Most of us eat every day, some of us too much because yesterday's food
is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then, do some
of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna, the word of God to keep
us through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change all
of that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to
live healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to your Daily Portion with your host,
author speaker, Elle David Harris. Good morning, Good morning, Good morning.
It is Wednesday, December twenty twenty twenty three. Hello, my name
is El David Harris. I am your host, and this is your Daily
Portion where we give you God's Word every single day, and today is no
exception. We are continuing in our Lesson study series. God's mission, my
mission, and our caption for today is for such a time as this,
for such a time as this. We'll get into this in just a moment,
but first I'd like to say welcome to you and ask you to go
over to your Daily Portion dot com. Please join our online community. Please
also let us know in that box when you get there where you are in
the world and pick up your Daily Portion book at your Daily Portion dot com.
This is a way that we can build faith and fellowship. Let's go
ahead and pray and then we will get underway. Father and Heaven, thank
you for giving us the privilege of opening up your word today. And I'm
asking you to please give us understanding, teach us how to love you and
to serve you. Today. Father, I'm asking you now to give us
the fullness of your Holy spirit, and understand when you position us in certain
ways that it is for such a time as this. In Jesus's name,
I pray, Amen and Amen again. So I spoke to a friend and
business owner the other day, and I've spoken to teachers here in Jamaica,
an entire school full of teachers and principles and assistant principles and others about this
one thing. Right, everybody is not a leader. And you're like,
of course, everybody's a leader. Everybody needs to learn how to be a
leader. And I'm like, well, okay, if everybody's a leader,
then who are followers? If everybody's a leader, who are support staff?
Like, if everybody's a leader, then what are they leading? If everybody's
a leader? You hear where I'm coming from with this. So regardless of
whether you're a leader, that's only eighteen percent of the population, and probably
only one percent of those eighteen percent are really really good leaders. Sounds kind
of harsh, but yeah, that means that whatever station we find ourselves,
whether we are leaders, we are support orders, we are followers, we
are whatever we are, God has positioned us in those spaces and places for
such a time as this. I need you to wake up in the morning,
regardless of your behavior style, regardless of your spiritual gifts, regardless of
the number of spiritual gifts you have or don't have, I need you to
wake up in the morning with this on your mind. God has positioned me
in this particular place and space for such a time as this. Now you
can determine whether Esther was a leader or not. You can determine whether Mordecai
was a leader or not. But I promise you both of them, both
of them were positioned in their places and spaces for the time that we are
referencing in the Book of Esther, especially beginning in Esther chapter verse one.
And so what I want to do is make application, because you and your
spare time can read through the story of Esther and today focus on chapter four.
But I want you to begin to personalize. I want you to say,
God, what does this have to do with me in this country,
this state, this province, this city, this parish wherein I live?
How does this apply to me? Okay? So let's begin with Esther chapter
four and verse fourteen. The Book of Esther, chapter four and verse fourteen.
My Bible moved from here. Let me put it back up here Esther
chapter four, and I will read just verse fourteen in this case, and
I will read from the King James version of the Bible. Let's go here
here, And I think I got it, y'all, I got it.
I got it. For if thou all together holdest thy peace at this time
you are coming into the conversation late. You haven't read the story yet,
but you can catch up a little later. For if thou all together holdest
thy piece at this time, then shall their enlargement and deliverance arise to the
Jews from another place. But thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed.
And who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom for such a time as
this? And so now Esther is given, is given some good counsel and
advice about wait a minute, you're in this space. I think I said
that a minute ago. You're in this place, and there is impact that
you can have because if you do nothing, it can have a negative impact.
So God is calling you for such a time as this. Yeah,
it was a question, but it was rhetorical. Okay, So embrace divine
appointments. That's our point number one for today. Embrace divine appointments. Recognize
that God places you in particular circumstances for a purpose. Just as Esther was,
huh, be open to the roles God has for you in his larger
plan. I wish I had the time. I have been in some really
interesting, strange places and spaces since probably well many years, but specifically since
about age twenty three. I'm fifty. Now I wish I had the time.
I need to write a book just about that. And now I understand
some of how these puzzle pieces came together short times, long times, various
and sundry interesting assignments. Yeah, and so God wants us to be open
to the roles that He has positioned us in for his larger plans. Some
of the roles don't feel like big and in big and happy role. Sometimes
they're painful. I've been through those. Too powerful to the outside people,
but painful internally. Okay. Number two, act courageously for the right reason.
See Esther's willingness to approach the king despite the risk shows the importance of
courage when standing for what is right, especially when other people's lives are at
stake. You see, there are some of you who are activists, and
I'm talking about positive good activists. I wish I had the time to go
through the Bible to show some positive good activists. Right. There are some
of you who take up the cause of the poor, the laying, the
main, the blind, the people who have no parents, the people who
have lost their their husbands, their wives. And God says that this is
there is a true religion that is undefiled, that looks out for these people
and the oppressed. And to set the captive is free. Right. And
so so God wants you to act courageously. He wants me to act courageously
for the right reasons. Number three, fast and pray in crises. Fast
and pray in crises, and so In Esther, chapter four and verse sixteen,
the Bible reads, go gather together all of the people of God that
are present in Shushan and fast ye for me, neither eat nor drink three
days nor night or day. I also and my maidens will fast likewise.
So Esther was getting armored up, like she was getting ready to go and
to do something that she wasn't one hundred percent sure it would out how it
would play out. But she said, you know what, my life may
be on the line, but for God's honor and for the benefit of my
people, I'm willing to do this. But I need you to pray.
Would you fast and pray with me? And the Bible says, and so
so I will go in unto the king, which is not according to the
law. And if I perish, ooh, she said, if I perish,
I perish. If I perish, I perish. And so when fasting
and praying during crises, you're not worried about what happens to you. All
you care about is God's honor, God's name and the desired outcome. Also
stand for your community, trust God over fear, and then intercede for others.
And while you're doing it, accept the sovereignty of God. He knows
exactly what he's doing. Have a wonderful day, peace. Thanks for joining
us listening. Friends. Always remember we cannot live by bread alone, but
by every word that comes from the mouth of God. This has been your
daily portion with El David Harris. Make it a great day, Yeah,