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Post by pamer on Apr 9, 2009 21:31:04 GMT -5
i loved that quote that Beth said!!! I wrote it down...sorry for all the new people I'm kinda sorta obessed with quotes. me too, I have a quote notebook!! |
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Post by jasonbeliever on Apr 9, 2009 21:31:25 GMT -5
Excuse me for interrupting......to refresh...the quickest way is to go up to the top of the screen where it says File Edit View Favorites Tools Help...click on view and then click refresh and you don't even have to leave the page like you and I have been doing before!
sorry kendra...
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Post by ctsbcmom on Apr 9, 2009 21:31:54 GMT -5
I just hit GO at the bottom of the page or jump to page x if it shows that we've moved on.
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Post by keahgirl8 on Apr 9, 2009 21:32:14 GMT -5
I just thought it was mind-blowing to think about how God can literally use ANYONE...ANYWHERE. It really ties in with our last study, Experiencing God!
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millie4Him
House Blend
The camera is at your service!
Posts: 16 
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Post by millie4Him on Apr 9, 2009 21:32:44 GMT -5
Esther takes place in 483 B.C. in the “ultimate power structure” of the time, which was Persia. Ahasuerus (or Xerxes, his Greek name) was the king at the time. Beth Moore brings up a good point here, which is something we will be learning in this study. “God can come through the door of ANY place of power. NO ONE can keep Him out once he has a mind to get in. There is no place God cannot go, especially with a willing, scared to death, ill-equipped vessel.” This is how He uses Esther, and this is how He wants to use us. I know I'm quoting myself, but I thought this was REALLY timely. It made me realize that this study is even more important than I thought. I hope this is ok, but I love the history part of the Bible - God is who He is throughout - sometimes we forget when we think mere man is in charge. In saying that Esther picks up 60 years after the Jews were free to go back to Jerusalem (remember the exile of Daniel?). Xerxes was Cyrus the Great's grandson, the founder of the Persian Empire and the issuer of the edict enabling the Jews to return from Babylon to Jerusalem. Many Jews chose to stay in Babylon because they had already assimilated. |
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Post by keahgirl8 on Apr 9, 2009 21:34:11 GMT -5
Feel free to jump in with a history lesson any time you'd like!
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Post by sweetpea7s on Apr 9, 2009 21:34:21 GMT -5
Not sure what to saY SO I'll just listen but I'm still here
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Post by keahgirl8 on Apr 9, 2009 21:34:45 GMT -5
Esther is known as a “Diaspora” story. Diaspora means “scattering of seeds.” In the period we will study, in Persia, you will not find longing for Jerusalem. The Israelites had been scattered like seeds, and the Jews had almost disappeared as a collective nation into Persian society. Beth tells us that they almost felt like God had forgotten them. So let’s try to put ourselves in Esther’s shoes…Have you ever felt like God has forgotten about you? Have you ever felt like anyone but you would be God’s choice? The book of Esther is going to open our eyes and our minds about that. I truly believe that God is going to teach each one of us something about ourselves over the course of this study. We just have to let Him.
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Post by nleigh on Apr 9, 2009 21:35:01 GMT -5
Millie, please continue with the history! I find it fascinating.
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Post by tararebeccah on Apr 9, 2009 21:35:04 GMT -5
Excuse me for interrupting......to refresh...the quickest way is to go up to the top of the screen where it says File Edit View Favorites Tools Help...click on view and then click refresh and you don't even have to leave the page like you and I have been doing before! sorry kendra... Thank you!! I see it now!!!  |
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Post by nleigh on Apr 9, 2009 21:36:38 GMT -5
Have you ever felt like anyone but you would be God’s choice?
Only every freaking day. Clearly I need this study! ;D
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Post by karen2008 on Apr 9, 2009 21:36:51 GMT -5
millie4him, history lessons work for me. I'm still learning so I'd appreciate anything like that you'd like to add to the discussion.
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Post by keahgirl8 on Apr 9, 2009 21:37:22 GMT -5
Have you ever felt like anyone but you would be God’s choice? Only every freaking day. Clearly I need this study! ;D I think we all do! I KNOW I do! |
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Post by tararebeccah on Apr 9, 2009 21:37:23 GMT -5
Esther is known as a “Diaspora” story. Diaspora means “scattering of seeds.” In the period we will study, in Persia, you will not find longing for Jerusalem. The Israelites had been scattered like seeds, and the Jews had almost disappeared as a collective nation into Persian society. Beth tells us that they almost felt like God had forgotten them. So let’s try to put ourselves in Esther’s shoes…Have you ever felt like God has forgotten about you? Have you ever felt like anyone but you would be God’s choice? The book of Esther is going to open our eyes and our minds about that. I truly believe that God is going to teach each one of us something about ourselves over the course of this study. We just have to let Him. This made me tear up!! Have any of you watched the movie "A Night with the King?" |
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Post by pamer on Apr 9, 2009 21:37:57 GMT -5
Thats right Millie and this will come up from time to time...these are exhiled Jews that had assimilated in Persia and didn't go back to Israel...they chose to stay in Persia...got comfy there, it's all they knew...sorry that was an assumed thought!
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millie4Him
House Blend
The camera is at your service!
Posts: 16
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Post by millie4Him on Apr 9, 2009 21:38:32 GMT -5
So let’s try to put ourselves in Esther’s shoes…Have you ever felt like God has forgotten about you? Have you ever felt like anyone but you would be God’s choice? This is a question we all can answer, thanks Kendall! In church tonight I noticed all these single women. Some divorced, some widowed, some never married (like me). I wondered how they dealt with being single. I used to often think God forgot about me - why should I be single - why me God? |
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Post by keahgirl8 on Apr 9, 2009 21:38:38 GMT -5
Esther is known as a “Diaspora” story. Diaspora means “scattering of seeds.” In the period we will study, in Persia, you will not find longing for Jerusalem. The Israelites had been scattered like seeds, and the Jews had almost disappeared as a collective nation into Persian society. Beth tells us that they almost felt like God had forgotten them. So let’s try to put ourselves in Esther’s shoes…Have you ever felt like God has forgotten about you? Have you ever felt like anyone but you would be God’s choice? The book of Esther is going to open our eyes and our minds about that. I truly believe that God is going to teach each one of us something about ourselves over the course of this study. We just have to let Him. This made me tear up!! Have any of you watched the movie "A Night with the King?" Oh I know! I was crying by the end of the video! this study is going to be life-changing, I can tell. No, I haven't seen that movie! |
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Post by tararebeccah on Apr 9, 2009 21:38:47 GMT -5
:' Have you ever felt like anyone but you would be God’s choice? Only every freaking day. Clearly I need this study! ;D Me too!! But at the same time I don't want to be forgotten!!  |
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Post by keahgirl8 on Apr 9, 2009 21:40:04 GMT -5
I think it's easy to think sometimes that God has forgotten about us. We just need to remember that He always sees us, and He is always working. That's going to be HUGE in this study.
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Post by keahgirl8 on Apr 9, 2009 21:40:35 GMT -5
One thing that makes this book unique is that there is NO mention of God in it. However, as Beth points out, God’s name may not be in it, but it is ON it. Every word in the Bible is God-breathed. She states that there is as much to learn by where God does not make Himself obvious as where He does. He has lessons to teach us about the times when we cannot see Him. He reveals Himself through ordinary events. Sometimes in Scripture, God does things with or without humans. He parted the Red Sea, while Moses stood there. Sometimes though, He wants us to get in there and DO the work. He wants to USE us to get things done. We are called to be light in a dark place. That is our duty as Christians.
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