Category: Devotionals

“Whatever is ordered by the God of heaven is to be performed exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should wrath come against the realm of the king and his sons?”
Ezra 7:23 CJB

Even this secular king knows enough to do as God instructs us to do! The thing is we believers seem to think at times that we can ignore the instructions of God!

“You are to follow Adonai your God, fear Him, obey His mitzvot (commands), listen to what He says, serve Him and cling to Him.”
Deuteronomy 13:5 CJB

God created us to serve Him and obey Him! Yes, He gives us free choice, but the best choice is always going to be serving and clinging to Him!

“I cling to Your instruction; Adonai, don’t let me be put to shame!”
Psalm 119:31 CJB

Today, the best thing we all can do is simply obey God. It will always bring us His peace and success!
Have a blessed day in Adonai!

“The people of Israel, the chohanim(priests), the L’vi’im(Levites) and the other people from the exile joyfully dedicated this house of God.”
Ezra 6:16 CJB

There is always great joy from many different groups of people joined together in a place dedicated to God!

“Be glad in Adonai; rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”
Psalm 32:11 CJB

When we are with other believers rejoicing about God, we can’t help being glad, especially when we see the work He is doing!

“This has come from Adonai, and in our eyes it is amazing?”
Mark 12:11 CJB

Today, let’s join with other believers to rejoice, be glad and be amazed by Adonai!
Have a blessed day!

“But in the first year of Koresh king of Bavel, Koresh the king gave authorization to rebuild this house of God.”
Ezra 5:13 CJB

This is about twenty-five hundred years ago and Koresh (Cyrus) the king of Babylon, in fact the most powerful ruler at this time. He gave the children of Israel permission (which is really from God) to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple and he also financed it!
God can and does use everyone and everything to do His will!

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways, says Adonai.”
Isaiah 55:8 CJB

What we should see here is that Adonai will use the saved and the unsaved to accomplish His will! So when things seem out of place, know that Adonai has got a plan and it will all work out!

“This is the day Adonai has made, a day for us to rejoice and to be glad.”
Psalm 118:24 CJB

Today, even when things seem odd or unbelievable! Remember, God is always doing things and everything is going to be alright!
Have a blessed day!

“But Z’rubavel, Yeshua and the rest of the heads of fathers clans in Israel answered them, You and we have nothing in common that you should join us in building a house for our God. We will
build by ourselves for Adonai the God of Israel, as Koresh king in Persia ordered us to do.”
Ezra 4:3 CJB

Here we see the world trying to partner with believers and Zerubbabel and Joshua say, “no we have nothing to do with you”! This is the same answer we should give when the world tries to partner with us and we shouldn’t and neither should we try!

“You have no part at all in this matter; because in the eyes of God, your heart is crooked.”
Acts 8:21 CJB

We all need to be careful of the deceitfulness of the world, the world is always trying to trip you up, the world is crooked!

“Stay sober, stay alert! Your enemy, the Adversary, stalks about like a roaring lion for someone to devour.”
1 Peter 5:8 CJB

Today, let’s be watching and praying because our enemy is always out to stumble us! Keep your eyes focused on God and stay alert!
May your day be richly blessed!

“But many of the cohanim (priests), L’vi’im (Levites) and heads of fathers clans, the old men who had seen the first house standing on its foundation, wept out loud when they saw this house; while others shouted out loud for joy-so that the people couldn’t distinguish the noise of the joyful shouting from the noise of the people’s weeping; for the people were shouting so loudly that the noise could be heard at a great distance.”
Ezra 3:12-13 CJB

These verses can and are interpreted a few different ways! But I believe the best way to look at it is that the ones who were shouting for joy were excited to see the house of Adonai being built for the very first time! Then the old ones weeping because they saw the old house destroyed and now are seeing the new one being built after being in captivity fo seventy years! I believe these are tears of joy and awe of the amazing things God was doing! Remember these old men were very young children when they saw the temple destroyed and now as old men they are seeing it rebuilt!

“This has come from Adonai, and in our eyes it is amazing.”
Psalm 118:23 CJB

I believe that God can and does do amazing things which should lead us to tears and shouts of joy! We should always be in awe of God!

“This is the day Adonai has made, a day for us to rejoice and be glad.”
Psalm 118:24 CJB

Today, let’s just celebrate the fact that everything God does is amazing and everyday should lead us into rejoicing! Remember He rebuilt your heart!
Have a blessed day in Adonai!