Esther--Touching the King's Heart(2)

Intro: Desk Story

Max Lucado and Sara

Sara was very excited but then was told it would be 4 weeks before the desk would be delivered because it had to be painted.

Her eyes filled with tears but she did not throw a full on fit.

But each corner

Daddy, don’t you think we could paint it ourselves?

Daddy I just want to draw some pics on my new desk.

Daddy, please let’s take it home today.

Then she disappeared for a bit and came back with her arms out wide

Guess what Daddy, it will fit in the back of our car!

Measuring with her arms softened his heart. But what really got to him was the name she called him “DADDY”

They took a desk home that day!

He heard her request for the same reason God hears ours. It was for her own good.

Sara wanted what her dad wanted for her

What happens when we agree with what God wants?

1 John 5:14 NLT

14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.

Sara’s request was heartfelt

What does James say about our sincerity?

James 5:16 NLT

16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Max was moved when his daughter called him “Daddy” Jesus tells us how to pray/what to ask for in

Matthew 6:9–10 NLT

9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

We are calling Him Father—inviting Him into our world—into our c ountry, my office, my marriage, my family

It is a bold request:

Hebrews 4:16 NLT

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

A.W. Tozer “What comes to mind when we think of God us the most important thing about us.”

Romans 8:15 NLT

15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

A young woman named Hadassah demonstrated this type of boldness.

Her request was made not to her father but to her husband—the king.

Her prayer/request was for the deliverance of her people.

She has another name—does anyone know what her other name is?

If this were a movie—actually it has been—we would take a look at the line up of characters:

Evil Haman—demanded all pay homage to him

Mordecai—refuses to bow to him/not to mention his resounding words “for such a time as this”

Esther—with her words of conviction “If I perish I perish”

Xerxes—King of Persia

Absolute monarch over the land from India to Ethiopia

Official title: shahanshah—emperor actually carries a loftier meaning—King of Kings

Crushed the Babylonian revolt along with others—became known as Xerxes the Great

Xerxes knew he was a man to be feared—and people feared him.

Points to remember:

God is often glorified when times are difficult and when resolving those difficulties is beyond the control of His people.

The way we view God will determine how we respond when life is difficult