There are subtle ways that we may be causing harm with our words. Following on from last week's message about our words, we will see some specific ways we are warned not to use our tongues for harm, and what kind of speech we are called to.

The power of life and death are in the tongue. How are we using our words: to give life, or take it?

Things are looking dire for God's people. But this can't be fixed by bowing. Mordecai has to trust God and take bold action so that God can work through him- and Queen Esther- to an incredibly satisfying redemption.

That someone would rise from the dead is fairly unbelievable, right? And yet, all our faith and hope depend on the fact that Jesus did exactly that. We will explore together the unbelievable reality of His resurrection and see how we can take the road out of skepticism into simple faith.

To Mordecai, being a Jew meant something. He refused to bow to the insolent Haman, which sparked a series of events that looked dire for God's people. But this couldn't be fixed by bowing- Mordecai had to see it through so that God could work an incredibly satisfying redemption.

Faith is often needed most when it makes the least sense. Abraham waited 25 years for a promised gift, and then the unexpected happened- God asked for it back. Abraham was learning to trust God only, to cling to Him only, and even to believe that God will provide for us what He requires of us.

What if God's call on your life was really, really hard? Jeremiah was God's prophet, to be sure, but he was the lone voice of truth among a thousand lies. He sat alone, he stood for truth, and was uniquely rewarded by God for his faithfulness. 

Stephen was a table waiter with some pretty remarkable qualities. He was also counted worthy to be the first martyr for Jesus' name. We also can bring lasting change if we will let God fill us with faith and wisdom, grace and power.

Sometimes, hard choices will be made that will cost us a lot. Have we defined the lines we will not cross? Have we decided that we will worship God only, or do we compromise and bow to the idol of gold? If we choose God's way, the 4th man, the Son of God Himself, will be with us in the fire.

If there were an idol in my heart, would I want to know it? What if the idol were the most sinister kind of all- an idol of my own image, and idol of self? God is offering to help us to see this idol for what it is, to destroy it, and worship Him alone.