“Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.” (Nehemiah 2:4, ESV) Do you know what it means to stick your foot in your mouth? It means to say something that is offensive or dumb. Think about that idiom. Stick your foot in your mouth? That is a weird image. Have you ever wondered where it came from? I did a search to find the origin … [Read more...] about Pray Before You Speak
Devotions
Risking All
In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. (Nehemiah 2:1, ESV) Leaders go first. If you are not going first, you are not a leader. You are a follower. Leaders lead and followers follow. It is hard to be a leader and expect others to do something … [Read more...] about Risking All
Verse of the Week: 2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV) Every Sunday, I share a verse of the week. Use this verse to meditate, pray, ponder, and memorize during the week. See how taking just one verse into your heart … [Read more...] about Verse of the Week: 2 Chronicles 7:14
No Excuses
“And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned … [Read more...] about No Excuses
How Do I Know Where God is Leading?
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. (Nehemiah 1:4, ESV) Nehemiah knew things were not right in Jerusalem. The walls were broken down. He wept and mourned for days. He lived with the reality of the situation. It burned in his heart. Nehemiah was in this for the long haul. It was … [Read more...] about How Do I Know Where God is Leading?