Upon My Honor - Queen Vashti

Let’s begin “Upon My Honor” with the one who refused to show any.  I remember reading Esther as a young Christian and thinking that Queen Vashti must have had a good reason for not showing up when the king sent for her.   I mean… we have no way of knowing if she was busy at that moment.  She gave a separate banquet for the women, so she could have been right in the middle of her party; so did the king really expect her to just drop everything to come out and cater to his wishes?  Was he that prideful or competitive to demand that she make an appearance just to make him look good?  Lol!  Oh! I don't have enough room on this page to list how many complaints that I’ve heard from women about this very thing!  Does God expect us to just drop everything for our husbands?    Remember: considering someone else’s need above your own is the very idea that Jesus portrayed for Christianity.  Many women sing, “Make me more like you; oh make me more like you!”  Well, your marriage certainly has the potential to do just that… make you more like Jesus! 

It’s not about esteeming ourselves as less than the man.  It’s all about holding the word of God in the highest esteem; knowing that when you honor God’s word, He will honor you.  In God’s word, we find His order or line-up; and ahead of you, in line, is your husband.  It seemed to all of the kings men that Queen Vashti's decision not to show up at her husband’s request was an unspoken message to everyone that he wasn’t important; at least not as important as what she was already doing.  The men viewed her behavior as irreverent and an insult to all husbands in general. 

We can learn a lot by studying these men’s perception.  It’s good for all of us women to understand that men tend to view and evaluate things differently.   How many times have you cooked something special for someone else but not anything special for your husband?  How good do you look when you leave for work or other places and how good do you want to look for your husband?  Oh, I know... he’s your best friend and he doesn’t care how you look…  Well, since you don't have any "wise men" at your service, I guess I'll have to be the one to tell you that even though he sincerely and honestly says that to you- Please… don’t be stupid!

You could be placing your highest honor onto someone who isn’t even a part of God’s line-up and then all together ignoring the most important people in your life.   How sad to be a woman who yields "her best" to everyone else and then totally misses it with her own husband...  Who we choose to treat  "significant" really matters to God.  And any woman who chooses to treat her husband dishonorably or insignificant need not bother thinking that God’s promises will come to pass in her life.  Give your best to your husband and God will give His best to you.  It’s just like everything else in the word… it’s up to you to believe it and apply it.  Living it will most likely cost you some pride.  I have lived long enough to learn that pride will eventually cost you much more though.  The price that Vashti paid was her position and crown.   I do wonder if she thought about it later and then regretted her decision.  After a divorce… many women do and will.

I know you want to read about equality and your own significance… it’s in here too...  Check back next week and read further as I continue the teaching “Upon My Honor.”

Loving U Like a Sister,

Regina

Upon My Honor - Introduction

INTRODUCTION:  Probably many of us have seen the movie, “One Night with the King.”  I enjoyed the romantic spin that the writers tried to create but my interpretation from the book of Esther is somewhat different.  The thought of being brought to the king so that he can spend the night figuring out whether he likes you enough to make you queen, isn’t my idea of anything romantic.   Now don’t get mad at me for stating the facts… and don’t get mad at God either for allowing and even using such a thing.  He always meets humanity where humanity is; and for that we all should be grateful.   God shows up and works with people where they are and it’s never His fault when we end up in a less than ideal situation.   Earthly kings and earthly kingdoms were never God’s idea.  He warned man about the behavior of kings from the very beginning. 

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the story of Esther, let’s recap its beginning.   She was a Jewish girl who lost her parents at a young age; therefore, she was brought up by a relative named Mordecai.  It was a time of displacement for a lot of God’s chosen people because of their sin and disobedience.   The setting is around the Persian Empire where many of the Jews had ended up.  The story begins with the king (Ahasuerus) who orders a great feast with many dignitaries invited to show off some of the great splendor of his kingdom.  After feasting and drinking for a few days, the king sends for his queen (Vashti) so that he can show off her beauty to all of his male guests…   The only problem is… she’s busy giving a feast for the ladies and refuses to come at his request.  He was furious at her refusal and then later determined to take vengeance.  The king’s advisors suggested that he quickly remove her crown to teach her a lesson (not only her but to all women alike).

Their advice… Let young beautiful women be found and brought into the kingdom and then choose one to be your new queen.   So the king’s workers began selecting eligible women to be brought in and of course, Esther was found and added as a part of their collection.  This story is not about a king falling in love with a fair maiden.   Nor is it about a young maiden falling for a handsome prince.   Really, the sweetest emotion that is felt is the wonderful attachment that God feels toward His people and how He refuses to give up on us, no matter where we’ve ended up.   God can save a family or an entire nation just by saving one person who chooses to obey Him; and in this story of Esther becoming queen, that’s exactly what He did.  

Funny… most people think of Esther’s beauty as being her greatest asset but I always point out that all of the women who were brought into the kingdom were beautiful (I don’t care who you are; please don’t ever think that "pretty" is enough, lol).  Because of the hand of God being upon her, Esther was able to offer something more significant than beauty to the king and his kingdom.  A woman’s attractiveness might get her noticed for a few seconds but it will always be the women who know AND show honor that will win and keep positions.  Log in next week and find out just what I mean.

Loving U Like a Sister,

Regina

What is JOURNEY Doing Now?

Thank you to everyone who attended the “Then I Became in His eyes as one who found Peace” conference in Beulaville last week.  The atmosphere and the group of women were awesome!  God never disappoints when people show up with that kind of expectation!  We were blessed to say the least.  It’s not too late for you to schedule this event in your church.  Women are definitely worth the investment.  

I tell the church, “Women carry a huge influence.”  If you can help bring change to a woman then you have helped bring change to an entire family!  She can build her house or tear it down with her hands.  Through Journey, God is healing and strengthening women so that they can build… you can read a good book but it is still the anointing that breaks the yoke of bondage in our lives.  Many out of town conferences will be scheduled this year (usually great speakers, great shopping, great restaurants and great fun) but sadly the women who will need to be encouraged the most will not be able to attend because of their lack of finances.  Journey can help you bring the conference to them in your local church.

I’m very excited to invite those of you who are local to come join us for the next phase of the Journey out of Egypt ministry - “Journey Marriage.”  If you have looked at our website then you probably know that our vision begins with healing and strengthening women but our ultimate goal is to reunite the family back with God.  Journey Marriage is a local outreach for helping to heal and strengthen marriages through preaching, teaching, fun and fellowship.  We will begin meeting once a month here in one of our local churches.  If you would like more information about how to be a part of this once-a-month marriage celebration, you can contact us through our website- www.journeyoutofegypt.org.

In a few days, I will begin a new blog series, “Upon My Honor.”  Upon My Honor is one of my teachings from the book of Esther.    It has been my experience that women have heard more than enough about submission but haven’t heard nearly enough about honor.   God will never withhold anything good that He has promised us in His word but it will all depend on how and who we choose to honor.  As women, we tend to sometimes put a romantic spin on some of the Old Testament stories.  Esther is not a romantic novel but more of a story about obedience, faith and honor.  Most of us want something or need something from God.  And many women want to be given more opportunities and better positions where they can really make a difference.   Well, God is not stingy and He is handing down blessings one after the other… and girl, all you have to do is get in line… Upon My Honor will teach you how.

Loving U Like a Sister,

Regina

Believe!!

Several years ago, one of my little boys came into the room and asked if I could play.  In our home this was normal “mommy” behavior and was something that I did routinely.  Unfortunately though, that day I had a splitting headache and “playing” wasn’t anywhere on my agenda.  I told him that I could not play because my head was hurting; therefore, he insisted on praying for me (normal behavior for children who are brought up in church).   He put His hands on my head, asking God to "heal his mommy in Jesus name" and then he walked away.   He returned after a short time with his cars in his hands.  He said, “Are you ready to play?”  I said, “No honey, I told you that my head hurts!”  He looked at me confused and said, “No… I prayed for you!”

That was a very long time ago but I remember that I did get up and play. I wanted him to hang on to the faith that he had in his prayer.  Even though our sons aren’t little boys anymore (one in the Navy, one away at college, and two in High School), they still believe in prayer.  They have had many set-backs and failures but they still believe in prayer.  Their world is full of pressure, struggles, temptation and drawbacks; but they still believe in prayer.  Through war zones, motorcycle wrecks, peer pressure and even a best friend’s funeral; they still believe in prayer.  Problems, heartache, stress and pain… so far, they seem to understand that it is prayer that will help them make it through.

So today, if you feel like you live in a war zone, a wreck, or some kind of pressure cooker… pray.   Maybe there’s a set-back or you have fallen down in some way or another… you can still pray.   If you feel hurt, worried or tired of the same old struggle … don’t be too tired to pray.  Prayer alerts heaven and God will always send us His best reinforcement.   Through prayer, problems are solved; battles are won; folks are healed; paths are cleared; provision is made and people are saved.   In the Bible we are told to never stop praying and that our prayer profits greatly!  If you have stopped praying because you thought things weren’t changing or that God wasn’t listening… then it’s not only time for you to start praying again but it’s also time for you to start believing again. Prayer changes things.

Loving U Like a Sister,

Regina

Is There Anything TOO DIFFICULT for God?

A few years ago, God called me and my husband to pastor a church where there were only seven people in the congregation.   This may sound ridiculous to some and probably even sounds like a waste of time to others, even though the "church" often proudly proclaims, “Jesus would have come down here for only one!”   Now, you would not believe the Spiritual warfare that we went through just to go through those doors.    We were mocked and talked about by several of our Christian peers who said that these seven people were obviously evil and ready to devour anyone who walked in.   We found our peer’s perception to be kind of funny because God had caused us to see the seven as pitiful, poisoned and in need of being rescued.   Their church had somehow, through time, gotten involved in a strange doctrine but all of them, except their teacher, seemed to be happy and enthused about our decision to pastor them.   And even though almost no one believed that my husband and I had heard from God, our journey there and back was a complete success.

The false doctrine was completely thrown out; the teacher and all of the others were recovered and restored.  Life sprang forth as they began feeding on the true word of God.   Most of them were older and at first they rarely opened their mouth…  But it didn’t take very long until they were all laughing, loving and praising God!   Of course with the church showing all of the signs of life, the community started taking interest and little by little, two or three at a time, it began to grow.   There are so many stories that I could share with you about God’s unfailing love, mercy and grace that we experienced during our time at that church…  So many sermons about how love can conquer fear and threat…  But the thing I would like to share with you today is this:  we walked away grateful for the awesome opportunity that we had been given to see God move mightily as He proved His possibilities.

He ended up being more than who we thought He was and He ended up doing more than what we even imagined that He would do.  The lady who was once guilty of false teaching not only became our piano player for praise and worship but also our dear friend.  She died a few years later... And as my husband preached her funeral, I couldn’t help but think about her being in heaven and how thankful I was that the Holy Spirit had helped us to believe that there was nothing too difficult for God.   Today, the Holy Spirit may be sending you forth to take on a task that is very difficult and maybe even looks impossible through the eyes of man.  Remember as you step forward… that what’s impossible with man is possible with God and there is nothing too difficult for Him.  You will never really know God beyond what you are willing to experience and experiencing Him will require you taking a risk.

Loving U Like a Sister,

Regina

Look a Little Deeper

A few years ago, a friend of mine was having a lot of trouble with an infection under her arm.  The doctor decided to make an incision that would speed up the healing time.  Well, what was supposed to be simple and routine, ended up being more serious and took forever.  After her ordeal was over, she and I had a discussion on the matter...  She said, “You would not believe what was in my arm… the doctor just kept pulling stuff out!”  She asked the doctor how all of that  "stuff" could have been in her arm!  The doctor explained that over a period of time, the infection had tunneled very deeply and that’s why it was taking so long to heal.  As we discussed it further, I started thinking of all the similarities between her arm and my Spiritual heart.

I often tell the church, “I have been on this journey for some time now and I am still amazed at the mess that God keeps pulling out of my heart.”  My reaction to Him is much like my friend’s reaction to her doctor; “That was in there all the time?  And, did all of that come out of there?”  I mean, just when I think that my heart has been completely revealed, God allows an encounter with the right kind of pull and pressure that causes some more stuff to manifest!  Oh the times that I’ve tried to blame my difficulties on certain people and certain encounters instead of admitting that if there was nothing ugly in my heart then the encounter couldn’t draw it out!  Do you know what I mean?  Being easily drawn or easily provoked in any way will have more to do with what’s going on inside you instead of what’s going on between you and others.

We cannot blame others for our lack of self-control, immaturity issues, lust, anger, jealousy…  Need I go on?   Instead of getting upset with others that seem to have personalities that draw you, provoke you, or really get your goat - thank God for allowing what was hidden in you to be revealed.  Without His help that stuff might sit there undetected, tunneling deeper and deeper.   After all, it is what’s in our heart that defiles us and it never hurts to look a little deeper.

Loving U Like a Sister,

Regina

God Knows Perfectly!

Because of the fact that I can carry a tune, I have often been counseled and somewhat commanded by others in the church to: join the choir; lead Praise and Worship; sing at weddings and funerals, etc., etc. ... And there have been many times that I have been accused of false humility all because of refusing to call myself “a singer.”  It’s not that I mind singing but my range is somewhere around b minor and so because of this I refer to myself as a worshipper… not a singer!  If you have no range you cannot sing along with most people and sometimes it’s difficult to even get through a song without your voice cracking from the strain.  Had things been different, I would have gladly began an awesome music ministry (or maybe took the road to Nashville) a very long time ago. Lol! …

Along my journey, I have met many people who thought that they knew better what I should do, how I should do it, and who I should do it for.  And humorously enough, it was usually them that they were convinced that I should be doing it for.  I have never met a human being that I thought would make a very good God.  Another thing that has been interesting is that there have been numerous people along my journey that have scorned, tried to shame, and did their best to change me from being talkative.  The reason that this is funny is because it’s the very thing in my personality that God uses; not only as a speaker in church but also in casual settings where my willingness to communicate (lol) enables me to reach out to other women, helping them to feel acknowledged, accepted and comfortable.

God has a unique plan for all of us and His plan always matches His design.  His design (you) always matches His plan.  We don’t have to force ourselves into the shape or mold that someone else demands from us.  God planned our personality and matched it perfectly with our destiny.  He knows how and where He wants to use each of us.  If man was capable of calling, equipping and figuring out every detail of our life, we would have no need for the Holy Spirit.  Of course, I believe in friendship, partnership and mentorship and the accountability that it offers, but I have lived long enough to know that when it comes to the author and finisher of my faith…there is One who knows better than anyone else… my Lord.

Loving U like a Sister,
 
Regina