Embrace Your Place
We learn how Esther embraced the position she was in.
James Greer
May 10, 2020 30m
In this sermon Pastor James talks about how important it is to embrace the position we are in. Esther was in the right position to overcomes the opposition. She said, "yes" to the call. She stood up for her people. She stood up for God. Video recorded at Pineville, Louisiana.
TranscriptionmessageRegarding Grammar:
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
James Greer (00:00):
Good morning Journey Church. Man did our girls on the praise team rock the house. Woo! Man, I'd ask Micah if we could have all ladies, all women lead the praise and they did a wonderful job. So, I want to thank them for what they did. Hey, the new series starting day, it's wonderful women. And every Sunday for the next several weeks we're going to be preaching about different women in the Bible. And as you can guess, it's going to be Esther today. But I have a couple of verses that every week they're going to be special verses for women. One of them is Psalms 139:14 and it says, I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvelous are your words, and my soul knows it very well.
James Greer (00:54):
See, ladies, men, many women, they struggle with their appearances and how they were made. But I tell you, God says this, he made you that way and you are fearfully and wonderfully made enjoy how God created you. The next verse is 3 John 1:4, I have no greater joy than to know that my children walk in light. Man, there is no greater joy in your life, to know that your children are following the Lord and love the Lord. So that's a couple of verses. We'll go over for the next few weeks. Now listen, wonderful women, of course it came from that verse, that we're fearfully and wonderfully made, but I want to give you some challenges even before we get into the message this morning. God, He interprets your lives ladies for His plan and His purpose. God can only do the miraculous when we need to be willing to say yes to him.
James Greer (01:47):
And the whole thing today is ladies, I hope going through the message that you're willing to say yes. Where he can use you to do the miraculous. He's searching for women that are willing to take a risk in faith knowing that he will accomplish his assignment he has for you. I mean people like Mary, the mother of Jesus, she had to be willing to say yes. Deborah the judge. She had to say yes, and Esther, the one that we're going to study today, she had to be willing to say yes .and I hope you're willing to say yes God, I'm willing to take the assignment that you have for me at the place that I'm at right now.
James Greer (02:30):
2 Chronicles 16:9 says, the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to him. and that verse says, God's just looking all over the place. He's going to and fro and around the earth and he's looking for you. He's looking for some woman whose heart is loyal. It means committed to him. You're willing to obey him. It means to get ready for him. It means to make yourself, it really that you're ready to answer the call to embrace the unexpected invitation and say yes. And somebody said, well, that that can't be me. If you just knew where I came from, if you knew what had done well. I don't know. I think when he called Rahab the harlot, I think he knew it. She had done, I think he knew her path and I think God still used her in a super natural way. So ladies, right now, even before we just look to start the message. I hope you're thinking right now. Yes, Lord, use me.
James Greer (04:19):
So, It's going to start out at Esther 4:14 and it says this, for a few remain completely silent at this time, talking to Esther, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place. And her uncle is saying, Esther, God's called you and he's got a special message for you and a deliverance for you. But if you don't accept it, somebody will. And that's the way it is, ladies. Sometimes, God is calling you. God has a place, God has a purpose, but if you don't do it, you're going to lose it. But you and your father's house are going to perish. In other words, you're not going to get to enjoy the power of the position God has given you. Yet, who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Man, that's the whole message. For such a time as this. Whoever knew that we'd live in such a time as this. Whoever knew that the virus would come and we'd be living in such a time as this, but I think God's telling us why not make the best of this time such as this.
James Greer (05:20):
I know our executive pastor, Josh. Man, he has been learning and just developing his internet and IT skills. I mean especially, I mean the last year just to a whole other level and when this came, it was like such a time as this. I mean it's like it was, he'd been trained and just set up for such a timeless, I mean he came to work every day. He's almost excited that we have to go online. He's almost excited that we have to use technology, because he had been training for such a time as this. See, I believe that you were here for such a time as this. I believe that we've been prepared for such a time as this. There's never been a time like this, just like In Esther's life. There'd never been a time for her like this.
James Greer (06:10):
See, the King had been deceived, tricked into killing all the Jews, including his uncle, her uncle, Mordecai. Mordecai, her uncle, He had raised her. She's the only one that was in the position that could possibly save her uncle and her life. The same is true with most moms. You're in the position, you're the only one that really has the greatest possibility, the greatest influence that you can change those people closest to you. You're the one that has the influence that can change the probably your major kids, the ones closest to you. I say, I believe you had way more influenced than you ever think that you have said. So you're the one that can do it. You might not know how to use the influence, but you have the influence. Say, I'm going to tell you. The right, listen, the right position will always beat any opposition. The right physical position in the home and at work, in the right spiritual position. It'll always overcome and beat any opposition. See I believe when you learn to embrace your position, when you learn to embrace your place, is not only connected to your destiny, it's what God uses to bring you to His place.
James Greer (07:50):
I read 1 Corinthians 12:1 in the amplified version. I do it every Sunday, every Sunday morning because it says now about the spiritual gifts, about finding your position. That's kind of what it says, and using it. You have a special endowment of supernatural energy. He's telling you, ladies, you've got to find your position and embrace it because God says, I have a supernatural power and energy available to you when you do it. Esther didn't just wake up one day and become King. There was a time that went through observation. People were watching them and observing her, and then there was an opinion and then there was an opportunity and that's the way it always comes with promotion. It was as Esther learned to embrace each position, each place, that God had her, that led her up to the time before she became the queen. It's learning to embrace the place that you're at. The position that you're at that gets you to the place God has for you.
James Greer (07:50):
It's when you don't learn to embrace the place, at least to the chase. You chase from one place another. You go from job to job, place to place, person to person. You just don't, you're not happy in what you don't know is not, the job is not the place. It's not the person. It's you not embracing the place that God has. You learn to embrace that. There's no greater joy than finding your position in the place that God has you. Embrace who you're married to. Embrace if you're single, embrace the job that God has you in. And certainly embrace this church. Amen?
James Greer (09:42):
So how do you, how do you find, how do you find your God given place? Embrace where you're at. Embrace the position that God has you right now. You didn't know that when I first started working, I was selling women's shoes at JC Penny's. How do you embrace that type of job? You embrace it because you say, ma'am, do you know what size you wear it? She says, Oh yeah, I wear a six. What? They never wear a six. Never. So you can automatically bring them a seven, but you bring a six but just in case you stack on top of it a seven. And then you tell him these shoes run small, and they like that. So, that but you have to embrace it. So, I embraced selling shoes to women, which is a tough job, but it led to me getting a great job at a very young age, selling carpet, wholesale and traveling. But, if I wouldn't have embraced that job, the other job, the doors wouldn't have opened. And listen, I embraced it when I learned to manage a service station at Exxon.
James Greer (10:50):
Did you notice, I call it a service station back then? You all call them gas stations now. You know why? Because they are gas stations. When I worked for Exxon, they were service stations. I mean, we not only pumped your gas, we washed your windshield and checked your oil. Sometimes, we even checked your tires. That was a service station. Today they are gas stations. I embraced that position. I embraced that job. What you don't know is because they trained us so well in bookkeeping and inventory, later on when I was in business, so many of those skills allowed me to help me in my business. Because I embraced where I was at that time. Who would ever dream embracing a job at a gas station would lead to helping me manage my business later on in years. What I'm trying to teach you is to learn to embrace where you're at. Learn to embrace the position where you're at.
James Greer (11:49):
Second, all you really have to believe and know the King's hearts is in the hand of God. God's in control. And then Proverbs 21:1 it says, the King's heart is in the hands of the Lord, like the rivers of water. He turns it wherever he wishes he's in control. He makes the decisions. Back to the story of Esther and Haman, that had deceived the King, that he deceived into making a decree to have everybody bow down to him. Like it honored the King. He would walk down the street, this guy was an egomaniac. He would want to walk down a street and everybody would bow. Everybody but Mordecai, Esther's uncle. He wouldn't bow. He was a Jew and he was a devoted Jew. He wasn't going to bow down to any human, any earthly King. He said he was going to only bow down to one, and that was the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. And man, did that make Haman mad.
James Greer (12:55):
So, Haman plotted now, not only that, not always going to kill all Jews. He was going to have Mordecai hung. Matter of fact, in Esther 3:13, it says the letter were taken by messenger to every part of the kingdom. And this is what it said in the letter, On the 13 day of Adar, the 12th month, all the Jews, the men, the women, the children, they're going to all be killed and their property is going to be taken from them. The letter went out from the King because he had been deceived by Haman. Mordecai goes on to this and he's going to ask Esther to go talk to the King and ask him not to kill all the Jews. In other words, this is the unexpected invitation from God to do the miraculous. God gives us unexpected invitations. We've got to say yes to see the miraculous, be listening for it. Are you ready to say yes to God?
James Greer (14:02):
Here's Esther's answer to Mordecai. Esther 4:10 it says, and she asked Mordecai, there's a law. There's a law about going to see the King. All the officers and the people they know about the law. Anyone who goes to see the King without being invited by him, be put to death. That's a pretty strict law. Mordecai says, you go talk to the King. Esther says, Hey, uncle Mordecai, if I go, there's a law and if I'm not invited, I'll get killed. That's a pretty strong law. Amen?
James Greer (14:17):
I told you earlier though, the right position always, always overcomes opposition. Now Esther, she has to make the hardest decision of her life. It's to serve the King, the King on earth, or to serve the King of Kings in heaven. If she serves the King on earth, she could live, but not be happy. If she serves the King in heaven, she might die, but she'd live forever in heaven. Can I tell you something? Until we make a decision to serve the King of Kings in heaven, we're never going to find our God given place. We look for it, but we'll never find it. We are afraid we might lose our job. We afraid we might lose our job or our friend. We're afraid we might lose our influence.
James Greer (15:34):
Let me tell you something, until you really get to the part you're willing to stand up. You will never stand out. Are you ready to stand up for God? Third, do what God's called you to do where you're at. In other words, embrace the place. Embrace your position, because God has put you in that place. Until you learn what God is trying to teach you, where you're at. Listen, until you learn what God is trying to teach you in the position that you're at. If you change jobs, you're going to have to still learn it. So, you think that you're going to be able to go to another job and it's going to be different. No, no. Until you learn what God is trying to teach you where you're at, you'll go to the next job and you'll still be going to school, so to speak. You're still going in a training ground, so you've got to learn it, until you learn it.
James Greer (16:46):
Esther 4:12-17, and Mordecai was told what Esther had said. Now Mordecai has a story for her. He went back and he replied, he's answering Esther after she said that she might die. Don't think that you're going to escape being killed, Esther, with the rest of the Jews, just because you're living in the King's palace, don't think you're going to get away with it. If you don't speak up now, somehow we're going to get help. Somebody is going to step up and help us, but you and your family going to be killed. It could be that you were made queen for a time such as this. In other words, you're here for such a time as this.
James Greer (17:34):
Moms, you are where you're for such a time as this. Let me give you some insights. When you don't do what God has called you to do, where he's called you to do it, you miss out on the miraculous. You miss out on the miracles. When we miss out, it could say we are killed. Now we're not killed physically, but we are spiritually. We lose the power and presence of God. We lose our influence sometimes with the very people closest to us. With our family, with our friends, with our workers. When we don't do what God's called us to and the place God's called us to do it, it not only hurts us, it hurts the people around us. So don't think that you will escape being killed with the rest of the Jews. See, when you don't do what God's called us to do, where God's called us to do it, it not only hurts you, but it hurts those closest to you. So, you lose your positional power. That's something terrible. See, God wants you to embrace the place because he's puts you in that place.
James Greer (18:38):
Now, Mordecai sent a note to Esther that she needed to talk to the King. Esther sends a note back to Mordecai, that says, I could get killed. Mordecai sends one back to Esther and says, Hey, that's why where you're at. Esther now sends a note back to Mordecai. Listen to this. Esther sends a note back to Mordecai, bring together all the Jews in Syria and tell them to go without eating for my sake. Don't eat or drink for three days and three nights, my servant girls and I are going to do the same thing. And then I'm going to go and I'm going to go see the King, even if it means I must die. Mordecai did as Esther said. Fourth never ever underestimate the power of influence, fasting and prayer. Esther 7 says this, the King and him and Haman were dinner with Esther. They were drinking wine during the second dinner when the King again said, Esther, what can I do for you?
James Greer (20:18):
That's the power of influence. Esther, what can I do for you? She's in the right position and the King is now asking her, just ask and I'll give it to you. I'll give you half of my whole kingdom. See, Esther at one time she was an orphan. Now she's a queen. She had won the favor of the King. She did not try to abuse her authority or beauty or power. You can now see God placing her in the right position and gave her the position and the power without even asking. She didn't ask the King. The King is now asking her, what would you have me to do? Ladies, when you, when you embrace your position, when you embrace your place, when you don't abuse your position, your power, your beauty, your authority. Let me tell you, it won't be long before your husband will be asking you, what can I do for you? I see it happen in my own house more times than not, Debbie. I'll say, Debbie, what can I do for you? It's not her asking me. More times than ever I asked her, Debbie, what can I get you? What can I do for you? And most times she says, you know, I just don't need anything. I'm just saying, but if she needed something, she wants something, I'd be glad to do it.
James Greer (21:28):
I understand the concept. Understand about being in the right position. I understand about being in the right place. In verse three says this, Esther answered, your majesty, if you really care for me and are willing to help, you can save me and my people. That's what I really want. Because an award has been promised to anyone who kills my people. Your majesty. If we had merely been sold as slaves. I would have not bothered you king. Who should dare, this is the King, who would dare do such a thing. The King asked? I love this. Esther replied that evil Haman, Uh Oh, he's the one. Go out and go out and get us. Haman was terrified now as he looked at the king and the queen, he was unbelievably terrified at what he was doing there.
James Greer (22:53):
There's a verse that I love this and it's Isaiah 54:17 and look at this, it says, no weapon formed against you shall prosper. In other words, when people plot against you like Haman did, he was trying to kill them. He went behind their back. Every tongue which rises up against you in judgment shall be condemned. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and your righteousness is from me, says the Lord. In other words, God says, listen, when you're in right, you're doing right. When you're in the right position, God says, Hey, they can do everything they want. They can plot against you, but I'll take care of them. Amen? So, you can just relax and say, God has your back. You take care of doing the right thing at the right place and God will take care of them. And you're going to see, you're going to see how God takes care of him.
James Greer (23:49):
And in verse seven he says this, and the King was so angry that he got up and he left his wine. He got out, looks like you know he was angry, and he went out into the palace garden. And Haman realized, uh oh, he had messed up, and he had decided what he did to him and he stayed behind and begged Esther now to save his life. Just as the King came back in the room. I love this. Haman got down on his knees beside Esther and who was laying on the couch, and the King and the King shouted, now you're trying to rape my wife, my queen. He was already ticked off and he comes in and it looks like he's kneeling next door to her in my own palace. As soon as the King said that the servant covered Haman's head, he's gone. Now he's sucker. And then Harbona, one of his King's personal servants said, guess what? Your majesty Haman, he had built a tower 70 feet high beside his house. You know what he was going to do with it? He was going to hang Mordecai on it. And Mordecai is really the one that spoke up and really saved your life. The King says, go hang Haman from his own tower. The King commanded. Man, that is so cool. So, what really happened is turned around and right away. Haman was hanged on his own tower that he built to hang Mordecai on. And the King calmed down.
James Greer (24:46):
Wow. What a story. Esther is at the right place at the right time. Esther really answered to the miraculous call from God. She was willing to chance her life and what happened is a Haman that was a type of the enemy which was trying to kill the Jews. And even today they continue to try to wipe out the Jews and God continually turns around and protects them. And there's also, when you make a stand for God, it seems like there's always somebody trying to wipe you out. But God's greater than the enemy, and greater is he that's in me, that's in the world, and he'll always protect you. Amen?
James Greer (26:08):
Closing, let me give you some insight. Are you ready to embrace the unexpected invitation from God? The right answer would be yes. Are you ready to embrace the place God has for you right now? Do you realize your position will overcome your opposition? Are you in the right position right now? First of all are in the right position with God. By that I mean is there a time that you've invited Jesus Christ in your heart that you know for certain if something happened to you that you would go to heaven? Do you know for certain that this epidemic continued and it continued, and it just continued and wiped everybody out, when it got to your number that you are going to heaven? If you don't know that for sure, today is the day. You're here watching online for such a time as to give your heart to Jesus Christ. Are you in the right position with your mate if you're not at such a time as this to get right. Are you in the right position with your boss, with your coworkers? For kids with your parents, children with your parents? Right position produces the right power.
James Greer (26:42):
Let me pray. Father, I just thank you for this great example of Esther, how she embraced her position. She answered her calling. You used her to do the supernatural. She was born for such a time as this. God, I believe the time is here. I pray that each person would say, God, my answer is yes. Yes to accept Christ. Yes, to get positionally right with friends, mates, children, bosses. God if there's those that came, they're watching right now and they just seemed like they should really heavy laden and really stressed out God, I pray that they would bring that burden to you right now and that they could just calm down. God for those that might want to join church, they can do that. Almost every week we have somebody join online, those that want to accept Christ, in just a moment they can do that. Ask all this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
James Greer (28:54):
Well, Hey everyone, on behalf of pastor James, thanks so much for tuning in to worship with us today. Before you go, I want to take just a moment to talk to you about your next step. See here at Journey, one of our core values is growing people change. That means that we've always got a next step to take. If at any point during this message you felt called to give your life to the Lord, or maybe in a follow through in biblical public baptism or make Journey Church your home church and become a member, maybe you'd like to give of your tithes and offerings, or join a small group because you know you can't do life alone. Whatever you feel your next step is, we want to equip you to take it today, right about now. You should be seeing some links pop up in your comment section. Simply the link, and then follow the instructions given and you can take your next step. Also, parents, don't forget, we have some amazing resources for your children. If you'd like to check those out, simply click on the link in your comments section, or go to jcpineville.com backslash children to check out those kids' services. Hey, once again, we want to wish all you mom a happy mother's day. You all be blessed and we can't wait to see you again next Sunday.
Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.
Good morning Journey Church. Man did our girls on the praise team rock the house. Woo! Man, I'd ask Micah if we could have all ladies, all women lead the praise and they did a wonderful job. So, I want to thank them for what they did. Hey, the new series starting day, it's wonderful women. And every Sunday for the next several weeks we're going to be preaching about different women in the Bible. And as you can guess, it's going to be Esther today. But I have a couple of verses that every week they're going to be special verses for women. One of them is Psalms 139:14 and it says, I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvelous are your words, and my soul knows it very well.
James Greer (00:54):
See, ladies, men, many women, they struggle with their appearances and how they were made. But I tell you, God says this, he made you that way and you are fearfully and wonderfully made enjoy how God created you. The next verse is 3 John 1:4, I have no greater joy than to know that my children walk in light. Man, there is no greater joy in your life, to know that your children are following the Lord and love the Lord. So that's a couple of verses. We'll go over for the next few weeks. Now listen, wonderful women, of course it came from that verse, that we're fearfully and wonderfully made, but I want to give you some challenges even before we get into the message this morning. God, He interprets your lives ladies for His plan and His purpose. God can only do the miraculous when we need to be willing to say yes to him.
James Greer (01:47):
And the whole thing today is ladies, I hope going through the message that you're willing to say yes. Where he can use you to do the miraculous. He's searching for women that are willing to take a risk in faith knowing that he will accomplish his assignment he has for you. I mean people like Mary, the mother of Jesus, she had to be willing to say yes. Deborah the judge. She had to say yes, and Esther, the one that we're going to study today, she had to be willing to say yes .and I hope you're willing to say yes God, I'm willing to take the assignment that you have for me at the place that I'm at right now.
James Greer (02:30):
2 Chronicles 16:9 says, the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to him. and that verse says, God's just looking all over the place. He's going to and fro and around the earth and he's looking for you. He's looking for some woman whose heart is loyal. It means committed to him. You're willing to obey him. It means to get ready for him. It means to make yourself, it really that you're ready to answer the call to embrace the unexpected invitation and say yes. And somebody said, well, that that can't be me. If you just knew where I came from, if you knew what had done well. I don't know. I think when he called Rahab the harlot, I think he knew it. She had done, I think he knew her path and I think God still used her in a super natural way. So ladies, right now, even before we just look to start the message. I hope you're thinking right now. Yes, Lord, use me.
James Greer (04:19):
So, It's going to start out at Esther 4:14 and it says this, for a few remain completely silent at this time, talking to Esther, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place. And her uncle is saying, Esther, God's called you and he's got a special message for you and a deliverance for you. But if you don't accept it, somebody will. And that's the way it is, ladies. Sometimes, God is calling you. God has a place, God has a purpose, but if you don't do it, you're going to lose it. But you and your father's house are going to perish. In other words, you're not going to get to enjoy the power of the position God has given you. Yet, who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Man, that's the whole message. For such a time as this. Whoever knew that we'd live in such a time as this. Whoever knew that the virus would come and we'd be living in such a time as this, but I think God's telling us why not make the best of this time such as this.
James Greer (05:20):
I know our executive pastor, Josh. Man, he has been learning and just developing his internet and IT skills. I mean especially, I mean the last year just to a whole other level and when this came, it was like such a time as this. I mean it's like it was, he'd been trained and just set up for such a timeless, I mean he came to work every day. He's almost excited that we have to go online. He's almost excited that we have to use technology, because he had been training for such a time as this. See, I believe that you were here for such a time as this. I believe that we've been prepared for such a time as this. There's never been a time like this, just like In Esther's life. There'd never been a time for her like this.
James Greer (06:10):
See, the King had been deceived, tricked into killing all the Jews, including his uncle, her uncle, Mordecai. Mordecai, her uncle, He had raised her. She's the only one that was in the position that could possibly save her uncle and her life. The same is true with most moms. You're in the position, you're the only one that really has the greatest possibility, the greatest influence that you can change those people closest to you. You're the one that has the influence that can change the probably your major kids, the ones closest to you. I say, I believe you had way more influenced than you ever think that you have said. So you're the one that can do it. You might not know how to use the influence, but you have the influence. Say, I'm going to tell you. The right, listen, the right position will always beat any opposition. The right physical position in the home and at work, in the right spiritual position. It'll always overcome and beat any opposition. See I believe when you learn to embrace your position, when you learn to embrace your place, is not only connected to your destiny, it's what God uses to bring you to His place.
James Greer (07:50):
I read 1 Corinthians 12:1 in the amplified version. I do it every Sunday, every Sunday morning because it says now about the spiritual gifts, about finding your position. That's kind of what it says, and using it. You have a special endowment of supernatural energy. He's telling you, ladies, you've got to find your position and embrace it because God says, I have a supernatural power and energy available to you when you do it. Esther didn't just wake up one day and become King. There was a time that went through observation. People were watching them and observing her, and then there was an opinion and then there was an opportunity and that's the way it always comes with promotion. It was as Esther learned to embrace each position, each place, that God had her, that led her up to the time before she became the queen. It's learning to embrace the place that you're at. The position that you're at that gets you to the place God has for you.
James Greer (07:50):
It's when you don't learn to embrace the place, at least to the chase. You chase from one place another. You go from job to job, place to place, person to person. You just don't, you're not happy in what you don't know is not, the job is not the place. It's not the person. It's you not embracing the place that God has. You learn to embrace that. There's no greater joy than finding your position in the place that God has you. Embrace who you're married to. Embrace if you're single, embrace the job that God has you in. And certainly embrace this church. Amen?
James Greer (09:42):
So how do you, how do you find, how do you find your God given place? Embrace where you're at. Embrace the position that God has you right now. You didn't know that when I first started working, I was selling women's shoes at JC Penny's. How do you embrace that type of job? You embrace it because you say, ma'am, do you know what size you wear it? She says, Oh yeah, I wear a six. What? They never wear a six. Never. So you can automatically bring them a seven, but you bring a six but just in case you stack on top of it a seven. And then you tell him these shoes run small, and they like that. So, that but you have to embrace it. So, I embraced selling shoes to women, which is a tough job, but it led to me getting a great job at a very young age, selling carpet, wholesale and traveling. But, if I wouldn't have embraced that job, the other job, the doors wouldn't have opened. And listen, I embraced it when I learned to manage a service station at Exxon.
James Greer (10:50):
Did you notice, I call it a service station back then? You all call them gas stations now. You know why? Because they are gas stations. When I worked for Exxon, they were service stations. I mean, we not only pumped your gas, we washed your windshield and checked your oil. Sometimes, we even checked your tires. That was a service station. Today they are gas stations. I embraced that position. I embraced that job. What you don't know is because they trained us so well in bookkeeping and inventory, later on when I was in business, so many of those skills allowed me to help me in my business. Because I embraced where I was at that time. Who would ever dream embracing a job at a gas station would lead to helping me manage my business later on in years. What I'm trying to teach you is to learn to embrace where you're at. Learn to embrace the position where you're at.
James Greer (11:49):
Second, all you really have to believe and know the King's hearts is in the hand of God. God's in control. And then Proverbs 21:1 it says, the King's heart is in the hands of the Lord, like the rivers of water. He turns it wherever he wishes he's in control. He makes the decisions. Back to the story of Esther and Haman, that had deceived the King, that he deceived into making a decree to have everybody bow down to him. Like it honored the King. He would walk down the street, this guy was an egomaniac. He would want to walk down a street and everybody would bow. Everybody but Mordecai, Esther's uncle. He wouldn't bow. He was a Jew and he was a devoted Jew. He wasn't going to bow down to any human, any earthly King. He said he was going to only bow down to one, and that was the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. And man, did that make Haman mad.
James Greer (12:55):
So, Haman plotted now, not only that, not always going to kill all Jews. He was going to have Mordecai hung. Matter of fact, in Esther 3:13, it says the letter were taken by messenger to every part of the kingdom. And this is what it said in the letter, On the 13 day of Adar, the 12th month, all the Jews, the men, the women, the children, they're going to all be killed and their property is going to be taken from them. The letter went out from the King because he had been deceived by Haman. Mordecai goes on to this and he's going to ask Esther to go talk to the King and ask him not to kill all the Jews. In other words, this is the unexpected invitation from God to do the miraculous. God gives us unexpected invitations. We've got to say yes to see the miraculous, be listening for it. Are you ready to say yes to God?
James Greer (14:02):
Here's Esther's answer to Mordecai. Esther 4:10 it says, and she asked Mordecai, there's a law. There's a law about going to see the King. All the officers and the people they know about the law. Anyone who goes to see the King without being invited by him, be put to death. That's a pretty strict law. Mordecai says, you go talk to the King. Esther says, Hey, uncle Mordecai, if I go, there's a law and if I'm not invited, I'll get killed. That's a pretty strong law. Amen?
James Greer (14:17):
I told you earlier though, the right position always, always overcomes opposition. Now Esther, she has to make the hardest decision of her life. It's to serve the King, the King on earth, or to serve the King of Kings in heaven. If she serves the King on earth, she could live, but not be happy. If she serves the King in heaven, she might die, but she'd live forever in heaven. Can I tell you something? Until we make a decision to serve the King of Kings in heaven, we're never going to find our God given place. We look for it, but we'll never find it. We are afraid we might lose our job. We afraid we might lose our job or our friend. We're afraid we might lose our influence.
James Greer (15:34):
Let me tell you something, until you really get to the part you're willing to stand up. You will never stand out. Are you ready to stand up for God? Third, do what God's called you to do where you're at. In other words, embrace the place. Embrace your position, because God has put you in that place. Until you learn what God is trying to teach you, where you're at. Listen, until you learn what God is trying to teach you in the position that you're at. If you change jobs, you're going to have to still learn it. So, you think that you're going to be able to go to another job and it's going to be different. No, no. Until you learn what God is trying to teach you where you're at, you'll go to the next job and you'll still be going to school, so to speak. You're still going in a training ground, so you've got to learn it, until you learn it.
James Greer (16:46):
Esther 4:12-17, and Mordecai was told what Esther had said. Now Mordecai has a story for her. He went back and he replied, he's answering Esther after she said that she might die. Don't think that you're going to escape being killed, Esther, with the rest of the Jews, just because you're living in the King's palace, don't think you're going to get away with it. If you don't speak up now, somehow we're going to get help. Somebody is going to step up and help us, but you and your family going to be killed. It could be that you were made queen for a time such as this. In other words, you're here for such a time as this.
James Greer (17:34):
Moms, you are where you're for such a time as this. Let me give you some insights. When you don't do what God has called you to do, where he's called you to do it, you miss out on the miraculous. You miss out on the miracles. When we miss out, it could say we are killed. Now we're not killed physically, but we are spiritually. We lose the power and presence of God. We lose our influence sometimes with the very people closest to us. With our family, with our friends, with our workers. When we don't do what God's called us to and the place God's called us to do it, it not only hurts us, it hurts the people around us. So don't think that you will escape being killed with the rest of the Jews. See, when you don't do what God's called us to do, where God's called us to do it, it not only hurts you, but it hurts those closest to you. So, you lose your positional power. That's something terrible. See, God wants you to embrace the place because he's puts you in that place.
James Greer (18:38):
Now, Mordecai sent a note to Esther that she needed to talk to the King. Esther sends a note back to Mordecai, that says, I could get killed. Mordecai sends one back to Esther and says, Hey, that's why where you're at. Esther now sends a note back to Mordecai. Listen to this. Esther sends a note back to Mordecai, bring together all the Jews in Syria and tell them to go without eating for my sake. Don't eat or drink for three days and three nights, my servant girls and I are going to do the same thing. And then I'm going to go and I'm going to go see the King, even if it means I must die. Mordecai did as Esther said. Fourth never ever underestimate the power of influence, fasting and prayer. Esther 7 says this, the King and him and Haman were dinner with Esther. They were drinking wine during the second dinner when the King again said, Esther, what can I do for you?
James Greer (20:18):
That's the power of influence. Esther, what can I do for you? She's in the right position and the King is now asking her, just ask and I'll give it to you. I'll give you half of my whole kingdom. See, Esther at one time she was an orphan. Now she's a queen. She had won the favor of the King. She did not try to abuse her authority or beauty or power. You can now see God placing her in the right position and gave her the position and the power without even asking. She didn't ask the King. The King is now asking her, what would you have me to do? Ladies, when you, when you embrace your position, when you embrace your place, when you don't abuse your position, your power, your beauty, your authority. Let me tell you, it won't be long before your husband will be asking you, what can I do for you? I see it happen in my own house more times than not, Debbie. I'll say, Debbie, what can I do for you? It's not her asking me. More times than ever I asked her, Debbie, what can I get you? What can I do for you? And most times she says, you know, I just don't need anything. I'm just saying, but if she needed something, she wants something, I'd be glad to do it.
James Greer (21:28):
I understand the concept. Understand about being in the right position. I understand about being in the right place. In verse three says this, Esther answered, your majesty, if you really care for me and are willing to help, you can save me and my people. That's what I really want. Because an award has been promised to anyone who kills my people. Your majesty. If we had merely been sold as slaves. I would have not bothered you king. Who should dare, this is the King, who would dare do such a thing. The King asked? I love this. Esther replied that evil Haman, Uh Oh, he's the one. Go out and go out and get us. Haman was terrified now as he looked at the king and the queen, he was unbelievably terrified at what he was doing there.
James Greer (22:53):
There's a verse that I love this and it's Isaiah 54:17 and look at this, it says, no weapon formed against you shall prosper. In other words, when people plot against you like Haman did, he was trying to kill them. He went behind their back. Every tongue which rises up against you in judgment shall be condemned. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and your righteousness is from me, says the Lord. In other words, God says, listen, when you're in right, you're doing right. When you're in the right position, God says, Hey, they can do everything they want. They can plot against you, but I'll take care of them. Amen? So, you can just relax and say, God has your back. You take care of doing the right thing at the right place and God will take care of them. And you're going to see, you're going to see how God takes care of him.
James Greer (23:49):
And in verse seven he says this, and the King was so angry that he got up and he left his wine. He got out, looks like you know he was angry, and he went out into the palace garden. And Haman realized, uh oh, he had messed up, and he had decided what he did to him and he stayed behind and begged Esther now to save his life. Just as the King came back in the room. I love this. Haman got down on his knees beside Esther and who was laying on the couch, and the King and the King shouted, now you're trying to rape my wife, my queen. He was already ticked off and he comes in and it looks like he's kneeling next door to her in my own palace. As soon as the King said that the servant covered Haman's head, he's gone. Now he's sucker. And then Harbona, one of his King's personal servants said, guess what? Your majesty Haman, he had built a tower 70 feet high beside his house. You know what he was going to do with it? He was going to hang Mordecai on it. And Mordecai is really the one that spoke up and really saved your life. The King says, go hang Haman from his own tower. The King commanded. Man, that is so cool. So, what really happened is turned around and right away. Haman was hanged on his own tower that he built to hang Mordecai on. And the King calmed down.
James Greer (24:46):
Wow. What a story. Esther is at the right place at the right time. Esther really answered to the miraculous call from God. She was willing to chance her life and what happened is a Haman that was a type of the enemy which was trying to kill the Jews. And even today they continue to try to wipe out the Jews and God continually turns around and protects them. And there's also, when you make a stand for God, it seems like there's always somebody trying to wipe you out. But God's greater than the enemy, and greater is he that's in me, that's in the world, and he'll always protect you. Amen?
James Greer (26:08):
Closing, let me give you some insight. Are you ready to embrace the unexpected invitation from God? The right answer would be yes. Are you ready to embrace the place God has for you right now? Do you realize your position will overcome your opposition? Are you in the right position right now? First of all are in the right position with God. By that I mean is there a time that you've invited Jesus Christ in your heart that you know for certain if something happened to you that you would go to heaven? Do you know for certain that this epidemic continued and it continued, and it just continued and wiped everybody out, when it got to your number that you are going to heaven? If you don't know that for sure, today is the day. You're here watching online for such a time as to give your heart to Jesus Christ. Are you in the right position with your mate if you're not at such a time as this to get right. Are you in the right position with your boss, with your coworkers? For kids with your parents, children with your parents? Right position produces the right power.
James Greer (26:42):
Let me pray. Father, I just thank you for this great example of Esther, how she embraced her position. She answered her calling. You used her to do the supernatural. She was born for such a time as this. God, I believe the time is here. I pray that each person would say, God, my answer is yes. Yes to accept Christ. Yes, to get positionally right with friends, mates, children, bosses. God if there's those that came, they're watching right now and they just seemed like they should really heavy laden and really stressed out God, I pray that they would bring that burden to you right now and that they could just calm down. God for those that might want to join church, they can do that. Almost every week we have somebody join online, those that want to accept Christ, in just a moment they can do that. Ask all this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
James Greer (28:54):
Well, Hey everyone, on behalf of pastor James, thanks so much for tuning in to worship with us today. Before you go, I want to take just a moment to talk to you about your next step. See here at Journey, one of our core values is growing people change. That means that we've always got a next step to take. If at any point during this message you felt called to give your life to the Lord, or maybe in a follow through in biblical public baptism or make Journey Church your home church and become a member, maybe you'd like to give of your tithes and offerings, or join a small group because you know you can't do life alone. Whatever you feel your next step is, we want to equip you to take it today, right about now. You should be seeing some links pop up in your comment section. Simply the link, and then follow the instructions given and you can take your next step. Also, parents, don't forget, we have some amazing resources for your children. If you'd like to check those out, simply click on the link in your comments section, or go to jcpineville.com backslash children to check out those kids' services. Hey, once again, we want to wish all you mom a happy mother's day. You all be blessed and we can't wait to see you again next Sunday.
Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.
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