Many of us wonder why we aren’t finding the kind of friends we are looking for. The reality is that meaningful friendship isn’t found, but built by seeking to BE the kind of friend you’re looking for. As it turns out God’s Word has a lot to say to us about how to be a friend and build purposeful friendships; the kind that God will use to bring you joy, shape your character, and help us live for Him.

We tend to give a lot of attention to whether or not the resurrection historically took place and this is a very important question with a lot of evidence. However, in Philippians 3 Paul was not only concerned with the reality of the resurrection, he was concerned with experiencing the power of the resurrection in his own life as a way of knowing Jesus more. You might believe the resurrection happened, but are you experiencing it’s power in your life? The resurrection is real, and it’s power is really good.

Every day, we make decisions that expose what’s most important to us. If you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself living for something far less important that you realize. For Paul, what was most important was something he called “being found in Christ”, and he was dead set on making sure his life aligned with it. Why did this matter so much to him and why should it matter to you?

In Philippians 3:7-8 we are challenged to radically change our perspective as Paul did. Paul, sitting in a Roman prison, was able to look back at all of his pedigree and accomplishments and consider them in the loss column compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus. Paul came to an understanding that whatever difficulty he might be going through at the moment is actually a chance to know more of Jesus. He releases anything that competes with Christ and embraces the suffering as an opportunity for fellowship and a pursuit of the power of the resurrection.

It’s easy to think of the salvation God offers as either a forgiveness we received in the past or something that is only effective once we die. The book of Esther paints a picture of a God’s rescue that offers redemption in the midst of our current circumstances and invites us to participate in a new beginning.

Most of the time we live very calculated lives. When we do take risks, we often take them to further our own interests. But there’s a different kind of risk worth taking. Taking a kingdom risk means putting our benefits on the line to further God‘s purposes. The outcomes are never guaranteed in this life, but risking our own benefits, makes us a part of a far bigger story than our own. 

Esther is a signpost, pointing to God’s salvation for the world. Ester makes the choice to rick her life in the hopes of saving the people, while Jesus knowingly gave His life to secure salvation and reconcile us to God. Our response is participation through obedience and dependence, not because God needs us, but because He invites us into His mission.

How we should engage under earthly authority and under God’s ultimate authority isn’t always easy to navigate. When Mordecai refuses to bow down to Haman he is risking his own interests and influence which ends up putting the lives of other people on the line, as well. What do we do when submission to earthly authority conflicts with God’s ultimate authority, especially when it goes against our own interests to honor God?

The book of Esther is set 100 years after the Babylonian exile. While some of the Jewish people returned from exile (Ezra/Nehemiah), others stayed. This takes place in Susa, the capital city of the Persian empire. The primary characters of this account are Mordecai and Esther. The most obvious and poignant observation about this book os that God is not mentioned in it, at all. This becomes an invitation for us to look for God’s activity throughout the entire book. It’s also an invitation for us to look for God’s activity in our own world and our own life because God is actively working even when His presence is not apparent.