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Elements City Church
Building Bravery - wk3 (Stepping Up)
We're in a series in the Book of Esther in the Bible. Esther is a story where God seems silent, yet His sovereignty is incredibly active. It’s a story set against impossible odds. Esther’s story highlights the incredible potential of brave and faithful people and their power to impact society and situations. It’s a story that calls us today to integrate culture and not hide away. A story that calls us to be strong and seek to have influence within the culture around us. All the while we're to stay faithful to following God, his principles and allowing Him to build bravery within us for our moment in history.
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 5:00 PM
Thanks for joining us...
We pray that tonight would be encouraging for you. If you're a guest here with us, we want to INVITE you to our 10 Minute Party immediately following service. We'd love to meet you and we have a free gift just for you. Click the link below to see THE WEEKLY - our digital announcements/info for all things happening in and around Elements...or find everything ya need in our app.
http://elem.cc/weeklyIf we were describing the setting of Esther in 6 words: “Game of Thrones without the dragons”
*this is about kings and queens, politics, elaborate wealth, hidden agendas, death (lots of impaling), trickery, good and evil; it involves sex, power, pride, tragedy and triumph == and God’s hand guiding and overseeing it all.
It is set in the Persian Empire around 480 BC
*this is about kings and queens, politics, elaborate wealth, hidden agendas, death (lots of impaling), trickery, good and evil; it involves sex, power, pride, tragedy and triumph == and God’s hand guiding and overseeing it all.
It is set in the Persian Empire around 480 BC
Key Take-Away for series:
Hiddenness is a theme that shapes the whole book of Esther.
At times, God may seem silent, but He is never absent
Hiddenness is a theme that shapes the whole book of Esther.
At times, God may seem silent, but He is never absent
remember: Vulnerability is, at its best, is putting ourselves in harm’s way for the sake of others.
Esther prepares to STEP UP. Esther responded with an act of faith. She called for a fast—which is the only explicitly religious moment in the whole book—and she committed herself to approaching the king.
Esther prepares to STEP UP. Esther responded with an act of faith. She called for a fast—which is the only explicitly religious moment in the whole book—and she committed herself to approaching the king.
When Esther told Mordecai to pray, and to have all the people pray, she wasn’t asking as a formality or to sound spiritual. She knew that all her earthly success depended on the divine intervention of heaven.
When you are thrust into moments that call for courage – there are a couple keys we see in Esther’s story – practices we see elsewhere in Scripture as well – habits that help us move forward after we PAUSE:
She PRAYS / She WAITS
When you are thrust into moments that call for courage – there are a couple keys we see in Esther’s story – practices we see elsewhere in Scripture as well – habits that help us move forward after we PAUSE:
She PRAYS / She WAITS
Author Richard Foster said:
“Prayer catapults us onto the frontier of the spiritual life.”
Prayer isn’t just a nice religious practice we’re to engage in – it’s our LIFELINE to God, to His divine activity, wisdom and help.
“Prayer catapults us onto the frontier of the spiritual life.”
Prayer isn’t just a nice religious practice we’re to engage in – it’s our LIFELINE to God, to His divine activity, wisdom and help.
We’re to make prayer, not our last resort – but it is to be our 1st priority.
Q) Do you have prayer as a priority in life?
When we’re needing courage, needing wisdom, needing insight on the right or best thing to do – those who have a habit of prayer engagement are that much closer to accessing the help they need from God. Prayer is about announcing my dependence upon God.
Q) Do you have prayer as a priority in life?
When we’re needing courage, needing wisdom, needing insight on the right or best thing to do – those who have a habit of prayer engagement are that much closer to accessing the help they need from God. Prayer is about announcing my dependence upon God.
Another thing we see Esther do, that’s good for us – is she doesn’t rush into trying to solve everything – she starts by WAITING on GOD.
It’s important for us to learn this rhythm of waiting on God.
Esther’s already committed to DOING something – but she is doing some HOLY WAITING in the meantime to seek God’s wisdom and guidance. She’s listening and leaning on Him to act on her behalf and not just trying to force something to happen in her own power.
Learning to wait on God, is vital to growing our faith with God
It’s important for us to learn this rhythm of waiting on God.
Esther’s already committed to DOING something – but she is doing some HOLY WAITING in the meantime to seek God’s wisdom and guidance. She’s listening and leaning on Him to act on her behalf and not just trying to force something to happen in her own power.
Learning to wait on God, is vital to growing our faith with God
Quote:
“Bravery begins with resting in the presence of the Courage-maker.”
–Margaret Feinberg
“Bravery begins with resting in the presence of the Courage-maker.”
–Margaret Feinberg
Quote:
"Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be."
– John Ortberg
Disciples of Jesus grow as they wait upon Jesus! We’re learning to trust in HIM more than merely trusting in ourselves.
"Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be."
– John Ortberg
Disciples of Jesus grow as they wait upon Jesus! We’re learning to trust in HIM more than merely trusting in ourselves.
Esther is patient. She very easily could have launched into Haman’s evil – but she has been waiting upon the Lord and something has impressed upon her the sense of timing needed for this moment.
We get in a hurry when we don’t wait upon the LORD. We jump ahead and do rash things. We shoot from the hip. We run off at the mouth, saying things we later regret. But when we have sufficiently waited on the Lord, He’s given control of our spirit.
We get in a hurry when we don’t wait upon the LORD. We jump ahead and do rash things. We shoot from the hip. We run off at the mouth, saying things we later regret. But when we have sufficiently waited on the Lord, He’s given control of our spirit.
Prayer is saying to God, -- “I am nothing, without you. I need you.”
Boasting is saying to God & everyone else, -- “I’m everything. I don’t need anyone.”
“Boasting” = seems to be Haman’s middle name
Boasting is saying to God & everyone else, -- “I’m everything. I don’t need anyone.”
“Boasting” = seems to be Haman’s middle name
This chapter ends with an invite back to another banquet = God has helped Esther learn the power of godly timing…
Friends…we will also learn godly timing as we make a habit of PRAYER AND WAITING ON THE LORD.
Friends…we will also learn godly timing as we make a habit of PRAYER AND WAITING ON THE LORD.
Quote:
"Timing is so important! If you are going to be successful in dance, you must be able to respond to rhythm and timing. It’s the same in the Spirit. People who don’t understand God’s timing can become spiritually spastic, trying to make the right things happen at the wrong time. They don’t get His rhythm – and everyone can tell they are out of step." – T. D. Jakes
"Timing is so important! If you are going to be successful in dance, you must be able to respond to rhythm and timing. It’s the same in the Spirit. People who don’t understand God’s timing can become spiritually spastic, trying to make the right things happen at the wrong time. They don’t get His rhythm – and everyone can tell they are out of step." – T. D. Jakes
NOW *If there was ever a chance for a sermon to have a cliff-hanger
– a “To Be Continued” tagged on the end of it. This is it!
So you gotta come back because the story is just warming up and it’s full speed ahead next week…
– a “To Be Continued” tagged on the end of it. This is it!
So you gotta come back because the story is just warming up and it’s full speed ahead next week…
Closing Thought:
Esther hits PAUSE – prayer and waiting on the LORD are so key to us living a life of faith, following after God and His best === in a world that pushes us to make every decision FAST and FURIOUS style, solely by our own merit and will.
BUT we want to grow as disciples who are following after Jesus well, we would do well to make prayer and waiting up on the Lord a natural rhythm of our lives – and we’ll be blessed as we rest upon God’s timing and not trying to make our own!
REREAD ISAIAH 40:28-31
Esther hits PAUSE – prayer and waiting on the LORD are so key to us living a life of faith, following after God and His best === in a world that pushes us to make every decision FAST and FURIOUS style, solely by our own merit and will.
BUT we want to grow as disciples who are following after Jesus well, we would do well to make prayer and waiting up on the Lord a natural rhythm of our lives – and we’ll be blessed as we rest upon God’s timing and not trying to make our own!
REREAD ISAIAH 40:28-31
NEED PRAYER? ....we've got some of our prayer team and pastors available following service to pray with you. You can also submit your prayer request via our app. We look forward to partnering with you in prayer.
Thanks for partnering with us...
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http://elem.cc/giveIF YOU'RE NEW: we throw a 10-minute party immediately following the service in the back corner of the room, if you're new, we'd love to meet you and welcome you! We invite you back next weekend as we continue this series on Building Bravery (Esther's story).
Thanks for joining us...
We pray that tonight would be encouraging for you. If you're a guest here with us, we want to INVITE you to our 10 Minute Party immediately following service. We'd love to meet you and we have a free gift just for you. Click the link below to see THE WEEKLY - our digital announcements/info for all things happening in and around Elements...or find everything ya need in our app.
http://elem.cc/weekly