Friday, October 7, 2016

He fell victim to his pride.

Wednesday 10-5-2016  Martinez, Argentina
Today we read: Esther 3 - 5    Luke 18

S. Est 6:4-9 "Who is that in the outer court?" the king inquired. Now, as it happened, Haman had just arrived in the outer court of the palace to ask the king to hang Mordecai from the gallows he had prepared. So the attendants replied to the king, "Haman is out there." "Bring him in," the king ordered.  So Haman came in, and the king said, "What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?"
Haman thought to himself, "Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?" So he replied, "If the king wishes to honor someone, he should bring out one of the king's own royal robes, as well as the king's own horse with a royal emblem on its head. Instruct one of the king's most noble princes to dress the man in the king's robe and to lead him through the city square on the king's own horse. Have the prince shout as they go, 'This is what happens to those the king wishes to honor!' "  NLT

O. The story of Esther is hard to put down once you start reading it. A captive slave girl is crowned Miss Universe. An evil man named Haman rises to second to the King himself. Haman is jarred because Mordecai, the Jew, won’t bow down to him, so he sets up a plan to kill every Jew, including women and children in all the 127 provinces. Esther risks her life to go before the king. Then things happen in rapid and perfectly timed order. Haman’s pride that engendered mass murder in his heart, sends him to die on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.

A. Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (Prov 16:18) I must not let my guard down. Pride is a subtle enemy that can creep up on me. Every one of us is in danger whenever people start to “worship” us. I believe that as ministers, who stand in the public eye, we are among the most vulnerable. In second place perhaps our singers and musicians. I prefer applause to be reserved for Our King of kings and Lord of lords. The audience applauded King Herod (Acts 12) and God said, “That’s enough” and Herod died eaten by worms.

P.  Lord Jesus, I want only to please You. But in so doing I find myself in danger. Crowds, who are accustomed to applauding practically everything, show me their respect by honoring me with their applause. This can make me or break me. Help me, Lord Jesus, to turn this applause into enthusiastic worship directed only for You and Your Father in Heaven for only You are worthy. Today I bow low before You… and plead for You to keep my heart from this lurking, deadly danger. Amen.


Ralph

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