The Light of Christ Journey

Encouraging people on their journey with Christ

The Wicked Will Perish

Tom Graves

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May 14, 2024

The wicked will perish. In the world in which we live, it seems the wicked are getting away with ungodly behavior. The seem to be going unpunished, but that is not true. There will come a time when those who refuse God’s merciful gift of salvation will be no more. Psalm 1:6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. [1]

As people, we can deceive ourselves and be blind to the reality that God is in control and will bring judgment. Eternity is forever, but our life in this world is described as brief. James 4:14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. [2]

The wicked are living for a life that is as brief as a vapor. But they will have eternity to contemplate their demise. As children of God, no matter the situation, we have hope, but in hell, there is only hopelessness and suffering forever. Our human minds cannot fathom that, but that is what awaits the wicked.  

Haman Deceived Himself

Haman, the second in command of King Xerxes, was wicked and vengeful. He wanted to have every Jew killed throughout the empire because one minor Jewish official named Mordecai would not bow down to him. Queen Esther, a Jew, received wisdom from the Lord to unravel his wicked plans. Fellow Jews fasted along with Queen Esther’s maids, which gave her the strength to go before the king to expose this plot. Haman had built a sharpened pole seventy-five feet tall to impale Mordecai, but instead, the king ordered this evil man to be impaled.

The Righteous Will Live Forever

Often, the righteous go unnoticed. Only the Lord knows the impact of a praying person who intercedes for family, friends, and nations day after day. People who build God’s Kingdom worldwide are often humble and have no desire to place themselves in a place of recognition. They live in the light of eternity, not in the fleeting moment as a summer flower.

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. [3] If you place your faith in Jesus, your eternity will be so amazing it will be beyond your imagination! We are not saved by doing good works. Our good works are a response to the Lord who loves us and gave His life for us.

To learn why the wicked will perish, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/reversal-of-fortunes

[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

Esther Was a Mediator – Jesus is Ours

Tom Graves

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May 13, 2024

Esther was a mediator, and Jesus is ours, which tells us the importance of mediation. Without Esther’s mediation, the Jews were in grave danger of being killed. Mordecai was Jewish and a low-level official working at the palace gates for King Xerxes.

When he refused to bow to him, Mordecai had infuriated Haman, the second in authority to King Xerxes. Out of his anger, Haman told the king there was a certain group of people who refused to obey the laws of the king and should be killed. The king agreed and allowed a decree to kill the Jews, not realizing Haman accusations were lies.

Queen Esther Acted

After discovering this wicked plot, Mordecai contacted Queen Esther, who was Jewish and raised by Mordecai. Esther 4:15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”[1]

At that time, if someone went before the king without being summoned, they could be put to death, including the queen. After fasting, Esther went to the King with her concern, and he let her speak. Later, there would be a banquet where Esther would give the king more details. Esther 7:3 Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, I ask that my life and the lives of my people will be spared. 4 For my people and I have been sold to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us. [2] Esther saved the Jewish people in her role as a mediator with the king. Then the king put wicked Haman to death.

Jesus is Our Mediator

Is it possible for sinners like us to have a friendship with a Holy God and have access to His throne? Yes, for what is impossible for us is possible for God. 2 Corinthians 5:19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. [3]

We can be thankful that Jesus is our mediator, making forgiveness and access to His throne possible. 1 Timothy 2:5 For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.[4] When we ask Jesus into our hearts, He washes our sins away. Jesus makes us children of God as the mediator.

To learn how Esther was a mediator – Jesus is ours, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/reversal-of-fortunes

[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

Communication is Key

Paula K. Graves

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May 12, 2024

Communication is key in the story of Esther. When a message is not clear, problems result. Haman had not told King Xerxes that the “certain people” he wanted to destroy were the Jews. When Xerxes asked Haman how to honor a person, the king did not name the person. Haman was shocked and humiliated when it wasn’t him.

Get Beyond Cultural Biases

Esther, a Jewish woman, had to give Xerxes, a Gentile man, a difficult message. Yet, we see her doing a superb, concise job. Esther 7: 3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. 4 For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king.”[1]

Esther entered with a humble attitude: if I have found favor.Then, she framed the situation as a threat to her and her people without naming the Jews. She told of the great injustice. They have not been sold into slavery but sold into death, thus indirectly pointing to the money Haman gave.

She used a direct quote from the decree itself to identify what she was speaking about. 4 For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. From this, Haman would have recognized in a moment that he had inadvertently condemned the queen to death. The king seemed to be confused and asked who had done this. It is then that Esther can name Haman as the evil perpetrator.

Communicating the Gospel Today

Our culture has become much more secular today, and few people are Biblically literate. This means communicating the Gospel message is more difficult than just a few years ago. Many people don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care for them. We need to build a relationship with people before evangelizing them. Just as Esther used language the king could understand, we, too, must avoid theological terms and give them the message in everyday language.

The Holy Spirit opens hearts to hear and understand the Gospel message. Thus, we must have our spiritual ears open to the Spirit’s guidance when talking about Jesus. He will give us the timing and the words to say. Jesus taught His disciples to do the same.

Luke 12: 11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.[2]

Communication is key when sharing the Gospel. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/reversal-of-fortunes

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Es 7:3–4). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Lk 12:11–12). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

Whose Kingdom are You Building?

Paula K. Graves

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May 11, 2024

Whose kingdom are you building? In the story of Esther, we see Haman desiring to gain greater honors and glory. Haman is on a prideful ego trip. He convinced King Xerxes to write a decree ordering that all bow the knee to him. When Mordecai, a Jew, refused to bow, Haman was enraged.

Haman bragged about all his accomplishments but couldn’t enjoy them because Mordecai wouldn’t bow. Esther 5: 11bHe  bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials. 12 Then Haman added, “And that’s not all! Queen Esther invited only me and the king himself to the banquet she prepared for us. And she has invited me to dine with her and the king again tomorrow!” 13 Then he added, “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate.” [1]

Haman’s Kingdom Begins to Crumble

Haman had worked hard to glorify himself in the Persian empire. But he was working for himself and not for the betterment of the kingdom. When the king asked Haman how to honor a man, Haman assumed it was for him. Thus, Haman named everything he wanted: a king’s robe, a ride on the king’s horse, and people bowing down for him.

If the public observed Haman with these things, they would assume Xerxes had named him as his successor. Personally, I think this is what Haman desired. However, in a reversal, the king doesn’t honor Haman but Mordecai. Haman’s ego and the kingdom he had worked so hard for crumbled as he had to honor the one he wanted to kill.

Motives Matter

In the story of Esther, Haman’s motives to excel were self-serving. We can see similar things today, even amongst believers. There is nothing wrong with excelling at our jobs or working hard to win more business. In fact, we are to be good stewards of the gifts God has given us. But the motive behind bettering ourselves matters.

If the primary reason for excelling is to gain recognition for us, the motive is selfish. This may be termed building your own kingdom. It is an ego trip that leads to arrogance. This can even happen in the church, where leaders build fancy buildings and inflate their attendance to bring glory to themselves instead of God.

Build God’s Kingdom

God has given us gifts to be used to build His kingdom. Jesus is our model for building God’s kingdom. Matthew 20: 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27  and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”[2]

When we do things to glorify God, then selfish, egotistical motivations are left behind. Our work becomes a service to others and God. We aren’t worried about what others think but about what God thinks. In the light of eternity, it is only God’s opinion that matters.

Whose kingdom are you building? To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mordecai-honored

[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

God’s Hand Against Evil

Tom Graves

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May 10, 2024

We see God’s hand against evil throughout history. In the last century, Adolf Hitler proclaimed a one-thousand-year Reich that lasted twelve years. Isaiah 66:2, “My (God’s) hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.” [1]

The Lord is all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent, and His hands are on the lives of people and nations. In the days of Noah, an evil world was about to overwhelm humanity. But God’s hand against evil sent a great flood. Noah and his family would begin again as the only family on earth as the evil around them suddenly ended.

The evil Assyrian army threatened Jerusalem during the days of Hezekiah until the Lord answered the King’s prayers. Isaiah 37:36 That night the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. [2]

God’s Hand Against Haman

Haman, second to King Xerxes in authority in the Persian empire, developed a plan to kill all the Jews because Mordecai, a Jew, would not bow down to him. Haman told the king certain people did not keep the king’s laws and should be destroyed, and the king agreed.

 Through the hand of God, just at the right time, Mordecai was honored by the King. Mordecai had warned of an assassination plot five years earlier and the king had delayed his reward. Haman desired to hang Mordecai, but instead, the king commanded Haman to honor Mordecai publicly in the capital city square.

Esther 6:12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated. 13 When Haman told his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends what had happened, his wise advisers and his wife said, “Since Mordecai—this man who has humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him.” [3]

God’s Hand is Still Against Evil

The world in which we live seems to be in the grips of evil, but we can be sure the hand of God is at work in the world. People worldwide are praying for God to raise up Godly leaders for their nations. Psalm 34:17 The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.[4] The Bible tells us clearly that the Lord will destroy the wicked. Psalm 92:7 Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.[5]

As we focus on the Lord, He gives us His perspective. He is for us, loves us, died for us, and in the end, will destroy our enemies. Never lose heart, for the Lord is with you. To learn about God’s hand against evil, listen here:

[1-5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

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Walking in Humility

Tom Graves

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May 9, 2024

Walking in humility is about walking in the right relationship with the Lord and being led by the Holy Spirit. Walking with God is walking with Him at his pace, and direction like Jesus tells us. Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” [1]

As believers, we are connected to Jesus because He is the vine, and we are the branches. To have life, we need to be attached to Him. Older animals train younger animals when they are yoked together. In the same way, Jesus trains us as we are yoked to Him. Our humble Savior is our model.

Pride vs Humility

Pride is a high or inordinate opinion of one’s dignity, importance, merit, or superiority.[2] Pride is something we all struggle with in our lives that is often obvious to others but hard for us to recognize. We have blind spots, but as we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, He will reveal the sin of pride to us. Humility is the cure for pride and the opposite of it. God can fill a humble person with the fruits of the spirit and enable us to treat others fairly. Humble people do not take themselves seriously and often credit God and others for their blessings.

King Xerxes recognized Mordecai for saving his life. For a reward, Haman, the King’s second in command, led him through the capital city of Susa. Esther 6:11 So Haman took the royal robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!” 12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated. [3] After this great honor, the humble Mordecai returned to work. His value was not in a reward but in faith in the Lord.

Words from the Apostle Paul

The Apostle Paul was writing from a humble prison to the Ephesian believers. Ephesians 4:1Therefore, I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.[4] Paul tells us that humility is one of the first indicators of a transformed life. Meditate on the humility of Jesus. Think about the privilege we enjoy in copying His character in our lives; with His help, we can be humble. To learn more about walking in humility, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mordecai-honored

[1,3,4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

[2] https://www.dictionary.com/browse/pride

The God of Second Chances

Tom Graves

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May 8, 2024

The God of second chances is something I am very thankful for. As a person, I have failed, and we all do at times. We are fortunate when we sin and fall short, and we can confess our sins to the Lord and ask for forgiveness. We read in 1 John 1:9, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”[1]

Amazingly, the Lord does not stop there but promises to “cleanse us from all wickedness.” The Lord loves to wash away our sins when we come to Him in true repentance. The Bible is full of examples of people of faith who failed and yet started over and became great people of faith.

The great prophet Elijah became so depressed he prayed to die. 1 Kings 19:4I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” [2] Afterward, Elijah came out of his depression as a new man with a greater mission in life. Peter denied Jesus and was restored. We serve an extraordinary God who gives second chances.

Don’t Wait to Begin Your Second Chance

Sometimes, there is a short window of second chances. I heard a man’s testimony of our Savior giving a man a second chance on his deathbed. He repented and recovered, but he could have died and not repented. When the Lord gives us second chances, we should not delay. Humility leads to repentance, admitting our sins, and letting the Lord take it from there.

Haman, a high government official, was furious when Mordecai, a Jew and low-level official, would not bow down to him. Haman went to the king and told them there was a certain group of people in the empire who refused to obey the King’s laws and should be put to death. Of course this was a lie. Although deceived, the King agreed.

Earlier, Mordecai reported to Queen Esther that two Eunuchs who guarded the door to the King’s private quarters were plotting to kill him, and the plot was foiled. The day Haman came to the King to have Mordecai hang for not bowing, the king asked him to honor Mordecai for his deed. Haman knew he was in serious trouble. Would he go to the king and repent and ask for mercy? Unfortunately, he did nothing and died for his evil.

God’s Mercy

We may not be involved in a plot like Haman, but who among us does not need a second chance from the Lord? A second chance to repent, a second chance to place our faith in Jesus, a second chance to save a marriage, or a second chance to turn our life around. As long as we live, we can go to the Lord and receive the ability to repent and wash our sins away. Never be afraid to go to the throne of grace and ask for mercy.

To learn more about the God of second chances, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mordecai-honored

[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

The Unseen Hand of God

Tom Graves

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May 7, 2024

Have you ever thought about the unseen hand of God? Although the hand of God is at work in our daily lives, we usually don’t see it. But the Lord is ever present, working when He seems to be most noticeably absent, as we see in the book of Esther.

Esther is unique in respect and is the only book of the Bible that does not mention God directly. Yet, the Lord’s fingerprints are everywhere in this book. In our story today, we will see how God is at work behind the scenes and is firmly and sovereignly in control.

God’s Fingerprints are Everywhere

The hand of God is evident when the king couldn’t fall asleep. As a result, he ordered an attendant to read to him from the book of the history of his reign. As the attendant read the records, he discovered an account of how Mordecai had saved the King. Mordecai exposed a plot to kill the king by two eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. Esther 6: 3 “What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai for this?” the king asked. His attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.”[1]

While the king couldn’t sleep, Haman was building a gallows to kill Mordecai. Even though Haman was second in command, the fact that Mordecai wouldn’t bow to him distressed him. Haman had already sent out a decree to kill all Jews in eleven months, but he wanted Mordecai dead now. Esther 6: 4 “Who is that in the outer court?” the king inquired. As it happened, Haman had just arrived in the outer court of the palace to ask the king to impale Mordecai on the pole he had prepared. [2]

The timing of the sleepless night and choice of reading material had to be the hand of God. Xerxes asked Haman how a man should be honored. Haman assumed he was the one to be honored and named all the things he desired. Then the king ordered Haman to do this for Mordecai! Haman was forced to publicly honor the one he wanted to publicly kill.

The Unseen Hand of God in Your Life

The Lord guides and controls events, which gives us great comfort as believers. People like to think they are in control, but that is untrue. Some even like to think our enemy, satan, is in control. The reality is God is in control and always has been.

The Lord is working out His plan and purpose in our lives and the world, although it may not look like it. No matter what type of situation you find yourself in, remember that God is in control, and His invisible hand is at work. Sometimes, only in retrospect do we realize God’s hand was upon us. To learn more about the unseen hand of God, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mordecai-honored

[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

Reputation and Character

Paula K. Graves

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May 6, 2024

Let’s look at Haman’s reputation and his character. His reputation was based on his job, association with the king, wealth, and authority. All of these things could be taken from him. People bowed before him only because the king had said to. Haman regularly made sure everyone knew his reputation.

Esther 5:11 and (Haman) boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials. [1]

Haman’s Character

Mordecai’s lack of respect angered Haman, so he lied and manipulated the king to get a decree to kill all Jews (Esther 3). Even though Mordecai was scheduled to be killed with the rest of the Jews, Haman wanted him dead immediately. And Mordecai’s death wasn’t to be private; no, Haman wanted him impaled on a post seventy-five feet high. Most likely, a post would have been situated at the top of a building or wall to be this high. It was to be in a place where the city could see it and know and fear the power of Haman.

Haman was second in command and had the power of the king’s signet ring. Still, he wanted more recognition and honor from the people. What would it be like to be treated like a king for a few hours? There would be hundreds of people bowing before him. Thus, Haman gave ideas to the king to honor a man.

Humiliation

Haman must have been stunned when he had to honor Mordecai. But one didn’t show emotion before a Persian king. Haman had practiced duplicity to get where he was and used that skill to obey.

Ironically, Haman was forced to ask the public to bow before the one who refused to bow to him. Before Haman had boasted of his greatness, now he bowed his head in shame. The public would have been laughing at him behind his back. Having to give honor to a Jew totally demoralized Haman.

Character Counts

John Wooden has a great quote: “Be more concerned with character than reputation. Character is what you are; reputation is what people think you are.”[2] We may fool other people, but we can’t fool God. He sees who we are, our thoughts, and our motives. 1 Samuel 16: 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”[3]

We can see that it is better to prioritize Godly character on our faith journey. Wealth, power, and earthly honor are temporary. But a faithful heart for God endures for eternity. To learn more about reputation and character, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mordecai-honored

[1.3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

[2]  https://blog.reputationx.com/reputation-quotes

Delayed Reward

Paula K. Graves

no comments

May 5, 2024

In our story, there is a delayed reward for Mordecai. Five years before, Mordecai had alerted King Xerxes through Queen Esther to an assassination plot. Two people who were guards at the door of the king’s private quarters held a grudge against the king. Esther 2: 23 When an investigation was made and Mordecai’s story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes’ Reign. [1]

Generally, Persian kings rewarded deeds like Mordecai’s to maintain loyalty. We don’t know why this didn’t happen immediately. Did a clerk in the system know Mordecai was a Jew and block the honor? Or perhaps the king was distracted by other business and forgot. Whatever the reason, God was in charge and would use the lack of reward for good in the future.

God’s Delays Are Not God’s Denials

Mordecai saved the king’s life and was not rewarded or promoted. In fact, the king promoted his enemy, Haman. Then, because Mordecai would not bow or respect Haman, Haman deceived the king into allowing a decree to destroy the Jews. We wonder if Mordecai thought the wicked prospered while the righteous suffered.

We see God’s timing involved throughout Scripture. Joseph had to wait two years in prison before he was promoted (Gen.40:23-41). The Israelites served for 400 years as slaves before the day they could leave Egypt (Ex. 12:40-42). After 400 years of silence, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Galatians 4: 4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman.[2] God’s timing is not always ours, but He sets His schedules for His purposes.

Our Times Are in God’s Hand

David was also in difficult times but trusted God. Psalm 31: 13bMy enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life. 14 But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!” 15 My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. [3] If Mordecai was baffled because the king promoted Haman but ignored him, he would soon understand that God had not made an error.

The delayed reward would allow Haman to be shamed and help the king rule in the Jew’s favor. When it may seem like evil is winning and we wonder when God will act, remember God wants all to be saved. God is much more patient than I am. He will make every effort to call the wicked back and give them a chance to repent. Yet, through it all, we can trust God because our future is in His hands.

To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mordecai-honored

[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

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