We're launching aseries that takes on such a cool feel to me for when you begin to talk aboutyoung leaders who are dangerous to hell, dangerous to the Devil, dangerous toeverything evil and destructive that fires me up like no other.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13, NLT "And now, Israel, what doesthe LORD your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the LORD yourGod, and live in a way that pleases Him, and love Him and serve Him with allyour heart and soul. And you must always obey the LORD's commands and decreesthat I am giving you today for your own good."
Ever asked God,"What do you want from me?"
Moses gives asummary here are the essentials:
Fear God.
Live in a waythat pleases Him.
Love Him, serveHim with all your heart and soul.
Obey Hiscommands.
1.Fear the Lord your God.
1.Regard God with reverence and awe.
2.Live in a way that pleases Him.
1.How do I find out how to please God?
1.Read the bible.
2.Do what it says.
1.Model after great men and women ofGod.
2.Follow their lead.
1.Learn from their mistakes and theirsuccesses.
3.Love Him and serve Him with all yourheart and soul.
1.Our first Young Gun tonight isEsther.
1.She was a Jew from the tribe ofBenjamin.
2.She was orphaned and brought up byher cousin Mordecai.
2.In Chapter one of the book of Estherking Xerxes decided to display his abundant wealth for 180 days followed by aseven day feast. On the seventh day King Xerxes calls Queen Vashti in order todisplay her beauty to the people. She refuses to come and is eventuallybanished from the kings presence for life. A new Queen is sought.
3.In chapter two Esther is chosen to beQueen. She goes through the normal twelve months of beauty treatment beforemeeting the King.
1.Mordecai saves the Kings life byalerting him of an assassination attempt on his life.
4.In Chapter three Haman is honored bythe King and given a high position in the kingdom.
1.Haman is annoyed with Mordecaibecause Mordecai refuses to kneel down to him.
2.Haman's anger leads him to plot theexecution of all the Jews in the kingdom.
3.In order to prevent the execution ofall the Jews Mordecai calls on Esther to intercede to the King.
4.The only problem here is that theKing does not know that Esther is a Jew.
5.Esther has no idea of how the Kingwill respond to this news. Nothing takes God unaware. He's ready and prepared.
6.Esther's reluctance to approach theKing is met by stern words from Mordecai.
Esther 4:14 (NLT)
If you keep quiet at a timelike this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some otherplace, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were madequeen for just such a time as this?"
1.Thisyoung gun Esther risked her life for her people.
2.Sherisked her life for people she knew, people she didn't, people she had nevermet and people for generations to come.
1.InChapter five Esther approaches the King and invites him and Haman to a banquet.
2.Thisis an attempt to get the timing right before she informs the king about Haman'splot to kill the Jews of which she is one.
1.God'stiming is always best.
2.Weneed to wait for God's timing in doing things.
3.Itis dangerous, divisive, and detrimental to jump out before time.
3.MeanwhileHaman's hatred for Mordecai is growing and on the advice of his friends andwife he has a special gallows prepared beside his house on which to hangMordecai.
4.InChapter six God moves to save the Jews. The King cannot sleep and asks for therecord books to be read aloud to him. The deeds of Mordecai in saving the kingin the past are read out.
1.Inan extraordinary change of events the King asks Haman what should be done to aman who the king wants to honor.
2.Haman,in his arrogance, thinks the king is referring to him and advises a lavishdisplay of wealth and honour to be bestowed on the man publicly.
3.TheKing orders Haman to do this to Mordecai.
1.Canyou imagine the shock, horror and humiliation Haman must have suffered!
4.Chapter7 Esther reveals to the king that she is a Jew and that Haman has plotted tokill them all.
1.Hamanis hanged on his own gallows.
5.ThroughChapter 8-10 all the Jews are saved and Haman's children are killed.
1.Esthersaved the Jews.
1.Herlife teaches us these vital lessons:
1.Thereis a preparation time.
1.Sheallowed herself to be prepared for the task. God's preparation time cansometimes be long and uneventful. The refining of our character is veryessential to God's plan for our life.
2.Weneed the favor of God.
1.Estherfound favor with the King and so did Mordecai. Even Jesus grew in favor withGod and man (Luke 2:52).
2.Whenyou live a life pleasing to God, by obeying His will you will find favor withHim and with people.
3.Godworks in His own time and season.
1.Estheralso got her timing right.
2.MaybeGod has put it on your heart to do something for Him.
3.Don'tjust jump into it but wait for his time.
4.Godwill move in His time when we remain faithful and alert to His leading.
4.Yourbackground does not hinder your future with God.
1.Estherwas an orphan.
2.Yourbackground does not determine what God can do with you. Your faith does.
1.Joshuawas such a "Young Gun" because he spent so much of his lifefollowing.
1.Notjust following but following a Godly leader.
1.Inlife, in ministry, in marriage, in relationships, in every area of life it's sovitally important learning how to follow.
2.Takingtime learning to follow. So you can lead and lead well.
3.Takingtime to learn leadership protocol.
1.AllowingGod the time to make adjustments in my life, adjustments in my thoughts,adjustments in my character, adjustments in my relationships, and adjustmentsthat will make or break my future.
Joshua 1:5-9 (NLT)
No one will be able to standagainst you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. Iwill not fail you or abandon you. [6] "Be strong and courageous, for youare the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to theirancestors I would give them. [7] Be strong and very courageous. Be careful toobey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turningeither to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everythingyou do. [8] Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day andnight so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will youprosper and succeed in all you do. [9] This is my command-be strong andcourageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with youwherever you go."
1.Deviationfrom the word will never get me to God's perfect, designed plan for my life butmeditation and obedience to it, will.
1.Joshuabegan life in Egypt as a slave, under cruel Egyptian taskmasters, but he roseto be the leader of Israel, through faithful obedience to God.
Joshua 4:14 (NLT)
That day the Lord made Joshuaa great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites, and for the rest of his lifethey revered him as much as they had revered Moses.
1.WhenMoses sent 12 spies to scout the land of Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb,believed the Israelites could conquer the land with God's help.
1.Angry,God sent the Jews to wander in the wilderness for 40 years until thatunfaithful generation died.
1.Ofthose spies, only Joshua and Caleb survived and entered the promised land.
2.Beforethe Jews entered Canaan, Moses died and Joshua became his successor.
1.Spieswere sent into Jericho.
1.Rahab,a prostitute, sheltered them and then helped them escape. They swore to protectRahab and her family when their army invaded.
1.Toenter the land, the Jews had to cross the flooded Jordan River.
2.Whenthe priests and Levites carried the Ark of the Covenant into the river, thewater stopped flowing.
1.Thismiracle mirrored the one God had performed at the Red Sea.
3.Joshuafollowed God's strange instructions for the battle of Jericho.
1.Forsix days the army marched around the city. On the seventh day, they marchedseven times, shouted, and the walls fell down flat.
2.TheIsraelites swarmed in, killing every living thing except Rahab and her family.
4.BecauseJoshua was obedient, God performed another miracle at the battle of Gibeon.
Joshua 10:13-14 (NLT)
So the sun stood still andthe moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies.Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middleof the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. [14] There has never been aday like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a prayer. Surelythe Lord fought for Israel that day!"
1.Withouta doubt, Joshua's greatest accomplishment in life was his unwavering loyaltyand faith in God.
1.Joshuashowed tremendous courage, despite the huge responsibility assigned to him.
2.Hewas a brilliant military commander.
3.Joshuaprospered because he trusted God with every aspect of his life.
1.Obedience,faith, and dependence on God made Joshua one of Israel's strongest leaders.
2.Heprovided a bold example for us to follow.
3.Likeus, Joshua was often besieged by other voices, but he chose to follow God, andhe did it faithfully.
4.Joshuatook seriously the Word of God and ordered the people of Israel to live by themas well.
Joshua 24:15,24 (NLT)
"But if you refuse to serve theLord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods yourancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amoritesin whose land you now live? But as forme and my family, we will serve the Lord."
[24] The people said toJoshua, "We will serve the Lord our God. We will obey him alone."
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