Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 3:15‐5:13, 1 Corinthians 7:25‐40, Psalm 32:1‐11, Proverbs 21:5‐7

Nehemiah 4:23 – So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.

Observations:

• Context: As Nehemiah and the people are rebuilding the walls, they are threatened by their enemies.
• None of the workers took off their clothes
• Each kept his weapon at his right hand

Apply:  Tomorrow we will “complete the wall” in our summer camp ministry.  I will finish a season of not being able to take off my clothes or put down my weapon.  I want to affirm the guards God has placed around me this summer.

Have you gone through a season like this in life?

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 1:1‐3:14, 1 Corinthians 7:1‐24, Psalm 31:19‐24, Proverbs 21:4

Nehemiah 1:4 – As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Observations:

• Context: Nehemiah has just been told that the wall of Jerusalem has been broken down and the remnant there that survived the exile is in “great trouble and shame.”
• As soon as I heard these words:
  • I sat down
  • Wept and mourned
    • for days
• Continued fasting and praying
  • before the God of heaven

Nehemiah is known for being a man of action.  He rebuilds the wall of Jerusalem in only 52 days.  However, he didn’t act immediately.

Apply: I often try to respond to quickly.  I need to allow morning in tough times and rejoicing in good times to drive me to God.

Is there something that has happened in your life that you need to weep, morn, fast and pray over?  Have you let yourself sit down and do it?

Today’s Reading: Ezra 10:1‐44, 1 Corinthians 6:1‐20, Psalm 31:9‐18, Proverbs  21:3

Ezra 10:4 – Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.”

Observations:

• Context: The people have “broken faith” with God and married foreign women.  Ezra makes confession and shows true godly sorrow, “weeping and casting himself down,” for their sin.  The people express the desire to repent and make a covenant with God to remove their foreign wives.
• Arise – move into action
• For it is your task – you are our leader, it is your responsibility
• We are with you – we will follow
• Be strong – (chazaq) take courage, be tough and resilient
• Do it – follow through, act

Apply: It became clear last night that I need to confront someone today within my ministry. 

Pray: “Show me what my task is as a leader and give me the strength to arise and do it.”

What is the task that God is calling you to lead others to do today?  Arise, be strong, and do it!

Today’s Reading: Ezra 7:1‐8:20, 1 Corinthians 4:1‐21, Psalm 30:1‐12, Proverbs  20:28‐30

Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

Observations:

• Context: Ezra is leaving Babylonia to go to Jerusalem to teach the people of Israel.  He is described as “a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses.”
• Ezra had set his heart:
  • To study the Law of the Lord
  • To do it
  • To teach the Lord’s statues and rules in Israel

I love how Ezra’s heart is described in this verse.  The teachers that I have learned from the most are those who are studying and applying the Word of God to their own lives as they teach.

Apply:  I want to set my heart to study, do and teach God’s Word.

Could this verse be used to describe you?

Today’s Reading: Ezra 5:1‐6:22, 1 Corinthians 3:5‐23, Psalm 29:1‐11, Proverbs 20:26‐27

1 Corinthians 3:7 – So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Observations:

• Context: Paul is continuing his argument against the divisions in the church based on which Christian teacher they followed.  In verse six we read: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”
• The one who plants and he who waters is nothing
• Only God gives the growth

Apply: I am capable of nothing in myself.  I want to be faithful to plant and water while remembering nothing in ministry happens apart from the work of God.

Prayer: “God give growth!”

In you ministry, are you shouldering more regret or credit than you deserve?  God gives growth.

Today’s Reading: Ezra 3:1‐4:24, 1 Corinthians 2:6‐3:4, Psalm 28:1‐9, Proverbs  20:24‐25

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.

Observations:

• The Lord is:
  • My strength
  • My shield
• In him
  • My hear trusts
  • I am helped
• My heart exults
  • With my song I give thanks to him

Have you ever noticed that the Psalms feed you at different times?  The last few days this has been true for me.  They have jumped off the page in my Bible reading time.  They are grounding, assuring, hope filled, and worshipful.

Apply: Throughout today, I want to make a conscious effort to exult God with songs of thanks.

Do you have a favorite Psalm?  What is it and why?

Today’s Reading: Ezra 1:1‐2:70, 1 Corinthians 1:18‐2:5, Psalm 27:7‐14, Proverbs  20:22‐23

Psalm 27:8 You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

Observations:

• God instructs us (seek is in the plural) to seek his face.
• Seeking is a heart issue – “My heart says to you”
• “Your Face, Lord, do I seek.”

Sometimes I over complicate what God has asked me to do.  He has called me to seek him out.

Apply: I want to be purposeful about seeking God with my whole heart.

Are you seeking God?  How are you looking for him?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 35:1‐36:23, 1 Corinthians 1:1‐17, Psalms 27:1‐6, Proverbs  20:20‐21

1 Corinthians 1:17 – For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Observations:

• Context: Paul is urging unity.  It was common for speakers to be entertainers and for people to choose the one they enjoyed the most.  Paul wants it to be clear that the message of Christ is all he desires to present. 
• Christ did not send Paul to baptize (we do know that he did, see the previous verse, and thought believers baptism was important – Romans 6:3, Col 2:12)
• Christ sent Paul to preach the gospel
  • Not with words of eloquent wisdom – I believe he is talking about trying to entertain as mentioned above.  The gospel is greater than the world’s wisdom.
  • Lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power – He wants the main thing to stay the main thing.  It is not about him.

Apply: I want to look for opportunities to present the gospel clearly today.  I don’t need to be eloquent, just present the cross.

Do you worry about having “words of eloquent wisdom” when you present the gospel?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 33:14‐34:33, Romans 16:8‐27, Psalms 26:1‐12, Proverbs  20:19

Romans 16:17-18 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Observations:

• Context: Paul interrupts his finial greetings at the end of the book of Romans to say these words.
• This is an appeal to Christians (brothers in the context of Romans)
• Watch out for those who:
• cause divisions
• create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught
• do not serve the Lord Christ, but their own appetites
• by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive
• Avoid them

Apply: I need to watch out for dangerous dividers in the ministry I lead today and see if anyone needs to be confronted so that we can avoid the consequences of their actions.

Do you see anyone causing divisions in your ministry?  How can you apply the commands to watch out and avoid?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 32:1‐33:13, Romans 15:23‐16:7, Psalms 25:16‐22, Proverbs  20:16‐18

Proverbs 20:18  Plans are established by counsel;
by wise guidance wage war.

Observations:

• Plans are established (kun – to be firm, prepared) by counsel
  • By wise guidance
    • Wage war

Apply:  I want to seek wise guidance and counsel today to help me make my spiritual battle plans.

Where do you find wise guidance in your life?