"FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS"

BY: Donna Selma Lind

"Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14 
Art by: Sandra Rast

She wasn't born into royalty, she was an orphan. Esther's parents had died when she was a child. Her Uncle Mordecai and family took her in as their own daughter. They were of Jewish nationality born into the tribe of Benjamin living in exile under the ruling of King Xerxes of Persia.

When the King was searching for a successor to replace Queen Vashti , Esther was chosen to become the new Queen. 

She had to complete twelve months of special training and beauty treatments prescribed for the women before they could go before the King.

Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her, most importantly she had won the favor and approval of the King. Her nationality still remained a secret.

Meanwhile a conspiracy and plot by Haman the chief servant of the king, was in place to destroy all the Jewish people of the kingdom. This of course caused great mourning among the Jews. Mordecai sent word to Queen Esther warning of the planned annihilation. He asked Esther to go before the King, beg for mercy and plead with him to save their people. Esther was hesitant because she knew it was against the law to go before the King without being summoned first. She herself could be killed for breaking the royal law and she conveyed this in her message back to her Uncle.

Mordecai sent back his answer : "Do not think because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this." Esther 4:14

 Before Esther saw the King she had Mordecai gather together all the Jews who were in the land to fast and pray for three days. On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and dressed herself in proper regal attire. Knowing the seriousness of the consequences she faced, before she entered the king's court she declared, "If I perish, I perish." 

She courageously approached the King where she found the favor and acceptance to be in his presence!

There are many more miraculous and supernatural events that take place in the rest of this chapter in the book of Esther, (I urge you to read on your own, you won't believe what happens next!) but it is the end of the book that is the most miraculous of all!

King Xerxes not only granted Queen Esther her request to save the Hebrew nation but also the King ordered that the enemies of the Jewish people were to be destroyed. All of these orders were given not before, but after Queen Esther revealed to the King that she herself was of Jewish descent.

And so it would go down in history that God used an orphan girl named Esther to save the entire Hebrew nation, "For such a time as this."

This week we enter into "PURIM" a time of celebration in honor and remembrance of a woman who boldly and courageously put her life on the line in order to save her people. Today PURIM is still celebrated around the world by the Jewish people each year. 

As I reflect on my own life I can remember situations and circumstances where I stood up for truth, for people, or for a cause. 

Knowing that I myself may "perish"so to speak, but I stood up anyway. 

Knowing that speaking the truth in love might cause upset feelings. 

Knowing that sticking up for the underdog or a cause may make me unpopular.

Knowing I may lose friends, family, fame or fortune. 

Knowing we are living in an age where being a Christian, a follower of Christ is not the norm or the popular or even safe anymore, are you willing to perish, stand up for truth, stand up for your faith, stand up for Jesus? 

I WILL STAND UP FOR JESUS!!! I WILL STAND UP FOR TRUTH! 

I WILL STAND UP FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST! 

WILL YOU?

There is an opportunity before each of us everyday to be a world changer.  An opportunity to change the atmosphere and circumstances around us. God has positioned you with blessings and favor to make a difference for someone or something. Put on your royal robes and go boldly and courageously before the King.

"Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14

  

"JUST STAND"

By: Donna Selma Lind

 "JUST STAND"

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground,and after, you have done everything , to stand." Ephesians 6:13

Trials, tribulation, heartaches...we've all had them. Most of the time they come from within our own camp.(Those sting the most!) 
Some we bring on ourselves, some from others, some we are blind-sided by, some we expect, some we have no control over. What do they all have in common? The enemy. The enemy is the one who brings division and strife,chaos and confusion.All these things turn into trials and battles that can consume us if we don't know how to handle them. 

The LORD warned us we would have trials in this life;  "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."John 16:33  

I don't know why I am so surprised every time a grenade is thrown into my life, it's not like I don't know or haven't been warned or been through countless trials before.

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." 1 Peter 4:12

Trials  and tribulations happen, they are part of life. 

What we do to prepare ourselves and how we react in these various trials is what makes the difference.

It is so easy in the midst of a trial to react in our emotions. I for one am guilty of this especially if I'm blind-sided and didn't see the fiery dart coming in my direction!

That is why I have been faithfully "Putting on my Armor" since I was twenty something.
A soldier doesn't go into battle without putting on his protective gear, neither should we.
Because we are all in a battle everyday of our lives.
Each morning when I wake up before my feet hit the ground I praise the Lord and PRAY out loud the verses from Ephesians 6:13- 17

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand....." 

In verse 12 right before this we are reminded; "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this worlds darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Why do I have to go through this stuff you ask? 
The Bible tells us throughout scripture that trials refine us. That we may become a living hope for someone else, a witness and encouragement for the Glory of God.

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer various trials; so that the authenticity of your faith - more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire- may  result in praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:7

 "Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."James 1:2-3

So if I understand what I am reading in the Bible here is what to expect:

* TROUBLE & TRIALS & BATTLES. 

* IT'S NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, IT'S NOT THE PEOPLE, BUT IT IS AGAINST THE DARK, EVIL ENEMY OF OUR SOULS.

*PREPARE FOR BATTLE BY PUTTING ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD.

*PREPARE* PRAISE  * PRAY * 

*WHEN WE HAVE DONE ALL OF THESE THINGS, WE STAND. 
WE JUST STAND!

We stand on God's promises because His promises are faithful and true! 
We stand on God's Word because His Word does not return void!
We STAND! Believing! We JUST STAND!

THE BATTLE IS NOT OURS , THE BELONGS TO THE LORD!

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to STAND still."Exodus 14:14

You may feel like you are the only one going through a trial or battle.
You are not the only one!  The devil likes us to think we are all alone, that is part of his isolation trick! Don't fall for it! Surround yourself with Prayer Warriors and Bible Believers that will lift you up and encourage you!

I myself have been in many battles in my lifetime, especially recently. But I have come through these trials stronger in my faith and because of God I am able to help comfort others in their own battles. 
If I am able to help others because I myself have endured the trials, then that is reason enough for me to continue to STAND! 


Hang in there! You will get through this trial, this battle. You will be Victorious because Christ is Victorious in you! The Lord will see you through!
 You can STAND on that!

"The pain that you've been feeling can't compare to the joy that's coming." Romans 8:18

"BEHIND THE MASKS"

By: Donna Selma Lind

"But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known." Luke 12:2

I think I put my first mask on at about the age of six years old. I discovered this a few years ago when I was looking back at some old family movies. There was a film of my little sister and myself playing, my Dad was correcting me for not doing something the right way and I remembered that I felt like I had disappointed Daddy. I thought I wasn't good enough and I wanted to be a good girl and make my Daddy proud. 
So I put on the Mask of Perfectionism. 
"If I could be perfect maybe people would love me." 

This set the beginning of a course (or should I say curse) that nearly destroyed me throughout my life.

I put on my second mask at twelve years old when my parents separated and later divorced. My"perfect family and life" was broken. The pain was unbearable. So I put on the Mask of Fixing.
"If I could fix everything, we could have our family back."

My baby sister Tammy Sue was only fourteen years old when she died suddenly of a brain aneurysm. I was seventeen and the grief and loss was so heavy. I was a senior in high school and already working a part time job,I decided to get a second job to keep busy.
So I put on the Mask of a Workaholic. 
"If I could work two jobs and go to school it would help me forget and numb the grief."

I got married at nineteen. For the next twenty plus years I wore alot of masks. It's what some of us do when we find ourselves in a place we never thought we would be. I married an alcoholic that was very abusive to me. Although he had some great qualities, he was very troubled. When you love a person and they are in pain like this, their pain becomes your pain, and when you don't know how to help them get better or they won't get help it can make you sick also just in different ways. So we hide behind our masks.

Some of the masks I wore in my marriage were:
* Mask of Fear.
"If people find out, or if I tell anyone the truth, what will they think?     I am afraid there will be consequences to pay."

 * Mask of Co-dependency.
"I'm the only one. They need me. They said they can't live without me"

* Mask of Pain, Despair and Sickness.
"If I can just keep it all inside, stuff it and not tell anyone, no one will know the truth. Just hold on a while longer it will get better." 
This mask almost became my death mask. It's a story for another time but I spent many years literally on my death bed. Dozens of operations, procedures and illnesses that left me in chronic pain and sick on a daily basis for most of my life.

* Mask of Divorce, Shame, Guilt and Failure and Grief.
In the end when there was no other choice except for Divorce or my own death I chose Divorce. Not what I ever wanted nor ever considered for my life, but it was where we ended up. I wore the Masks of Divorce, Shame, Guilt, Failure and Grief all at the same time.
These masks I wore for a long time because not only did I experience the Divorce but two days after the Divorce the unimaginable happened when my husband took his own life and committed suicide. I cannot express my feelings or put into words my pain and devastation. 
The shame, guilt, failure and grief I went through and the years of hiding behind the masks that I lived.

 But I lived. 

But for the Grace of God, I lived! 

And because Jesus Christ lives in me I can face another day without wearing anymore Masks!

Because Jesus Christ loves me I am free to live!  I am no longer in captivity trying to be perfect because Christ is perfect in me!

I am no longer a slave to fixing everything and working myself to death along with fear, shame and guilt!

Please don't Judge me or others. No one but the Lord knows the pain we hide behind our Masks!

Jesus Christ came to set me free from pain and a life of wearing Masks! 
He came to set you free too!


What or Who are you hiding from?

We cannot hide from God. He knows all and He is the only one who knows the truth about you, your life and your situation. 
God knows what is behind our Masks. Let's all make today the day we remove our Masks and be brave and bold and real enough to live without a Mask!


What are the Masks you are wearing?


"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."Colossians 1:13-14



Are you ready to take off the Masks?

 "But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2 Corinthians 3:16

Somebody out there needed to hear this today. If this testimony has helped or blessed you in anyway, please leave me a comment or email me. I would love to pray for you! 
If you think this could help someone else please share this with them. 
Thank you and God Bless you!