"Dispatched Reprisals" answers to questions from Day 5, Week 1
 As we closed out the last discussion, the question was posed as to why the advisors were seeking such a harsh judgement on Queen Vashti for refusing to appear before the King and his drunken guests.  As you probably have noted, she did not want to subject herself to their drunken behavior, but they did not want her refusal to do "as she was told" to permeate throughout the kingdom to all the women and wives.  They didn't want the disobedient behavior to be modeled for what would they do?

Yes, completely a testosterone decision, if you ask me.  These guys would have never lived through the 1960's when women were really making a move!  But this decision did affect a lot of women.  Queen Vashti probably didn't have a clue that an edict would be established to ensure that women would be under the subject of their husbands in most likely a harsher manner than before this action.  Whatever the reasoning, the ruling has been made and we'll continue to see the effects of a decision made hastily and without clear thinking.  Guess they'd never heard of Valentine's Day!

"When His Anger Subsided", Day 1, Week 2
Let's take a different approach to the study of the lesson this week.  Often words are spoken and actions taken that are later regretted when anger leads the way.  With King Xerxes as a Biblical example we are reminded of pivotal points to learn from his behavior.  Can you list some points to consider when allowing anger to inflate your decision making process?  See if you can find 4-5 points using this story as your guide.

Now we have the advice of more of the King's trusted collegues four years later. Imagine, four years after the dismissal of the Queen, the King is living with those misguided decisions!  There were four steps involved in bringing in a possible replacement for the Queen.  Of those four steps, is there one that particularly reminds you of today's society?  What do you think about the selection process for a new Queen?
 
Happy reading and studying!

A Royal Fit - Day 4
We need to be careful when seeking counsel.  The King looked to his trusted wise men, the experts in law and justice to figure out what to do with the Queen when she refused the King's request to appear before his drunken guests.  Interestingly the comment is made in scripture that the King sought the advice of "wise men who understood the times"....

This statement alone says a lot in only six words.  Thought to consider: Do we make decisions based on the political correctness "of the times" in which we live?  Or do we seek God in prayer and look to His Word for direction?  Then the question is posed what can be done in order to keep from giving someone inflammatory advice when the temptation is strong to do so?  Suggestion: Possibly step back, reflect and pray before giving any advice especially inflammatory suggestions.  Nothing good comes from a heart full of anger.

Proverbs 31:45 is so eye-opening to this situation. Thought to consider: It reads as a perfect description of how God desires us to live for how can we make serious decisions when our capabilities are blurred?

Dispatched Reprisals - Day 5
As you continue with this study and read the material for Day 5, one main item of insecruity arose from the "men-folk" during this first lesson in chapter one.  In your own words write what you believe was their main concern involving this incident with Queen Vashti that is evidently spreading throughout the kingdom?  

Beth Moore asks that we keep a log of Purims; an acrostic for parties; unknowns; rescues; ironies and moments of events that happen throughout this study.  This log is an account for you to do as the Lord leads.  We might not address these facts on a regular basis, but they are to aid in your spiritual growth as many "nuggets" of wisdom will unfold as we continue our study of Esther.

Please feel free to comment back to me or write if you have concerns or questions to be answered more fully.  God bless as you continue to pour through the scriptures with me via the internet!


 

When we concluded last week we were beginning to list the cast of characters for the study of Esther.  In my humble opinion there is the inflated ego of King Xerxes, the host of the seven day party. 

The wine that is being served is;
1)  being poured into goblets (have you seen the size of goblets....and I'm sure these were king-sized goblets!)
2)  each man was drinking "in his own way" which probably means consuming quite a bit
3)  the wine was abundant - no end in sight
4)  the King was in "high spirits" on the last day of the banquet...meaning he was high as a kite and probably not wanting the party to end....so what else can he do to impress his male friends?

Queen Vashti's character; in  my opinion she could be a Jackie Kennedy.  She would be wearing pearls if that was the fashion.  Queen Vashti is gorgeous, perfectly sized, just the right outfit for the occasion, a hostess with the "mostess" and every detail of her affair, opposite of her husband's, is one that would give you the "wow" effect when you stepped into the room.  I admire her integrity and dignity with not wanting to be put on display for a bunch of drunken men. 
Why do I believe she refused the King?  For the last statement written above. 

Finally, is it tough being in another woman's shadow?  I guess now that I'm older, I don't feel the pressure of being in another woman's shadow, or at least it's not something I think about a lot.  However, being a writer and loving to speak at women's retreats and functions, I sometimes compare myself to this study's author, Beth Moore.  That is quite a shadow!  But I have learned that God has a place for both the incredible ministry of Beth Moore and my humble little offerings. 

Now on to....

DAY FOUR questions for the week of February 6th!
After reading the information in Day Four, think about a couple of issues;

1)  Those who gave the advice to the King.  Who were they and what was their main concern? The material asks the question; "What can you do to keep from giving someone else inflammatory advice when the temptation is strong?"  Do you have words of wisdom to share with us?
2)  Using the scripture Proverbs 31:4-5, what advice does the Word give to those in places of authority?  Do you think this advice is limited to those in authority?

Hope you are enjoying this material as much as I am....let me hear from you when you get a chance!  Blessings on a great week in the Lord!   

After reading Day Two, pages 14-18, please share your thoughts on the following questions:

1)  This is a party to top all parties.  What do you compare this party hosted by Xerxes?  Stated another way, if you walked into the banquet hall, what do you envision?
2)  Xerxes displayed his wealth how many days?  His banquet lasted ____ days?
3)  Let's answer the statement from page 18.  List every reason in Psalm 49 why prioritizing weath and strutting riches are wastes of precious time.
4)  If you'd like to share, how did you rewrite Psalm 96:4-6

These questions are listed just to keep the juices flowing through your mind as you study.  I found that the place where the banquet was held was an area I'd never thought much about before.  After delving deeper into this study, I found that I was comparing this venue to the Hearst Castle in California which is one of the most magnificent places I've ever seen in my life.  Talk about going over the top with showmanship just because you have the monetary means!

I hope you are enjoying this study as much as I am.  I love to learn and this has been an eye-opener for me.  On to Day Three for the coming week.  I will again post a few questions for you to consider!

DAY THREE for the coming week of January 30th:
Beth Moore shares that going from the Day Two study to Day Three we move from the setting of the story to the cast of characters.

1)  This question gives us a better idea of the party's host.  We are asked to list everything about the wine.  Personally I thought, wine is wine, you drink too much you get drunk.  But I found four important points mentioned in these first twelve verses.  What did you discover?
2)  The next character is the Queen.  What emerges about the Queen's character?
3)  Of all the reasons discussed in the study, what is your physical description of Queen Vashti?
4)  It is tough being in another woman's shadow and what does that mean to you? 

When I post again next week, I will place a few of my answers to these questions in the text.  However, I would love for you to share what your thoughts concerning these inquiries as we go along.  Have a great week!

When you post onto the Esther study, scroll to the bottom of the page and hit the button for full screen.  The punctuation on what comes up initially online isn't correct.  Guess it's just a technology glitch.  After further looking over the material I am posting questions for Day 2 this weekend along with questions for Day 3.  Day 2 will be for summary purposes and Day 3 will get us ready for the next lesson.

This might help us with discussion and a deeper understanding of what we are reading and what others are experiencing in their study.

Do we have others studying with us?  Send me a note!  God bless! 

We were to begin with the first day of "A Royal Mess" for this week.  The material began on page 11 for Day One and was entitled, "This is What Happened".  As you can see from the writing, this day contained background information concerning Esther.  I have shared some of my thoughts as I have studied through Esther and the preceding books of Ezra and Nehemiah.  Hopefully those comments will be of help to you.

Take your time and answer the questions within the lesson and if you desire to discuss a particular question or issue, please comment back to me and I will answer as thoroughly as possible.  I am not a Bible scholar, but together we can find nuggets of wisdom that the Lord desires us to uncover. 

One main point I'd like each of you to consider is a question posed on page 13.  It asks, "Beloved, what are you hoping for as you begin this Bible study?"  If you'd like to share, I'd love to read your thoughts.  I personally hope to gain more insight into the life of Esther whom I have admired for quite some time.  She put her life on the line for her people, but much was required of her.  I'd like to think I'd do the same, but there is so much more to the story.  I look forward to delving into the pages of scriptures each week with the individuals God has brought to this website.

I do love what was written in the margin on page 14, "When we trust our lives to the unseen but ever-present God, He will write our lives into His story and every last one of them will turn out to be a great read.  With a grand ending."  I want my life to be a page turner....how about you?

Looking forward to hearing from you! 
Blessings,
Cookie

Hi Friends!
This is to inform you that our Bible study this year will be the Beth Moore material entitled, "Esther, It's Tough Being a Woman."  It is an indepth study of the life of Esther and consists of weekly sessions of five lessons.  Since I am concerned that five lessons in one week might be a pace that would be difficult for participants, we will be completing one session of study per week. With completing one session per week, we will cover one lesson each 5th week. That will give us approximately 45 weeks of material.  It we find the material is dragging, we can "step it up". This isn't intended to be a long, drawn out study, but one that is manageable with all that is asked of us in our daily routines.

It is my hope and prayer that each participant will ask questions, submit comments and write in feedback.  The study book is found in Family Christian Bookstores, LifeWay Christian Bookstores and can be purchased online at various venues.  Since the study book is needed by participants, I am going to begin the study the week of January 22nd.  If there is a problem with getting the material, please let me know.  I want this to be a positive experience for all involved.  On January 22nd I will have a few comments posted on this blog before participants begin their week of study.  By the way, how many participants have Skype?  It has been suggested this might be a possible way to communicate and give feedback every couple of weeks....this is just a suggestion, but all suggestions will be given the proper consideration.

May God bless and I look forward to this year of growing in our knowledge of the Lord and His provision for us as His children through the book of Esther.  Can't wait to begin!!    

It's Christmas Day and I'm already getting really excited about our study for the New Year!  Tomorrow I will be visiting the local Christian bookstore in Lynchburg, Va. with a good friend of mine to find the study that the Lord has planned for us in the New Year.  I would ask for your prayers as we search diligently to hear the voice of our Good Shepherd through the pages of curriculum presented in this awesome store.

Enjoy the rest of your time with family throughout the upcoming week.  I will be posting the information about this upcoming study very soon and pray that you will join us as we grow in knowledge of our Lord Jesus and learn how to minister as sisters in Christ.  

God bless, my friends! 

If you have trouble reading any of this entry, please click on the title, "Chapter 40 of Exodus" and you will be transferred to a scribd page where hopefully the transcription will be more legible.  This is a continuing attempt to publish these entries as a blog.  This is only one of the "kinks" that we are working to correct for the New Year and a better update of our ministry efforts.