Day #270 R3 Devo. Standing Firm in the Face of Distraction Scripture Key: “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it and go down to you?” – Nehemiah 6:3 (NKJV) Real life principles : Nehemiah faced intense opposition as he rebuilt Jerusalem’s wall. Enemies like Sanballat and Tobiah tried many things to stop him: false invitations, slander, and intimidation. In all of these, their main goal was to distract him from God’s calling to rebuild the wall. Still, Nehemiah responded firmly to his oppositors: “I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down.” He knew the work God gave him was too important to be delayed by fear, gossip, or the pressure his adversaries were putting on him. In our own lives, distractions come in many forms—busyness, criticism, temptation, doubt, or sinful acts. The enemy, just like Sanballat and Tobiah to Nehemiah, still tries to pull us away from God’s calling. But, Nehemiah reminds us that perseverance and prayer are our strongest weapons. He prayed for strength (v. 9), refused to be intimidated (v. 11), so God blessed him by completing the wall in just 52 days (v. 15). Real life Application: - Ask yourself: What “great work” has God entrusted me with? God wants to use you in your family , church, and even your workplace to build His Kingdom! - Watch out for distractions! What are some things in your life that are trying to pull you away from the work God has called you to do ? I am not just talking about being over-busy doing something else, but you might also be distracted by the thoughts and feelings that are in your mind and heart. Are you giving too much attention to criticism, fear, or comparison from others? - Ready Action Steps: - Like Nehemiah , say no to distractions! And turn to prayer instead when feeling anxious , stressed or overwhelmed. Stop for a moment , acknowledge the heaviness of your heart , leave it to God in prayer , and then fix your focus on what matters most, God's plan for your life and the mission He has called you to do today!  Read More

Nehemiah 1- When the Walls are Broken “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” – Nehemiah 1:4 Nehemiah’s story doesn’t start with building; it starts with breaking. He hears the news: “The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” Those words don’t just pass through his ears; they sink deep into his soul. He can’t brush them off, can’t pretend he didn’t hear, can’t busy himself with palace duties to make the ache go away. The news crushes him. And so he sits down. He lets the weight of it hit him. He weeps. He mourns. He fasts. He prays. This is holy ground—the place where pain meets God. We don’t like to linger here. Most of us run from brokenness. We’d rather numb the ache than feel it, rather rush to fix things than sit in the ruins. But Nehemiah doesn’t move on. He doesn’t distract himself. He lets the grief wash over him until it drives him to his knees. And maybe that’s what God is asking of us. To stop pretending we’re fine. To stop ignoring the ruins around us. The brokenness in our families, the fractures in our churches, the wounds in our communities, the sin in our own hearts. To actually let it hurt. To let it break us. Because only hearts that are broken before God can be rebuilt by Him. Nehemiah doesn’t just pray about the problem; he confesses the sin behind it. “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you” (v.6). He doesn’t distance himself from the mess. He doesn’t say, “They’ve messed up, Lord.” He says, “We have sinned. I have sinned.” That’s vulnerable. That’s raw. And that’s where healing begins. Sometimes the most powerful prayers we can pray are not polished words, but trembling confessions. Sometimes the most sacred moments are when we drop the mask and whisper, “God, I’m part of the problem. Forgive me. Change me.” Nehemiah’s tears weren’t wasted. His mourning became the soil where hope could grow. His prayer became the starting point of a miracle. The walls of Jerusalem would one day rise again, but first, Nehemiah had to fall apart before the God of heaven. Maybe that’s where you are right now, sitting among ruins. Maybe it feels like your life, your family, or your faith has been burned down and left in disgrace. And maybe you’ve been trying to hold it together, trying to stay strong, trying to fix it yourself. But what if God is inviting you to do what Nehemiah did? To finally stop. To sit down. To let the tears fall. To confess. To pray. To place the broken pieces in His hands. Because the truth is this: God does some of His best work in the ruins. The places that feel beyond repair are the very places where His mercy begins to rebuild. But the rebuilding starts in our hearts. When we dare to get honest, when we dare to get raw, when we dare to let our walls come down before Him. Nehemiah didn’t know how the story would end when he prayed. All he had was his pain, his confession, and God. And that was enough. That is always enough. So maybe today, you don’t need answers. You don’t need a five-step plan. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to sit with your Father and weep. You just need to let your mourning become prayer. You just need to bring Him your ruins and believe He still restores. And here’s the hope: the God who met Nehemiah in his tears is the same God who meets you in yours. Your weeping does not end in despair; it is the doorway to restoration. The ruins are not the end of your story; they are the place where God begins His rebuilding work. Let your mourning become the melody of prayer, and watch Him turn it into a song of restoration. Real. Relevant. Ready. 1. Get Real with God. Stop pretending the ruins don’t hurt. Like Nehemiah, let yourself feel the weight of what’s broken. Sit down. Weep. Pray honestly. God meets you in your rawest places. 2. Make it Relevant to You. Nehemiah didn’t just point out their sins; he confessed his own. Don’t just pray about “the world out there.” Ask God to reveal what needs rebuilding in you. Own your part. Invite His mercy to start in your heart. 3. Be Ready for God to Move. Nehemiah’s tears didn’t end in despair; they became the doorway to purpose. Your brokenness isn’t the finale; it’s the starting line. Stay watchful. Stay prayerful. God is preparing you for restoration that’s bigger than you can see right now. Prayer: Lord, I’m tired of holding it together. I’m tired of pretending the ruins don’t hurt. Today, I lay them before You. The broken pieces of my heart. The messes I can’t fix. The sins I can’t cover. The burdens I can’t carry. Forgive me, God, for the ways I’ve contributed to the brokenness, for the ways I’ve run from You, for the times I’ve tried to rebuild in my own strength. Wash me in Your mercy. Remind me of Your promises. I don’t know how You will restore what’s been lost, but I know You are faithful. So I surrender the ruins to You. Break me if You must, rebuild me as You will. I trust that out of these tears, You can bring life again. In Jesus’ name, Amen.  Read More

Ezra 7 provides powerful principles for devotion, discipleship, and leadership, which are highly relevant for us especially for our R3 Devotional. Real Life Principle 1: The Priority of Preparation (Ezra 7:10a) "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord..." (ESV) ● Intentionality Precedes Insight. Effective spiritual growth and service do not happen accidentally; they require a deliberate commitment of the heart and mind. The word "set" (Hebrew: kun) means to prepare, fix, establish, or be firm. Ezra's learning began not with his eyes, but with his heart's resolve. Relevant Life Application ● Establish a clear time and space. Don't let your devotional time be the leftover minutes of your day. Decide the when (e.g., 6:00 AM) and the where (e.g., specific chair) and commit to it. This "sets your heart" physically and mentally for the encounter. | ● Eliminate Distractions. Before you open your Bible, close your other apps and put your phone on silent or do-not-disturb. This is a practical way of telling your heart, "This time is fixed and dedicated to God alone." ● Pray for Focus Start your devotion with a prayer that you would not merely read but study and understand the Scripture. Ask God to "set your heart" on His Word. | Real Life Principle 2: The Discipline of Deep Study (Ezra 7:10b) "...to study the Law of the Lord..." (ESV) ● Mastery Requires Immersion. Ezra didn't just casually read the Law; he "studied" it. Daily devotion is not a checklist item; it is a serious, ongoing, and in-depth exploration of God's revealed truth. True spiritual depth comes from a disciplined engagement with Scripture. Relevant Life Application Go Beyond Reading. Don't rush to finish a chapter. Take a small passage (even a single verse) and use a study method: Look up keywords, write out a key verse, or try to summarize the main point in one sentence. ● Keep a Journal : The act of writing forces you to slow down and process what you are reading. Use your journal to capture a key verse, jot down questions you have, or list any truths that convicted you. ● Seek the "Why" : Ask deeper questions: Why is this passage here? What does this tell me about God's character? How would I explain this truth to someone else? This moves your reading from passive to active study. Real Life Principle 3: The Call to Integration and Action (Ezra 7:10c) "...and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and rules in Israel." (ESV) Truth is for Transformation and Transmission. Ezra's learning had two clear outcomes: practice (personal transformation) and teaching (transmission to others). Knowledge that doesn't lead to obedience is incomplete, and obedience that isn't shared is ultimately self-contained. Relevant Life Application ● Personalize the "Practice". As you finish your study, write down one specific, actionable way you can obey the truth you just read today. For example, if you read about patience, your action might be: "When I feel stressed today, I will pause and pray before responding." ● Identify the "Teaching" Moment. Look for opportunities to share what you learned. Think about who you will interact with today (family, coworker, friend) and how you could naturally and authentically share an encouraging truth or insight from your devotion. ● Pray for Integrity. Conclude your devotion by praying that God would give you the strength to live out the truth you studied. Ask that your walk would align with your knowledge, ensuring your life becomes a reliable witness.   Read More

Esther 6 describes a turning point where an unpunished past good deed by Mordecai leads to his public honor, a dramatic reversal of Haman’s plans. Due to King Ahasuerus’s insomnia, he reads about Mordecai’s past act of loyalty to the king, leading him to desire to reward Mordecai. Haman, intending to get approval to hang Mordecai, is instead tasked with honoring him, forced to dress Mordecai in ro...  Read More

 Esther was written to the people of Israel in approximately 470 B.C. Esther became queen in 479.  It was also written to demonstrate God’s sovereignty and His loving care for His people. The author of this book is unknown; it could possibly be Mordecai. Some have suggested Ezra or Nehemiah because of the similarity of the writing style.   Although Esther follows Nehemiah in the Bible, its events ...  Read More

Zechariah 10 through 14…woah.  These 4 chapters are chock full of prophesy of the coming Messiah, God’s dealing with Israel, and the final showdown…The triumph of God’s Kingdom!  Let’s jump in!Chapter Ten is the restoration of Israel and the condemnation of false shepherds.  How well do you depend on God for your daily provisions?  How about your blessings?  Or do you let false shepherds lead you ...  Read More

Zechariah wrote this book to give hope to God’s people by revealing God’s future deliverance through the Messiah. This book is directed toward the Jews who had returned from their captivity in Babylon. It seems that Chapters 1-8 were written approximately 520-518 B.C. and Chapters 9-14 were written around 480 B.C. The exiles had returned from Babylon to rebuild the temple, but the work had been thwarted and stalled. Haggai and Zechariah confronted the people with their task and encouraged them to complete it.  Read More

Zechariah is a book so rich in picturesque prophecies about the Messiah. These were revealed to Zechariah, one of the prophets and a priest, that spoke to the Israelites that had been freed by the king of Babylon, after being 70 years in captivity. Today’s chapters are a calling to repentance, going back to God, a call to rebuild the temple and the promise and hope of a future Mesiah. Perhaps it was written around 520 BC, yet its words, encouragement, and promises are so applicable to today’s world. God is still calling to repentance, and more than ever, we are sure that Jesus is coming back again soon.  Read More

“The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace.” (Haggai 2:9, ESV)There comes a time in every believer’s life when you look at what you’ve built and wonder if it’s enough. Maybe it’s your family, your work, your ministry, or even your spiritual walk, and in that quiet moment of honesty, you feel the weight of disappoint...  Read More

Ezra 4 recounts the intense opposition faced by the Jewish exiles as they attempted to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Local adversaries first offered deceptive help, and when rejected, they resorted to intimidation and political sabotage—eventually persuading King Artaxerxes to issue a decree halting the construction. The chapter highlights the persistence of opposition to God’s work and the need for discernment, courage, and trust in divine timing.  Read More

A miracle! Something that we would have never expected, but God had already planned! A pagan king, Cyrus the king of Persia, was stirred by the Lord so that the prophecy made by Jeremiah might be fulfilled (Ezra 1:1). Now the Israelites who had been in exile for 70 years were going to return to their land.  Read More

Daniel 10 offers a glimpse into the unseen spiritual realm and the power of persistent prayer. The prophet Daniel enters a period of mourning and fasting for three weeks, during which he receives a vision of a radiant heavenly being who reveals that Daniel’s prayers were heard from the beginning but delayed due to spiritual warfare with the “prince of Persia”. This chapter highlights the reality of spiritual battles, the importance of perseverance in prayer, and the strength God provides to those who seek Him earnestly.  Read More

Daniel 9 recounts the prophet's humble, heartfelt prayer and the stunning prophetic answer he received. After reading Jeremiah's prophecy that the exile would last 70 years, a spiritually attuned Daniel responds not with celebration, but with deep repentance and intercession. Humbled by his people’s disobedience, he confesses their sins, as well as his own, not based on their righteousness but on God’s great mercy. Daniel pleads with d to act “for your own sake” and restore Jerusalem, whose desolation had become a “reproach” to God’s name. While he is still praying, the angel Gabriel appears to him, assuring him that his prayer was heard immediately. Gabriel then delivers the complex “Seventy Weeks” prophecy, revealing that God’s plan is not merely the end of the exile but an ultimate redemption that will put an end to sin and bring everlasting righteousness through the Messiah. This chapter is a powerful devotional reminder of the connection between studying Scripture, practicing humble and earnest prayer, and receiving divine insight into God’s sovereign plan.  Read More

Daniel 4 recounts King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a great tree, which Daniel interprets as a warning of the king’s impending downfall due to pride. The prophecy is fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar loses his sanity and lives like an animal until he acknowledges God’s supreme authority. Upon his repentance, his kingdom and reason are restored, and he praises God as the true ruler over all.  Read More

Daniel 1As I read through the Book of Daniel, something that stood out to me was Daniel’s steadfastness. Throughout his life, he sees not just one, but multiple, kingdoms rise and fall. In the midst of so much political uncertainty, Daniel remains unshaken for the most part.The same holds true for us today. No matter what president is in the White House, no matter where the culture is headed – our...  Read More

Have you ever read the book of Joel? I’ll admit it’s a first for me too, and well Joel doesn’t hold back telling what God has told him to tell His people. Who is Joel? He is the son of Pethuel. That’s it, that is all the intro for this prophet we are given. The people have turned away from God (again), and God has told Joel what He is going to do. Buckle your seatbelts kids, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.   Read More

In Ezekiel 47, we see the prophet Ezekiel is being given a tour or a vision if you will, from an angel. He's sees a picture of a new Temple and a new land that had been promised to Israel and all foreigners. The people of Israel were captive in Babylon during this time. Ezekiel was given this vision to encourage the people of Israel that Israel would be restored and renewed during the millennial reign. We see a river of water flowing and giving life to all things around it. We see a similar River in.   Read More

Ezekiel chapter 43 describes the return of the Lord's glory to a new, visionary temple, which signifies His permanent presence among His people if they abandon idolatry. The Lord then provides specific instructions for the temple's altar, including its measurements and the required ceremonies for its consecration, emphasizing the holiness and order necessary for approaching God. The chapter acts as a blueprint for a restored Israel, demonstrating God's enduring covenant and the restoration of His sacred dwelling place.  Read More

"In visions of God He took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand." (Ezekiel 40:2–3) When Ezekiel stood on that mountain, staring into the vision God set before him, he was still in exile. His people were scattered. Their beloved temple, the very place where they met with God, was nothing more than ashes and memory. To them, it must have felt like God’s presence was gone forever. Broken. Irreparable.  Read More

Ezekiel 37 offers a rich tapestry of prophetic imagery and spiritual truths, especially for leaders who are deeply invested in restoration, unity, and multiplication within the church. Sometimes God leads us into dry places—not to abandon us, but to reveal His power. The valley isn’t the end; it’s the beginning of restoration. Ezekiel saw dry bones, but God saw an army. Faith begins by seeing brokenness through God’s eyes. God’s Word brings life. When we speak His truth over our families, ministries, and communities, dry bones begin to rattle. Bones came together before breath entered. God often rebuilds in stages—don’t rush what He’s forming. Structure without Spirit is lifeless. We must invite the Holy Spirit to fill what we’ve built.   Read More

Ezekiel 34 is a powerful chapter that uses the metaphor of shepherds and sheep to critique the leaders of Israel and to prophesy about God's future care for his people. The "shepherds" are the corrupt rulers and priests who neglected and exploited the "sheep" (the people of Israel). God, the ultimate good shepherd, promises to rescue his people and to shepherd them himself.  Read More

Ezekiel 32 is a powerful and somber prophecy, comprising two distinct oracles against Pharaoh and the nation of Egypt. It continues the theme from chapter 31, using vivid, metaphorical language to describe the inevitable downfall of a proud and mighty nation.   Read More

What is it like to be on the wrong side of God? These three chapters do a great job of spelling it out for us. Ammonites, Moabites, the people of Sier, Edomites, the Philistines, and Tyre all, according to this judgment against them, were against God and His chosen people. They were not going to escape this because there was not repentance and turning to Him. Their choice was to honor other gods, and do things that flew in the face of our Creator. Chapter 27 lets us know just how “extravagant” and meaningful Tyre was in their time, and yet God in his righteous judgment would bring them down at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar (king of Babylon).  Read More

Ezekiel delivers a prophecy against Egypt, comparing Pharaoh to a great monster (like a crocodile) lying in the Nile who arrogantly claims ownership of the river. God declares He will put hooks in Pharaoh’s jaws, drag him out with the fish of the river clinging to him, and abandon him in the wilderness, symbolizing Egypt’s humiliation and downfall. The chapter explains that Egypt had been an unreliable support for Israel (like a reed staff that breaks and injures those who lean on it). Because of their pride and betrayal, God announces that Egypt will be desolate and uninhabited for forty years, after which the people will return but never again be a great power. Finally, Ezekiel says that Babylon, led by King Nebuchadnezzar, will be given Egypt as a reward for its labor in attacking Tyre, since God is using Babylon as an instrument of judgment.  Read More