Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living From Esther
Scripture: Esther 7:8-10 Psalm 73:17-18
The Slippery Slope
Esther 7:8-10
"When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen across the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, 'Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?' As the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, 'Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king's behalf, is standing at the house of Haman.' Then the king said, 'Hang him on it!' So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's wrath subsided."
The Slippery Slope
The fastest speed for a cross-country skier was set by Aleksey Prokurorov of Russia on March 19, 1994. Mr. Prokurorov maintained an average speed of 16.24 miles per hour for 50 kilometers. On the other hand, the speed record for downhill skiing belongs to Philippe Goitschel of France, who, on April 21, 1993, whizzed down the hill at 145.161 miles per hour. The drastic difference, of course, is caused by the slope.
Sin is also a slippery slope. In Psalm 73, the psalmist says about the wicked, "Then I understood their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction" (vv. 17-18).
When Haman plotted to destroy the Jews, he placed his feet on a slippery slope. Then, like a downhill skier out of control, he careened first through exposure, then condemnation and finally death.
Sin still operates that way today. Most people begin with small transgressions. Perhaps they shoplift a candy bar or rent an X-rated video. These sins seem rather small compared to bank robbery or rape. Yet they set the person's feet on the edge of a very slippery slope.
If Satan whispers in your ear, "Go ahead. It's only a little sin," tell him you know better. If you refuse to take lightly the minor transgressions, you'll be sure to avoid the major ones.
The best way to avoid going downhill is to stay off the slope.
Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living From Esther
Scripture: Esther 8:1-2 Romans 8:17 Philippians 4:19
From Rags to Riches
Esther 8:1-2
"On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. So the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman."
From Rags to Riches
During the 1995 Christmas holidays, a passing motorist spotted a limousine stranded with a flat tire on a busy stretch of New Jersey highway. The man graciously stopped and offered to help the chauffeur change the tire. Just as the task was finished, the darkened window rolled down and the man inside asked what he and his wife could do to repay the favor. "Just send my wife a big bouquet of flowers," said the guy and handed him his card. Two weeks later a gargantuan bouquet of orchids arrived with a card reading, "We paid off your home mortgage. Marla and Donald Trump." Informers say the Trumps forked over more than $100,000 for the gesture.
Mordecai experienced a similar windfall. With the death of his enemy, Haman, he came into the possession of all Haman's wealth, one of Persia's highest officials. From the position of a minor bureaucrat, Mordecai suddenly became second only to the king.
Every Christian is graced with this same fortune. As unbelievers, we were spiritually impoverished. We owed a debt to God we could never repay. But when we trusted Jesus as Savior, we received the promise of His provision for our entire lifetime (Phil. 4:19). Even better, we were made spiritual billionaires when we became joint-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17).
Perhaps you are experiencing lean times. In spite of your efforts to be a good steward, too much month is left at the end of the paycheck. Don't despair. Trust God to meet your needs. These times of testing will someday give way to an abundance that is beyond your comprehension. You have God's word on it!
He is a poor man who can only measure his wealth in dollars.