Day 22 – Anger is not sin. When Nehemiah found out what was happening, he became angry. Read Nehemiah 5:6-7. Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words. I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. Nehemiah 5:6‭-‬7 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/neh.5.6-7.NASB Anger itself is not sin. We need to understand that there are things in this world that make God angry. Sin angers God. And because sin angers God, sin should anger us as well. Are we actively seeking to eliminate…

Day 21 – Sin. Not all problems come from outside, sometimes they come from inside. Read Nehemiah 5:1-5. Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. For there were those who said, “We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live.” There were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine.” Also there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. Now our flesh is like the…

Day 20 – Ready. As the people were doing the work they had to be ready. Read Nehemiah 4:21-23. So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared. At that time I also said to the people, “Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.” So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water. Nehemiah 4:21‭-‬23 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/neh.4.21-23.NASB The people had…

Day 19 – Fellowship. We need other believers. Read Nehemiah 4:15-20. When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. As for the builders, each wore his…

Day 18 – Clarity. Even with all the opposition that he was experiencing, Nehemiah maintained a great sense of clarity. He understood the real danger that they were in, but didn’t let it stop him. Read Nehemiah 4:10-14. Thus in Judah it was said, “The strength of the burden bearers is failing, Yet there is much rubbish; And we ourselves are unable To rebuild the wall.” Our enemies said, “They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.” When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, “They will come up against us from every…

Day – 17: More praying, more doing. Sounds similar to a Home Depot commercial, but that describes exactly how the people responded when the opposition increased. Read Nehemiah 4:7-9. Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it. But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night. Nehemiah 4:7‭-‬9 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/neh.4.7-9.NASB The opposition intensified and yet,…

Day 16 – Response to opposition. How did Nehemiah respond to opposition? He kept doing the work. Read Nehemiah 4:4-6. Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders. So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. Nehemiah 4:4‭-‬6 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/neh.4.4-6.NASB When we experience opposition to being obedient to God’s plans for us, there really is…

Day 15 – Opposition. So far, the people have been busy doing what God has for them to do. However, now there is opposition. Read Nehemiah 4:1-3. Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?” Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near…

Day 14 – Repair your house. In many of the cases, the people repaired what was outside their front door. Read Nehemiah 3:28-32. Above the Horse Gate the priests carried out repairs, each in front of his house. After them Zadok the son of Immer carried out repairs in front of his house. And after him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, carried out repairs. After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah carried out repairs in front of his own quarters. After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths,…

Day 13 – Zealous. Baruch was not only repairing the wall, he was zealous about it. Read Nehemiah 3:20-27. After him Baruch the son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the Angle to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest. After him Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz repaired another section, from the doorway of Eliashib’s house even as far as the end of his house. After him the priests, the men of the valley, carried out repairs. After them Benjamin and Hasshub carried out repairs in front of their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, carried out…