Nehemiah 7:4-63Can you imagine being carried away into exile, barred from your homeland, and expected to live under another country’s rule?   As we’ve journeyed through the book of Nehemiah, we’ve been reminded that this is exactly what happened to the citizens of Jerusalem at the hands of the power-hungry ruler of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar, who initiated the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish ...  Read More

2 Peter 3:17-18Ever since Christ’s ascension, there has been the anticipation that He’s return is imminent. And it is right to have felt, as then, and to feel even now this way. For man does not know the day of His return. Even though there have been two millennia, Christ’s return remains at “any moment.” Eschatology, the study of end-times, is dicey. It’s important to have an understanding of wha...  Read More

1 Timothy 4:12-16 If you are not aware yet, from reading my devotions, Nehemiah is one of my favorite books of the Bible. There are so many great lessons throughout the book that apply to modern day leadership. Nehemiah is a man of courage, strength, and perseverance. When the opposition came, he dealt with it while also continuing to move forward with his mission to build the wall. If you are any...  Read More

Colossians 2:6-7A few weeks ago, our staff went up to Lake Ann Camp for a team-building retreat. One of the team building exercises involved working in pairs and walking through the rigid forest. Sounds easy, right? Well, one person from each pair had to take turns closing their eyes and being led by their partner. An exercise to show us how we have to trust our team, or, taking a step further, tr...  Read More

Nehemiah 7:1-3 The massive task of building the wall has finally been finished. However, the work doesn’t stop there for Nehemiah. Nehemiah needs to find people he can appoint to leadership for the long term to help oversee and be faithful stewards of what God has restored. The wall being restored was a huge deal, but this is also a very big deal. When looking for someone to lead, what do you thin...  Read More

Nehemiah 6:15-19Quote from Warren Weirsbe’s commentary on these verses, “If you can’t see Satan working, it’s probably because he has gone underground.” The wall is finished, and it seems as if the fight for Nehemiah should have been over! He won! But Satan is not one to give up. He is still trying to find a way to hurt their progress. Tobiah is trying to intimidate Nehemiah, and there are nobles ...  Read More