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TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” Nehemiah 4:14b

Read: Nehemiah 4:14
Listen: Nehemiah 4

TODAY’S MESSAGE

Nehemiah hears that an attack will come from all directions. So he puts a plan into action and positions ”some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows” (Nehemiah 4:13). He knows they will fight stronger and harder for their own families. It’s easy to run and hide for self-preservation. But Nehemiah urges the people this fight isn’t just about them but their families.

Like the Jews rebuilding the wall, our rebuilds may involve more than us. Therefore, our devotions might not just be for us. God may show us something that will encourage a co-worker that day. Our financial health in our 20s may significantly matter to our family when we’re 40. Marriage counseling in our 30s might affect the way our children relate to their future spouses. God wants to use us to impact the world around us. We can do that by offering what’s broken in our lives to God for repair, thus impacting each other.

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

Consider areas of your life that may need a rebuild and how that could impact the people around you in ten years. Prayerfully make a plan and take the first step to start that rebuild. “God, I offer this rebuild to you. I trust what you are doing in my life will help me grow to become more like Jesus and will help others around me grow too. Use my life for your purposes. Amen.”

2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES

Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.

November is BIBLE MEDITATION. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.

Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.