Words of Inspiration - Your Such a Time as This Moment

What is your "such a time as this" moment? Where has God positioned you that you might have been overlooking? What comfort zone is He asking you to step out of? What crisis in your family, your workplace, your community is God calling you to address?

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  Welcome to The Bible Speaks with your host, Elgin Kerelock. The Bible Speaks is a daily podcast dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, rightly dividing the Word of Truth, and learning how to apply it to our daily lives. You may contact Elgin at the address given at the end of the broadcast. And now, here's Elgin.

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  Brothers and sisters, I welcome you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, to another edition of Words of Inspiration. And today, we encounter one of the most powerful moments in Scripture, when ordinary people discover that they have been positioned by God for extraordinary purpose. We're in Esther, Chapter 4, Verses 1 through 17, exploring in the theme, "You're such a time as this" moment. The Jewish people face annihilation.

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  Haman's decree has gone out, and in less than a year, every Jewish man, woman, and child will be killed. Mordecai tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth, and cries out in the streets. The news reaches Queen Esther in her palace, and she's deeply distressed. But notice, she's also disconnected from the severity of the crisis.

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  Let us pray.

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  Father God, open our hearts to see how you position us, not just for our comfort, but for your purposes. Help us recognize our such a time as this moment, and give us courage to step into the calling you've placed before us. In Jesus Christ, now we pray. Amen.

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  Here's the first truth: God's positioning in our lives always has a purpose beyond personal benefit. Esther didn't become queen by accident. She wasn't chosen for her beauty alone, or even for her own happiness. God orchestrated her rise to power for this exact moment, to save his people. Think about your own life, your job, your relationships, your community involvement, even your struggles. God has positioned you where you are for a reason that extends far beyond your personal comfort or success. The question isn't whether you're in the right place,

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  but whether you're ready to discover why God has placed you there. But notice Esther's initial hesitation. In verses 10 and 11, she explains to Mordecai why she couldn't just walk into the king's presence. It's been thirty days since he called for her. Anyone who approaches uninvited faces death unless the king extends his golden scepter.

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  This reveals our second principle: Comfort and security can become obstacles to fulfilling our divine calling. Esther had achieved the ultimate security. She was queen of the most powerful empire on earth. But that very security now became a barrier to stepping into God's purpose for her life. How often do we allow our comfortable situation to keep us from taking the risk God is calling us to take? Our good job, our stable relationships, our predictable routines. These can become golden cages that prevent us from embracing the adventure of full faith.

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  Then comes Mordecai's legendary challenge in verses thirteen and fourteen. "Do not think to yourself that in the king's house you will escape any more than all the other Jews; for if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" This is it, the moment when crisis reveals whether we'll choose safety or significance.

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  Mordecai is saying, "Esther, you can try to play it safe, but safety is an illusion. You're Jewish too. This crisis will find you whether you act or not. The real question is, will you be part of God's solution, or will you let this moment pass by?"

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  Every believer faces these moments, times when God presents us with an opportunity to make a difference, to step out in faith, to use our influences and resources for His kingdom. We can choose the safety of silence, or we can choose the significance of obedience, even when it's risky. But notice what Esther does next. In verses fifteen and sixteen, she doesn't just decide to act alone. She tells Mordecai, "Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf.

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  And do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it's against the law. And if I perish, I perish."

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  Here's our final truth. Community support through fasting and prayer is essential for stepping into our calling. Esther understood that she couldn't face this challenge in her own strength. She needed her community, her people, to surround her with prayer and fasting. When God calls you to step out of your comfort zone, don't try to do it alone. Gather your community, ask for prayer, fast together. Let others carry you when the weight of the calling feels too heavy.

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  So here's the question for each of us today. What is your such a time as this moment? Where has God positioned you that you may have been overlooking? What comfort zone is He asking you to step out of? What crisis in your family, your workplace, community, is God calling you to address? Maybe it's having that difficult conversation with a family member who needs to hear about Jesus. Maybe it's using your professional skills to serve in ministry. Maybe it's speaking up against injustice in your community, or using your resources to help those in need.

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  Remember Esther's courage, "If I perish, I perish." She was willing to risk everything because she understood that sometimes the greater risk is not taking any risk at all.

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  Father God, help us recognize the such as time as this moment in our lives. Give us Esther's courage to step out of our comfort zones and into your calling. Surround us with communities that support us with prayer and fasting when you ask us to take difficult steps of faith. Help us remember that you haven't positioned us where we are just for our own benefit, but for your greater purposes. Give us eyes to see the opportunities you're placing before us and hearts willing to say, "If I perish, I perish." Because we trust that you are sovereign over all things.

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  In the match's name of Jesus the Christ we pray, amen.

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  I thank you for spending time with me on today, and I look forward to our conversation on tomorrow. Until then, God bless.

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  The Bible Speaks is sponsored by C Squared Realty and New Gen Construction Group to help spread the gospel to the corners of the earth. If anything you've heard poured into your life, please share it with someone. You can find The Bible Speaks on Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, and many more. Follow us on YouTube at The Bible Speaks Online. You may contact Elgin at PO Box 5582, Ocala, Florida 34478, or by email at [email protected].