"Begin Again" Devotional - Pt 10 (Nehemiah 4:13-23)

13 So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows. 14 Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the leaders and the people and said to them, "Don't be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your friends, your families, and your homes!" 15 When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. 16 But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. The officers stationed themselves behind the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. The common laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. 18 All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm. 19 Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people, "The work is very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!" 21 We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always on guard. 22 I also told everyone living outside the walls to move into Jerusalem. That way they and their servants could go on guard duty at night as well as work during the day. 23 During this time, none of us -- not I, nor my relatives, nor my servants, nor the guards who were with me -- ever took off our clothes. We carried our weapons with us at all times, even when we went for water.-  Nehemiah 4:13-23 (NLT)


When Nehemiah learned that the enemy intended to take the lives of all who were working to rebuild the wall with him, he employed several strategies so that the people could continue their work and defend themselves. We can expect no less as we attempt to rebuild our lives. The enemy will use every tactic available to him to distract us. If we do not succumb to his distractions, he may even attempt to take our lives.


It is said that, "the best offense is a good defense". The enemy cannot touch us as long as we are living righteously. The Lord tells what we must "put on" to live righteous lives (see Colossians 3:12-14). In essence we must "put on" Christ! The Lord also tells us what to wear to defend ourselves spiritually (see Ephesians 6:10-18). The only offensive piece of spiritual armor that we have is the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God).


Because of the enemies threats, Nehemiah and the rest of the people of God, wore their clothes at all times (v. 23) and carried their weapons with them at all times, as well. While some of the people worked on the wall, the others rested with their weaponry by their sides.


As people of God, we cannot afford to be without our spiritual coverings. What's more we need to employ help from other believers who will under gird us in prayer as we fight "the good fight of faith" to restore our marriages, our relationships with other people, our ministries and/or careers, and our health (to name a few).


To complete today's Bible study, go to the Bible Study for Busy People blog.

"Begin Again" Devotional - Pt 9 (Nehemiah 4:1-12)

Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, 2 saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, "What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they are doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a day if they offer enough sacrifices? Look at those charred stones they are pulling out of the rubbish and using again!" 3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, "That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!" 4 Then I prayed, "Hear us, O our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! 5 Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in the presence of the builders." 6 At last the wall was completed to half its original height around the entire city, for the people had worked very hard. 7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall were being repaired, they became furious. 8 They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and to bring about confusion there. 9 But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves. 10 Then the people of Judah began to complain that the workers were becoming tired. There was so much rubble to be moved that we could never get it done by ourselves. 11 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, "Before they know what's happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work." 12 The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, "They will come from all directions and attack us!" - Nehemiah 4:1-12

As people of God, whenever we seek to do anything for the kingdom of God, we can expect opposition. This is because we have a very real enemy. He uses the people in our lives to intimidate and oppose us. The enemy does not want us to rebuild the places that he has destroyed in our lives. Satan wants us to live defeated lives, because God cannot be glorified when we live lives of defeat and devastation.

Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The enemy, working through Sanballat and Tobiah, initally attempted to mock their efforts. Have you ever heard the taunts of the enemy when you have attempted to rebuild the broken areas of your life? For example, he'll tell you that your spouse does not want you and that you'll never be reconciled to each other. Or, He may tell you that your efforts at restoring a wayward child will be useless because the child is too far away from God.

Our best recourse against his lies is to pray to the Father and ask Him for His intervention, grace and strength, to endure the enemy's taunts. Never allow the enemy's lies to keep you from doing the Lord's will. If God be for you, nothing on earth can stop you!

When we face a great deal of opposition in our attempts to rebuild our lives, we can become frustrated or tired; we may even complain because of the trials the enemy sends our way. But, remember that he is a defeated foe. Build yourself up in your most holy faith and continue to "fight the good fight of faith" until you have the victory over your enemy!

To read today's Bible study, go to the Bible Study for Busy People blog.

"Begin Again" Devotional - Pt 8 (Nehemiah 3)

SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 3

Today's Scripture reading is too long to include in today's devotion. Please review the text from your Bible of choice.

Whether we are repairing a relationship, a ministry, a marriage, or an otherwise broken life, we'll need help from others within the body of Christ. Our spiritual leaders, as well as our brothers and sisters in the Lord, will be important sources of encouragement, prayer and wisdom, as we go through our season of rebuilding.

To rebuild the gates of the wall that surrounded Jerusalem, Nehemiah enlisted the help of family groups. The work that each family was assigned was close to their own homes, so no one had to venture far to complete their assignments. Also, it appears that no one was exempt from doing the work. The spiritual leaders helped in rebuilding the walls, as well as the daughters of Shallum (v.12).

Not only did the workers focus on repairing the gates, but on repairing the adjoining walls,  and anything else that needed repairing on their section of the wall (e.g., the wall of the Pool of Siloam). This should be a comfort to those who are overwhelmed by lives that are falling apart.

Have you ever noticed what a help and comfort your church can be when a family member has passed, or when you are facing an incapacitating illness? There are those who pray for you, make meals for you, tidy your home up for you, and assist you in every other way, to lighten your load. That's what the body of Christ is supposed to do!

To review today's Bible study, go to the Bible Study for Busy People blog.

"Begin Again" Devotional - Pt. 7 (Nehemiah 2:11-20)

11 Three days after my arrival at Jerusalem, 12 I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us, except the donkey that I myself was riding. 13 I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal's Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates. 14 Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but my donkey couldn't get through the rubble. 15 So I went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall before I turned back and entered again at the Valley Gate. 16 The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the religious and political leaders, the officials, or anyone else in the administration. 17 But now I said to them, "You know full well the tragedy of our city. It lies in ruins, and its gates are burned. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and rid ourselves of this disgrace!" 18 Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.They replied at once, "Good! Let's rebuild the wall!" So they began the good work. 19 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. "What are you doing, rebelling against the king like this?" they asked. 20 But I replied, "The God of heaven will help us succeed. We his servants will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no stake or claim in Jerusalem."- Nehemiah 2:11-20 (NLT)

When faced with potentially life altering decisions, the best thing that we can do, initially, is to keep the matter between ourselves and God. The Lord will direct us to the proper course of action and confirm our plans. To make a decision without consulting the Lord is to invite disaster!

While waiting on the Lord's confirmation that your decision is indeed in keeping with His "good and perfect will" for your life. Look into the matter more carefully. Lay all the "ground work" (i.e., collect all of the paperwork or other materials necessary) to proceed with the decision, at God's appointed time. 


Be very careful about who you share your plans with. Nehemiah did not consult anyone, but the Lord. He only took a few people with him to inspect the damage that had been done to the walls.And, he made his inspection at night, so that no one would suspect what he was planning to do.Nehemiah did not tell the city officials or religious leaders about his plans to rebuild the wall, until he was certain that the Lord was with him in completing the job.


There are a myriad of potentially life altering decisions that we can make in our life times. But, whether you are considering applying for another job, entering into the ministry, selecting a spouse, or purchasing an automobile, don't make a decision without seeking the Lord's wisdom and direction for your life!


To complete today's Bible study, go to the Bible Study for Busy People blog.

"Begin Again" Devotional - Pt. 6 (Nehemiah 2:1-10)

1 Early the following spring, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never appeared sad in his presence before this time. 2 So the king asked me, "Why are you so sad? You aren't sick, are you? You look like a man with deep troubles."Then I was badly frightened, 3 but I replied, "Long live the king! Why shouldn't I be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been burned down." 4 The king asked, "Well, how can I help you?"With a prayer to the God of heaven, 5 I replied, "If it please Your Majesty and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried." 6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, "How long will you be gone? When will you return?" So the king agreed, and I set a date for my departure. 7 I also said to the king, "If it please Your Majesty, give me letters to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah. 8 And please send a letter to Asaph, the manager of the king's forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself." And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me. 9 When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered the king's letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me. 10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very angry that someone had come who was interested in helping Israel. - Nehemiah 2:1-10 (NLT)


As children of God, we have learned to rely upon the Lord to meet our daily needs. Seldom, if ever, do we rely upon the mercy of unbelievers to enable us to do what the Lord leads us to do. Yet, there are many times when the Lord will use unbelievers to bless us in our work for the Lord. They may have the money that we need to fund a ministerial project. They may have the knowledge we need to perform a surgical procedure, when the Lord chooses not to heal us miraculously. If the Lord grants us favor to get whatever we need from people who do not believe, it will always be so that He may be glorified.

The Lord is glorified when those who do not believe in Him come to a saving knowledge of who He is. The Lord is glorified when those who do know Him begin to know Him better and trust Him more fully. The Lord wants what is best for his children and He also wants to reach those who are spiritually lost.


If you sense that the Lord is leading you to seek a worldly (or natural) means to heal, promote or otherwise establish you, do it. The Lord often uses the things of the world to bless us spiritually. He does this by blessing us with the favor we need, from those who can do whatever we need, to be victorious in this life. You are not out of favor with God when you must rely on the favor of man. But, be sure that you seek the Father's perfect will concerning a troubling matter, before depending upon unbelievers to help you out of your difficulties!


To complete today's Bible study go to the Bible Study for Busy People blog.

"Begin Again" Devotional - Pt. 5 (Nehemiah 1:5-11)

5 Then I said, "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, 6 listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! 7 We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, laws, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses. 8 "Please remember what you told your servant Moses: 'If you sin, I will scatter you among the nations. 9 But if you return to me and obey my commands, even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.' 10 "We are your servants, the people you rescued by your great power and might. 11 O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success now as I go to ask the king for a great favor. Put it into his heart to be kind to me."In those days I was the king's cup-bearer. - Nehemiah 1:5-11 (NLT)

After his initial distress at hearing about the wall in Jerusalem, Nehemiah began to pray about the situation. There is a lot that we can learn about prayer by dissecting Nehemiah's prayer to the Lord. In his prayer, Nehemiah:

1. Acknowledges who God is
2. Entreats the Lord to listen to him
3. Asks the Lord to see him praying for the people of God
4. Confessed the sins of his people, his family and himself
5. Explained how they had all sinned against the Lord
6. Remembered what Moses had said the Lord would do if the people disobeyed Him
7. Reminded the Lord that they were still His people
8. Asked the Lord to rescue them
9. Asks the Lord to hear his request and grant him favor with the king

Nehemiah was the king's cup-bearer. To approach the king outside of his "official" duties, could have been disastrous. It could have cost him his life (recall the king's cup-bearer in Genesis 40).

What do you say to the Lord when your life, or the lives of people within your spiritual and/or natural family, have fallen apart?

For an inductive Bible study on the above-scripture, please go to Bible Study for Busy People.

"Begin Again" Devotional: - Pt 4 (Nehemiah 1:1-4)

Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had survived the captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem. 3 They said to me, "Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been burned." 4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. - Nehemiah 1:1-4


What do you do when you've started to rebuild your life and it seems that it is all for nothing? Your attempts at rebuilding your marriage, or your relationship with a wayward child, or your ministry, or whatever else lies in ruins in your life, is seemingly beyond your ability to repair. You've wept, you're prayed, you've threatened... but, your best efforts, to make everything alright, have come to nothing.


For what remains of this "Begin Again" series, we will study the book of Nehemiah and glean whatever truths we can about the process or rebuilding our lives.


Nehemiah received word from one of his brothers that things had not gone well in Jerusalem. The walls had been torn down and the gates of the city had been burned. Nehemiah's first reaction was to sit down. Have you ever been so "blown away" or disheartened by the reality of a situation that all you can do is "sit down", because you just don't know what else to do?


Then, Nehemiah wept. Did his weeping begin as a single tear that trickled slowly down his cheek? Or, did he immediately collapse into a heap and allow the tears to convulse his entire body. Whatever the case, Nehemiah was in such deep sorrow that he mourned and fasted and cried out to the Lord "for days".


What seemingly hopeless situation are you faced with today? In the weeks that remain of this study, we'll learn what it takes to rebuild a marriage, a relationship, a ministry, a life...one brick at a time.


To participate in the inductive Bible study on Nehemiah 1:1-4 please visit Bible Study for Busy People