Despite having what appeared to be all the power and control anyone could wield, the king of Persia's pride consumes him as the queen refuses his request. The Lord is the true and everlasting King who upholds righteousness and justice, and is never left powerless because of His omnipotence and sovereignty. 

Christians walk in this world full of hope knowing that Christ has and is accomplishing salvation for us. Our call to walk with Him involves rejoicing in hope, being patient in tribulation and being constant or persistent in prayer.

On Christmas Eve we celebrate the arrival of the Promised Messiah who has been ruling and reigning over all things since creation. Because He loves the world, He came into it humbly and now we worship to give Him all glory.

Declaring the name of the Lord and worshipping His holy name is the purpose of the Church. Uniting together with Him and remembering what is true gives us purpose and wholeness in Christ.

God's power, preeminence and His promises assure us today of righteousness,  of His lovingkindness towards us and that we should fear the Lord in holy humility.

Continuing in the Psalms that declare "The Lord reigns" we are met with attributes of God that cause people to fear Him. Because God is holy, just and He answers prayers He should be revered, honored and humbly worshipped.

God will deliver His promises to us regardless of our circumstances that are constantly changing because He is sovereign over all things. This gives us hope and assurance of the loving nature and character of our Creator.

The call for all of us is beautifully simple. If you're suffering, or cheerful, or sick, the call for us is to pray. We are people of prayer. In a cultural of radical individualism and independence, those who follow Christ understand our complete dependence on Him, and that's where we look for help.

The good news of the gospel includes God's faithfulness despite our faithlessness, and the ability we have as believers in Christ to speak the truth confidently.

You can't be a pilgrim without a pilgrimage. In the same way, you can't be a disciple without someone to follow. James is showing us what it looks like to follow after Christ. He's showing us what it looks like to walk in the way of Jesus.