They solemnly promised to carefully follow all the commands, regulations, and decrees of the LORD our Lord . . . . “We promise together not to neglect the Temple of our God.” (Nehemiah 10:29, 39)  There are some very simple—but life-changing—principles that I glean from the verses in Nehemiah 10. The first is that serious thought precedes any significant change. […]

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. (Psalm 119:1)  When we get beneath surface facts and start to traffic in the realm of in-depth truth, two things usually happen: we walk in greater obedience, and we discover genuine happiness. The leaders in Nehemiah’s day experienced both. They found written in […]

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. (Proverbs 9:10)  Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe so that they might gain insight into the words of […]

“Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10)  After an oral reading from the book of the Law, those gifted in its truths exposited the text to make the meaning clear. But why did they need to translate the Scripture? These people were Jews by birth, but […]

When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan. (Proverbs 29:2)  Regardless of the perils of leadership and promotion, I hope you will never forget Proverbs 29:2. In this proverb, Solomon gave us a tremendous truth. When born-again people are promoted to places of increased leadership […]

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalm 139:23–24)  Few people can live in the lap of luxury and maintain their spiritual, emotional, and moral equilibrium. Sudden elevation, often disturbs […]

“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you.” (Luke 14:28–29)  Making sense with […]

Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” (Nehemiah 4:14)  How involved are […]

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and […]