I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you (Colossians 4:18, ESV). Here’s the challenge: try reading the last chapter first, then the rest of the letter. With the Apostle Paul’s primary letters written to churches or groups of followers, I’ve enjoyed reading these epistles through the years and note that in […]
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Recently, I browsed my NASB Bible (New American Standard Bible) that I read for daily devotions, looking for powerful verses/passages — to raise my self-image, increase my confidence in God, and release me from discouragement. I recognize that all of us have verses that impact our lives, but I wanted to increase the “power” in
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We learn a lot about leadership by reading the Book of Nehemiah. Since it’s Nehemiah’s journal, we can read his words and gain insight into an inspiring leadership style. This book contains 13 chapters of leadership manna. I list below three amazing leadership qualities from Nehemiah: And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome
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There is a time to arise and build. Something broken, a relationship ruined, a business bankrupted, or a sudden death. It’s good to take the time to grieve and evaluate. But one day, you will wake up in the morning and think. . . I must move on! The Book of Nehemiah gives great advice
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The return of the Jews to Jerusalem from Babylon, described in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, can be confusing. It’s not a simple trip of “purchase your plane tickets, pack your bags, and back to Jerusalem we go.” It was three groups of Jews traveling back over a period of 1oo years. Admittedly, it’s
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The Book of Nehemiah is the only book in the Bible that’s a journal. Nehemiah was chosen by God to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. In his journal, Nehemiah records one of the most amazing prayers in Scripture. And this prayer ends with an unusual request. The prayer. . . Please grant me success
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The Book of Nehemiah is a journal. Being the only book of the Bible written from this personal perspective, we can literally read the thoughts of a great man of God as he confronts and struggles through his greatest challenge. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the
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Genesis is the beginning. . . In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1, ESV). Revelation is the end. . . Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away (Revelation 21:1). There are many similarities between the Book of Genesis and the
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To Titus, my true child in a common faith (Titus 1:4a, ESV). The Book of Titus is personal. The Apostle Paul calls Titus his child in the faith. First and Second Timothy, along with Titus, are called the Pastoral Epistles because they were written to Paul’s co-workers. However, the relationship is more than working together; Paul calls
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[Timothy,] this is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you (2 Timothy 1:6, NLT). In 2 Timothy the Apostle Paul writes to his disciple Timothy. It’s the last letter that He writes in the New Testament. Through the years while reading
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