for such a time as this

What does it take for us as believers to make a difference in our world? How do we live extraordinary lives in an ordinary world?

Esther was a Jewish girl living in Persia who rose to become Queen to King Xerxes. When her people were threatened with annihilation, her cousin Mordecai urges her to step up and make a difference.

Like all the heroes - great men and women of faith in the Bible - Esther shared these three characteristics that enabled her to change the course of history.

1. Made a Choice - Esther chose to risk her life to save her people.

2. Sacrificed her dreams - Esther could easily have justified herself saying God wouldn't have made her Queen only to be killed for breaking the law of the land. Remember the illustration of Walt Disney who cut out a 4 and a half minute sequence in the first animated feature film Snow White despite the fact it took 240 days to work on it. A lot depend on the multitude of "good" things we need to eliminate to make way for the great things God wants to do through us.

3. Lived by a Higher Standard - Esther never forgot she was a Jew. She never lowered her standard, thinking she belonged to the Persian nation. We tend to copy the people with whom we associate. We borrow thoughts from the books we read and the programs (or movies) we watch, almost without knowing it like the London errand boys humming to the out-of-tune bells. Have you so conformed to the ways of the world (at work or school, etc) that you cannot discern what pleases or displeases God? Or worse yet, has it ceased to bother you although you know it displeases Him?

We as believers live under a higher standard of Jesus, the perfect Son of God. We are not to set out standard against even the "best" and exemplary Christians.

God has called us to be saved; hence we are called to a specific purpose with our lives. We were made for such a time as this - a time of deep spiritually darkness and confusion and godlessness.

Will you stand up for Christ and make a difference in your day?

--from Nakwon EM July 8th Sunday Worship Service

btw, what an AWESOME 6 O'clock Sunday Worship Service that was at Times Square Church! Those of you who did not go, YOU MISSED OUT BIG TIME!!!!!! Join us next month on the first Sunday when we go! Don't miss it!

Reminder: Go into Times Square Church website www.timessquarechurch.org (sorry, can't add a link for your convenience because I have not gotten permission from TSC for creating link to our blogsite yet) and check out the sermon archives and listen to the sermons and blessed!!!