fblosgatos - 2023: Daily Devotional Thought

Nehemiah 3:1-32 - “Who did the Work?” - Don’t skip over this chapter. As you read take note of who was working, where they were working, and even why they were working. Scripture Reading: Psalm 26, 40, 58, 61-62, 64

Nehemiah 2:17-20 - “Let the Work Begin” - When God begins to do something Satan goes to work as well. Let’s follow the progress and the opposition. Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 16-18

Nehemiah 2:9-16 - “Surveying the Task” - God called Nehemiah and brought him to the work. He wanted to see what God was going to do. Scripture Reading: Psalm 3-4, 12-13, 28, 55

Nehemiah 2:1-8 - “The Golden Opportunity” - Sometimes we pray but don’t expect an answer. Let’s see how Nehemiah when presented with his answer. Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 13-15

Nehemiah 1:11 - “God Uses Anyone” - Do you think you are too slowly for God to use you? Consider Nehemiah’s job and rethink your conclusion. Scripture Reading: Psalm 31, 51, 86, 122

Nehemiah 1:4-10 - “Listening in to Nehemiah Pray” - I love listening to people pray. It tells me a lot about a person. See what you can learn about Nehemiah. Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 11-12, 1 Chronicles 20

Nehemiah 1:1-3 - “Hearing Bad News” - How do we respond when we hear bad news? Let’s watch how Nehemiah responds over the next few days. Scripture Reading: Psalm 65-67, 69-70

Ezra 10:9-44 - “The Messiness of Repentance” - Our sin entangles us in so many sinful practices that when we decide to get untangled can cause a lot of problems. Consequences are the result of sinful choices. Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 10, 1 Chronicles 19, Psalm20

Ezra 10:1-8 - “A Call for Revival” - Ezra issues a call for men and women to repent and return to the Lord. Do you need to hear and heed that call? Scripture Reading: Psalm 50, 53, 60, 75

Ezra 9:5-15 - “Intercessory Prayer” - Ezra was moved to pray for the people of Israel and their failure to follow the Lord. Do we? Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18

Ezra 9:1-4 - “Feeling the Failure” - When people fail to walk with the Lord, how does it make you feel? Today we will see Ezra’s responses. Scripture Reading: Psalm 25, 33, 36, 39

Ezra 8:31-36 - “Trusting God in the Journey” - Our journey in life will take us into different places. Let’s trust the Lord in these directions. Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17

Ezra 8:24-30 - “Take Responsibility” - When the Lord gives us a task we should perform it with care and holiness. Scripture Reading: Psalm 89, 96, 100-101, 105, 132

Ezra 8:21-23 - “Fasting and Praying” - Do you ever fast? Have you ever spent focused time in prayer and set aside eating? Watch what Ezra does and calls others to. Scripture Reading: Psalm 1-2, 15, 22-24, 47, 68

May 4 - Ezra 8:1-20 - “Getting Help” - Ezra gathers others to help him reestablish God’s work. Who is helping you? Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 5:11-6:23, 1 Chronicles 13-16

Ezra 7:25-28 - “God’s Good Hand” - Extra lifts his heart to use his voice to praise the God of heaven. Scripture Reading: Psalm 106-107

Ezra 7:1-10 - “Time Marches On” - Today we are introduced to Ezra the Scribe. Let’s begin to learn from his life of service. Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-10, 1 Chronicles 11-12

Esther 9:1-10:3 - “Purim Instituted” - We will see how one of the most joyful feasts of the Jews came into being. Scripture Reading: Psalm 102-104

Ezra 7:11-24 - “God Uses a Pagan” - Though Artaxerxes didn’t realize it, God used him to continue to return of Israel. Scripture Reading: Psalm 133

Esther 8:1-17 - “Conspiracy Plot Defeated” - Man’s plans, when not God’s plans, will fail. Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 7-10

Esther 7:1-10 - “Vengeance is Mine” - We must give God time to work. Be sure to see that in today’s reading. Scripture Reading: Psalm 81, 88, 92-93

Esther 6:1-14 - “Insomnia from God” - Do we ever wake up at night and can’t fall back to sleep? Rather than counting sheep, why not grab our Bibles to read! Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 6

Esther 5:1-14 - “Courage in Choices” - For Esther to go to the king showed great confidence in the Lord. Scripture Reading: Psalm 73, 77-78

Esther 4:1-17 - “For Such a Time as This” - God has a purpose for each of us as His children to perform. Are you doing your part? Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 3-5

Esther 3:1-15 - “Haman - the Original Hitler” - Antisemitism is not new. We read of Haman’s hatred for the Jews and his desire to exterminate them. Scripture Reading: Psalm 43-45, 49, 84-85, 87