Our beliefs and actions are based on three different levels. The first level is personal commands, such as “thou shalt not steal.” The second is personal convictions: “I shouldn’t run on Sundays.” And the third level is personal preferences, along the lines of “I like Duke basketball.” But in today’s message Pastor Stephen Davey will remind us that if we don’t keep these levels in the right order, we’ll do a lot of harm to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Scandals abound in a drama cast in the ancient Persian Empire. In the midst of political intrigue and betrayal, a beautiful orphan girl suddenly becomes the leading character, as God’s providence rescues His people from certain death. At first glance, Esther is the heroine and Mordecai the master manipulator. Take a closer look, however, and you’ll discover that behind the scenes, God is pulling the strings as His sovereign providence unfolds.