Category: First Things First Devotional

They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read. Nehemiah 8:8 HCSB

God allowed me to be a part of a mission trip to Belarus where I led Sunday School leadership conferences to help youth leaders understand how they could more effectively teach God’s Word to teenagers. Since I did not speak their native language, I needed a translator. He translated what I said so the people could understand me then translated what the people said so I could understand them.

The Levites were knowledgable of the Scriptures and capable of translating them to a language the people could understand. Most of the people spoke Aramaic, but the Scriptures that were being read were written in Hebrew. Therefore, the people needed a translator to help them understand what God wanted them to do.

Challenge: Most of us are fortunate to have a Bible that we can read and understand. Sometimes we need to use other resources to help us understand the meaning of what was written. There are many people around us every day who are able to read God’s Word, but they really do not understand what it means. Is there someone in your life for whom you need to translate to help them understand how God loves them and gave His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for their sins? Pray for an opportunity to help others understand God’s faithfulness and never-ending love and compassion.

Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Nehemiah 8:5 HCSB

I was fortunate to be able to attend the “Standing in the Gap” rally for men in Washington DC. Over a million men crowded into the mall on October 4, 1997 to hear speakers and music that inspired them to “Stand in the Gap” for our nation by praying for our nation and its leaders. I can remember one speaker asked all of us to lie down with our faces to the ground. This was a posture to show our complete repentance and dependence on God.

In this Scripture we find that the people had several postures of worship. They lifted their hands and they bowed down with their faces to the ground. There is not a correct or incorrect posture to praise and worship God. Some people raise their hands while others do not feel comfortable doing so. Some people come to the altar to pray while others stand at their seats with their heads bowed.

Challenge: God is not as concerned about our physical posture in worship as the posture of our hearts. Are we truly repentant? Are we truly seeking God and desire to follow His will? Whatever your posture, make sure your heart is turned to God and your one desire is to glorify Him in all you do.

Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. Nehemiah 8:5 HCSB

Dr. Winfred Moore was the senior pastor at First Baptist Church, Amarillo, Texas when I served on staff as the Youth Minister. One thing I can remember that impressed me was that every time He read the Word of God in a worship service, he asked all the people to stand in respect, honor, and reverence of the reading of God’s Word.

In this Scripture we learn that when Ezra opened God’s Holy Word to read, all the people stood up. The Scripture does not tell us why they stood, but possibly it was to show respect, honor, and reverence for the reading of God’s Word. The law of Moses, the Torah, was regarded to be holy. Therefore, the people wanted to show their respect for God’s Holy Word by standing for the reading.

Challenge: Do you treat God’s Word as holy? Do you have a natural reverence for the reading of God’s Word? Are you spending time in God’s Word to learn how He wants you to live? Use God’s Holy Word as a lamp and a light to show you God’s will for your life. Pray that as you read your Bible God will reveal His perfect will and plan for you.

All the people gathered together at the square in front of the the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses that the Lord had given Israel. On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. Nehemiah 8:1-2

Many churches are placing a greater emphasis on family ministry. Brian Haynes has written a book titled, “Shift” that presents the important Biblical principle that parents are responsible for the spiritual development of their children. Too often parents have brought their children to the church in hopes that the church would teach them what they needed to know about God. Brian Haynes’ book presents the idea that spiritual development of children needs to be shifted back to parents. Churches need to partner with parents to help parents do their job of raising their children and teaching them about God, Jesus, and how to live their lives to bring glory to God.

This verse indicates that all the people (men, women, and children) gathered to hear the reading of God’s Word. Normally only men would have been included, but this was an unusual occasion where all the people gathered. The children present that day certainly would never forget seeing their parents and grandparents, along with the largest crowed they’d ever seen, worshipping and praising God. The Word that was read that day would have been the law of Moses, the Torah, or the first five books of the Bible. Normally, God’s Word was read during the Feast of Booths every seven years. It had been more than eleven years since God’s Word had been read in Jerusalem. That was reason to bring all the people together to celebrate.

Challenge: Parents must model, not just talk, for their children to learn how to live their lives for God. What type of model are you setting for your children or grandchildren? Ask God to help you to set a good example for those who may be looking to you for spiritual wisdom and direction.

Then my God put it into my mind to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical recorded of those who came back first, and I found written in it: These are the people of the province who went up among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Each of them returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to his own town. Nehemiah 7:5-6 HCSB

I cannot say that God has audibly spoken to me, but I have definitely felt God speaking to me through my thoughts and feelings. There have been many times in my life I have prayed for guidance and direction in making decisions. God has sometimes spoken to me through His Word, other people, friends, and circumstances. God is not a silent God. He will answer if we seek His direction. Sometimes His answer is “Wait” and sometimes it is “No,” although we may not want to accept it. Irregardless, God is faithful to answer the prayers of His children.

Obviously Nehemiah had been praying and seeking God’s direction on how to secure and protect the city of Jerusalem. He knew that just building the wall was not enough to protect the city. God put into Nehemiah’s mind the direction of gathering the people together for a census to register everyone. The census would provide a record of who was in or around the city of Jerusalem and would help Nehemiah determine who needed to move back to Jerusalem.

Challenge: Seek God’s direction and leadership in everything you do and say. Be still and listen for God to speak to you through His Word, through other people, and through circumstances.

I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their homes.” Nehemiah 7:3 HCSB

I am a part of the Watchman Prayer Ministry at our church. We have over 120 people who have committed to pray for one hour each week for our church, our ministers, our ministries, and our community. Each “Watchman” takes his turn on the wall to “watch and pray”. The person who prays the hour before me calls me to remind me when it is my time to be on the wall to pray. At the end of my watch, I call the person who prays the following hour to remind him to watch and pray. It is important for each of us to do our part and to hold fellow watchmen accountable to complete their time of prayer.

Nehemiah assigned different families to stand watch on the section of the wall near their homes. They were to watch for the enemy and alert others of any impending danger. Each family was to do their part in protecting the city of Jerusalem. It would have been easy to relax and think that since the wall was complete, the job was finished and they were safe, but the work of protecting the people and the city had just begun. God had provided what they needed and had helped them complete the wall, but now it was time to take care of what God had entrusted to them.

Challenge: Stand watch and pray for your church, its ministries, your minister, and your community. Pray that God will use you to help protect the work of the church. Consider starting a Watchman Prayer Ministry at your church if you do not already have one.

Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most. Nehemiah 7:2 HCSB

While serving as the Youth Consultant for the Missouri Baptist Convention I was responsible for a youth camp at Windermere Baptist Assembly on the Lake of the Ozarks each summer. We had approximately 500 students and leaders each week for three weeks. I enlisted a team of four youth ministers to help me in planning and directing the camps. The ministers I selected were those I trusted and knew would do the job with excellence. They had to have administrative skills as well as people skills. Each youth minister was responsible for a different part of the youth camp experience. Each was dependent on the other. If anyone failed in his duties, it meant that we would not have a successful camp.

Nehemiah had to have people he trusted and knew would be able to handle the job of governing Jerusalem. He selected individuals who had proven to be faithful and who feared God. Faithful people can be trusted to carry out their jobs. God-fearing people will do their jobs with integrity and complete their work according to God’s principles. The men Nehemiah selected had these important qualities.

Challenge: Would others say you are a person who is always faithful to the task and fears God? If you are in a position of hiring people, select candidates who are faithful and God-fearing. Faithfulness and reverence for God are two qualities you should also seek when selecting friends. Listen to the song, “Find Us Faithful” by Steve Green at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eERKnxzNzwg

When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. Nehemiah 7:1 HCSB

The Holman Bible Dictionary defines the “Gatekeeper” as one who guards access to a place, either a city (2 Samuel 18:26 (http://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=2%20Samuel+18:26&t1=en_nas) ; 2 Kings 7:10-11 (http://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=2%20Kings+7:10-11&t1=en_nas) ), a residence (John 18:17 (http://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=John+18:17&t1=en_nas) ), the sacred precincts of the ark (1 Chronicles 15:23-24 (http://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=1%20Chronicles+15:23-24&t1=en_nas) ), or the Temple (1 Chronicles 23:5 (http://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=1%20Chronicles+23:5&t1=en_nas) ). KJV uses the term “porter” for a gatekeeper. Temple gatekeepers were charged with preventing anyone unclean from entering the Temple (2 Chronicles 23:19 (http://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=2%20Chronicles+23:19&t1=en_nas) ) and with guarding the Temple treasuries and storehouses (1 Chronicles 9:26
(http://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=1%20Chronicles+9:26&t1=en_nas) ; 1 Chronicles 26:20-22 (http://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=1%20Chronicles+26:20-22&t1=en_nas) ; Nehemiah 12:25 (http://www.studylight.org/desk/index.cgi?q1=Nehemiah+12:25&t1=en_nas) ).

All of us are charged to be “Gatekeepers”. We must guard our hearts and minds, not allowing anything that is unclean to enter. As parents we are to be “Gatekeepers” for our homes so we protect our children from the evil one. There is abundant temptation in our world that is clamoring for attention. It always looks good, but a good Gatekeeper will see past the surface and determine what is good and clean and throw the dirty and evil out.

Challenge: What are you allowing to come into your life and your home through the television, the computer, radio, or even the friends you bring into your life? Monitor what your children are watching and listening to on the television and on the internet. Ask God to help you to become a good “Gatekeeper” who vigilantly watches for the evil one and protects himself from the many temptations of this world.

When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. Nehemiah 7:1 HCSB

God has gifted me in the areas of administration and teaching. I enjoy doing my job as Minister of Education and Administration because I am using the gifts and talents with which God has blessed me. Each person has been gifted by God in some way. The body of Christ is made up of many different members, each with his or her unique skill or talent. When each person uses his gift to the benefit of the body, God is glorified.

Nehemiah appointed people to be gatekeepers, singers, and Levites. All of these jobs were important in the protection of the city. The gatekeepers were charged to keep watch and only allow those into the city that were supposed to be there. The singers were appointed to praise God and the Levites were assigned to lead worship and to offer sacrifices for the people. Nehemiah understood the importance of physically protecting the city with gatekeepers, but more importantly the people needed to trust God to protect them. For the people to have a right relationship with God, they needed to sing praises, offer sacrifices for their sins, and worship Him. The gatekeepers played just as important role as the singers and Levites.

Challenge: If you are going to take a stand against our enemy, Satan, then you must physically protect yourself from the evils and temptations of the world; but more importantly, you must maintain a right relationship with God. Take a spiritual gifts survey at http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_PDF_Discover_Your_Spiritual_Gifts.pdf. God has gifted you in a unique way to play an important role of service in His kingdom.

The wall was completed in 52 days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul. Nehemiah 6:15 HCSB

I found this story on the internet: Jackie was following her dreams of working and living in Egypt when she decided to take a weekend trip to Athens, Greece. Things took a deadly turn on her flight home when the plane she was on was hijacked and Jackie was shot at point-blank range and thrown on the tarmac to die. Although she lay on the tarmac for five hours before anyone found her, Jackie said she felt at peace because she felt like God was telling her that she was going to be okay. Jackie did in fact survive—though she was left with impaired vision and a loss of short-term memory. This is just one of many stories of how people have overcome obstacles and accomplished great feats.

Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem could be added to the list of amazing accounts. Many people said it could not be done. The job was too big and there were too many challenges to overcome. But when God’s people came together under the leadership of Nehemiah, they solved huge problems and accomplished great goals. Even by today’s standards with state of the art equipment, it would be a monumental task to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem in 52 days.

Challenge: Do not let the size of the task, the length of time required to accomplish it, or the number of obstacles that must be overcome keep you from accomplishing what God has called you to do. Keep going and focus on the end goal. With God’s help you can accomplish great things!