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<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Tel:
<a href="tel:253-517-9195" target="_blank">253-517-9195</a> - Email:
<a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/" target="_blank">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">May 31, 2013</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
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</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>NOV
11 - ESTHER 1-5 - CRISIS ANTICIPATED</b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>1.
1:12 (1, ESV) VASHTI DEPOSED. <font size="3">“But Queen Vashti
refused to come at the kings’ command delivered by the eunuchs. At
this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.”
</font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Headship in the home is
in the husband, not the wife. However the husband is to love his wife
as his own flesh, and be willing to die for her. Husband and wife are
joint-heirs of salvation, and jointly rule the household. There is a
Kingdom principle here that can be violated in two ways. </span><b><i>Hallowed
be your :name!</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>2.
2:9 (2:1-11) MORDECAI PRESENTS ESTHER. <font size="3">“And the
young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided
her with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen
young women from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her young
women to the best place in the harem.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Here
we see Your Providence, Father: Esther and Mordecai. No doubt it was
You also Father, Who inclined Hegai’s heart to Esther! May we too
be as Mordecai and Esther, and do You</span><span style="font-weight:normal">r</span><span style="font-weight:normal">
will on earth as it is in heaven. </span><b><i>Your :kingdom come.</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>3.
2:17 (2:12-20) ESTHER CHOSEN. <font size="3">“The king loved
Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his
sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on
her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">What
wisdom of Mordecai! Father, behind all our wisdom is Your river of
Life, empowering us to know and do Your purposes. This is marvelous
in our sight. Providentially we acknowledge You! </span><b><i>Your
:will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>4.
2:22 (2:21-22) MORDECAI SAVES AHASUERUS. <font size="3">“And this
came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther,
and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Mordecai’s
discovery of conspiracy against the king was important for Your
future purposes, Father, though certainly not perceived by Mordecai
at the time. O forgive us for not obeying You from the hea</span><span style="font-weight:normal">r</span><span style="font-weight:normal">t
in whatever comes to hand, even though we understand not its future
significance. </span><b><i>Our :daily :bread Give us this day.</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>5.
3:6 (3) HAMAN PLOTS JEWISH DESTRUCTION. <font size="3">“But he
disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known
to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews,
the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of </font><font size="3">Ahasuerus</font><font size="3">.”
</font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">This was a terrible day
of testing and temptation. It was a Holocaust of complete proportions
planned by an enemy of the LORD. You did not spare Your people the
Jews from this trial, but You were with them in temptation’s hour
Father, to deliver them. </span><b><i>And forgive us our :debts, As
we also have forgiven our :debtors.</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>6.
4:13-14 (4) MORDECAI CHALLENGES ESTHER. <font size="3">Then Mordecai
told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the
king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. </font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1">14
</font><font size="3">For if you keep silent at this time, relief and
deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and
your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not
come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Ah,
here it is, and Mordecai dimly perceives it: Your Providential
working, Father! Yes, You planned this to deliver the Jews from this
evil one! </span><b><i>And bring us not into temptation.</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>7.
5:2 (5) ESTHER PLANS: HAMAN PLOTS. <font size="3">“And when the
king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his
sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his
hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.”
</font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">In this Providential
favor, we see Father that Yours </span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">is</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
deliver us from the evil </span></i><span style="text-decoration:none">one!</span></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><u><b>NOTE</b></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>:
4:15-16 (4) </b></span><b><span style="text-decoration:none">THE
BRAVERY OF ESTHER. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">Then
Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, </span></font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1"><span style="text-decoration:none">16
</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“Go,
gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my
behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and
my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king,
though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Father,
we bless You for this extraordinary example of Courage and
Resignation!</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Quote
from Vance </span><span style="text-decoration:none">H</span><span style="text-decoration:none">avner:
“We’re suffering from a believism that never has believed and a
receivism that never has received and it leads to deceivism.”</span></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Our
Psalm for the Day: 131:2 (131) I HAVE CALMED AND QUIETED MY SOUL.
</span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“But I have
calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like
a we</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">a</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">ned
child is my soul within me.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Trust
in You Father, requires a childlike humble spirit, and too few of us
have it. But David did; and Moses did: Paul and Jesus too! O forgive
us for our haughtiness, pride and rebellion. </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">Then</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
our lives can </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">hallow
your :name!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-decoration:none">Title:
</span><i><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>“A Song of
Degrees of David.” </b></span></i><span style="text-decoration:none">It
is both by David and of David: he is the author and subject of it,
and many incidents of his life may be employed to illustrate it.
Compa</span><span style="text-decoration:none">r</span><span style="text-decoration:none">ing
all the Psalms to gems, we should liken this to a pearl: how
beautifully it will adorn the neck of patience! It is one of the
shortest Psalms to be read but one of the </span><span style="text-decoration:none">l</span><span style="text-decoration:none">ongest
to learn. It speaks of a young child, but it contains the experience
of a man in Christ. Lowliness and humility are here seen in
connection with a sanctified heart, a will subdued to the mind of
God, and a hope looking to God alone. Happy is the man who can
without falsehood use these words as his own; for he wears about him
the liken</span><span style="text-decoration:none">e</span><span style="text-decoration:none">ss
of his Lord, Who said, “I am meek and lowly in heart.”</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-decoration:none">131:1.
</span><i><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>Lord, my heart is
not haughty. </b></span></i><span style="text-decoration:none">He
begins with his heart, for that is the center of our nature, and if
pride be there, it defiles everything; just as mire in the spring
causes mud in all the streams. It is a grand thing for a man to know
his own heart so as to be able to speak before the Lord about it.
</span><i><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>Neither do I
exercise myself in great matters. </b></span></i><span style="text-decoration:none">As
a private man, he did not usurp the power of the king or devise plots
against him; he minded his own business and left others to mind
theirs. As a thoughtful man, he did not pry into things unrevealed;
he was not speculative, self-conceited, or opinionated. As a secular
person, he did not thrust himself into the priesthood as Saul had
done before him and Uzziah did after him. It is well so to e</span><span style="text-decoration:none">x</span><span style="text-decoration:none">ercise
ourselves unto godliness that we know our true sphere and diligently
keep to it.</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-decoration:none">131:2.
</span><i><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>As a child that is
weaned of his mother. </b></span></i><span style="text-decoration:none">
It is not every child of God who arrives at this weanedness speedily.
Some are sucklings when they ought to be fathers; others are hard to
wean, and cry, and fight, and rage against their Heavenly Parent’s
discipline. When we think ourselves safely through the
weaning, we sadly discover that the old appetites are rather wounded
than slain. and we begin crying again for the breasts which we had
given up. It is easy to begin shouting before we are out of the wood,
and no doubt hundreds have sung this Psalm long before </span><span style="text-decoration:none">t</span><span style="text-decoration:none">hey
have understood it. There is such a thing as wearing out the
affections. Solomon appears to have done this at one period of his
life. “I have not a wish left,” said a well-known sensualist of
our own country, who had drunk as deeply as he could drink of the
world’s cup. “Were all the earth contains spread out before me, I
do not know a thing I would take the trouble of putting out my hand
to reach.” </span><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>(From
“The Treasury of David” by C.H. Spurgeon, abridged by D.O.
Fuller)</b></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
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