Latest / Bible in a Year with Jack Graham / Esther The Jewish Queen of Persia - The Book of Esther

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Esther The Jewish Queen of Persia - The Book of Esther · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. Then said the king unto her, What
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  Speaker 1: wilt thou, Queen Esther, and what is thy request? It
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  Speaker 1: shall be even given thee to half of the kingdom.
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  Speaker 1: Esther 5.3 Heavenly Father, as I listen to the story
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  Speaker 1: of Esther today, it helps me to realize that every
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  Speaker 1: ounce of influence you have given me is for a
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  Speaker 1: specific purpose. Help me to realize, for such a time
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  Speaker 1: as this, you have given me the ability to stand
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  Speaker 1: in the gap for those who can't stand for themselves.
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  Speaker 1: With this responsibility, I also acknowledge that you have given
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  Speaker 1: me the ability to have uncommon favor with those who
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  Speaker 1: can change the situation for your children for good. Therefore,
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  Speaker 1: I will not stand by when I have the ability
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  Speaker 1: to speak up. I will not watch as your children
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  Speaker 1: live below the callings that you have for them. Strengthen
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  Speaker 1: my resolve, silence all fear, and give me strength like
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  Speaker 1: the roar of a lion to speak on your behalf.
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  Speaker 1: I will not be timid, and I will not be
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  Speaker 1: afraid when the time comes. For such a time as this,
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  Speaker 1: like Esther, you have elevated me And I am ready.
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  Speaker 1: In Jesus' name. Thank you for praying with me today.
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  Speaker 1: Continue listening for an incredible Bible story. Brought to you
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  Speaker 3: Esther, the Jewish queen of Persia. In our last story,
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  Speaker 3: God's people were freed from the empire of Babylon and
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  Speaker 3: Persia to return home. The exiles journeyed back to the
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  Speaker 3: home of their forefathers. There they rebuilt the temple and
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  Speaker 3: attempted to rebuild their broken hearts. Now we meet a
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  Speaker 3: Jewish exile by the name of Esther. In a time
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  Speaker 3: of great uncertainty for the Jews in Persia, Esther is
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  Speaker 3: raised up as a beacon of deliverance, inspired by the
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  Speaker 3: book of Esther.
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  Speaker 4: Hello, Pastor Jack Graham here with today's episode of the
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  Speaker 4: Bible in a Year. In our last time together, we
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  Speaker 4: heard of the return of God's people to Judah and Israel.
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  Speaker 4: God had moved in the heart of the Persian king
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  Speaker 4: to release the exiles and provide them with the means
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  Speaker 4: to rebuild their city and the temple of the Lord.
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  Speaker 4: But even as they returned, there was tension and strife
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  Speaker 4: and division. Their hearts still needed healing. They needed revival. Today,
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  Speaker 4: we'll hear a reading from the book of Esther and
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  Speaker 4: learn of this amazing Jewish exile who was used by
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  Speaker 4: God to protect His people, to save a nation. Her
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  Speaker 4: life will become an example of how God often places
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  Speaker 4: courageous people in the right place at the right time
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  Speaker 4: for the right purpose. Let's hear now the reading of
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  Speaker 4: God's Word.
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  Speaker 3: The light of the Persian Empire shone from India to Ethiopia.
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  Speaker 3: The arms of King Xerxes stretched outward to the east
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  Speaker 3: and west. From his throne in the Persian capital of Susa,
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  Speaker 3: he ruled with drunken force. King Xerxes was not like
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  Speaker 3: his father Darius. He was a drunk with very little
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  Speaker 3: regard for the people around him or under him. He
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  Speaker 3: held banquets and feasts in his own honor and soaked
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  Speaker 3: in the praise of his people like a god. One
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  Speaker 3: evening during the third year of his reign, Xerxes was
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  Speaker 3: holding yet another feast for him and his military officers. Nobles, princes,
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  Speaker 3: and prostitutes leaned against the palace walls. Music and sweat
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  Speaker 3: filled the air as Xerxes drowned himself in fine wines
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  Speaker 3: and spirits. Queen Vashti also held a banquet for the
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  Speaker 3: women of the royal palace. The celebration lasted 180 days.
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  Speaker 3: It was truly a tremendous display of opulent wealth. Parades
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  Speaker 3: of exotic animals filled the golden palace halls, and Xerxes
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  Speaker 3: basked in the jealousy of his peers. Xerxes sent out
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  Speaker 3: a decree in the land that for an entire week,
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  Speaker 3: the entire capital would revel with him.
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  Speaker 4: So the whole.
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  Speaker 3: Capital of Susa was drunk with wine, exotic sex, and food.
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  Speaker 3: By the seventh day, the king had lost all his sense.
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  Speaker 3: He fumbled around his throne like a toddler and screamed
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  Speaker 3: at his servants to come near. Bring me my queen,
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  Speaker 3: he yelled. I want all the men here to see
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  Speaker 3: her beauty. So the servant went to fetch Queen Vashti,
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  Speaker 3: but she refused to come. She did not want to
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  Speaker 3: be paraded around like one of his animals. Xerxes boiled
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  Speaker 3: with anger. He stumbled to his feet and called for
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  Speaker 3: his advisors to come near. If my queen will not
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  Speaker 3: listen to me, who's to say the rest of your
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  Speaker 3: wives will not follow in her example? Xerxes slurred. The
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  Speaker 3: men all nodded in drunken agreement. You should write a decree,
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  Speaker 3: one of the men shouted. A law that banishes Vashti.
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  Speaker 3: Then you should find another wife, more beautiful and submissive.
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  Speaker 3: That will set an example to all the husbands that
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  Speaker 3: they should never allow their wives to say no to them.
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  Speaker 3: The king nodded in agreement. So in his drunken rage,
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  Speaker 3: he banished the queen and sent out word to have
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  Speaker 3: the finest women in the land taken for his choosing.
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  Speaker 3: Days passed quickly. and Xerxes was detoxing from his months
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  Speaker 3: of endless drinking. His body ached, and his head felt
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  Speaker 3: as heavy as iron. As his mind sobered, he considered
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  Speaker 3: what he had done to Vashti. There was a hint
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  Speaker 3: of regret in the king's heart, but not enough regret
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  Speaker 3: to let go of his pride. So he sent his
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  Speaker 3: servants around the empire to find the most beautiful young
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  Speaker 3: women in the land. One by one, they were brought
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  Speaker 3: to the king's harem for him to gaze upon, and
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  Speaker 3: take into his bedroom. For weeks the king shopped for
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  Speaker 3: women like objects, seeking the most beautiful and the most silent.
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  Speaker 3: In the land of Susa there was a Jewish community.
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  Speaker 3: Some of the exiles from Jerusalem stayed in the land
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  Speaker 3: of Persia and made a life for themselves. They worked
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  Speaker 3: the fields, labored in the city, and advised some of
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  Speaker 3: the nobles in literature and philosophy. Among those Jews was
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  Speaker 3: a man named Mordecai. He lived in the Jewish community
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  Speaker 3: with his beautiful young niece, Hadasha, who was also called Esther.
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  Speaker 3: When her father and mother died, Mordecai had adopted her
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  Speaker 3: and raised her as his own daughter. The two were close.
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  Speaker 3: It was late and the sun had set over the
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  Speaker 3: Susan horizon. Mordecai and Esther were eating next to the fireplace,
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  Speaker 3: enjoying stories and jokes. Esther loved her uncle and hung
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  Speaker 3: on every word he spoke. Their meal was interrupted by
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  Speaker 3: a violent knocking on the door. Mordecai answered and was
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  Speaker 3: with guards pushing open the door. They shoved him aside
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  Speaker 3: and set their sights on Esther. Without a word, they
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  Speaker 3: took her arm and escorted her out of the house.
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  Speaker 3: Both of them knew where Esther was being taken. She
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  Speaker 3: was being taken to the king's harem. It was dark,
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  Speaker 3: and all Esther could see was the looming tower of
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  Speaker 3: the palace. She was taken inside. The halls were dimly
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  Speaker 3: lit by torches, and Esther could smell the faint scent
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  Speaker 3: of fine oils and myrrh growing stronger. She was taken
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  Speaker 3: into a second corridor. The guards opened the door to
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  Speaker 3: the harem and left her into the care of Haggai.
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  Speaker 3: She was pampered with fine oils, beauty treatments, and massages.
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  Speaker 3: For six months, she was soaked in exotic perfumes and
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  Speaker 3: trained in the ways of pleasure. It was rigorous, depressing,
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  Speaker 3: and spiritually draining. Yet Esther maintained hope and kept her
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  Speaker 3: Jewish identity hidden. When the time of beautification had finished,
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  Speaker 3: she would be escorted into the king's chambers. If she
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  Speaker 3: pleased the king, she would be made his wife. All
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  Speaker 3: the while, Mordecai was in the palace working his way
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  Speaker 3: up the ranks as one of the servants, so he
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  Speaker 3: could keep an eye on his niece. The sun painted
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  Speaker 3: the sky a deep orange. Its hues peeked through the
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  Speaker 3: window of Esther's room. She looked in the mirror, both
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  Speaker 3: pleased and disgusted with herself. The six months of pampering
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  Speaker 3: had done a fine work on her outer beauty. However,
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  Speaker 3: Esther maintained the knowledge that it was the heart that
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  Speaker 3: truly mattered. She took a deep breath and then walked
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  Speaker 3: towards the king's chamber. Xerxes was lying in his bed, naked,
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  Speaker 3: awaiting his newest guest. He was hungry with anticipation. As
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  Speaker 3: he sipped his wine, he watched as the door slowly opened.
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  Speaker 3: Entering in was Esther. Esther. Her long and wavy hair
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  Speaker 3: fell over her shoulders and down to her curvy waist.
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  Speaker 3: Her lips were red and full, and her almond eyes
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  Speaker 3: were filled with depth. Her hips swayed as she walked
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  Speaker 3: towards the king. Her presence was intoxicating to him. He
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  Speaker 3: stood to his feet and took Esther into his arms.
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  Speaker 3: The next morning, Esther awoke to an empty bed At
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  Speaker 3: first she thought she would be returned home since the
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  Speaker 3: king seemed to be done with her. Instead, Haggai opened
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  Speaker 3: up the door and escorted her to the queen's chambers.
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  Speaker 3: She was given the queen's wardrobe and given charge over
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  Speaker 3: her own servants and eunuchs. However, she was instructed to
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  Speaker 3: never approach the king or speak to him unless he
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  Speaker 3: called for her. It was winter and King Xerxes grew
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  Speaker 3: very fond of Esther. He fell in love with her
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  Speaker 3: beauty and her noble heart He put a crown over
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  Speaker 3: her head and made her Queen of Persia. However, she
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  Speaker 3: continued to keep her identity secret, as there was a
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  Speaker 3: deep prejudice against the Jews at that time. One day,
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  Speaker 3: Mordecai was on duty at the king's gate. He held
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  Speaker 3: his spear at attention, listening for any rumors about the
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  Speaker 3: new Queen of Persia. As he was listening to the
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  Speaker 3: gossip and secrets, he overheard two guards in a peculiar conversation.
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  Speaker 3: Under the cover of the gate's barracks, Mordecai heard two
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  Speaker 3: guards conspire against King Xerxes. They were angry with the
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  Speaker 3: king and plotted to assassinate him in his sleep. Mordecai
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  Speaker 3: looked up at the sun, seeing that there was only
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  Speaker 3: an hour left of daylight. The king would retreat to
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  Speaker 3: his chambers soon, so he dropped his spear and ran
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  Speaker 3: into the palace. He snuck through the back doors of
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  Speaker 3: the palace into the queen's chambers. He peeked his head
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  Speaker 3: through the lattice to get Esther's attention. She was overjoyed
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  Speaker 3: to see her uncle, but there was no time for
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  Speaker 3: a pleasant greeting. He warned Esther of the plan to
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  Speaker 3: kill the king. So she ran to tell Xerxes and
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  Speaker 3: gave Mordecai the credit. The king had the guards put
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  Speaker 3: to death and was forever grateful to Mordecai for saving
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  Speaker 3: his life. Time had passed and the king had promoted
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  Speaker 3: one of his servants, Haman, in charge of all the
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  Speaker 3: nobles in the land. Haman was a wicked man. filled
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  Speaker 3: with self-love and malicious ambition. Under the king's nose, Haman
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  Speaker 3: sent a decree in all the land for every man
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  Speaker 3: and woman to bow to Haman when they saw him.
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  Speaker 3: Mordecai refused to bow to Haman. This vexed the selfish servant.
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  Speaker 3: Haman knew that Mordecai was a Jew and was filled
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  Speaker 3: with rage against him. However, he knew that Mordecai had
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  Speaker 3: the favor of the king. So he plotted against Mordecai
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  Speaker 3: by whispering hatred into the king's ear about the Jewish people.
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  Speaker 3: He filled the king's cup with much wine, and he
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  Speaker 3: spun webs of lies against the Jewish people. The king
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  Speaker 3: once again found himself in a drunken rage fueled by Haman.
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  Speaker 3: Together they sent a decree that on March 7th, the
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  Speaker 3: nobles were to kill every last Jew in their lands.
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  Speaker 3: Word reached Mordecai, and he violently pursued a word with Esther. However,
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  Speaker 3: he was not allowed in the palace at that time.
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  Speaker 3: He raged against the gates, trying to get the queen's attention.
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  Speaker 3: He knew that she was the only one who could
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  Speaker 3: stop this madness. So Mordecai sent a messenger to Esther,
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  Speaker 3: and the two spoke through him. Esther was told about
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  Speaker 3: the decree and became terrified. The king was locked up
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  Speaker 3: in his tower, strategizing with his commanders. Esther had the
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  Speaker 3: favor of the king, but she knew that if anyone
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  Speaker 3: interrupted him in the next month, they.
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  Speaker 1: Would be put to death.
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  Speaker 3: She sent this excuse to her uncle, and it made
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  Speaker 3: him furious. Do not think for one moment that your
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  Speaker 3: crown makes you safe from this decree. If you remain silent,
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  Speaker 3: I promise you relief will come to the Jews by
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  Speaker 3: someone else, and you will regret doing nothing in the
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  Speaker 3: face of danger. The Jews will always survive, as is
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  Speaker 3: their way, but you will fade and be forgotten. The
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  Speaker 3: words stung Esther, but she was still afraid to approach
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  Speaker 3: the king. It meant certain death. Mordecai calmed himself and
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  Speaker 3: sent a message to Esther. Who knows, he asked. Perhaps
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  Speaker 3: you were put in the palace for this very purpose.
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  Speaker 3: The words resonated in Esther's mind. If she remained silent,
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  Speaker 3: her people would perish. She warred in her heart. Did
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  Speaker 3: she remain safe and allow for thousands of innocent people
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  Speaker 3: to die? She banged her fist against her bedroom wall.
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  Speaker 3: She looked outside her window and lifted her eyes to
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  Speaker 3: the city. Tears streamed down her face. Then a wave
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  Speaker 3: of resolve came upon her. She closed her eyes and whispered,
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  Speaker 3: If I die, I die.
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  Speaker 4: In today's reading from God's Word, we're introduced to the
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  Speaker 4: son of King Darius, a man named Xerxes. He rules
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  Speaker 4: from the Persian city of Susa, and he's nothing like
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  Speaker 4: his father. He was a drunkard and a reveler, given
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  Speaker 4: to pleasure of all kinds, and none of them God-honoring.
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  Speaker 4: His wife, Queen Vashti, held a banquet for him, and
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  Speaker 4: after days of partying, in a stupor, the king summoned
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  Speaker 4: Vashti to show her off to the court. But she refused,
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  Speaker 4: and this angered Xerxes. And because to him people were expendable,
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  Speaker 4: merely instruments for his enjoyment, He banished Vashti, removing her
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  Speaker 4: as queen. This should paint a picture of the kind
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  Speaker 4: of man Xerxes was. He was reprehensible and not to
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  Speaker 4: be toyed with. So the king had his servant Scalar
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  Speaker 4: Susa looking for the next queen, the object of his
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  Speaker 4: own selfish, lustful desire. And make no mistake, that is
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  Speaker 4: what women were to King Xerxes, just objects. It's here
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  Speaker 4: that we meet Esther. a young Jewish girl living in Susa.
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  Speaker 4: She was an orphan adopted by a man named Mordecai,
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  Speaker 4: a righteous Jew who cared deeply for his niece and
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  Speaker 4: his Jewish brothers and sisters. One day, Esther was taken
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  Speaker 4: away by the king's men to be prepared as a
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  Speaker 4: candidate for queen. Imagine the horror, the terror of this
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  Speaker 4: young girl ripped from her home and sent to become
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  Speaker 4: property of the king, one of his harem, one of many.
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  Speaker 4: Esther knew that Jews were hated in Susa So she
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  Speaker 4: hid her ethnic identity but maintained her devotion to God,
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  Speaker 4: holding on to the teachings of God's Word passed down
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  Speaker 4: to her by Mordecai. We may at times find ourselves
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  Speaker 4: in situations when the wisest thing to do is not
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  Speaker 4: stand out or call attention to ourselves. This is the
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  Speaker 4: case for countless persecuted Christians today around the world. But
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  Speaker 4: not standing out does not mean we conform or compromise.
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  Speaker 4: We must always ask God for wisdom and strength to
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  Speaker 4: remain faithful to Him in all circumstances. Finally, one day
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  Speaker 4: Esther was sent before Xerxes, and he was very pleased
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  Speaker 4: with her. She was chosen among many others to be
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  Speaker 4: made queen. But we must not imagine this as a
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  Speaker 4: great love story. She was just property for the king,
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  Speaker 4: expendable property. This wasn't a marriage as God intended and
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  Speaker 4: designed marriage to be. And Esther was given strict orders
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  Speaker 4: to not speak to Xerxes unless she was summoned. But
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  Speaker 4: behind the scenes, God is at work. His providence is moving.
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  Speaker 4: God worked in the life of Esther's uncle Mordecai. He
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  Speaker 4: placed Mordecai in a place where he uncovered a plot
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  Speaker 4: to kill Xerxes. So he warned Esther, who rushed to
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  Speaker 4: the king and tipped him off. Xerxes was indebted to
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  Speaker 4: Mordecai and to Esther. All seemed well. until a very
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  Speaker 4: evil man named Haman rose among the ranks and got
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  Speaker 4: close to Xerxes. He expected everyone to bow to him,
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  Speaker 4: and because Mordecai refused to do so, he hated Mordecai
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  Speaker 4: and all the Jews. So, Haman got Xerxes drunk and
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  Speaker 4: began to poison his mind against the Jews. He convinced
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  Speaker 4: the king to issue a decree that amounted to an
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  Speaker 4: order of genocide. When Mordecai discovered this, he and all
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  Speaker 4: the Jews went into mourning. Then he found a way
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  Speaker 4: to get word to Esther. She was afraid and reluctant
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  Speaker 4: to get involved, knowing that the king was cruel, calloused,
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  Speaker 4: and unreasonable. But listen to what Mordecai said to Esther
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  Speaker 4: in chapter 4, verse 14. If you keep silent at
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  Speaker 4: this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews
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  Speaker 4: from another place, but you and your father's house will perish.
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  Speaker 2: And who knows?
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  Speaker 4: Whether you have not come to the kingdom for such
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  Speaker 4: a time as this, there is so much truth in
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  Speaker 4: that statement for us today. We live in a very
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  Speaker 4: evil world and we face many obstacles in living for
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  Speaker 4: Christ in our generation. But God is raising up his people.
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  Speaker 4: God is raising up courageous people today to stand true
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  Speaker 4: to his word and to stand faithfully for the testimony
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  Speaker 4: of Jesus Christ. God will always find a way to
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  Speaker 4: accomplish His purpose, whether we are involved or not. May
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  Speaker 4: we choose to be involved. May we choose courage. We
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  Speaker 4: must always ask ourselves every day, what is my purpose
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  Speaker 4: in life? What is my reason for being here in
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  Speaker 4: this office or this school or this neighborhood? I am
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  Speaker 4: born to the kingdom for such a time as this.
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  Speaker 4: Esther understood the profound truth of these words. Everything in
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  Speaker 4: her life has been leading up to this moment when
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  Speaker 4: God would work through her to save a nation. It
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  Speaker 4: wasn't easy for her, but it did remove any doubt.
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  Speaker 4: She had to act, whatever the cost, and she ultimately said,
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  Speaker 4: if I perish, I perish, but I will do what
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  Speaker 4: God wants me to do. And we'll discover what she
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  Speaker 4: does in our next episode. Dear God, we thank you
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  Speaker 4: for the scripture and how it challenges us to know
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  Speaker 4: how we could be used by you in circumstances and
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  Speaker 4: opportunities that you've made available to us, that we would
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  Speaker 4: always live for your purpose. We know that we have
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  Speaker 4: been made on purpose and for a purpose. May we
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  Speaker 4: fulfill your plan for our lives every day. And may
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  Speaker 4: we have courage just as Esther did in Jesus' name. Amen.
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  Speaker 4: Once again, thank you for listening to today's Bible in
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  Speaker 4: a Year podcast. I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas.
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  Speaker 4: Let me encourage you to download the Pray.com app and
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  Speaker 4: make Bible study and prayer a real priority in your life.
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  Speaker 4: And if you are enjoying this podcast, share it with
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  Speaker 4: someone you know, someone you care about, because sharing God's
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  Speaker 4: Word has a powerful impact upon people's lives. And if
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  Speaker 4: you want more resources as to how you can find faith,
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  Speaker 4: grow in your faith, develop as a disciple and follower
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  Speaker 4: of Jesus, be sure to visit me at jackgraham.org. We
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  Speaker 4: have plenty of resources that will encourage you and equip
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  Speaker 4: you for life. God bless you.