Psalm 121 - 6.11.25

Scripture

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1,2)... The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; (Psalm 121:7)

Observation

Our house is nestled on one of the hills of the Santa Clarita valley. We have a good view of mountains in all directions from our home. I work from home when I am not travelling. My work involves a lot of decision making and talking in front of the computer-camera all day. Whenever I am asked a difficult question at work, and I don’t have time to whisper a prayer for wisdom and help, I look outside my window in front of my desk onto the top of the mountains before I answer. I am acting out my prayer based on Psalms 121:1, by lifting my eyes to the mountains. When I do that, I acknowledge that my help comes from my heavenly Father, who made heaven and the earth, and He always comes to my help.

The Psalm continues to highlight how the Lord is always watching over us, never going to sleep (v 3). When we fix our eyes on the mountains from where our help comes, he watches over us so that our feet don’t slip, or in other words we don’t make mistakes! (v 4)

The Lord promises to keep us from all harm, and watch over our life (v 7). The KJV version says “The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul”. The Lord protects us from all evil. This includes all the plans of the enemy to steal, kill and destroy. The Lord is our protection. He has promised to keep us from all harm and all evil. 

Application

Let us remember that our help comes from our Father in heaven, who made heaven and earth. He has no dearth of resources to help us. Deuteronomy 33:26 says, “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides across the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty”. Jeshurun is a poetic name for Israel. We are the Israel (God’s chosen people) of the New Testament. When we call out to Him, He comes to our help riding across the heavens and clouds in His Majesty! When my kids were young, if I heard a cry “Mamma” from my son or daughter, I would drop everything I was doing and run to them and pick them up! When we cry “Father” to our heavenly Father, He immediately comes to help us! 

He will keep us from all harm. No weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). The Lord has given us the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy - nothing will harm us (Luke 10:19). Snakes and scorpions are the imagery of the devil and all his plans against us, on which God has given us victory. Let us use the authority the Lord has given us and live in victory.

Prayer

Father, I thank you because you have made me your child. You made heaven and earth and you own the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps 50:10). You are never short of resources to help me. You incline your ear towards me and hear my prayer (Ps 17:6). I have set you always before me, and because you are at my right hand I shall not be moved. (Ps 16:8). Thank you for watching over me all the time, even when I am sleeping (Ps 121:3). Thank you for protecting me from all harm. Thank you because you have destroyed the work of the devil (1 John 3:8). Thank you for giving your angels charge over me (Psalms 91:11). Thank you because I can rest in you (Ps 37:7). Everyday of my life was written in your book before I was born, and nothing happens to me without your knowledge  (Ps 139:16) . And I know that you will make all things work together for good for me, including what the enemy intends for evil (Rom 8:28). I thank you and I praise you because I am safe and secure in you. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen. 

- Asha Chacko George

Esther 4 - 6.10.25

SCRIPTURE:  Esther 4:12-14  "When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, 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. 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."

OBSERVATION:  Esther was a beautiful woman.  Her beauty and character captured the heart of King Xerxes, who was the King of the Persian empire.   Esther's cousin, Mordecai adopted her after her parents died.  His parents had also died, so he felt it was his responsibility to care for her.  Mordecai was a man who loved God deeply and vowed not to bow down to anyone except God.  The king made Mordecai an official in his kingdom.

UNDERSTANDING:   A man named Haman had achieved great power, and was put second in rank to king Xerxes.  Haman was an enemy of the Jews. It enraged Haman that Mordecai would not bow down and pay him honor so he planned to murder Mordecai, and he went so far as to build a pole for him to be impaled on. But after learning that the Jewish race was Mordecai's people, he decided to find a way to destroy them all! This would mean even Mordecai's cousin, queen Esther would die!

Haman went to the king and told him that there was a certain people dispersed among them in all the provinces of his kingdom who kept themselves separate.  Their customs were different from all other people, and they didn't obey the king's laws.  He told him it was not in his best interest to tolerate them. "If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the king's administrators for the royal treasury."  So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman, the enemy of the Jews.  "Keep the money," the king said to Haman, "and do with the people what you please."

Enter Chapter 4:  After Mordecai learned all that had been said and done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went into the city wailing loudly and bitterly.  When Esther's eunuch's and female attendants saw him at the king's gate, and told Esther, she was in great distress.  Mordecai's mourning and fasting led Esther to take action.  But not before she committed to doing something very important: She gathered support and she fasted!  She sent word to Mordecai to go gather all the Jews who were in Susa, and told them to fast for her.  She told them not to eat or drink anything for three days and three nights.  She and her attendants would fast the three days as well.  When this was done, she would go the king, even though it was against the law to approach the king uninvited. Any man or woman who approached the king in the inner court without being summoned would be put to death unless the king extended the gold scepter to them and spared them their life, but if he didn't... they would die! This law didn't exclude Esther, even being the King's wife, and the queen of the palace!  

Esther fasted and prayed, and then she chose to risk her life to save her people. Her decision was made, and her exact words were:  "If I perish, I perish".  Choosing to do what  was right  by sacrificing her own life for her people was what made Esther a hero of the faith.  I'm sure she must have been scared to do this, but after she prayed and sought the guidance and favor of God, she trusted that He would be in control of the outcome. 

APPLICATION:  Esther's faith in God caused me to examine my own faith.  Esther and Mordecai were willing to set aside their own fear and take action.  Esther was willing to risk her own life by asking King Xerxes to save the Jews.  Another thing I noticed is that prayer was an important part of her life, and it helped her to do what was right and be brave.

Esther's faith and dependence on God made me think about the level of my own faith.  Do I allow fear to keep me from praying that God will use me to accomplish His will?  Am I more concerned about others than my own security?  Do I trust that God is in control even when circumstances seem to indicate they're not?  Do I trust God enough to want to pray for Him to use me, even if it's way out of my comfort zone?  I quickly realized that I am in need of much improvement! 

PRAYER:  Lord, I am always amazed of how You answer my prayers!  You have an awesome track record throughout history for making evil plans backfire on the planners, and You use the prayers of Your people to accomplish Your plans according to Your eternal  purposes. I admit that I treasure security and peace, but I pray that my true security will be found in You alone, and that I will make prayer an important part of my daily life, especially when life's scary challenges come my way.   Amen

- Robin Orefice

Esther 3 - 6.9.25

Scripture

‭‭Esther‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.”

Observation

King Xerxes just promoted a man named Haman to be the highest, most powerful noble throughout the entire empire. The king ordered that all his officials would bow down and show respect to Haman every time he passed by. Mordecai though, refused to bow down to Haman. Being of Jewish descent, Mordecai knew that bowing down to anyone but God would be an act of idolatry, a sin against God. Mordecai’s act of defiance infuriates Haman. Haman then plots a way to kill not only Mordecai, but a way to eliminate all the Jewish people throughout the entire empire of King Xerxes.

Application

Be a Christian with strong convictions. Stand up for Jesus! 

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”-Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭28‬ ‭

“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”-‭‭Matthew‬ 10‬:‭32‬-‭33‬ ‭

Mordecai could have easily caved in under peer pressure here. I mean the old adage of, “Well everyone else is doing it.”, didn’t even cross his mind. Mordecai was a man with strong convictions. He knew that bowing down to anyone but God was going to be a blatant act of idolatry. It was a sin against God! Mordecai refused to bend at the knees and follow the world’s ways. Instead, Mordecai stood tall for the ways of God.

Now I know in today’s world we can feel that same pressure. Whether it’s at work, or even amongst our own family and friends, we can be afraid to stand up for our faith and what we believe in. We can have that fear of being reprimanded by our boss, or even isolated from our friends because of our faith and beliefs. But take heart! Stand firm on your convictions and beliefs. Be someone, like Mordecai here, who was more concerned about pleasing God, rather than people. Know that we have a reward that awaits us in Heaven because of our faithfulness. Stand up for Jesus! 

“But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.”-Revelation‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬b

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the time I cower away from my convictions. Forgive me for being worried more about pleasing people than pleasing You. I pray that you give me the strength and courage to stand firm in my faith for You today. Help me to be a man who is bold in my convictions. Help me to be a man who lives solely to please and honor You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽

-Moses Gadd