The Dwelling Richly Podcast

Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 8 Esther 3:1-6

Faithful & Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 8 Esther 3:1-6
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Mordecai jeopardizes his life when he takes a stand and does exactly what he had counseled Esther not to do: reveal he was a Jew. He has been nothing but honorable, honest, wise, and fearless. He encouraged Esther to live in the same way, even if it meant leaving her simple life with him. How was he rewarded? Well, he wasn’t.  Actually, exactly the opposite. Folks, that’s the reality. Do right and get rewarded is not how it works – at least not like some mathematical formula: “do right + be good = get rewarded” Nope. Sometimes – often, actually – this side of Heaven, doing right gets you persecuted. Mordecai is on the eve of great persecution as Haman - true to his nature - begins his conniving. Pressure does that. Pressure pushes out the truest part of who we are. Mordecai’s virtue is being pressed out of him just as Haman’s villainy is oozing out. As you feel pressed and pressured, what is coming out of you? “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth flows.” Is your mouth pouring out truth and grace? Are your words and actions, even under pressure, revealing a heart of righteousness, or does pressure bring out the indignance and entitlement in you? Remember that Mordecai’s refusal to bow wasn’t motivated by a personal resentment of Haman but from his personal conviction about the promises of God. That’s where our faithfulness must sprout from and from where our fearlessness gets it voice.
Be sure to join me for the next day in our “Faithful and Fearless” lesson!
The Dwelling Richly community Bible study meets at La Mirada Christian Church every other week: Mondays, 6:30pm or Tuesdays, 9:30am, February 4-April 30, 2019 Register online http://www.LMCCWomen.Eventbrite.com
DOWNLOAD THE STUDY: https://www.jennifergrichmond.com/dwelling-richly-bible-study/
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DWELLING_RICHLY_BIBLE_STUDY_Esther_L4D8

Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 7 Esther 2:19-23

Faithful & Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 7 Esther 2:19-23
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“I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not for evil...” the famous (and often misapplied) portion of the prophetic words of God to the exiles in Babylon came to pass when the Persian Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. Seventy years to the day after this prophecy, God fulfilled this promise and Cyrus released the exiles to go back to Jerusalem. While 50,000 exiles embraced God’s promise for welfare and a future, thousands remained. Were God’s promises still true for them? Did God’s mandates still apply? Yes! And here we see the hand of God moving to bless and continue to protect His people.
Be sure to join me for the next day in our “Faithful and Fearless” lesson!
The Dwelling Richly community Bible study meets at La Mirada Christian Church every other week: Mondays, 6:30pm or Tuesdays, 9:30am, February 4-April 30, 2019 Register online http://www.LMCCWomen.Eventbrite.com
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Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 6 Esther 2:5-18

Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 6 Esther 2:5-18
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Among the people in “all the provinces” for this ancient episode of “Persia’s Got Talent” are the people of God – voluntary exiles. The Jews were allowed to leave the region by order of the Babylonian king Cyrus; however, hundreds of thousands had remained. Mordecai’s family were among them. It’s now been over 100 years since the return to Jerusalem, and little do Esther or Mordecai know that while ideally, their ancestors should have joyfully returned to Jerusalem, these remnants will soon have their joy turned to terror when the next scene of this account unfolds. For now, we have a happy king and new queen enjoying, for a time, peace and favor all because of a little orphan girl under the loving guidance of a wise cousin has grown to become the most gracious and favored in all the land – a true Cinderella story if ever there was one.
Be sure to join me for the next day in our “Faithful and Fearless” lesson!
The Dwelling Richly community Bible study meets at La Mirada Christian Church every other week: Mondays, 6:30pm or Tuesdays, 9:30am, February 4-April 30, 2019 Register online http://www.LMCCWomen.Eventbrite.com
DOWNLOAD THE STUDY: https://www.jennifergrichmond.com/dwelling-richly-bible-study/
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Share any prayer requests in the comment section below!
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Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 5 Esther 2:1-4

Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 5 Esther 2:1-4
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We haven’t met her yet, and in the timeline of this story she has no idea what is about to happen, but Esther’s life will change forever in a few short verses. What about your life right now? Is it possible that God is working behind the scenes to bring together people and events – even moods and mindsets – for a turn in your life? Of course, it is! For those who believe in the sovereignty of God, the truth of His grand will should be a great comfort. Is it to you? David reminds us beautifully, “Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you”(Ps 33). Let that be your hope today. God is on the move, and He is good to those who seek Him.
...Culture & Context...
Chapter two begins with “after these things” (ESV) or “awhile later” which is vague in the reading, however, a lot has happened. Ahasuerus is back in Persia after an infamously unsuccessful campaign against the Greeks at Thermopylae  which was fictionalized in the movie and comic books “300.”
Be sure to join me for the next day in our “Faithful and Fearless” lesson!
The Dwelling Richly community Bible study meets at La Mirada Christian Church every other week: Mondays, 6:30pm or Tuesdays, 9:30am, February 4-April 30, 2019 Register online http://www.LMCCWomen.Eventbrite.com
DOWNLOAD THE STUDY: https://www.jennifergrichmond.com/dwelling-richly-bible-study/
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Share any prayer requests in the comment section below!
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Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 4 Esther 1:13-22

Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 4 Esther 1:13-22
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Jesus, the king of all Kings, stands as the ultimate contrast to all godless kings and husbands. Where Ahasuerus was drunk, Jesus was sober. Where Ahasuerus gathered to himself self-interested yes-men, Jesus gathered the God-honoring and humble. Where Ahasuerus sought to elevate himself and disrespect his wife, Jesus lowered himself and elevated women and all wives. God will use this prideful king’s rash edict to make way for a new queen and to ultimately save His people, reminding us again that “all things work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to His purposes.”
Study Smart...
There is a difference in Scripture between passages that describe events and passages that prescribe what we should or shouldn’t do. The difference is summarized as either “prescriptive” or “descriptive.” The account of Esther, like all narrative accounts in the Bible, IS filled with descriptions of what happened to key people in history. As you’re studying, be careful not to take the descriptions of what happened as prescriptions for how you, as follower of Christ should or shouldn’t behave. Look for ways God’s character is revealed. See how those who are held up as godly or rebellious are behaving. Consider general principles in behavior that show obedience to or defiance of God’s clear commands.
Be sure to join me for the next day in our “Faithful and Fearless” lesson!
The Dwelling Richly community Bible study meets at La Mirada Christian Church every other week: Mondays, 6:30pm or Tuesdays, 9:30am, February 4-April 30, 2019 Register online http://www.LMCCWomen.Eventbrite.com
DOWNLOAD THE STUDY: https://www.jennifergrichmond.com/dwelling-richly-bible-study/
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Share any prayer requests in the comment section below!
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Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 3 Esther 1:10-12

Faithful & Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 3 Esther 1:10-12
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Vashti refuses to go before the king, and this becomes the first of many pivotal moments in Esther. Some have held Vashti up as a model of the first feminist. She defies her husband to protect her honor. She refuses to be paraded in front of hundreds of gawking, drunken, men. She will not be at the beck and call of her rash, angry husband. Jewish tradition says that she, as the remnant Babylonian royalty used this moment to deliberately humiliate her usurping husband in front of the princes and people at that palace party. Whatever her motivation, associating with a hot-tempered man – particularly one with power – will not end well. Vashti’s decision forever changes her life story. She may not have been free to defy the king without severe consequence, but there is a bigger story here – God’s story. All of history is ultimately the story of God working in time to bring all people to Him. Vashti’s moment in time and history is a part of that story, for, in her decision, God opens the way for Esther to move from obscurity to the center of one of the greatest stories ever told.
Be sure to join me for the next day in our “Faithful and Fearless” lesson!
The Dwelling Richly community Bible study meets at La Mirada Christian Church every other week: Mondays, 6:30pm or Tuesdays, 9:30am, February 4-April 30, 2019
Register online http://www.LMCCWomen.Eventbrite.com
When you share, use our hashtags: #LMCCWomen #DwellingRichlyBibleStudy
DOWNLOAD THE STUDY: https://www.jennifergrichmond.com/dwelling-richly-bible-study/
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Share any prayer requests in the comment section below!
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Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 2 Esther 1:1-9

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...Background...
It’s been about 500 years since the time of Ruth. Israel went through a myriad of judges and then the last judge, Samuel, crowned their first king, Saul. Since that time, the kingdom of Israel is no more. Kings Saul, David, and then Solomon were the only kings to rule over a united kingdom. Solomon’s sons, Rehoboam and Jeroboam, rebelled and the nation split around 930BC. Jeroboam became king over the northern kingdom “Israel” (or sometimes “Ephraim”), and Rehoboam became king over the southern kingdom, “Judah.” For their rebellion and sin, God sent prophets (Isaiah, Micah, Daniel, and others) to warn the nations that they would be overthrown by pagan nations, first the Assyrians then Babylonians, Persians, and finally the Roman Empire.
 ...Culture & Context...
Ahasuerus is the transliteration of the king’s name in Hebrew, Ahashverosh.  Xerxes is his Greek name. He was a usurper to the throne who bought the crown. His wife, Vashti, had the rights of royal lineage.
The account of Esther is set about 60 years after Persia conquered Babylon during the period of captivity and exile in Persia, around 483-465BC (although there is some disagreement among scholars on the exact dates.) Both Esther and her cousin Mordecai were descendants of the exiles who had been taken away from Israel to Babylon under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar. Although Cyrus the Great, the first Persian king, had permitted the exiles to return to Judea (Ezra 1:1-8) to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, many exiles remained. Esther’s parents were among those who stayed back. When they died, Mordecai raised her as his own daughter. At the time of Esther, there are hundreds of thousands of Jews living in Persia (modern day Iran).  
Ahasuerus is infamous for his drunken womanizing, capricious temper, and lost battles (notably the battle on which the movie “300” was based.) He was the grandson of Cyrus the Great. For more history on this fascinating man, read https://www.ancient.eu/Xerxes_I/
Check out this helpful timeline at http://timeline.biblehistory.com/period/the-exile
Reflect on the Word
The account of Ruth opened during a time when “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” While God had made a special covenant and laws with explicit behavioral expectations for the people of Israel, the reality is that all people are subject to the laws of God. Just as there are physical laws that govern our world – gravity, for example – there are spiritual laws, and God has ordained them all. Esther opens with a snapshot of a prideful king who is not unlike the rebellious children of Israel who “did right in their own eyes,” and he is not out from under God’s laws. The debauchery, drunkenness, and pride he shows will not go unpunished. Proverbs 16:18 is a good reminder to keep our pride in check and our hearts submitted in humility to our Father: “Pride goes before destruction     and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Be sure to join me for the next day in our “Faithful and Fearless” lesson!
The Dwelling Richly community Bible study meets at La Mirada Christian Church every other week: Mondays, 6:30pm or Tuesdays, 9:30am, February 4-April 30, 2019
Register online http://www.LMCCWomen.Eventbrite.com
When you share, use our hashtags: #LMCCWomen #DwellingRichlyBibleStudy
DOWNLOAD THE STUDY: https://www.jennifergrichmond.com/dwelling-richly-bible-study/
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Share any prayer requests in the comment section below!
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Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 1 Read Esther

Faithful & Fearless: Lesson 4/Day 1 Read Esther
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Reminder: One of the goals of this Bible study is to help you develop skills of a good student of the Word. Read Esther straight through without referring to any study notes or commentaries. Use only the maps and references in your Bible. It may be tempting to read notes or commentaries, but do the work of your own personal study. Pray for wisdom and understanding as you read.
Try This: Don’t just read Esther, read Esther aloud. Read it to your spouse or kids or read it with a friend. You’ll find it really changes the experience. Enjoy!
As you read...
Write your questions and key observations
Use the line on the left side of the following notes pages to outline the timeline of Esther. Note especially pivotal moments in the narrative. Note in particular, “just so happen” moments – coincidences in timing, placement, people, events, etc.
Complete the timeline chart on page 8 during this read-through or as you read through your lessons
Highlight: people (brown), places (green), times/dates (pink), God’s name (blue), phrases of note (orange / yellow)
Locate places on a map https://www.bible-history.com/maps/maps/map_persian_empire.html
Be sure to join me for the next day in our “Faithful and Fearless” lesson!
The Dwelling Richly community Bible study meets at La Mirada Christian Church every other week: Mondays, 6:30pm or Tuesdays, 9:30am, February 4-April 30, 2019
Register online http://www.LMCCWomen.Eventbrite.com
When you share, use our hashtags: #LMCCWomen #DwellingRichlyBibleStudy
DOWNLOAD THE STUDY: https://www.jennifergrichmond.com/dwelling-richly-bible-study/
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Share any prayer requests in the comment section below!
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Faithful and Fearless: Lesson 4 Intro to Esther

Welcome to Lesson Four in our Dwelling Richly Bible study, “Faithful & Fearless.” We’re beginning a new study through Esther.
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Be sure to join me for the next day in our “Faithful and Fearless” lesson!
The Dwelling Richly community Bible study meets at La Mirada Christian Church every other week: Mondays, 6:30pm or Tuesdays, 9:30am, February 4-April 30, 2019
Register online http://www.LMCCWomen.Eventbrite.com
When you share, use our hashtags: #LMCCWomen #DwellingRichlyBibleStudy
DOWNLOAD THE STUDY: https://www.jennifergrichmond.com/dwelling-richly-bible-study/
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Share any prayer requests in the comment section below!
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Redeemed Past. Blessed Present. Hopeful Future

No matter what in your past got you here or how you present circumstances feel, your future is hopeful when it's redeemed by Jesus Christ. Listen to this message of hope from Ruth chapter 4.
This is the live talk from the Dwelling Richly community Bible study, "Faithful & Fearless." Join the Bible study at La Mirada Church
Download more hopeful studies, talks, and devotionals at www.jennifergrichmond.com
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