappointed.  You won’t be, either.

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to be patient today as I wait on You for answers, knowing that my expectations will be met by You in due time.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen

“Therefore, wisdom and knowledge will be given you.  And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor; such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” – (2 Chronicles 1:12).

Solomon was very young, about 20 years old when he became king, but there’s something that David and Bathsheba have put into Solomon to prepare him for this:  wisdom.

How do we know they put wisdom in him?  Because Solomon wrote Proverbs, and in the first to chapters, he constantly writes, ‘” My mother and my father taught me the importance of wisdom.” Why?  Because he was going to be the next king, and in order to rule well, he’s going to need the wisdom of God.

After taking over the kingship, Solomon sees God appear to him in the night and says, “Solomon, what shall I give you?” and Solomon says, “Wisdom.” What else would he say?  He’s been taught that all his life.  I think if you had awakened him in the night when he was a child and asked him what he wanted he wouldn’t have said water, he would have said wisdom.  He wanted wisdom and understanding of how to govern God’s people because that was how he’d been raised.

We tend to go after riches and honor and longevity.  But in Matthew 6:33 Jesus says: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” That’s what Solomon did; he went after Godly wisdom, then riches and honor followed.

Lord, I declare that when I seek Godly wisdom first, You will give me a long life to enjoy all the riches and honor You will bring to me.  Amen!