The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Nehemiah 13:1-14 (English Standard Version)

Nehemiah 13

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms

¹On that day^A)">(A) they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written^B)">(B) that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, ²for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. ³As soon as the people heard the law,^C)">(C) they separated from Israel all^D)">(D) those of foreign descent.

⁴Now before this,^E)">(E) Eliashib the priest, who^F)">(F) was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to^G)">(G) Tobiah, ⁵prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil,^H)">(H) which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. ⁶While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for^I)">(I) in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes^J)">(J) king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king ⁷and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah,^K)">(K) preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. ⁸And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. ⁹Then I gave orders, and they^L)">(L) cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

¹⁰I also found out that^M)">(M) the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each^N)">(N) to his field. ¹¹^O)">(O) So I confronted the officials and said,^P)">(P) "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. ¹²Then all Judah brought^Q)">(Q) the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. ¹³And^R)">(R) I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah,^S)">(S) for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. ¹⁴^T)">(T) Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.

As they read God's Word and found stuff that was out of line with their life, they changed. No excuses, no rationalizations, just obedience. This is a great example I need to follow. When my life is not in synch with God's Word, I need to change

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Nehemiah 8:13-9:3 (New International Version)

¹³ On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to give attention to the words of the Law. ¹⁴ They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in booths during the feast of the seventh month ¹⁵ and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: "Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make booths"-as it is written. ^a]">[a]

¹⁶ So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves booths on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. ¹⁷ The whole company that had returned from exile built booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.

¹⁸ Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.

Nehemiah 9

The Israelites Confess Their Sins

¹ On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. ² Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. ³ They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God.

Footnotes:

1. Nehemiah 8:15 See Lev. 23:37-40.

It is so cool to see that when people get back into God's Word and they start doing the things in there how great their lives become. So many times we think, "If I live my life by the Bible, it will be so boring and aweful." That's not the case at all. These people (like us many times) had no idea what the Bible said. But when they found out and started doing what it said, they had more fun than they had had in a long time!

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Nehemiah 3:17-32 (English Standard Version)

17After him the Levites repaired: Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired for his district. 18After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai the son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. 19Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at^(A) the buttress.^[a] 20After him Baruch the son of Zabbai repaired another section from the buttress to the door of the house of^(B) Eliashib the high priest. 21After him^(C) Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired another section from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib. 22After him the priests, the men of^(D) the surrounding area, repaired. 23After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah repaired beside his own house. 24After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress 25and to^(E) the corner. Palal the son of Uzai repaired opposite the buttress and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at^(F) the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh 26^(G) and the temple servants living on^(H) Ophel repaired to a point opposite^(I) the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. 27After him^(J) the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel.

28Above^(K) the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. 29After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired. 30After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him^(L) Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite^(M) his chamber. 31After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate,^[b] and to the upper chamber of the corner. 32And between the upper chamber of the corner and^(N) the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.

Wow, at first glance at today's passage I was thinking how in the world am I going to apply this? But God is good and as I dug a little and looked in to a couple of friend's posts on this and also looked at the Quiet Time Commentary, I found a couple of great things. The first thing that struck me is that most of these people here who were doing work on the wall were doing work right near their house. I think this is another reminder from God (there have been several recently) that when doing His work, it starts at home. It starts in my home, then with the people right in my community. It's easy to think about the mass body of people in the world, but the problem with that is that it's easy to use that as an excuse. The mass body in the world has no individual face, it's easy to hide behind, not get my hands dirty, and really do nothing. But when I go to work for God right at home and right with the people in my community, then everything becomes real, not just theory. This is kind of hard since I just recently moved and am now in a brand new community. But God help me as I attempt to go to work for him right where I'm at

Nehemiah 2:1-8 (English Standard Version)

Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah Sent to Judah

1In the month of Nisan,^(A) in the twentieth year of King^(B) Artaxerxes, when wine was before him,^(C) I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2And the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but^(D) sadness of the heart." Then I was very much afraid. 3I said to the king,^(E) "Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad,^(F) when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" 4Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed^(G) to the God of heaven. 5And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it." 6And the king said to me (^(H) the queen sitting beside him), "How long will you be gone, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me^(I) when I had given him a time. 7And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given me^(J) to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of^(K) the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy." And the king granted me what I asked,^(L) for the good hand of my God was upon me.

I can't imagine the way Nehemiah felt when he was before the king. I'm sure in one sense he was scared to death. On the other hand, he knew what God wanted him to do and was willing to do whatever it took to obey. I need to have that kind of spirit. A lot of times, it's easy to get distracted from doing what God wants because it's hard or doing my own thing is easier. I've got to be willing to obey God even when it's hard.

Ezra 9:1-5 (English Standard Version)

Ezra 9

Ezra Prays About Intermarriage

 1After these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, "The people of Israel and the priests and the^(A) Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands^(B) with their abominations, from the^(C) Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2^(D) For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the^(E) holy race^[a] has^(F) mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost." 3As soon as I heard this, I^(G) tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and^(H) sat appalled. 4Then all who^(I) trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat^(J) appalled until the evening sacrifice. 5And at the^(K) evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment^(L) and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees^(M) and spread out my hands to the LORD my God,

Ezra took sin seriously!  He was grieved for his nation.  He took extreme action and was completely undone for his nation.  At very best, my nation is just as bad as his.  Truefully its probably much worse.  How much do I care?  A whole lot of people waste a whole lot of energy pacing back and forth and wondering if we're going to make it through this economy, through this political landscape, etc.  That's completely the wrong thing to be consumed with!  I ought to be consumed, but not by that.  I ought to be grieved for my nation knowing that we stand on a precipice - perhaps like never before.  What does God have for me to do today?  I must get busy knowing I may not have more time.  

Romans 9:1-16 (English Standard Version)

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Romans 9

God’s Sovereign Choice

1^(A) I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For^(B) I could wish that I myself were^(C) accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,^[a] my kinsmen^(D) according to the flesh. 4They are^(E) Israelites, and to them belong^(F) the adoption,^(G) the glory,^(H) the covenants,^(I) the giving of the law,^(J) the worship, and^(K) the promises. 5To them belong^(L) the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ^(M) who is God over all,^(N) blessed forever. Amen.

6But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7and not all are children of Abraham^(O) because they are his offspring, but^(P) "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." 8This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but^(Q) the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9For this is what the promise said:^(R) "About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son." 10And not only so, but^(S) also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of^(T) him who calls— 12she was told,^(U) "The older will serve the younger." 13As it is written,^(V) "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

14What shall we say then?^(W) Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15For he says to Moses,^(X) "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16So then it depends not on human will or exertion,^[b] but on God, who has mercy.

Both God's sovereignty and His justice ring true here. It's hard when you see difficult circumstances in life and you wonder what God is doing. This passage reminds me though that just as God is in control of our salvation, he's really in control of everything. Nothing will thwart his purposes. Nothing will stop him from doing what he has purposed to do. That brings great comfort. I can rest in that. I know my obligation is to live inside the bounds of God's Word and as long as I can do that, I can rest easy about everything else becuase I know its in God's control and I know I'm being obedient to his Word.

Romans 8:12-25 (English Standard Version)

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Heirs with Christ

12So then, brothers,^[a] we are debtors,^(A) not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you^(B) put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are^(C) led by the Spirit of God are^(D) sons^[b] of God. 15For^(E) you did not receive^(F) the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of^(G) adoption as sons, by whom we cry,^(H) "Abba! Father!" 16^(I) The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then^(J) heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,^(K) provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Future Glory

18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time^(L) are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19For the creation waits with eager longing for^(M) the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation^(N) was subjected to futility, not willingly, but^(O) because of him who subjected it, in hope 21that^(P) the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that^(Q) the whole creation^(R) has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have^(S) the firstfruits of the Spirit,^(T) groan inwardly as^(U) we wait eagerly for adoption as sons,^(V) the redemption of our bodies. 24For^(W) in this hope we were saved. Now^(X) hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we^(Y) wait for it with patience.



We are not given a spirit of slavery to fall back into our old sin, but a spirit of adoption. The point is, God has given me everything I need to break the power and chains of sin in my life. Since being adopted as his son, I no longer am a slave to sin. I have the power to make the choice to please God with my choices instead of myself. In the heat of the moment, this is often hard for me to remember, but I'm going to try and meditate on this truth today so that when I am tempted, I will remember to choose to please God.