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Today is Monday June 14, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Esther, chapters 8-10. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-june-14

Today's Message: The Price of Freedom
The word freedom is defined as being free or at liberty rather than to be in confinement or under physical restraint, meaning one is free to do what he wants. However, there is another meaning to the word which many of us are not aware of, abandon, a careless disregard for consequences. While freedom gives us the right to choose how we live it is the choices we make that can keep us in bondage. Freedom is not free, it comes with a price. Soldiers give their lives every day so we can be a free country. Jesus gave His life to save everyone, believers or not, from hell, but very few acknowledge that fact. I saw a bumper sticker that said it's your hell you die in it. It is carelessness like this that literally sends people to hell. I'd feel sorry for people who refuse to believe that there is a living God among us, that there is a heaven and a hell, but their arrogance does not deserve any pity. One day they will realize the consequences of their carelessness.

Following Haman's execution, the king made Mordecai his next in command and allowed him to write a new decree to give the Jews freedom and the right to defend themselves from their enemies. “And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king, And said, If it please the king, and if I have favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.” - Esther 8:2-8. Queen Esther not only set Mordecai over the house of Haman she got the king to allow the Jews to use any means necessary to defend themselves from those out to destroy them. Seventy-five thousand people who were set out to destroy the Jews were slain within three days time. God does protect His people, we might endure some pain or fear from time to time, but He will always take care of His own.

The Book of Esther is a testimony to the fact that, even in a secular society, dominated by heathen power, our God can protect His people. Like Esther and Mordecai, their freedom came with a price, they gave themselves as living sacrifices, meaning they did not think of themselves and put the needs of the people first. The result was freedom for all the Jews, not just for themselves. There is a price for our freedom as well, death and hell. We are all sinners and the price we pay for sinning is hell. However, God came up with a way for us to pay that price without going to hell. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 6:23. Our freedom was bought through the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus gave His life as a human sacrifice, meaning He did not think of Himself and put the needs of His people first. The result, freedom from hell and eternal life. Praise God! Sadly, many, many will not accept this gift and will continue to abandon their freedom, careless to the dangers around them. We can not take our freedom for granted, we can be careless and face the consequences or we can use our freedom to help God by standing true to our faith and giving ourselves as a living sacrifice to fulfill His will and receive the blessings waiting for us.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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