Friday, July 29 – They Are In Great Distress And Reproach

WORD FOR TODAY by PASTOR JESUS ​​FIGUEROA

DAILY DEVOTIONAL * WWW.JESUSFIGUEROA.ORG

Friday, July 29

They Are In Great Distress And Reproach

Topic: We cannot remain satisfied with our present condition, there is a great urgency to rebuild!

And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

Nehemiah 1:3 (NKJV)

Daily Reading Plan

Isaiah 5-7

Bible Versions:

[MSG] They told me, “The exile survivors who are left there in the province are in bad shape. Conditions are appalling. The wall of Jerusalem is still rubble; the city gates are still cinders.”

[NLT] They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

[NIV] They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

Thoughts of Devotion:

The task of rebuilding the walls for the God’s people was a very serious and urgent situation. This is a dangerous situation for a city without walls is exposed and vulnerable to many attacks of the enemy. For us today it is crucial to understand that each day, and each moment that we don’t take responsibility to rebuilt, is one more opportunity for the enemy to subtly enter and assault our spiritual life! It’s for this reason that we must be sober and watchful building as 1 Peter 5:8 tells us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” There is such need to rebuild; but it will take an ear to hear the cry of need around us. We must have an ear to hear the need, and not ignore or be indifferent to it!

Nehemiah listened to the situation that his people were going through. They were suffering from economic depression, hunger, and disease. They were suffering persecution, ridicule, and harassment by the nations around him. We see even beyond all their personal suffering, the people were defenseless against the attacks of the enemy since the wall of Jerusalem had been torn down and its gates burned with fire. It is in this situation that Nehemiah had the ability to identify with the need; Even though he had not experienced his misfortunes, he identified with the great need, denying himself the luxuries of the palace so he could fast, mourn, and pray.

Although Nehemiah lived far from the holy land, he can identify with the people there. Nehemiah was shocked when he heard this news, but he did not despair! This morning I ask you what is your condition, what is the condition that surrounds you, can you see the need to rebuild? Without a doubt there are walls that need to be built once again in your life, family, and ministry. The Holy Spirit wants to give us the passion and the strength to carry out this task once again. Haggai 1:14 tells us, “So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God.”

We cannot remain satisfied in the present condition we are living. There is hope for our situation, let us never forget that God bring forth great things out of sad and painful circumstances we might be going through!

Foundational Scriptures:

Isaiah 5: 5 (NKJV) — 5 And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.

Nehemiah 9:36–37 (NKJV) — 36 “Here we are, servants today! And the land that You gave to our fathers, To eat its fruit and its bounty, Here we are, servants in it! ³⁷ And it yields much increase to the kings You have set over us, Because of our sins; Also they have dominion over our bodies and our cattle At their pleasure; And we are in great distress.

Psalm 137:1–3 (NKJV) — 1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion. ² We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it. ³ For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

Lamentations 5:1 (NKJV) — 1 Remember, O Lord, what has come upon us; Look, and behold our reproach!

Nehemiah 2:17 (NKJV) — 17 Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” 

2nd Kings 25:10 (NKJV) — 10 And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around.

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