31 Days - Nehemiah Archives

31 Days - Nehemiah, Articles, Blog Series, Christian Living, Devotionals

Mornings with Nehemiah – Guard Your Gates

Hi friends. I apologize for the delay in posting about the study over the last couple of weeks so I am excited to be back this week.

I am slow moving this week but thankful for life. This does not go with the study but if you have been following my health journey,you know how hard things have been physically for me. That being said, yesterday I was able to be in my wheelchair and sit on the deck and soak up the sun. While that is simple to most, that was a big deal for me. It was marvelous and made me excited for the summer. Even though I know it won’t be easy at first, I am looking forward to the first dip in my pool. Not sure when that will happen but I’m thankful for the little glimmers of hope God brings my way. The Lord has been faithful to give me reasons to “hope a little more” with each day that comes my way. Thanks for all the prayers my dear friends. They are working and they mean so much to me.

Prayers of the faithful encourage the soul. This truth can also be attributed to Nehemiah’s situation as well.

Okay now back to the study. Yesterday was Memorial Day and it has always been known as the unofficial start of summer. One of my favorite things to do during the summer is read a good book and participate in a Bible study. This summer I of course am continuing to study through Nehemiah, and the timing could not be more perfect. While I am not living in the same circumstances as Nehemiah, I am experiencing adversity and so many things mentioned in the book mirrors what is going on in my own life. I love it when God works like that. This is what I like to call “a God thing.”

The evidence of God is also seen in a powerful way in the book of Nehemiah. After Nehemiah gets to Jerusalem he put together a plan and got to work. The very first thing the people repaired were the gates. With them being torn down that made the town and the people living there vulnerable to attack. As I have read about the building aspects from Nehemiah, the phrase “Guard your gates” keep coming to mind. One major way of combating the adversity that came their way was not only rebuilding the gates, but also having someone to stand guard at all times. When Nehemiah took on this task from the Lord he knew it would not be easy. Throughout the process there were many evil acts done to try to stop Nehemiah and his work. However, he did not give up or give in. He was Nehemiah strong. As soon as the work began with building and repairing the gates, attacks started coming from several evil men. As stated in Nehemiah 2:19, “But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king they asked.” He did not believe the lies of the bullies nor was he gullible to their ways. Even when everyone was exhausted from building the wall and the morale was low, Nehemiah did not stop the process. He instead beat the discouragement. After the attacks given in chapter 2, Nehemiah did what he had done from the beginning which was trust God and carry on. Earlier he encouraged the people that the gracious hand of God was upon them, and he did not lose that confidence when fiery darts headed their way. He boldly and confidently said to his enemies in 2:20, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.” Nehemiah trusted God completely and believed He would take care of them no matter how difficult the task ahead might be.

These types of situations and adversities are also applicable to us today. Therefore, we need to do all we can to love Christ above all else and be on guard spirituality against attacks that come our way. We need to guard our gates! How do we do this you may ask? The answer is pray, pray, pray and spend time getting to know Jesus through His Word. To trust Jesus like Nehemiah did, you have to know Him. When you know Him, you will love Him and desire to be obedient to Him. In your obedience He will strengthen and guide you. When God lays a passion on your heart like He did with Nehemiah, His gracious hand will be upon you and His plan will succeed.

Spend some time with the Lord today and ask Him for strength and trust. What areas in your life do you need to surrender to God and what is He calling you to do during this season? Do not be afraid. Press on and the Lord will see you through it.

To read the other posts in this series visit here.

31 Days - Nehemiah, Articles, Blog Series, Christian Living, Devotionals

Mornings with Nehemiah – The Favor of God

Nehemiah was a faithful man of God who had a heart of compassion and determination. Earlier in the series, I wrote about Nehemiah’s prayer life, his repentance, and his boldness. Today I want to talk about the favor of God that rested on Nehemiah.

When Nehemiah heard the news about Jerusalem, he was devastated. This remained the focus for him. As he was grieving, he created plan of action to help his people and decided he must go and help rebuild the walls.

As detailed in my previous posts, Nehemiah went first and foremost to the throne of God asking for forgiveness, and to seek guidance in his circumstances. Nehemiah knew that obeying Jesus went above and beyond anything else so before making drastic decisions he prayed and discussed the will of the Father. Also, he was ashamed that his people went against the Lord and rejected His favor. This grieved Nehemiah tremendously. Because of this, he would not move forward with his plan without the favor and blessing of God,

Eatlier I wrote about Nehemiah’s boldness when going before the king to make requests. No one ever did this and the outcome could have been brutal, but he stepped out in faith and the king graciously answered his requests. There is no other way to describe this except for the favor of God.

Nehemiah also knew that his traveling journey would not be an easy one, and that he would need supplies to rebuild the walls. However, the Lord in His great mercy, provided what was needed, and gave Him favor and wisdom for the road ahead. Nehemiah states 2:8-9,

“If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.”

Nehemiah was obedient and God paved the road for Nehemiah and helped him fulfill his calling. Although, as we will study in upcoming chapters, there was much adversity ahead for Nehemiah and his amen but they did not let that deter from their mission. Adversity made them stronger.

When one is being obedient to the call of God, He will always put His favor upon you and guide you along no matter how hard or hopeless the future may seem.

Obedience to Jesus does not mean an easy life. It is just the opposite. Ministry can be filled with much adversity, but like we are learning from our friend Nehemiah, God will carry us through it all, and we will never regret obeying Him.

To read other posts in the series visit here.

31 Days - Nehemiah, Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals, Disability

Mornings With Nehemiah – Prayer

Hi friends thanks for reading my blog today, and thanks for journeying with me as I study the book of Nehemiah. I look forward to all that God will teach us.

As I have read through the book of Nehemiah — especially Chapter 1, I immediately notice Nehemiah’s willingness to pray and cry out to the Lord. In the first chapter Nehemiah finds out the devastating news that the wall of Jerusalem has been destroyed and He is devastated. Immediately after this, where does He turn first? He begins to pray and repent of his people’s sins and he cries out to the Lord to have mercy on His people. He has a repentant heart, and in his distress focuses his gaze on Christ. Nehemiah repents for his people and then asked the Lord to show him mercy in the sight of the king(1:6-11).

Following this, we find that God grants Nehemiah his request. The King listens to Nehemiah and supports his mission to leave and go help rebuild the wall for his people. However, for us, an important truth we should take away from this passage is Who Nehemiah Nehemiah consulted with first. Not friends. Not Family. He went straight to God when he was in despair.

As believers, God should always be who we turn to first — in hardship, as well as in our joys. So often though, He is the last resort.

God is our Heavenly Father, and He is a jealous God. He delights in communion with us and desires for us to come to Him with everything. He is always ready to listen, forgive, and give the guidance we need.

For the theme of this series, I will often use the phrase, “Guarding your gates!” Throughout the book, Nehemiah and his men rebuild the gates of the city that were destroyed. These city gates brought a sense of protection to the people living there. In the same way, we need to put certain things in place to guard and protect ourselves, and our minds.

One way to do this actively is by praying. One of the best ways to guard ourselves daily is by taking everything to God in prayer. Recently, this has been such a good reminder for me. Lately, I have been overwhelmed and anxious regarding my health, but then I read Nehemiah and am reminded to pray and give my health and anxiety over to God. By doing this, my situation may not immediately change. However, by praying and guarding myself in this way, I am able to continue on with my day carried by the strength of Jesus.

At some point today take some time away to spend talking with the Lord, even if it is just for a few minutes. Your time with Him can change the outlook of an entire day. Instead of calling your friend and sharing your latest work drama, call out to God instead.

The same God who Nehemiah prayed and trusted can also help you, you just have to let Him in.

Have a blessed Thursday wherever you may be, and know that I am praying that God will grow and sustain you during this season.

31 Days - Nehemiah, Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals

Mornings With Nehemiah – Repentance

Good morning friends. Thanks for joining me on the third day of my series from the book of Nehemiah.

I feel like Nehemiah is one of the books in the Bible that often gets overlooked. However, it is full of principles that we can learn from and apply to our lives today. Yesterday I wrote about the importance of prayer, but another trait we can learn from Nehemiah is that he was repentant. This is seen in chapter 1: 6-7 when he confesses the sins of the children of Israel.

While being devastated over the tragedy that occurred in Jerusalem, Nehemiah took action and repented of Israel’s sins. Instead of having a “woe is me” attitude, Nehemiah confessed his sins, and took responsibility for their disobedience. He could have put the blame of their sin on someone else but he did not. He confessed and moved forward with a spirit of confidence and humility. God had given Nehemiah a mission, and repentance was a huge part in the restoration progress for Jerusalem.

Fast forward to our lives today. Think about your own life, and the people you encounter every day. As a nation, we are at one of the most pivotal times in our history. Unfortunately, our country as a whole is farther away from God than it has ever been. Confession and repentance towards Jesus Christ is not trendy. That being said, a lot of people are too prideful to show any type of humility at all, and this is true for both believers and non-believers.

When was the last time you have spent with Jesus praying and confessing to Him? He is a loving father who shows compassion and grace. He humbled Himself by dying on the cross for our sins, and we should live with that same attitude. No one is perfect. As Romans 3:23 states, “We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Although, as Nehemiah knew, to proceed in obedience with the Lord meant that he needed to repent. In order for us to guard the gates of our lives, we should repent daily.

Repentance is the gateway to the freedom and joy God desires for us. Nehemiah couldn’t move forward with his plans and life without it and neither can we.

Be sure to join in again on Thursday as I will discuss Nehemiah and his boldness. Until then, spend some time in prayer and read Nehemiah chapter 1 and enjoy soaking up the Word. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

To read previous posts in this series visit here.

31 Days - Nehemiah, Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals

Mornings With Nehemiah – Boldness

Hi friends.Thanks for reading and staying the course with me this far in the study. Even though we are not far into it yet, I have enjoyed going back through Nehemiah and digging deep into his story. Each time I do a read through of the book the Lord teaches me something new.

As I have been reading and studying the book of Nehemiah, one of Nehemiah’s strongest qualities was his boldness. Nehemiah had his heart set on helping the people in Jerusalem rebuild the walls. He had God’s heart for the people and a passion to help the city. That was Nehemiah’s desire, but he currently had a job as the King’s cup bearer.

At the end of chapter 1, Nehemiah prays for the Lord to hear his prayers and grant him mercy in the sight of the King. This was no small task for Nehemiah. The end of verse 11 states, “Grant him mercy in sight of this man, for I was the King’s cup bearer.” Once Nehemiah entered into the Kings presence, his boss knew something wasn’t right.The king thought Nehemiah seemed sad and He wanted to know the reason. To answer his question, Nehemiah explained what was going on in Jerusalem. In turn, the king granted Nehemiah permission to go. Not only did Nehemiah share what the situation was in Jerusalem, he also knew that traveling there could present some problems. Therefore, Nehemiah requested the king write a letter and get permission for Nehemiah to pass through certain places on his journey, as well as permission to get some wood for the walls. None of the servants was to ever speak to the King in this way, but the Lord was in control and allowed the conversation with the King be in favor of Nehemiah. God gave Nehemiah everything he needed to pursue his mission. This was not going to be easy, but he was being obedient to the Lord, and pressing on. He did not let fear or worry stop him. He trusted the Lord to lead the way and to make his path known before him.

In our lives today, there is so much that we can take away from this lesson. As believers, God has given everyone of us a purpose, and He uses each of us every day even when we don’t see it. There may be times where you know God is calling you to do something whether its taking a certain job at the church, going on the overseas mission trip, helping the community with a certain event, etc. However, fear is hindering you because you can’t see the end result, or you do not feel adequate for the task. Although, as he did with Nehemiah, if God gives you the heart and desire to do something, He is going to help you do it regardless of the difficulties.

Spend some time today in the Word and in prayer before the Lord. As God to show you what He has given you the heart to do. You may already know what that is, and if so ask God to give you the boldness to move forward with a plan. Even on the hardest of days, if God has called you to it, He is going to give you the ability and grace to do what needs to be done. Take some time to read the first and second chapters of Nehemiah and see the Lord at work, and allow Him to teach and work in you. As you will see as we continue the study, Nehemiah never regretted being bold for Jesus, and neither will you.

To read other posts in this series visit here.

31 Days - Nehemiah, Articles, Devotionals

Mornings with Nehemiah Introduction

Happy Monday! I have stopped and started this series so many times due to major health issues that arise. Being chronically ill leaves bo room for consistency but I’m starting again,

One week ago I came home from the hospital due to a severe bowel obstruction that was life threatening and it is a miracle that I’m able to write this today. Glory to God and great things He has done,

Nehemiah is one of my favorite books in the Bible and I’ve been reading it over and over the past few days. The way he trusted God in times of adversity is inspiring and is the encouragement that I need during this season. The Lord recently reminded me that the same God that helped Nehemiah to stand firm and press on through hard times, is the same God helping me today. God wants us to surrender and believe that He will carry us through no matter what comes our way.We can learn so much about this from Nehemiah’s example.

With each post, I will be writing about a different quality or character trait found in Nehemiah, and how we can apply what we learn from him to our livess. I will post in the series once a week and sometimes twice so stay tuned for more. I hope you will join me on the journey and study Nehemiah as well. I pray that it will be comforting to your soul.

31 Days - Nehemiah, Articles, Blog Series, Christian Living, Devotionals

Monday Encouragement

Happy Monday, friends! Many of you are enjoying today as a long weekend celebrating Memorial Day. For me, I am experiencing today as all other days at home in bed. The beginning of summer has always been a favorite of mine, and I miss being outside experiencing the warm and beautiful weather. However, while I would love to be hanging out by the pool, lake, cookouts, or traveling with friends — currently these are not realistic activities for me during this season. Although the Lord who is extremely gracious, keeps showing me what I used to consider mundane is now beautiful. That is such a gift. One of the ways God uses to encourage me on daily basis is uplifting sermons and talks from those I respect spiritually.

Laying in bed day after day, I try to listen and watch different things that are encouraging and challenging for my mind. One of my favorite sermons of all time is from pastor and author Eric Ludy and is about Nehemiah. Eric first preached this sermon a couple years ago and based it on Nehemiah and his leadership qualities. I learn something new every time I listen. Since I am now doing a series on the blog about Nehemiah this message is the perfect addition to it and what I needed specifically for this week ahead.

. The sermon is called “The 9 Lies,” and below is the message description from the Ellerslie website.

The 9 Lies Sermon from Eric Ludy on Nehemiah.

“The Christian man or woman represents the greatest threat to Satan’s agenda and thusly they are the brunt of his most cruel energies and most cunning stratagems. But we are not left without a defense. The book of Nehemiah showcases how this battle works. Those opposed to Nehemiah were determined to stop the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and in their opposition, they attempted to cajole Nehemiah with nine distinct lies. These lies are the very same ones used against you and me today. First, we must recognize them as lies, and then we must learn how to respond to each of them with the Word of God as our primary weapon.”

This sermon is a much needed reminder of how Satan tries to fill our minds and circumstances with his lies, but Christ is so much bigger and His love always wins! The Devil cannot stand to see someone like Nehemiah who is continually being obedient to the Lord especially during adversity. Some of the lies regarding Nehemiah’s situation are some of the same ones the Devil has tried to hit me with during my sickness. However, praise the Lord for Nehemiah’s faith in the Lord and for the strength God gave him.

The same strength God gave Nehemiah can also be given to us. One of the ways to beat adversity is by daily putting on the armor of God. As stated in Ephesians 6: 1o-11,

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Life and days can get busy with work, kids, marriage, etc., but I encourage you to take some time to listen to this message from Pastor Ludy. No matter what circumstances you are experiencing, I think you will find this sermon uplifting and applicable in your days ahead.

Mornings with Nehemiah – Guard Your Gates

Mornings with Nehemiah – The Favor of God

Mornings With Nehemiah – Prayer

Mornings With Nehemiah – Repentance

Mornings With Nehemiah – Boldness

Mornings with Nehemiah Introduction

Monday Encouragement

ameliamcneilly

ameliamcneilly

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