Grace & Favour
Grace & Favour
Queen Esther
Hey Guys! I hope that you are all well and doing great. It's been a minute. Recently I started a Bible study group with my friends. We talk over the phone because we are all in different parts of the world. A different person leads each session and we are currently looking at the book of Esther. We also gave ourselves a theme for the week being "Grace and Favour". I had the honor of leading the first session and I just wanted to share with you guys some of the things that we discussed.
Esther 2
- When God selects his chosen he considers many things. For his glory. He doesn't just randomly choose people.
- Esther was a virgin. Usually when the Bible makes reference to virgins it shows someone who can take care of themselves. Eg. The virgin Mary who carried our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Therefore someone who will be able to take care of their purpose. This was mentioned for a reason. God had a specific person he was looking for to be queen. For his glory.
- Being a virgin isn't always a physical state. In Christ we become new creations so that physical state doesn't matter once you come to Christ because you become a born again virgin. Being a virgin goes beyond physical state. It is also a spiritual state. Representing a state of purity in one's heart.
- Esther was an orphan. She didn't come from an amazing background. This shows that God had no favourites. He can use and transform anyone. Her background also shows that she had a sort of humility to her character. As you read further in the book of Esther you will see that Esther did many things that she didnt have to do because she was queen but because she understood her purpose she did them.
- When God has a purpose for your Life he also considers that you have family and friends that you love and care for. Mordecai (Queen Esther's cousin who adopted her) was able to save the king's life from the two officers that wanted to assassinate him. Mordecai, being connected to Queen Esther, was able to tell her their plan when he learnt of it and Esther brought it to the king's attention. By doing this Mordecai found favour in the king's eyes and gained credit. His connection to Esther benefited him. So in obeying God and walking in your purpose not only will you be benefiting but also those around you will.
Queen Esther
Hey Guys! I hope that you are all well and doing great. It's been a minute. Recently I started a Bible study group with my friends. We talk over the phone because we are all in different parts of the world. A different person leads each session and we are currently looking at the book of Esther. We also gave ourselves a theme for the week being "Grace and Favour". I had the honor of leading the first session and I just wanted to share with you guys some of the things that we discussed.
Grace - the freely given, unmerited (undeserved) favor and love of God. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them. a virtue or excellence of divine origin.
In Western Christian theology, grace is "the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not necessarily because of anything we have done to earn it". It is not a created substance of any kind. It is an attribute of God that is most manifest in the salvation of sinners.
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Examples of grace:
John 3:16
-God did not owe us Jesus but he desired for us to have him. We were all sinners but God sent us a saviour and now we have become new creations in Christ.
- The forgiveness that comes with Christ. In the old Testament, to be forgiven after sinning animal sacrifices had to be made but now it is as simple as going on your knees and praying to God and receiving his forgiveness.
- Grace has a lot to do with the daily mercies of God. Simply waking up in the morning is grace. Some people die in their sleep. Being able to walk, breathe, see, hear etc. All that is the grace of God.
Favour - Favour is merited (deserved). Means generally good will, acceptance, and the benefits flowing from these.
Favour and obedience go hand in hand. Favour comes through obedience. When you have captured God's attention through your willingness and consistency in obeying him.
Favour goes beyond grace. Favour comes into play in situations where God remembers you. Where we end is where God begins. Where we can't do anymore. Eg. In a situation where everyone is being fired at work. God will remember you and because of his favour upon your life you will not be fired even though everyone else is being fired. This will be because you are consistent with your faith and go above and beyond to obey and serve in the kingdom of the Lord.
1 Esther
- In this chapter we see the grace of God. Esther is not even mentioned in the first chapter of her own book. Rather we see a sequence of events which were all strategically planned out by God in order to make way for Esther so that he could fulfill his purpose through her, for his glory.
- As Christian's we do not function based on coincidence. I learnt this from my dad, Apostle S.T Manyika. The Queen Vashti did not just refuse to see King Xerxes. King Xerxes didn't just get angry. He did not just request for his advisors who then told him to sought after a new queen. All these things were part of God's plan. We know this because the fact that it was even mentioned in the Bible shows that it was important for us to know. That God is a God with a plan and a strategy for your life. He will stir the hearts man just for you. Just to make way for you. He knew all these things would happen way before time. Way before you even come into the picture God would have already started working.
In Western Christian theology, grace is "the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not necessarily because of anything we have done to earn it". It is not a created substance of any kind. It is an attribute of God that is most manifest in the salvation of sinners.
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Examples of grace:
John 3:16
-God did not owe us Jesus but he desired for us to have him. We were all sinners but God sent us a saviour and now we have become new creations in Christ.
- The forgiveness that comes with Christ. In the old Testament, to be forgiven after sinning animal sacrifices had to be made but now it is as simple as going on your knees and praying to God and receiving his forgiveness.
- Grace has a lot to do with the daily mercies of God. Simply waking up in the morning is grace. Some people die in their sleep. Being able to walk, breathe, see, hear etc. All that is the grace of God.
Favour - Favour is merited (deserved). Means generally good will, acceptance, and the benefits flowing from these.
Favour and obedience go hand in hand. Favour comes through obedience. When you have captured God's attention through your willingness and consistency in obeying him.
Favour goes beyond grace. Favour comes into play in situations where God remembers you. Where we end is where God begins. Where we can't do anymore. Eg. In a situation where everyone is being fired at work. God will remember you and because of his favour upon your life you will not be fired even though everyone else is being fired. This will be because you are consistent with your faith and go above and beyond to obey and serve in the kingdom of the Lord.
1 Esther
- In this chapter we see the grace of God. Esther is not even mentioned in the first chapter of her own book. Rather we see a sequence of events which were all strategically planned out by God in order to make way for Esther so that he could fulfill his purpose through her, for his glory.
- As Christian's we do not function based on coincidence. I learnt this from my dad, Apostle S.T Manyika. The Queen Vashti did not just refuse to see King Xerxes. King Xerxes didn't just get angry. He did not just request for his advisors who then told him to sought after a new queen. All these things were part of God's plan. We know this because the fact that it was even mentioned in the Bible shows that it was important for us to know. That God is a God with a plan and a strategy for your life. He will stir the hearts man just for you. Just to make way for you. He knew all these things would happen way before time. Way before you even come into the picture God would have already started working.
Esther 2
- When God selects his chosen he considers many things. For his glory. He doesn't just randomly choose people.
- Esther was a virgin. Usually when the Bible makes reference to virgins it shows someone who can take care of themselves. Eg. The virgin Mary who carried our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Therefore someone who will be able to take care of their purpose. This was mentioned for a reason. God had a specific person he was looking for to be queen. For his glory.
- Being a virgin isn't always a physical state. In Christ we become new creations so that physical state doesn't matter once you come to Christ because you become a born again virgin. Being a virgin goes beyond physical state. It is also a spiritual state. Representing a state of purity in one's heart.
- Esther was an orphan. She didn't come from an amazing background. This shows that God had no favourites. He can use and transform anyone. Her background also shows that she had a sort of humility to her character. As you read further in the book of Esther you will see that Esther did many things that she didnt have to do because she was queen but because she understood her purpose she did them.
- When God has a purpose for your Life he also considers that you have family and friends that you love and care for. Mordecai (Queen Esther's cousin who adopted her) was able to save the king's life from the two officers that wanted to assassinate him. Mordecai, being connected to Queen Esther, was able to tell her their plan when he learnt of it and Esther brought it to the king's attention. By doing this Mordecai found favour in the king's eyes and gained credit. His connection to Esther benefited him. So in obeying God and walking in your purpose not only will you be benefiting but also those around you will.
From all this we learn that God's grace and favour is in abundance. He has your life in the palm of his hands and he will never fall short in fulfilling his purposes through us. We must just do our part by allowing him to do a great work in and through us and receiving his grace.
God bless❤
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