Week 7 - Days 1 and 2 (Esther, Relating, Freedom, Satan vs. God)

Esther

Beth Moore describes "Esther's approach" as "mannerly, feminine, sweet, smart, and shrewd". (page 157)

Relating

On page 158, Beth talks about a lady who took one of her studies while in prison and, because of it, received Jesus as her Savior. Beth met the lady (for the first time) and said they "hugged like old friends who hadn't seen each other in way too long." She says they were "two captives set free and not one more than the other". "I loved her so much. In fact, more than is possible for strangers. I knew it was the love of Jesus using my simple frame as a momentary conduit."

This can be true...

"We impress people with our strengths, but we connect with people through our weaknesses." - Pastor Craig Groeschel

Freedom

From pages 161-162

"Over and over I am astonished at the effectiveness of our enemy to deceive people into thinking that Christianity is bondage, but his path (disguised as human independence, Matt. 16:23) is freedom." "Satan, our adversary, promises freedom but, after gaining trust, delivers such destructive entanglement that his victim feels life being squeezed out of him."

Satan vs. God

Beth describes satan as:

- arrogant (Ezek. 28:17)

- ambitious (Isa. 14:13-14)

- deceiving and manipulating (John 8:44)

- an opportunist (Luke 4:13)

- "murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44)

"How does Psalm 18:3-6,16-19 contrast God's care to the enemy's attack?"

God saves, hears, helps, holds, reaches, draws out of deep waters, rescues, supports, delights in us, and brings out into spacious places.

Feel free to leave a comment below with your thoughts and/or things you took away from week 7 - days 1 and 2. (If you are reading this in your email, you can click HERE and it will take you to this post on the seek Him blog where you can comment.)

Thanks!

Cari