Day 2

Scripture to Read: Nehemiah 5:1-5

We read today in Nehemiah 5:1-5 that the families in Jerusalem were having financial struggles. In Nehemiah 5:2, we can gather that the people of Jerusalem had been working on the wall for so long that they had neglected to work in their fields to get grain. In Nehemiah 5:3, we read that their struggle was due to the famine and that the people had to mortgage their homes, fields, and vineyards to buy grain. In Nehemiah 5:4, we find that some had borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on the fields and vineyards. Finally, in Nehemiah 5:5, we find that some had even sold their children into slavery because they had already sold their fields to pay their bills. God never wants us to be in bondage to our finances, and we must be good stewards of our time and money. Tough times will come for everyone because that is how this life goes. But if we are unwise stewards of our time and money when things are going well, then we will reap the consequences of our unwise decisions when tough times come. God had provided, through King Artaxerxes, everything needed to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem so that was not costing the people anything. But the famine, which they had zero control over, brought tough times, and maybe for some, financial woes came because they had not been wise with their finances. We must balance our time and resources so that we are ready when the tough times hit

Challenge & Application

1. What did God teach you today about the use of your time and resources? 2. How will you improve on being a better steward of your time each day and the use of the resources God has given you?

Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!

Devotionals from this week

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Day 1

When we ended last week’s devotions in Nehemiah 4, we found the Israelites in Jerusalem all working together to rebuild the wall. The people were ready for battle with one hand and working on the wall with the other hand. As we read Nehemiah 5, there is no mention of the wall being worked on, but there is a great outcry among the people. Sinc...

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Day 2

We read today in Nehemiah 5:1-5 that the families in Jerusalem were having financial struggles. In Nehemiah 5:2, we can gather that the people of Jerusalem had been working on the wall for so long that they had neglected to work in their fields to get grain. In Nehemiah 5:3, we read that their struggle was due to the famine and that the peopl...

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Day 3

Today we find, in Nehemiah 5:6, after hearing the outcry of the people, that Nehemiah became angry. Anger is a God-given emotion, and anger is not always a sin. God warns us in Ephesians 4:26-27, “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.” Our Lord Jesus Christ became ...

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Day 4

As we read Nehemiah 5:7, we find that Nehemiah took the whole situation into careful consideration. Nehemiah did not react to his first initial feelings of anger. When we get angry, we need to think through things carefully, as we saw in the devotion yesterday, so we do not fall into sin. If Nehemiah had let his anger control him, he probably...

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Day 5

As we saw in yesterday’s devotion, some of the nobles and rulers of Jerusalem were charging interest to their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem for the basic necessities of life. As we also saw yesterday, this is sin and this sin needed to be dealt with immediately. God also makes this truth clear in James 2:14-17. If we claim to know Christ ...

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Day 6

As we saw yesterday, God used Nehemiah to rebuke the nobles and rulers in Jerusalem. We also read the nobles’ and rulers’ response: that they would give back everything they had taken from their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. Nehemiah knew that words amount to nothing if the action does not follow. So, in Nehemiah 5:13, God led Nehemiah t...

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Day 7

As we finish Nehemiah 5 today, we see several truths here for us to follow. Nehemiah had been appointed governor in Judah, and though he had the right to tax the people and live off those taxes, Nehemiah chose not to tax them. Nehemiah feared God and did not want to do anything that might bring dishonor to His Lord or cause the people of Juda...

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