Week 6 - Days 3 and 4 (Prohibition, Bible, Pride and Humility, Mordecai and Esther)

Prohibition

"We've all heard that man wants what he can't have, but I'd like to ask why." - (page 142)

"We trace this tendency all the way back to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In the garden of Eden the serpent convinced Adam and Eve that God was holding out on them. Mind you, they'd been told they could eat the fruit from every other tree (Gen. 2:9). Unimaginable variety!" - (page 142)

"The moment we rename caution prohibition, our flesh throws a fit." - Beth Moore

Bible

9/12/13

This morning, I noticed my Bible bookmark had gotten caught in between two pages. They weren't pages associated with anything I had read recently. Since the bookmark was there, I decided to read the two pages because I feel sometimes the ribbon bookmark might be there for a reason. So, I read Ezra 10:25 through Nehemiah 2:10 or so. Then, shortly after, I was doing Bible study homework and, in the workbook, it read:

"In Nehemiah Xerxes' son and successor, Artaxerxes, would note the sadness of his cupbearer's face and inquire what was wrong (Neh 2:2)." - (page 145)

I don't know if I've ever done any Bible study homework with Nehemiah 2:2 in it until today.

Pride and Humility

"Matthew 12:34 tells us ... ... "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." God created man with an undeniable heart-mouth connection."

"... this heart-mouth connection also serves a purpose in hidden sins such as pride."

"At any moment we can make a choice to humble ourselves."

I've learned we need to humble ourselves or we will be humbled...

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. - James 4:10

Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor. - Proverbs 29:23

For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." - Luke 14:11

Esther and Mordecai

On page 146, regarding Esther and Mordecai, Beth points out that "... we have witnessed impressive strength and courage in both as well as a willingness to do what was right at great personal risk." 

"We might glean several things from Mordecai's example. If we get overlooked for affirmation or promotion, so be it. Let's just do our jobs. If we get elevated and celebrated, so be it. Let's just do our jobs. Let's pursue a walk with God so close that the spotlights of this world - be they for us or against us - are eclipsed by His enormous shadow cast on our path." - (page 147)

The above is some stuff in regards to week 6 - days 3 and 4. Feel free to leave a comment below with your thoughts and/or things you took away from these days' lessons. (If you are reading this in your email, you can click HERE and it will take you to this post on the seek Him blog where you can comment.)

Thanks!

Cari