Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 12--Verse 43“Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.”The preparations had been made. The Priests and the Levites had their assignments. Two choirs had been assembled. The musical instruments were ready. They knew ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 11--Verse 2“The people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.”Living in Jerusalem at this time was not an attractive ordeal. It was risky business. Sandballat–and his terrorist network–were still making threats. The wall, though rebuilt by this point, was certainly not foolproof. The city lacked resources, stability, and infrastructure. To mo...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 10--Verse 39b“We will not neglect the house of our God.”When the Israelites returned from Babylon after 70 years in exile, they read God’s law (the first five books of the Bible) to be reminded of how God expected them to live and behave as His chosen people. They were grieved to find out just how poorly their forefathers had measured up.In order to avoid another exi...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 9--Verse 28b“Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered them according to your mercies.”This is the story of the Israelites in the Old Testament–rebellion, repentance, and forgiveness. Really, this is the story of humanity. We fall into sin, come to our senses and repent, and then experience God’s grace, mercy, and forg...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 8--Verse 10“Then he said to them, ‘Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the LORD is your strength.’”The words of the LORD were being read to the Hebrew community for the first time in a long time. As the people listened, they began weeping...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 7--Verse 2“I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many.”Nehemiah was intent on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. He accounted for everyone in the genealogies and noted the generous contributions of all who gave. The people rose up by their trades and positions and re...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 6--Verse 3“I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”Sometimes people will try to sucker you into a fight. Don’t play that game. Don't strive with people. Don't stand toe to toe with your adversary. What’s the point of winning an argument and losing your focus? That’s what you would call a fool’s e...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 5--Verse 11“Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.”God cares about those in need. In Chapter 5, we see that many needy Israelites were being taken advantage of by their own people! Nehemiah was extremely troubled by thi...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 4--Verse 21“So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.”The work had begun. The temple was finally being rebuilt. It wouldn’t be the magnificent structure like Solomon’s, but it would be built, and the Israelites would have a place to worship. The new temple didn’t come without cost; some enemies were f...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Nehemiah 3--Verse 5“And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.”This is so crazy to me - all of Jerusalem is out there rebuilding the walls - from the lowest to the greatest - women included - but the Tekoa nobles won’t stoop to help?! What an awful display of pride, laziness, and selfishness. In the meantime, verse 27 shows t...  Read More

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 ...  Read More

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.’”...  Read More