Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 2--
 
Verses 4-5
“Then the king said to me, ‘What are you requesting?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.’”


I love this. Before he responded to the king, he prayed to God. Do you ever have those moments where you’re talking to someone and you say a silent prayer, maybe something like, “God, please help me speak what you want me to speak.” Or it could be, “Lord, grant me the strength to be gracious.” Whatever it is, it's a beautiful thing when we can keep a 3-way conversation with God in the center. Conversation with another person while consulting God for direction.


That’s what God desires–that we keep him in the mix. He wants to be involved and heard, asked questions, leaned on. We serve an awesome God who chooses to walk so very close to us that He knocks on our hearts until He can live in us!! All hail King Jesus.


Brendan League

Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 1--


Verse 8-9
“Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’”

Before Nehemiah makes his petition to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, he reminds God of His promises to His chosen. Before we pray, we should search the Scriptures to learn God’s promises that are appropriate to our situation. Then we should follow Nehemiah‘s example and remind Him.

God keeps His promises!

Rick Bolesta

Daily Devotional from Ezra 10--


Verse 4
"Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it."


Ezra had a tough task to do. He knew what had to be done because he knew God's law, and that the people had broken it. And, having just returned from exile, he knew the consequences for breaking God's laws.


But he wasn't alone! The people knew they needed to follow Eza in doing what was right, so they encouraged him to walk in his God-given role as their leader and they committed to following him.


What is God asking of you at this time? If it seems like a scary or overwhelming task, find your friends in the church who will encourage you, and help you walk out in your calling! That's what the church is for, to walk with each other through hard things. You can do it!


Audrey Rogers

Daily Devotional from Ezra 9--


Verse 8-9
“…But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the Lord our God, …to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving…God…has extended to us his steadfast love…to grant us some reviving …and to give us protection ...”


Even in their disobedience, look what God did for the Israelites.  In favor and steadfast love, he gave them a secure hold in His holy place, brightened their eyes, revived them, and gave them protection. What an awesome, merciful God!


In Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, he provided all this and the promise of total forgiveness of sin and eternal life with him!


Thank you, Father, for giving us Jesus, who redeemed us by his blood. Thank you for your Holy Spirit, who guides us and gives us wisdom and comfort! Brighten our eyes, Lord. May we gratefully live in your holiness, love, and protection! Amen!


Carol Wong

Daily Devotional from Ezra 8--


Verse 22
“For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, ‘The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.’”


Darius, king of Persia, obeying an edict made by a former king, tasked Ezra to lead willing Israelites back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. He even sent treasures to pay for it.


Ezra wouldn’t ask for a protection guard from Darius because of a declaration of faith he made to the king. He proclaimed God would be with them and be their protection.


God was with them all the way and kept them safe from bandits and highwaymen.


There are many promises throughout Scripture that we can declare in faith because God will back His word. Dig through Scripture. Search for His promises and declare them. And don’t forget to pray for travel mercies before taking a journey.


Rick Bolesta

Daily Devotional from Ezra 7--

Verse 10
“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.”


I once heard Eugene Peterson say that Bible teachers are a dime a dozen. He wasn’t meaning to disparage pastors – he happened to be one for many years. He was only trying to make an honest point: it’s not hard to find someone who's willing to speak. Many are eager to preach, but a willingness to do so does not mean they are ready.


Ezra gives us a good pattern. He set his heart first to study the Word of God. Then to live it. And only then to teach it. The order matters. Because what gives weight to a teacher is not their gifting, but their life.


Great teachers are marked by this: they study the Scriptures, and they love it enough to obey it, even when no one is listening.


Demetrius Rogers

Daily Devotional from Ezra 6--


Verse 22
“And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.”
‭
This story is amazing! The way God worked all things together for the Israelites is beautiful. They were told by King Darius to stop building and faced all kinds of opposition, but the former King Cyrus’s decree overpowered this. The promise was fulfilled, and the temple was completed—paid for by Persia! And the place was filled with joyful worship!


Friends, God will work it out. No matter what we see in our circumstances or conflicts we face—He will work it out! He may even use someone you considered your enemy! Today, look at what God did for Israel and choose to trust Him with any circumstances you are facing! Remind yourself that God will work it out!


Annika Sullenger

Daily Devotional from Ezra 5--


Verse 2
“Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.”

What an exciting day for Jerusalem and Israel, and the Jews. The Temple of God in Jerusalem was finally being rebuilt. God didn’t need the Temple; the people did. They need a place to honor God, to worship, and to hear the words of the Torah.

We need the same thing. We need a place to go to minister to God, to worship Him, and to hear His words of Truth. We need fellowship, communion, and a safe place to feel unconditional love.

And just as God used Shealtiel, Jeshua, Haggai, and Zechariah then, He uses us to minister to each other. At Legacy Church, we learn and practice, caring, sharing, loving, encouraging, and praying for each other. And I would like to pause as we read this chapter to remember how vital our community is, and how grateful I am for everyone who calls Legacy Church home. As God protected and blessed the building of the Temple in Jerusalem, He will protect us as we build each other up in faith, hope, and love.

Marci Ellis

Daily Devotional from Ezra 4--


Verse 4
“Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build…”


When God directs his people to do a work for him, there are often detractors, hold-ups, bumps in the road, and all manner of distractions to discourage us from completing the work. But perseverance is built when you have to work against forces that are working against you. Strength is built through exercise. Courage is exercised through continuing to follow your call, amidst the fears and discouragement that would tempt you to give up.


What are you called to do today? Encourage yourself in the Lord, and do it!


Audrey Rogers

Daily Devotional from Ezra 3--


Verse 3
“They set up the altar on its foundation and offered burnt offerings for the morning and evening on it to the LORD even though they feared the surrounding peoples.”


Sometimes, we need to do what God instructs, even when we are scared.


Fear can rob us of walking in obedience and ultimately freedom, found only in the LORD.


Is God asking something of you? Are you apprehensive because of fear?


Step out in faith and do it anyway.


“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6


Robin Miller

Daily Devotional from Ezra 2--

Verse 1b
“They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town.”

Did you know that the commute from Babylon to Jerusalem was 900 miles? That’s about 4 months of travel on foot for the people to get back to their homes! Based on what we see in this passage, we know that the first thing some of the families did when they arrived in Jerusalem was give freewill offerings to the house of God. I would say, besides the exhaustion from traveling so far, they were probably feeling immense gratitude toward God for freeing them from captivity in Babylon.

I love to look into the context of these passages to understand what the people’s experiences might have been. I admire the Israelites’ offerings to God. All I want to do after a trip is take a nap, and I’m usually just in the passenger seat! I am challenged by this passage to examine my heart. The Israelites were freed from captivity in Babylon; Jesus freed me from captivity to death and darkness. My response should be the utmost gratitude! Take some time today to reflect on what God has done for you and express your gratitude to him!

Zoe Deming

Daily Devotional from Ezra 1--


Verse 1
“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:”

To fulfill the prophesies of Isaiah and Jeremiah, God “stirred the heart” of King Cyrus, which prompted him to allow the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of the Lord. Through these prophecies, God promised the Jewish captives that their exile in Babylon would be temporary. God has revealed that Christian exile here on earth is also only temporary. He has promised that one day we will leave this home and join our king in the eternal city. (1 Peter 1:17, 2:11; Hebrews 13:14)

Exiles from Babylon returned with earthly riches that are gone. Who knows where they are today? We will leave exile with treasures we cannot imagine, and where moth and rust cannot destroy.

Rick Bolesta

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 36--

Verse 15
“The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people.”
 
It’s interesting that the Lord should even use messengers. I mean, he can take care of it himself, but often doesn’t. He sends other people to get the message through. And I can’t tell you how many times the Lord has sent his messengers to me. It’s been in the form of pastors, professors, and mentors. But it’s also been my wife, my mom, and my kids. It’s been my peers and proteges. It’s even been rude strangers and anonymous critics. But when the message is persistent, it shouldn’t matter who the messenger is – the Lord's having compassion on me. And my job is to humble myself and listen closely.

Demetrius Rogers

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 35--


Verse 18
“No Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as was kept by Josiah, and the priests and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

King Josiah is celebrating the Passover unlike any other since Samuel was Israel’s prophet. What happened in the years in between? Did kings Saul, David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Ahaziah, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, or Amon celebrate the Passover? Did it take 17 kings before a true Passover was celebrated?

When I thought about the possibility of no national celebration of the Passover, it reminded me of a song I used to sing. There is a line that says, “I didn’t come here to ask you for anything; I just came to talk with you, Lord.” I am sure that God longed to have a national celebration of the Passover every year; I am sure He longs for us to just spend time talking with Him–just acknowledging how kind, loving, generous, forgiving, and willing He is to meet our needs, even when we forget to say thanks.

Father, we just pause to say we love you and thank you for everything you do for us. In Jesus name. Amen.

Marci Ellis

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 34--
 
Verse 26b-27
“Thus says the LORD…because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD.”
 
Josiah was a very young king, but he deeply desired to honor God. Even before the Law of Moses was found, Josiah worked hard to rid his kingdom of any worship that was not ascribed to YAHWEH. When he finally read the words of the Law, he had a tender and humble heart—and he lamented what had become of his people.
 
God saw Josiah’s tender and humble heart, and because of this, He heard Josiah. In a land where everyone’s hearts were hard, Josiah’s remained soft. I’m sure we all have experienced times where we ignored our relationship with God or hardened our hearts to the Holy Spirit’s voice. It isn’t easy to remain tender. But when we decide to approach Him with humility, He sees our hearts. In a world where many have hardened their hearts, let’s choose to walk in humility with tender hearts to the Word of God and nudges of the Holy Spirit.
 
Annika Sullenger

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 33--

Verse 13
“He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.”

Manasseh’s sin was great. Based on the description, I’d say he was Judah’s most evil king. And his sin deserved consequences. Probably worse than he got. But a taste of those consequences turned his heart to the Lord, and where his sin was great, his repentance was greater.

Unfortunately, damage was done, which would set his son on the same self-destructive path, but WOW. Isn’t it amazing to see how far we can run from God, and how easy it is to be welcomed back, forgiven, and returned to His presence?

We want to avoid disobeying God in the first place, because our sin doesn’t just affect us, but we can rest in the knowledge that he is always there to take us–or anyone else, no matter how unworthy–back! Praise Jesus!

Audrey Rogers

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 32--


Verses 25-26
“But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.”


Even though King Hezekiah strayed, all he had to do was humble himself. As a result, so did the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and God showed them mercy. Oh, that we would all have the heart to humble ourselves. Salvation is that simple; God’s wrath becomes mercy toward you.


We’ve all been there, we are all sinners, every one of us is guilty. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Give up control, and you’ll receive this gift. There’s no better gift. God shed his own blood so we can escape eternal judgment. There’s no greater love than the love the Father has for us. So stay humble, let God guide you today.


Brendan League

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 31--

Verse 21
“And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.”

I would love for someone to say that about me when remembering my life. If I am to be known for anything, I want to be known for seeking God and working for him with all my heart! We can see in this chapter and the previous two chapters that having a man of God on the throne made a huge difference in Jerusalem. Under his leadership, the people went from worshiping false gods (and even sacrificing their children to them) to worshiping God with joyful hearts and open hands.

What will it take for you to seek God and work for him with all your heart? Reflect on this with me today, and let’s worship him together!

Zoe Deming

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 30--


Verses 18-20
“A large number of the people...were ritually unclean, yet they had eaten the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah had interceded for them, saying, ‘May the good Lord provide atonement on behalf of whoever sets his whole heart on seeking God, the Lord, the God of his ancestors, even though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.’ So the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.”


Hezekiah didn’t know it, but he was praying for the entire world, not just those in Israel who had turned their hearts back to the LORD. He was praying for you. He was praying for me.


These verses are a picture of what is to come. It’s the good news. While we were still ritually unclean, Jesus died and rose again for us and cleansed us from all unrighteousness.


Sin is supposed to blemish us and make us unclean in the eyes of the Lord. And just like the Lord healed the people on behalf of Hezekiah’s prayer, you and I have been provided an atonement, a healing power that immunizes us from receiving the stain of sin ever again–because Jesus advocates on our behalf and clothes us with HIS unblemished character.


Robin Miller

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 29--


Verses 1 & 2
“Hezekiah…did what was right in the eyes of the Lord,”

When Hezekiah became king, he quickly went about restoring the temple, calling for the consecration of the priests and Levites, cleansing of the temple, and repentance of the people. He moved with urgency so the Lord’s “fierce anger” might be turned away. It was “in his heart to make a covenant with the Lord” (v. 10) that the right people and practices would be restored and repentance would be evidenced in sacrifices and musical worship. Once the steps were taken, everyone worshiped before the Lord.

Let’s be inspired to confess sins before the Lord, repent, and be restored to right relationship. Let’s bow and acknowledge his mercy, grace, and love. We also can rejoice because God has provided for us in Jesus.
(See 1 John 1:9)

Oh Lord, may we be willing and eager to return to you. May we be honest before you, turn from sin and find rest, and in quietness and trust find strength in you! Amen.
(See Isaiah 30:15)

Carol Wong

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 28--


Verse 10
“And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the Lord your God?”


Because of their idol worship, God allowed judgment to come upon the kingdom of Judah. The Syrian king and his forces, and even the kingdom of Israel, came against the kingdom of Judah. They defeated it and took spoils and captives as slaves.


But God wouldn’t allow the kingdom of Israel to subjugate their relatives. Instead, God had Israel feed, clothe, and care for their captives from Judah and return them to their homeland.


Relationships are important to God.


We can’t choose most of our family; we have to play the cards we are dealt. And there WILL be times of conflict. Sometimes family will disappoint–or worse, but that doesn’t mean we stop caring about them.


Even when we disagree, we should treat family members (including our church family members) with respect and care in times of need.


Rick Bolesta

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 27--


Verse 6
“So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God.”


To order our ways can speak of organizing our priorities. Our priorities will determine how we live our lives, and the things that are most important to us will be evident in the way we spend our time and money. When I was in college, learning how to ‘adult’, I never had enough time. A mentor suggested I keep a written record of how I spent my time for a week, recorded in 15-minute increments. That exercise showed me just how much time I spent doing pretty much nothing!


Jesus regularly prayed to keep his will submitted to his Father. So, I think, must we, when it comes to how we prioritize life! Otherwise, it fills with work, chores, family, recreation, self-care…leaving no time for devotions or serving God and fellowshipping with his family. Take a minute (or a week) to examine your priorities and ask God if anything needs to shift. He is worth every minute of our lives!


Audrey Rogers

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 26--

Verse 16
“But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.”


History records the perils of prosperity and power. Uzziah wasn’t the first to fall to his own pride. He won’t be the last either. The proverb, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18), is something we all know in our heads. But our hearts, like Uzziah’s, want something more. We want to feel important, to feel needed, to feel like we have accomplished something on our own. Those feelings lead to believing we are exempt from consequences. Sadly, Uzziah had sought the Lord when he first became King. However, his strength and his pride got in the way, and he allowed himself to feel more important than God. How easily we can fall into Satan’s trap, especially when it comes to pride.


In the midst of all our flaws and our sins, God gives us a way of escape. James 4:10 – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. Isn’t that a much better solution than having God pull the rug of pride out from under us? Uzziah’s sin was costly, ours is too. So let’s put aside those things that so easily beset us and fix our eyes on Jesus, recognizing that He, alone, should be exalted.


Marci Ellis

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 25--


Verse 9
“The Lord is able to give you much more than this.”


But Lord, these illegal drugs are worth so much money, and now you’re asking me to flush them down the toilet? But Lord, I’ve already put two years into this degree, and now you’re calling me in a new direction? But Lord, we’ve already given our tithes this month, and now you’re prompting us to give another?


Sometimes the Lord asks us to do costly things. And it’s easy to sit on the fence, trying to reconcile the gains and losses. Or we can just know who we’re dealing with. What’s money to the One who owns it all? What’s value to the One who sets the market? What’s a sacrifice to the One who gives us everything? Put your trust in Him. He’s able to give you much more than this.


Demetrius Rogers

Daily Devotional from 2 Chronicles 24--  

Verse 17-18
“...Then the king listened to them. And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols…”

Joash, why?!? You had such a noble start to your reign–what happened? From the beginning of the chapter to the end, we see a complete 180° turn in the king. It’s almost like Joash lost his way once Jehoiada, the prophet, died. There are a few principles we could take from this chapter. First, we have to be careful who we’re listening to and allowing to influence our decisions and devotion. It seems that all it took for Joash to turn away from God was the influence of the princes of Judah. Second, we have to be careful not to slip away from God slowly! We don’t get to see what happened beyond the text in Joash’s heart, but if he had been seeking God consistently, I don’t think he would have been so easily swayed by the princes of Judah!

Take some time today to reflect: do I have any ungodly people influencing my life? Am I staying close to Jesus? Take these things to God in prayer and let him lead you forward.

Zoe Deming