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

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  Speaker 1: Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, Queen Esther,
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  Speaker 1: and what is thy request? It shall be even given
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  Speaker 1: thee to half of the kingdom. Esther 5.3 Heavenly Father,
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  Speaker 1: as I listen to the story of Esther today, it
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  Speaker 1: helps me to realize that every ounce of influence you
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  Speaker 1: have given me is for a specific purpose. Help me
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  Speaker 1: to realize, for such a time as this, you have
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  Speaker 1: given me the ability to stand in the gap for
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  Speaker 1: those who can't stand for themselves. With this responsibility, I
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  Speaker 1: also acknowledge that you have given me the ability to
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  Speaker 1: have uncommon favor with those who can change the situation
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  Speaker 1: for your children for good. Therefore, I will not stand
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  Speaker 1: by when I have the ability to speak up. I
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  Speaker 1: will not watch as your children live below the callings
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  Speaker 1: that you have for them. Strengthen my resolve, silence all fear,
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  Speaker 1: and give me strength like the roar of a lion
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  Speaker 1: to speak on your behalf. I will not be timid,
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  Speaker 1: and I will not be afraid when the time comes.
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  Speaker 1: For such a time as this, like Esther, you have
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  Speaker 1: elevated me And I am ready. In Jesus' name. Thank
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  Speaker 1: you for praying with me today. Continue listening for an
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  Speaker 1: incredible Bible story. Brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: Esther, the Jewish Queen of Persia. In our last story,
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  Speaker 2: God's people were freed from the empire of Babylon and
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  Speaker 2: Persia to return home. The exiles journeyed back to the
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  Speaker 2: home of their forefathers. There they rebuilt the temple and
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  Speaker 2: attempted to rebuild their broken hearts. Now we meet a
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  Speaker 2: Jewish exile by the name of Esther. In a time
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  Speaker 2: of great uncertainty for the Jews in Persia, Esther is
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  Speaker 2: raised up as a beacon of deliverance, inspired by the
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  Speaker 2: book of Esther.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
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  Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. But before we begin, I want
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  Speaker 3: to let you know about a unique e-book that's yours
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  Speaker 3: to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress.
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  Speaker 3: And my prayer is that it will help you conquer
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  Speaker 3: the daily tasks and pressures and burdens that bring stress
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  Speaker 3: in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
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  Speaker 3: from Stress today by visiting jackgraham.org slash stress. That's jackram.org
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  Speaker 3: slash stress. In our last time together, we heard of
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  Speaker 3: the return of God's people to Judah and Israel. God
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  Speaker 3: had moved in the heart of the Persian king to
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  Speaker 3: release the exiles and provide them with the means to
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  Speaker 3: rebuild their city and the temple of the Lord. But
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  Speaker 3: even as they returned, there was tension and strife and division.
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  Speaker 3: Their hearts still needed healing. They needed revival. Today, We'll
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  Speaker 3: hear a reading from the book of Esther and learn
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  Speaker 3: of this amazing Jewish exile who was used by God
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  Speaker 3: to protect his people, to save a nation. Her life
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  Speaker 3: will become an example of how God often places courageous
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  Speaker 3: people in the right place at the right time for
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  Speaker 3: the right purpose. Let's hear now the reading of God's Word.
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  Speaker 2: The light of the Persian Empire shone from India to Ethiopia.
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  Speaker 2: The arms of King Xerxes stretched outward to the east
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  Speaker 2: and west. From his throne in the Persian capital of Susa,
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  Speaker 2: he ruled with drunken force. King Xerxes was not like
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  Speaker 2: his father Darius. He was a drunk, with very little
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  Speaker 2: regard for the people around him or under him. He
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  Speaker 2: held banquets and feasts in his own honor and soaked
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  Speaker 2: in the praise of his people like a god. One
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  Speaker 2: evening during the third year of his reign... Xerxes was
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  Speaker 2: holding yet another feast for him and his military officers. Nobles, princes,
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  Speaker 2: and prostitutes leaned against the palace walls. Music and sweat
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  Speaker 2: filled the air as Xerxes drowned himself in fine wines
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  Speaker 2: and spirits. Queen Vashti also held a banquet for the
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  Speaker 2: women of the royal palace. The celebration lasted 180 days.
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  Speaker 2: It was truly a tremendous display of opulent wealth. Parades
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  Speaker 2: of exotic animals filled the golden palace halls, and Xerxes
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  Speaker 2: basked in the jealousy of his peers. Xerxes sent out
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  Speaker 2: a decree in the land that for an entire week,
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  Speaker 2: the entire capital would revel with him. So the whole
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  Speaker 2: capital of Susa was drunk with wine, exotic sex, and food.
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  Speaker 2: By the seventh day, the king had lost all his sense.
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  Speaker 2: He fumbled around his throne like a toddler and screamed
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  Speaker 2: at his servants to come near. Bring me my queen,
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  Speaker 2: he yelled. I want all the men here to see
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  Speaker 2: her beauty. So the servant went to fetch Queen Vashti,
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  Speaker 2: but she refused to come. She did not want to
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  Speaker 2: be paraded around like one of his animals. Xerxes boiled
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  Speaker 2: with anger. He stumbled to his feet and called for
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  Speaker 2: his advisors to come near. If my queen will not
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  Speaker 2: listen to me, who's to say the rest of your
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  Speaker 2: wives will not follow in her example? Xerxes slurred. The
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  Speaker 2: men all nodded in drunken agreement. You should write a decree,
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  Speaker 2: one of the men shouted. A law that banishes Vashti.
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  Speaker 2: Then you should find another wife, more beautiful and submissive.
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  Speaker 2: That will set an example to all the husbands that
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  Speaker 2: they should never allow their wives to say no to them.
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  Speaker 2: The king nodded in agreement. So in his drunken rage,
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  Speaker 2: he banished the queen and sent out word to have
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  Speaker 2: the finest women in the land taken for his choosing.
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  Speaker 2: Days passed, and Xerxes was detoxing from his months of
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  Speaker 2: endless drinking. His body ached and his head felt as
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  Speaker 2: heavy as iron. As his mind sobered, he considered what
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  Speaker 2: he had done to Vashti. There was a hint of
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  Speaker 2: regret in the king's heart. but not enough regret to
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  Speaker 2: let go of his pride. So he sent his servants
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  Speaker 2: around the empire to find the most beautiful young women
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  Speaker 2: in the land. One by one, they were brought to
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  Speaker 2: the king's harem for him to gaze upon and take
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  Speaker 2: into his bedroom. For weeks, the king shopped for women
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  Speaker 2: like objects, seeking the most beautiful and the most silent.
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  Speaker 2: In the land of Susa, there was a Jewish community.
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  Speaker 2: Some of the exiles from Jerusalem stayed in the land
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  Speaker 2: of Persia and made a life for themselves. They worked
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  Speaker 2: the fields, labored in the city, and advised some of
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  Speaker 2: the nobles in literature and philosophy. Among those Jews was
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  Speaker 2: a man named Mordecai. He lived in the Jewish community
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  Speaker 2: with his beautiful young niece, Hadasha, who was also called Esther.
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  Speaker 2: When her father and mother died, Mordecai had adopted her
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  Speaker 2: and raised her as his own daughter. The two were close.
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  Speaker 2: It was late and the sun had set over the
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  Speaker 2: Susan horizon. Mordecai and Esther were eating next to the fireplace,
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  Speaker 2: enjoying stories and jokes. Esther loved her uncle and hung
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  Speaker 2: on every word he spoke. Their meal was interrupted by
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  Speaker 2: a violent knocking on the door. Mordecai answered and was
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  Speaker 2: with guards pushing open the door. They shoved him aside
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  Speaker 2: and set their sights on Esther. Without a word, they
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  Speaker 2: took her arm and escorted her out of the house.
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  Speaker 2: Both of them knew where Esther was being taken. She
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  Speaker 2: was being taken to the king's harem. It was dark,
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  Speaker 2: and all Esther could see was the looming tower of
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  Speaker 2: the palace. She was taken inside. The halls were dimly
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  Speaker 2: lit by torches, and Esther could smell the faint scent
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  Speaker 2: of fine oils and myrrh growing stronger. She was taken
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  Speaker 2: into a second corridor. The guards opened the door to
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  Speaker 2: the harem and left her into the care of Haggai.
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  Speaker 2: She was pampered with fine oils, beauty treatments, and massages.
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  Speaker 2: For six months, she was soaked in exotic perfumes and
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  Speaker 2: trained in the ways of pleasure. It was rigorous, depressing,
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  Speaker 2: and spiritually draining. Yet Esther maintained hope and kept her
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  Speaker 2: Jewish identity hidden. When the time of beautification had finished,
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  Speaker 2: she would be escorted into the king's chambers. If she
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  Speaker 2: pleased the king, she would be made his wife. All
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  Speaker 2: the while, Mordecai was in the palace working his way
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  Speaker 2: up the ranks as one of the servants so he
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  Speaker 2: could keep an eye on his niece. The sun painted
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  Speaker 2: the sky a deep orange. Its hues peeked through the
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  Speaker 2: window of Esther's room. She looked in the mirror, both
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  Speaker 2: pleased and disgusted with herself. The six months of pampering
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  Speaker 2: had done a fine work on her outer beauty. However,
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  Speaker 2: Esther maintained the knowledge that it was the heart that
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  Speaker 2: truly mattered. She took a deep breath. and then walked
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  Speaker 2: towards the king's chamber. Xerxes was lying in his bed, naked,
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  Speaker 2: awaiting his newest guest. He was hungry with anticipation. As
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  Speaker 2: he sipped his wine, he watched as the door slowly opened.
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  Speaker 2: Entering in was Esther. Her long and wavy hair fell
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  Speaker 2: over her shoulders and down to her curvy waist. Her
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  Speaker 2: lips were red and full, and her almond eyes were
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  Speaker 2: filled with depth. Her hips swayed as she walked towards
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  Speaker 2: the king. Her presence was intoxicating to him. He stood
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  Speaker 2: to his feet and took Esther into his arms. The
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  Speaker 2: next morning, Esther awoke to an empty bed. At first,
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  Speaker 2: she thought she would be returned home since the king
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  Speaker 2: seemed to be done with her. Instead, Haggai opened up
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  Speaker 2: the door and escorted her to the queen's chambers. She
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  Speaker 2: was given the queen's wardrobe, and given charge over her
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  Speaker 2: own servants and eunuchs. However, she was instructed to never
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  Speaker 2: approach the king or speak to him unless he called
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  Speaker 2: for her. It was winter, and King Xerxes grew very
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  Speaker 2: fond of Esther. He fell in love with her beauty
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  Speaker 2: and her noble heart. He put a crown over her
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  Speaker 2: head and made her queen of Persia. However, she continued
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  Speaker 2: to keep her identity secret, as there was a deep
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  Speaker 2: prejudice against the Jews at that time. One day, Mordecai
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  Speaker 2: was on duty at the king's gate. He held his
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  Speaker 2: spear at attention, listening for any rumors about the new
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  Speaker 2: queen of Persia. As he was listening to the gossip
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  Speaker 2: and secrets, he overheard two guards in a peculiar conversation.
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  Speaker 2: Under the cover of the gate's barracks, Mordecai heard two
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  Speaker 2: guards conspire against King Xerxes. They were angry with the
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  Speaker 2: king and plotted to assassinate him in his sleep. Mordecai
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  Speaker 2: looked up at the sun, seeing that there was only
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  Speaker 2: an hour left of daylight. The king would retreat to
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  Speaker 2: his chambers soon, so he dropped his spear and ran
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  Speaker 2: into the palace. He snuck through the back doors of
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  Speaker 2: the palace into the queen's chambers. He peeked his head
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  Speaker 2: through the lattice to get Esther's attention. She was overjoyed
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  Speaker 2: to see her uncle, but there was no time for
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  Speaker 2: a pleasant greeting. He warned Esther of the plan to
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  Speaker 2: kill the king, so she ran to tell Xerxes and
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  Speaker 2: gave Mordecai the credit. The king had the guards put
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  Speaker 2: to death and was forever grateful to Mordecai for saving
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  Speaker 2: his life. Time had passed, and the king had promoted
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  Speaker 2: one of his servants, Haman, in charge of all the
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  Speaker 2: nobles in the land. Haman was a wicked man, filled
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  Speaker 2: with self-love and malicious ambition. Under the king's nose, Haman
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  Speaker 2: sent a decree in all the land for every man
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  Speaker 2: and woman to bow to Haman when they saw him.
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  Speaker 2: Mordecai refused to bow to Haman. This vexed the selfish servant.
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  Speaker 2: Haman knew that Mordecai was a Jew and was filled
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  Speaker 2: with rage against him. However, he knew that Mordecai had
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  Speaker 2: the favor of the king. So he plotted against Mordecai
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  Speaker 2: by whispering hatred into the king's ear about the Jewish people.
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  Speaker 2: He filled the king's cup with much wine, and he
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  Speaker 2: spun webs of lies against the Jewish people. The king
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  Speaker 2: once again found himself in a drunken rage fueled by Haman.
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  Speaker 2: Together they sent a decree that on March 7th, the
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  Speaker 2: nobles were to kill every last Jew in their lands.
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  Speaker 2: Word reached Mordecai and he violently pursued a word with Esther. However,
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  Speaker 2: he was not allowed in the palace at that time.
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  Speaker 2: He raged against the gates, trying to get the queen's attention.
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  Speaker 2: He knew that she was the only one who could
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  Speaker 2: stop this madness. So Mordecai sent a messenger to Esther.
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  Speaker 2: and the two spoke through him. Esther was told about
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  Speaker 2: the decree and became terrified. The king was locked up
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  Speaker 2: in his tower, strategizing with his commanders. Esther had the
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  Speaker 2: favor of the king, but she knew that if anyone
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  Speaker 2: interrupted him in the next month, they would be put
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  Speaker 2: to death. She sent this excuse to her uncle, and
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  Speaker 2: it made him furious. Do not think for one moment
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  Speaker 2: that your crown makes you safe from this decree. If
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  Speaker 2: you remain silent, I promise you relief will come to
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  Speaker 2: the Jews by someone else, and you will regret doing
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  Speaker 2: nothing in the face of danger. The Jews will always survive,
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  Speaker 2: as is their way, but you will fade and be forgotten.
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  Speaker 2: The words stung Esther, but she was still afraid to
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  Speaker 2: approach the king. It meant certain death. Mordecai calmed himself
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  Speaker 2: and sent a message to Esther. Who knows, he asked.
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  Speaker 2: Perhaps you were put in the palace for this very purpose.
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  Speaker 2: The words resonated in Esther's mind. If she remained silent,
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  Speaker 2: her people would perish. She warred in her heart. Did
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  Speaker 2: she remain safe and allow for thousands of innocent people
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  Speaker 2: to die? She banged her fist against her bedroom wall.
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  Speaker 2: She looked outside her window and lifted her eyes to
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  Speaker 2: the city. Tears streamed down her face. Then... A wave
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  Speaker 2: of resolve came upon her. She closed her eyes and whispered,
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  Speaker 2: If I die, I die.
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  Speaker 3: In today's reading from God's Word, we're introduced to the
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  Speaker 3: son of King Darius, a man named Xerxes. He rules
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  Speaker 3: from the Persian city of Susa, and he's nothing like
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  Speaker 3: his father. He was a drunkard and a reveler, given
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  Speaker 3: to pleasure of all kinds, and none of them God-honoring.
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  Speaker 3: His wife, Queen Vashti, held a banquet for him, and
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  Speaker 3: after days of partying, in a stupor, the king summoned
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  Speaker 3: Vashti to show her off to the court. But she refused,
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  Speaker 3: and this angered Xerxes. And because to him people were expendable,
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  Speaker 3: merely instruments for his enjoyment, he banished Vashti, removing her
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  Speaker 3: as queen. This should paint a picture of the kind
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  Speaker 3: of man Xerxes was. He was reprehensible and not to
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  Speaker 3: be toyed with. So the king had his servant scour
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  Speaker 3: Susa looking for the next queen, the object of his
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  Speaker 3: own selfish, lustful desire. And make no mistake, that is
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  Speaker 3: what women were to King Xerxes, just objects. It's here
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  Speaker 3: that we meet Esther, a young Jewish girl living in Susa.
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  Speaker 3: She was an orphan adopted by a man named Mordecai,
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  Speaker 3: a righteous Jew who cared deeply for his niece and
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  Speaker 3: his Jewish brothers and sisters. One day, Esther was taken
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  Speaker 3: away by the king's men to be prepared as a
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  Speaker 3: candidate for queen. Imagine the horror, the terror of this
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  Speaker 3: young girl ripped from her home and sent to become
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  Speaker 3: property of the king, one of his harem, one of many.
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  Speaker 3: Esther knew that Jews were hated in Susa, so she
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  Speaker 3: hid her ethnic identity. but maintained her devotion to God,
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  Speaker 3: holding on to the teachings of God's Word passed down
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  Speaker 3: to her by Mordecai. We may at times find ourselves
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  Speaker 3: in situations when the wisest thing to do is not
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  Speaker 3: stand out or call attention to ourselves. This is the
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  Speaker 3: case for countless persecuted Christians today around the world. But
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  Speaker 3: not standing out does not mean we conform or compromise.
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  Speaker 3: We must always ask God for wisdom and strength to
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  Speaker 3: remain faithful to him in all circumstances. Finally, one day
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  Speaker 3: Esther was sent before Xerxes, and he was very pleased
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  Speaker 3: with her. She was chosen among many others to be
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  Speaker 3: made queen. But we must not imagine this as a
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  Speaker 3: great love story. She was just property for the king,
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  Speaker 3: expendable property. This wasn't a marriage as God intended and
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  Speaker 3: designed marriage to be. And Esther was given strict orders
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  Speaker 3: to not speak to Xerxes unless she was summoned. But
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  Speaker 3: behind the scenes, God is at work. His providence is moving.
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  Speaker 3: God worked in the life of Esther's uncle Mordecai. He
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  Speaker 3: placed Mordecai in a place where he uncovered a plot
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  Speaker 3: to kill Xerxes. So he warned Esther, who rushed to
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  Speaker 3: the king and tipped him off. Xerxes was indebted to
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  Speaker 3: Mordecai and to Esther. All seemed well. until a very
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  Speaker 3: evil man named Haman rose among the ranks and got
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  Speaker 3: close to Xerxes. He expected everyone to bow to him,
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  Speaker 3: and because Mordecai refused to do so, he hated Mordecai
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  Speaker 3: and all the Jews. So, Haman got Xerxes drunk and
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  Speaker 3: began to poison his mind against the Jews. He convinced
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  Speaker 3: the king to issue a decree that amounted to an
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  Speaker 3: order of genocide. When Mordecai discovered this, he and all
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  Speaker 3: the Jews went into mourning. Then he found a way
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  Speaker 3: to get word to Esther. She was afraid and reluctant
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  Speaker 3: to get involved, knowing that the king was cruel, calloused,
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  Speaker 3: and unreasonable. But listen to what Mordecai said to Esther
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  Speaker 3: in chapter 4, verse 14. If you keep silent at
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  Speaker 3: this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews
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  Speaker 3: from another place, but you and your father's house will perish.
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  Speaker 3: And who knows? Whether you have not come to the
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  Speaker 3: kingdom for such a time as this, there is so
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  Speaker 3: much truth in that statement for us today. We live
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  Speaker 3: in a very evil world and we face many obstacles
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  Speaker 3: in living for Christ in our generation. But God is
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  Speaker 3: raising up his people. God is raising up courageous people
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  Speaker 3: today to stand true to his word and to stand
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  Speaker 3: faithfully for the testimony of Jesus Christ. God will always
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  Speaker 3: find a way to accomplish his purpose, whether we are
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  Speaker 3: involved or not. May we choose to be involved. May
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  Speaker 3: we choose courage. We must always ask ourselves every day,
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  Speaker 3: what is my purpose in life? What is my reason
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  Speaker 3: for being here in this office or this school or
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  Speaker 3: this neighborhood? I am born to the kingdom for such
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  Speaker 3: a time as this. Esther understood the profound truth of
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  Speaker 3: these words. Everything in her life has been leading up
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  Speaker 3: to this moment when God would work through her to
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  Speaker 3: save a nation. It wasn't easy for her, but it
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  Speaker 3: did remove any doubt. She had to act, whatever the cost,
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  Speaker 3: and she ultimately said, if I perish, I perish, but
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  Speaker 3: I will do what God wants me to do. And
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  Speaker 3: we'll discover what she does in our next episode. Dear God,
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  Speaker 3: we thank you for the scripture and how it challenges
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  Speaker 3: us to know how we could be used by you
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  Speaker 3: in circumstances and opportunities that you've made available to us,
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  Speaker 3: that we would always live for your purpose. We know
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  Speaker 3: that we have been made on purpose and for a purpose.
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  Speaker 3: May we fulfill your plan for our lives every day.
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  Speaker 3: And may we have courage just as Esther did in
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  Speaker 3: Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for listening to today's Bible
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  Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. Before we go, I want to
• 20:40
  Speaker 3: let you know about a unique e-book that's yours to
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