Esther 4:13 – Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.

Esther 4:14 – For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Hello readers, today’s blog is “this is our time”. Often we can live a Christianity which is ” I’ll do what’s right somewhere off in the distant future”. For many professing Christians, when their time comes, they duck for cover. David rolled into the camp of Israel one day, the boy David that is, and saw a whole army of people lead by a man who were ducking Goliath. Eliab could’ve fronted up, but he missed his time, and you never hear of him again. In fact, all he was good for was trying to talk someone else out of their time.

I was tempted to title this “this is YOUR time”, and that’s true, but truthfully, it is all our time, as this truth is for all of us. And just like now is the accepted time, just like today is the day of salvation, so is today the day to obey God and do what’s right. Today is our time. Don’t wait for tomorrow, tomorrow never comes, our entire life consists of “todays”. And today is your time. In Esther 4, it was Esther’s time. In the country in which I live, Australia, never has there been a greater responsibility but also opportunity and privilege to stand for what is right. You have been given a chance in life to do what’s right, and every day is a chance to walk by faith and honour God with your life by doing what is right.

I was thinking in this whole covid thing, I wish it was more being persecuted for “Jesus’ sake” rather than just for the right to have my own choice. But when you think about the issue, it is an issue of righteousness, and it’s a shame and disgrace that unsaved people can and do show more character and more of a sense for what’s right and wrong than professing Christians.

I then thought about what Jesus said in Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Righteousness is at stake. The Bible teaches that “to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin”. It is sin to not stand for what was right when you coulda, woulda, shoulda… but did not. Will your life story be that you refused to do what was right when your time came? Pilates time came one day, a time and a responsibility he tried to abdicate and absolve himself from, but he could not wash his guilt away. Oh yeah, he thought he was the big dog, he had the power, and all that power did was condemn himself, that power he had which he loved caused him to have to make a decision that will chase him for eternity. Maybe it’s a case of be careful what you wish for. That little promotion may just make your spot in hell that little bit hotter.

It is wrong for a government that is manifestly against God to force a medical procedure on you that you do not want. This same government has pushed every ungodly agenda there is, do they really care about health when they’ve advanced abortion and euthanasia and everything in between? Our health care system is burdening with alcohol, drugs, smoking, junk food, stds and everything else, and that’s all a function of freedom right. People are taking health risks in the name of personal freedom everywhere everyday. The thing that is so incredible in this is that for my lifetime growing up, the narrative has centered around inclusitivity, respect, anti discrimination, tolerance, diversity, non judgmentalism and blah. Where’s that gone now? Where’s your own fake morality gone now? Oh yeah, you’re a hypocrite. And don’t say I am selfish, you are the one that is selfish, you are the one guilty of what you’re hanging on others.

I know people, family members included, who have or are about to lose their jobs because they refused the vaccine. A vaccine that does not work, and that is actually producing more harm than the virus. And it’s been pushed by a government who’s management of the virus has produced far more pain and suffering than the virus could ever dream of. I could go on and on, but the whole thing is a testament to the lack of integrity, the lack of ethics, the lack of morality, the lack of logical consistency and the utter contradiction of the whole thing. We shouldn’t be surprised, because the Bible says to consider him (Jesus) who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself. Think of the contradictions when sinners are accusing the only one who never sinned of sin. Make no mistake, righteousness is at stake in all of this, and today is always the day, now is always the time to do what is right. Yes it is important to stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the word of God first and foremost, and that also includes standing for what is right.

There is mass censorship. There is mass corruption. There are back room deals. You know, Jesus was betrayed in a back room deal. And his resurrection was lied about and caused many to believe a lie which sent them to hell based on a back room deal. You may not see the money changing hands, but be sure that money is changing hands and be sure that the love of money is the root of all evil in this. It makes you look forward to when Jesus Christ rules and reigns, because finally this world will experience what it’s like to have a truly good and godly government, something that has eluded us for pretty much all of human history.

I’ve got many blogs I want to do, and one I am going to be doing is “tomorrow’s payoff is worth today’s price.” That applies both in terms of Christian life and in issues like this. There is a price that comes with telling people the truth, standing for truth, and following Jesus Christ… all that comes at a cost to self advancement and peer acceptance and approval… but there is a payoff. Those who pay that price of carrying his cross, they also experience the payoff of the resurrected life, seeing others saved, sharing in the sufferings of Christ, and being part of the glory which is to be revealed. You’ll never see others saved if you are not willing to die first, because as Jesus taught, it is in death that abundant life is brought forth. Think of how much eternal life the death of one, Christ, produced. It’s the same for us.  Truly put Jesus Christ first, and if you pay that price, you will experience the eternal payoff.

In this covid issue, there is a price for standing for what is right, and it’s being paid by men and women around the world, not even saved necessarily, and it’s a shame that someone who is not saved can have more backbone than a good many professing Christians I know who already caved and missed their time. They remind me of the Hebrews who came to get Samson “know ye not that the Philistines are rulers over us?”. Then they bound Samson and gave him to the Philistines. Unbelievable isn’t it. Pathetic. We should cut Samson a bit more slack, he was a one man army because there was noone else. The only time you see someone else is the people who came to get his body after he’d pushed the temple over.

Are you going to be a professing Christian who forever missed his or her time? Missing your time to preserve self while others face the chop will not payoff long term. It may have a short term pay off, but there is no eternal reward. Will you put living another day over doing what’s right at risk to your today? Will you miss the time where you could’ve fronted up, where you could’ve made a difference? Well? This doesn’t apply just to covid, this applies to the Christian life full stop. Salvation was at stake, personally and nationally, salvation is at stake. If the three Hebrew children did not put living another day ahead of obeying their God, why can’t we? You see, we think oh that’s such a good story, well done boys, but I’ll never do that. We applaud others standing but we won’t stand for anything ourselves.

And by the way, unsaved people can enjoy the blessedness of what God has instilled into his creation when you do what it is right. You don’t have to be saved to experience the blessedness of giving over receiving. You don’t have to be saved to enjoy the blessedness of being faithful in marriage, or helping a neighbor, or whatever it is. God’s way works for everyone. It’s a dead set shame when unsaved people show Christians up for the little cowards they are. Look in Judges 6, the Israelites are in the dens and caves and rocks and clefts… they’re on the run, they’re hiding. They’re all trying to make it another day. Even Gideon’s own father had caved in, he had that altar to Baal in his backyard. He’d made concessions to make it another day. How many concessions will you make to evil to another day?

There may not be another time for you to stand for what is right. Maybe this is your chance right now. If it’s in your power to do right and make a difference right now, why won’t you do it?  Oh it’s easy to stand for what’s right when there is no adversity, but the real test of who and what you are is what happens in the squeeze. Here in Esther chapter 4, we see Esther risking her life because it was her time. Are you risking anything for Jesus? Are you risking anything for someone else? Are you risking anything for what is right? The Bible says in Proverbs 24:10 ” If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” Maybe you’ve just found out how small your strength is. Maybe you’re showing how little strength there really is to your claims as a believer or even just the big claims you make about yourself in your life.

I was reading 1 Kings 18 the other night and I noticed a character in the Bible who goes under the radar called Obadiah. The chapter is about Elijah, but we read about Obadiah, a guy who was in Ahab’s government system. Oh he was trying to do right where he could and when he could, but he could never be Elijah. He was too scared. He was too afraid. There are too many secret believers. There are too many on Ahab’s payroll. Obadiah didn’t have the guts to stand up or stand apart, and in fact, he was one of Ahab’s trusted men. He was part of that whole anti government system persecuting people like Elijah. Oh, I’ll change it on the inside. Oh really? How much changing of the anti God government and nation did Obadiah really do. Why couldn’t he do more?

Oh, and the government made Elijah the bad guy. Ahab accused Elijah of troubling Israel… when it was Ahab who was ruining Israel. Amazing how the reprobates accuse others of what they are guilty of. The problem isn’t the Christians, the problem is the ungodly wicked who have brought the curse of God into our land because they’ve rejected him and our land is filled with evil and darkness and lies and deceit and conceit. Elijah didn’t comply or conform, he obeyed God’s word, God’s word is who and what he trusted… and guess what, God made a way for him those three and a half years when the government was after him. That gives us hope. With God there is a way, and of course there is, because Jesus Christ is THE way.

In the book of Esther, there had been a very bad law passed, all the Jews were to be killed. It was an evil law. Governments make evil laws, welcome to 2021. But it was legal right? If it’s legal it must be okay? Wrong. And was it really that legal, can murder ever really be legal? Well abortion is murder and that’s legal, so guess you can. You can make just about any ungodly legislation noble with enough words and spin and oration these days can’t you. Remember the orator, the big dude Tertullus they brought into to accuse Paul, it’s amazing how flowery and flattery they can make their lies isn’t it. Ahab had it wrong. Elijah wasn’t the problem, Elijah had the solution. AHAB was the problem, and similarly in this story, the king was the problem, and his second in command was the problem… not the Jews. You see, the king wasn’t thinking straight, he was not right with God himself, and he was listening to wicked council. You surround yourself with the wrong people, expect them to influence the way you think and the way you do. There is a reason why the Bible says to be not deceived, evil communications corrupt good manners. Don’t be deceived about it, it happens everytime.

Governments have done and will continue to make laws which contradict the law of God. Our government thinks it is God and wants to be God and is trying to be God… but they are not God. And there is a higher law, because no government is above the law of God. The very first line of Australia’s constitution references God, and our constitution is nowhere near that of the United States, but we have enjoyed similar freedoms because of the godly laws and principles which were instilled into the fabric of the way our nation was run. It didn’t mean our nation was saved, but there is a blessedness and freedom that comes from whatever you do that is in line with the law of God. We enjoyed some light, but as time went on, we rejected that light, and we have been plunged headlong into darkness.

So here is Esther, she’s placed in a position where she can do something. When you have power to do right, and you do not do it, all the best. You might save your life for now, but you will lose your life for it. That’s one of the things of following Jesus Christ, losing your life for his sake is finding it, and keeping your life is losing it. What you give to God you keep and get much better in return, and what you keep from God you lose and is taken from you. And there will be greater damnation, if Jesus said it, it is true. To whom much is given, much is required. With power and position and privilege comes responsibility and accountability. All Esther’s people had a death sentence on them, and it had been planned out meticulously. Ever noticed how meticulous wicked people can be? Haman spent day and night on this thing to get it just right, and while citizens have been out there working hard under tough conditions, our government has been working day and night on betrayal and selling out. They’ve been finding every loophole, examining every angle, and finding a way to get this through. They’re pretty Haman like.

The thing is, Esther was a Jew. But she could have gotten away with being a Jew because nobody knew she was a Jew, she was close to the king and she wasn’t in danger herself. So does she save herself or do what is right? What would you put first? Do you obey God and do what’s right because it’s what God said and because it’s right and because of who he is… or do you do what you do to save your own skin?

At the heart of this whole covid issue is something that Satan knows about man and is banking on with you. Satan is banking on you doing what’s best for you. He knows what man is like. Job 2:4 ” And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.” There’s nothing a man won’t give to save his own skin. There’s no freedom you won’t give up, there’s no person you won’t throw under the bus, there’s noone and nothing you will spare to save your own skin. Think of all the Christians out there giving up truth, giving up righteousness, giving up non negotiables of the faith… giving up their Bible… is there anything they have not given up for the sake of their own skin? But for a true Christian, and for someone who puts what is right first, that does not hold true. Satan had a theory that Job served God for what God did for him, not because of who God was. And Satan was wrong, and he was a liar, because he is a liar, all he does is lie. Satan’s theory did not hold true for Job, hopefully it does not hold true for you. Often we are very quick to sacrifice the truth and what’s right to save our own skin or protect our own self interests and self advancement and self perpetuation.

It’s interesting because the Bible is just so full of truths for today I can’t even get a small fraction of them down. It’s ridiculous how relevant the book truly is. It truly is the book of life. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is jam packed with wisdom for the time in which we live. May we just turn to God’s word finally when we run out of trying to figure out what to do ourselves. In Esther, you see compliant and non compliant. Just read through the book. You’ll see in Esther 9 that there were those that helped the Jews and those that tried to kill the Jews. We should not comply with ungodly laws. We should not comply with evil. We shouldn’t perpetrate it nor should we accomplice it. An accomplice to a crime is as guilty to the perpetrator of the crime.

And you may comply, you may get the vaccine and keep getting vaccinated, which is what boosters are and an admission of how ineffective they are, and you may surrender all your freedoms, and you may live, you may get away with it, you may avoid suffering for what’s right… but you will miss your time. And the incredible thing is, Mordecai said Esther, if you don’t do this, you won’t avoid destruction. You see, you cannot miss your time and not see the destruction of your own life. Imagine seeing your potential for God destroyed, the plan of God for your life destroyed, your purpose destroyed. Worse than suffering for refusing the vaccine is getting the vaccine just to comply because you’re afraid or hoping for normal to return soon, and then have to live knowing that when it was your time, you missed your time. Look, if you want to be part of it all, go ahead, but the Bible is full of people who were not “part of it all”. History does not smile kindly on those who were part of something that was wrong, but they just went along with it because it was the path of least resistance.

Mordecai said to Esther, if you don’t do this because you’re trying to save your own skin, don’t think you will avoid destruction. What kind of life is one where you did not do what was right in order to make it another day? See, the concessions you make to preserve yourself are not worth it in the end. Imagine denying Christ and getting to keep living… is that really a life worth denying Christ for? And the funny thing is, God’s deliverance is right on course. With you, or without you, deliverance will arise. It just matters on whether you are on the right side of it or not. Mordecai said, if you don’t go in, deliverance will arise from another place, but you will have missed your time. It’s better to face suffering for righteousness sake than do what’s wrong and then suffer for having done what’s wrong one day. Maybe that day will only be the day of judgment, but imagine doing what’s wrong to gain a few more years here only to burn your eternity. The problem with all our decision making is we are so invested here, and not invested in heaven, and it’s making us make very poor eternal decisions.

God can use you, he wants to use you, but he can also use someone else to do it. Your time is now. It’s not for someone else to do, it’s not a price for someone else to pay, it’s you. Don’t pass the buck when it’s your time to front up. Just make sure when you front up, learn from Judges 20. The whole nation of Israel fronted up, but they weren’t right with God themselves. Something horrible and unforgiveable had happened, and they’d finally said enough. But they went to battle without repentance, without acknowledgement of truth, and without God. Don’t leave God out of it. God is who we need.

God is the one who makes the way through the Red Sea. God is the one who can furnish a table in the wilderness. If you are at desperation stage, if you are panicking, if all you can see is sea and Pharaoh’s army, it is time to trust in the Lord. It was THROUGH the sea that deliverance lay. It was THROUGH the fire that the three Hebrew children were delivered. Sometimes there’s no way but through the fire. God didn’t take the sea away, he made a path through. And it was in that passage through the sea that Pharaoh and his armies were destroyed. You don’t know how God is going to use what’s happened, but be sure that the payoff is far greater than the price. Joseph’s payoff ended up being worth the price don’t you think? There was a price for doing what was right that he incurred for many years, but one day that man woke up in the prison not realizing that same day he would be second only to Pharaoh in the whole world and the key to the nation’s future.

Maybe in this whole covid thing you are keeping your head down, you’re tempted to think like Mordecai was saying to Esther NOT to do. Maybe you’re trying to keep your head down, you’ve struck it lucky, and while others are facing the bullet, you can see a way to save your skin rather than risking your skin for doing what is right. God’s deliverance is going to come, and when it does, are you going to be that person who missed their time? This is our time, this is your time. We have been frozen in inaction for too long. Obviously, I have been talking on multiple levels, but firstly to believers in their walk with God, and secondarily in regards to the whole covid happening. This is your time. Stand for what is right, make a difference, don’t put off tomorrow what is yours before you to do today. Esther had been, she’d been putting it off, delaying, hoping to avoid the risk and the confrontation, hoping to avoid fronting up. If anything good is to come out of this, it’s a chance to really see what our profession of faith and character is truly made of. And for many people, really there’s nothing there.

Maybe you don’t even know what to do. You have been that far from God’s word you don’t even have a clue what’s going on. Esther had to listen to Mordecai, because Mordecai set her straight. Mordecai is a picture of Jesus Christ, and just like Esther listened and obeyed his word, we should obey God’s word. Mordecai was not satisfied with Esther’s excuse, justification or attempted pacification. Learn from this. Esther made some weak excuse to not go in. How many weak excuses and pathetic justifications are you hiding behind doing what is right? God is not fooled and you’re not fooling others near as well as you think. The Bible is full of stories of men and women who’s time came. Moses’ time came, you know that? He’d grown up in Egypt, he’d been schooled there, friends there, fun there, pleasures there and so on, but one day the time came for him to refuse and to choose. What will you refuse and what will you choose? This is your time. This is our time.

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