Shalom,


Proverbs 18:1:


1 HE WHO willfully separates  and estranges himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire and pretext to break out against all wise and sound judgment.


We are told in Hebrews 10:25 that we are NOT to separate ourselves from other believers and that this is most important as we get closer to the time of His appearing for the Church. The verse above tells us that the person who does separate themselves in this way is not only selfish, but will also come out against Godly Wisdom! Our fellowship with like-minded believers, when we are meditating daily on the Word and spending time in His presence, helps to confirm and solidify the Wisdom and knowledge we are getting from the Word of God. Then they run the risk of becoming verse 2:


2 A [self-confident] fool has no delight in understanding but only in revealing his personal opinions and himself.


Verses 6-7 show us more of the results of being a fool! Then we see in verses 20-21 how very important are the words of our mouth!


20 A man's self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequences of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil]. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].


When we know that we can have what we say (Mark 11:23), it is imperative that we say ONLY what we really want! Amen!


In Galatians 2 Paul is dealing with the false doctrine that had crept into the Church that was forcing Gentile believers to follow Jewish laws and rituals. He ends with this in verse 21:


21 [Therefore, I do not treat God's gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God. For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through [observing the ritual of] the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no purpose and in vain. [His death was then wholly superfluous.]

There is nothing that mankind can possibly do to gain eternal salvation on our own merits! Jesus of Nazareth was the only One Who could ever fill that role! As 100% God and 100% PERFECT Man, He was the only One qualified to bridge the gap! To think that anyone would have the audacity to try to add anything to what Jesus has already done! What it really reveals is how very much the devil desires to separate us from fellowship with the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! Trust the Word of God to be the TRUTH, and you will not be so easily tricked by the enemy! 

We begin Esther today and I have to say that most contemporary writings and movies concerning this story are untrue. This was NOT romance novel material! In chapter 1 we see the king of Persia becoming so drunk that he calls for his wife to come and parade herself before the men at his banquet as a matter of pride. This was no shining example of manhood! Many scholars believe that Vashti was pregnant at the time because of the timing of the birth of her son. She had many reasons to refuse such a request, but the king was too drunk and filled with pride to understand! I read this in the Bible Exposition Commentary concerning the drunkenness:

The best way to avoid drunkenness is not to drink at all. A Japanese proverb warns, "First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man." And King Lemuel's mother taught him, "It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink" (Prov 31:4, KJV).

Then this concerning his pride:

Vashti was right, and Ahasuerus was wrong; and his anger was only further proof that he was wrong. Anger has a way of blinding our eyes and deadening our hearts to that which is good and noble. The Italian poet Pietro Aletino (1492-1557) wrote to a friend, "Angry men are blind and foolish, for reason at such a time takes flight and, in her absence, wrath plunders all the riches of the intellect, while the judgment remains the prisoner of its own pride." If anybody was a prisoner of pride, it was the exalted king of the Persian Empire!

In chapter 2 we see Esther among the many virgins brought into the king's harem to be prepared to be presented to the king for his enjoyment and for him to choose one to be his new queen. These women were chosen for their looks, fed certain food, prepared with cosmetics and such for 12 months and then presented one by one to the king. Not anywhere is it noted that they conversed with the king or shared interests with him or even spent any time with him other than the night they were brought to him. When Esther spoke to Mordecai about approaching the king for help, he had not even seen her for 30 days! The only REAL love in this story is God's love for His people that was providing for their deliverance. That IS the most important message in all of the Word of God and it is present in every book of the Bible! He loves YOU! Don't ever doubt it! 

Shalom in Him!