believe
Courage for Times Like These
Sunday morning Message from the pen of Pastor, Reverend A. W. Gilmore, (c) 1989
Esther 4: 12-16
12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Matthew 4: 8-11
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
These are crucial times in which we live. It takes much courage to live, for there are so many temptations, problems & challenges. When you attempt to talk to others, soon you find out that they have their troubles, too.
This is how Rev. Gilmore’s Message began. He went on to expound on the following.
[Consider] the man who’s about to jump off a bridge…
So it takes courage to face life. And it takes courage to be different, to take a stand for Christ. Only God can give the courage we need.
Satan is at every cross-road, seeking whom he may devour. Without God, the temptations will cause you to take a turn down a road where you may not want to go.
The Book of Esther does not speak of God. His name is not mentioned in the entire Book. Yet, there is no other Book in the Bible where the evidence of God, and the presence of God is more clearly seen & felt.
The king of Judah, Ahasuerus, is one contentious ruler.
But in the Book of St. Matthew, Jesus’ ministry is beginning, and there appears satan, the great tempter. It took courage for Jesus to face this frowning world. The tempter met Jesus in the wilderness.
You CAN make it.
Tempted, challenged because you’re hungry & wanting more?
Tempted, challenged because you’re not succeeding like you expected?
Tempted, challenged because things are bleak & boring?
It took courage to face crucifixion on a wooden cross. Yet, He said, “Not my will…”
© Pastor Andrew W. Gilmore
Is There a God? (What’s that burning feeling?)
Someone asked me if I believe in God. Good question.
There is so much hate, and sorrow, and natural disasters that wipe out entire towns…babies dying, hungry children, distraught mothers, persecuted fathers, neglected animals…the list of horrible things in our world is long and ugly.
But when you think about it, all of these things have an “origin” somewhere in the human experience…It’s called cause & effect.
When I examine the anatomy of the human eye, the change of day to night, the burning feeling inside of me when I think about someone I love, the growth process of a seed into a blooming plant, aquatic life in the oceans…Who is doing this?
Why does the sun rise? Where do the planets come from? How does that baby form inside Mommy’s tummy?
There are times when a warm feeling comes over me that I can’t explain. It feels like my heart is going to burst. I’m crying for no apparent reason. I think of someone suffering, that I don’t even know, and it bothers me! Where do these feelings come from?
Do I believe in God? Truth is, I feel God. I talk to God, and whether or not others trust me, I trust that God hears and answers me, because my decisions feel right and have “right” results. Yes, I trust that feeling. Our bodies will grow old and eventually decay. But the feelings never die. Eternity is real.
Someone once said, “You may forget what someone says, you may forget what they did. But you’ll never forget how they made you feel.”
