Category: First Things First Devotional

I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said: Let us meet at the house of God inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you tonight! But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can I enter the temple and live? I will not go.” I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He was hired, so that I would be intimidated, do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me. Nehemiah 6:10-13 HCSB

We all have the natural instinct to protect ourselves and run from danger. If we feel threatened in some way we will usually respond in one of two ways. Either we will stand and fight or turn and run. As a child in middle school I was picked on and even had lunch money stolen from me. Because those who were bullying me were larger in stature, I would usually try to avoid them to protect myself and my lunch money.

Nehemiah could not trust the support of some of the people. Shemaiah appeared to be Nehemiah’s friend and pretended to be trying to protect him from his enemies, but the reality was that Shemaiah had been hired by Tobiah and Sanballat to intimidate Nehemiah. Shemaiah tried to get Nehemiah to go to the temple and hide in an effort to protect him from his enemies. It would have been wrong for Nehemiah to go into the temple because he was not a priest. If he had given into the fear and gone into the temple, he would have been discredited as a leader. He would have also undermined the courage that he was trying to instill in the people.

Challenge: Be wise and determine if someone is really trying to help you or if they are only trying to persuade you to do something you should not do. Satan is alive and well and will sometimes even use friends and relatives to tempt you in some way. When you yield to the temptation, you disappoint God and minimize your personal testimony.

Then I replied to him, “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.” For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying, “They will become discouraged in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen me. Nehemiah 6:8-9 HCSB

It was a very difficult time for me when my father died nine years ago. I prayed for strength to help me through the difficult days that followed his death and funeral. God truly supplied all of my needs. There have been many times in my life when I have prayed for strength and guidance, especially when I was facing a temptation or determining what God’s will was for my life. Life is filled with many challenges that require strength and courage.

Nehemiah faced the rumors and intimidation of Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem. When faced with opposition and problems, we often cry out to God, “Get me out of this situation.” Nehemiah did not pray for deliverance; he prayed for strength. He was determined not to let anything stand in the way of accomplishing the task God had given him to do. Nehemiah was steadfast in pursuing God’s assignment.

Challenge: Ignore rumors and do not be intimidated by others. Pray for strength the next time you are facing a difficult situation or dealing with those who are ridiculing you or trying to keep you from doing the task God has given you.

Sanballat sent me this same message a fifth time by his aid, who had an open letter in his hand. In it was written: It is reported among the nations – and Geshem agrees – that you and the Jews plan to rebel. This is the reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: “There is a king in Judah.” These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let’s confer together. Nehemiah 6:5-7 HCSB

There are some people who find joy in gossiping, telling secrets, and spreading rumors in an attempt to discredit someone or to gain acceptance from others. It seems that just about every public figure is a target for gossip and rumors. Some rumors may be true, but often the comments are untrue and do not give an accurate picture of what is happening. There is a well-known pastor who has had something he said taken out of context and used against him. Too many times a public figure is discredited by what others are saying. Those who find fault in the person are frequently jealous of the other person’s position, power, or abilities.

Sanballat tried to discredit Nehemiah and turn the people against him by saying that he was going to set himself up as king. He also threatened to share with the king that Nehemiah was going to lead the Jewish people to revolt. Note that the message was an open letter and not sealed, which was customary. The message could easily be read by others. Sanballat did this in an attempt to spread rumors about Nehemiah.

Challenge: Have you been a gossip or spread rumors about someone? Ask forgiveness from that person. Pray that God would help you to always tell the truth and not share information that should be kept private.

Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages of the Ono Valley.” But they were planning to harm me. So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” Nehemiah 6:2-3 HCSB

One of the highlights of my call to ministry through the years was helping Belle Aire Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee relocate their church campus. I helped with the sale of their property, purchasing new property, securing a loan, hiring an architect, enlisting a contractor, designing the building, overseeing the construction, and planning how to physically move from one location to another. It was a great work. Even though there were many obstacles to overcome during the three year process, I enjoyed getting to be a part of what God was doing.

Nehemiah was in the middle of rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. It was hard work to clear the rubble from when the walls were destroyed, secure new materials, and then organize the people to rebuild the walls. He even had to plan how they could defend themselves in the event of an attack by an enemy. Sanballat and Geshem did not want the walls to be rebuilt and tried to lure Nehemiah to a place about 20 miles northwest of Jerusalem. This would have been at least a one day journey by foot. There was no reason for Nehemiah to travel away from the work he was doing. More than likely the intent of Sanballat and Geshem was to ambush and kill Nehemiah along the way.

Challenge: What are you doing for God’s kingdom work? Be assured that you will face opposition and challenges when you are doing a great work for God. Satan will do everything within his power to complicate matters and create problems for you. Pray for strength and wisdom as you continue the great work God has given to you.

Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. Philippians 2:14-15

Watching the evening news or reading the newspaper, we will hear or read stories of evil and corruption in our fallen world. We live in a very crooked and perverted generation that does not follow God’s commands and laws. On every side there is murder, stealing, sexual perversions, hatred, and injustice. I wonder what the world will be like when my grandchildren are my age. Our sinful world seems to get worse with each generation. How long will God wait before He returns to establish a new heaven and new earth with His children who have accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior?

God calls us, as believers, to set an example, to be a shining star in our dark world of sin. We are to be different from the world, therefore, believers are challenged to do everything without grumbling and arguing. Others should see a distinct difference in the way we we live our lives. Those who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior do not have any real purpose in living. They usually have a very selfish attitude and complain about everything that happens.. Selfishness is the root of all sin. We want something for ourselves so we can be like God. We are called to live a pure life.

Challenge: Your life should be a light in a dark world. Ask God to help you to live your life in a way that will bring glory and honor to Him. Pray that you will do everything without grumbling and arguing so you can be an example of how to live in a crooked and perverted world.

If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited. Proverbs 24:10 HCSB

I have faced difficult times in my life and even wondered why God was allowing certain circumstances. I have observed others who seem to face impossible situation with faith and confidence in God. I remember one family that lost both of their sons in automobile accidents in the same year. Another gentleman lost is wife in an accident and then he himself was almost killed in a separate accident. Another lady lost both of her sons, one of whom was killed by the police. I have also known of people facing the loss of a job and dealing with financial difficulties. There are numerous examples of people facing difficult times. The book of Job is the classic story of a faithful man of God who suffered the loss of his family and nearly all of his possessions but remained faithful to God. We often do not understand why difficulties come, but as we handle each challenge, it helps us to grow, develop character, and trust God to bring good out of our suffering.

This verse reminds us that we can be certain that we will face difficult times, but it is important how we handle them. Our response to difficulties determines our character and willingness to work to overcome the challenges we face. Times of trouble can be helpful if we learn from them. Difficulties will show our real character and our ability to handle adversity. Jeremiah questioned God when troubles came his way, but God reminded him that if he was going to handle big challenges in life he had to first learn how to take care of the smaller challenges (Jeremiah 12:5).

Challenge: Do not complain about your problems; instead thank God for the difficulties. Look at your problems as opportunities to grow and mature. The troubles you face today are training for the more difficult situations you will face in the future. We must trust God even when we do not understand, knowing that He wants only what is best for each of us. God can always bring good out of our suffering.

What is man that you remember him, the son of man that You look after him? You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm 8:4-5 HCSB

What type of price tag would you put on your life? There are many people who feel they are not worth much. Some have a low self-esteem and others may hate their life so much that they wish they had never been born. A low self-esteem is often the result of listening to negative messages from others, whether they are true or not. Negative feelings are often caused by punishment, neglect, or abuse; failing to meet parental standards; failing to be accepted and included in one’s peer group; being the odd one out at home or school; stress; or the absence of any praise and affection.

These verses remind us that every individual is valued by God. Man is made just a little lower than God and the angels. In God’s eyes we have great worth because we are made in His image and bear His stamp of approval. The Bible reminds us that God knows when a sparrow falls to the ground. If He cares that much for the birds, how much more He cares for every human being! A price tag cannot be put on a human life because we are priceless to God.

Challenge: You are so valuable that God sent His Son to die on the cross so you might have your sins forgiven and receive eternal life. God has already declared how valuable you are to Him. Remember that you are a child of God and have been crowned with glory and honor. You can be set free from any feelings of worthlessness.

Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image. Genesis 9:6

In just a few days my daughter-in-law will give birth to her first child and our third grandchild. We are excited to actually see the baby and know from sonograms that she already has a lot of hair. She has a combination of genes from both of her parents. There will be speculation by others if she looks more like her mother or her father, but one thing is sure: She is made in the image of God.

This verse in Genesis reminds us that every person is made in the image of God. That does not mean we look like God, but rather that we have the same characteristics as God that distinguish us from animals. Humans possess morality, reason, creativity, and self-worth. When we interact with other people, we are interacting with people who are made by God in His image. Additionally, God offers eternal life to those who believe in His Son and accept Him as their personal Savior.

Challenge: Thank God that you are uniquely made in His image. Thank Him for life and the opportunity to have eternal life made possible through His Son, Jesus Christ.

God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply” and fill the earth. Genesis 9:1 HCSB

I have reached the wonderful stage in life of being a grandparent. There is nothing much more fulfilling than to have grandchildren come running toward you with hands held high to be picked up. I have been richly blessed with two grandchildren and have three more on the way this year. I can remember when each of my four children was born. It is exciting that God allows us to be a part of His plan – the creation of a new life.

After the flood, God commanded Noah and his sons to be fruitful and multiply. This is the same command that was given in Genesis 1:22 to Adam and Eve and to all living creatures in Genesis 8:17. God has created us to have children and planned from the very beginning of time for us to be a part of His plan of creation. God created us with the ability and desire to be fruitful and multiply.

Challenge: God values life and wants us to value the lives of others. Thank Him for allowing you to be a part of the creation of new life. Thank Him for each of your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Even if you have never had any children, hopefully, you have had the opportunity to babysit or to teach a child in some way. Thank Him for the privilege of influencing the lives of family members and those around you.

I told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me, and what the king had said to me. They said, “Let’s start rebuilding.” And they were encouraged to do this good work. Nehemiah 2:18 HCSB

In 2014 The Kentucky Baptist Convention had an emphasis on sharing the story of how the Lord had changed one’s life. While leading Sunday School conferences this fall, one of the activities was to gather conferees in groups of two or three and ask them each to share their story of how they came to know the Lord as personal Savior and how becoming a Christian had changed their lives.

The capital campaign at my church was a huge success because our people gave more than what was pledged. Most churches consider a campaign a success if they receive 80% of what is pledged. The success of our campaign was partly due to the willingness of our people to share testimonies of how God had worked in their lives. Hearing how God is working in the lives of others is always inspiring.

Nehemiah shared his story of how God had been with him and had provided everything he needed. His story inspired others to join him in the task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Being involved in doing God’s work can be very fulfilling and encouraging.

Challenge: When was the last time you shared “your story” with someone and told them how God has richly blessed your life? Look for an opportunity to share your story with a waiter, friend, or relative this week.