Diane Penny

The book of Esther tells two important stories. One is the triumphant story of a Jewish girl that became queen and rescued the Jewish people from Haman’s murderous plot to destroy them. The other is a cautionary story of the man Haman, the chief minister to King Ahasuerus who despite his position and wealth allowed himself to be driven and eventually destroyed by pride. HAMAN’S PRIDE LEADS TO HATRED King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the Persian above all the princes in his kingdom. All the king’s servants bowed and reverenced Haman as the king commanded, except Mordecai, a Jew (Est. 3:1-2). It was against Jewish law for Mordecai to bow down to Haman. Mordecai adopted Esther, his uncle’s daughter when both her parents were dead (Est. 2:7). Esther became queen in the place of Vashti, who was ousted as queen for refusing to appear at king Ahasuerus's command (Est. 2:17). Haman was full of wrath because Mordecai did not bow or reverence him (Est. 3:5). However, Haman and king Ahasuerus di...

In his great mercy towards mankind, God sacrificed his Son, Jesus Christ on a cross to cancel our sin debt. Through faith in Jesus Christ, the heirs of salvation receive God’s free gift of grace. The grace of God means God’s unmerited favor towards mankind. God’s grace provides invaluable benefits for the heirs of salvation. It is important to know what the grace of God is, and how it affects our lives. In this article we will define the grace of God and discuss some of the many treasures of God’s grace that are available to the heirs of salvation. As with many words in the Bible, the word “grace” is used throughout the scriptures with several different meanings depending on the context of the scripture in which it is used. The word “grace”  that is first used in the New Testament in Luke 2:40 is defined in the Strong’s Concordance as G5485 and is translated charis, which means goodwill, loving-kindness, and favour (Blue Letter Bible). The Bible (KJV) translates G5485 as grace, ...

Weapons are offensive and defensive instruments used by soldiers in combat. God has equipped the saints with offensive and defensive spiritual weapons for battle against the forces of darkness. The Bible says, “. . . the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" (2 Cor. 10:4). THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD The Sword of the Spirit is described in biblical text as the Word of God, and is an essential part of the armor of God (Eph. 6:17). The sword of the spirit is used in conjunction with other spiritual defenses. Paul instructs the church at Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God which includes: Truth; the breastplate of righteousness; the gospel of peace; the shield of faith; the helmet of salvation; the sword of the Spirit; prayer with supplication; and watching with perseverance (Eph. 6:11-18).  The Sword of the Spirit is the most powerful weapon of all. The Bible says, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and...

The indwelling spirit of the Holy Ghost empowers born-again believers with supernatural abilities that they would not possess through natural means. In his letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul writes,  “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal”  (1 Cor. 12:7). These supernatural abilities come in the form of spiritual gifts, which we will discuss in this article. Word Aflame, Pictures of Wisdom  describes spiritual gifts as “gifts that the Spirit gives as a result of the new birth” (1: 77-84). Spiritual gifts are the evidence of God’s power in the life of the born-again believer. Paul writes,  “Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us”  (Eph. 3:20). Spiritual gifts are the means through which God's mind, will, and purpose are revealed in the earth. It is important for the saints of God to remember that the power is of God and is not of...

God has many attributes and although he has revealed some of his attributes and character to us through the Bible, our human minds may never fully comprehend all of who God is. However, one thing that is certain is that God cannot be separated from his Word. The attributes of God and the attributes of the Word of God are the same. Jesus Christ is the Word of God manifested in the flesh (John 1:14). The Word of God deserves the same honor and reverent fear as God. The Bible says, “Wherefore God has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:9). The Word of God is God (John 1:1). To honor God we must honor his Word. The Word of God should be the primary element of Christian assemblies and fellowship. David writes that we should, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his holy name” (Psa. 100:4). This article will discuss only a few of the attributes of God and his Word, and with t...