Heart of a Shepherd Ministry
Daily Devotional Meditations and a Biblical Perspective on Current Events
A Study Through Nehemiah
“O Lord, Remember Me” (Nehemiah 13; Psalm 126)
Scripture reading - Nehemiah 13; Psalm 126 Our study in Nehemiah concludes today. We have followed Nehemiah’s rise from serving as the king’s cupbearer (Nehemiah 1-2), to the governorship of Judah. He could have chosen a life of ease and luxury in the king’s palace,...
Finishing Strong: Dedication of the Walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11; Nehemiah 12)
Scripture reading - Nehemiah 11; Nehemiah 12 Nehemiah 11 As we near the conclusion of our study in the Book of Nehemiah, I remind you that although the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, the city itself was not habitable. In an earlier passage we read, “the city was...
Forgotten by Man, But Not by God (Nehemiah 9; Nehemiah 10)
Scripture reading - Nehemiah 10 Nehemiah had served king Artaxerxes as governor of Judah, and completed the task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, and securing the city. A man of wisdom and spiritual discernment, Nehemiah deferred the spiritual health of the...
Confronting Your Enemies (Nehemiah 6; Nehemiah 7)
Scripture reading - Nehemiah 6; Nehemiah 7 We have observed many qualities in Nehemiah’s life that serve as an inspiration for people everywhere. He was a man of humility and prayer, for when he heard his brethren suffered in Jerusalem, he “sat down and wept, and...
The Cry of the Oppressed (Nehemiah 5)
Scripture reading - Nehemiah 5 The task of rebuilding the walls and setting the gates had been an all-consuming mission for Nehemiah. Unfortunately, his effort to restore the walls of Jerusalem invited immense opposition from enemies who used it as an opportunity to...
Quitting is Not An Option! (Nehemiah 3; Nehemiah 4)
Scripture reading - Nehemiah 3; Nehemiah 4 Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and burned the Temple in 586 BC. Sadly, for nearly 150 years the ruins of the city remained as a testimony of God’s judgment. Cyrus, king of Persia, decreed the Temple be rebuilt in 538 BC, yet...
Nehemiah: Overcoming Faith (Nehemiah 2)
Scripture reading - Nehemiah 2 Having heard the sad state of his countrymen (1:2-3), Nehemiah did the one thing he could do…He “fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven” (1:4). Because he was “the king’s cupbearer” (1:11), he was uniquely and providentially in a...
Nehemiah: More Than a Cupbearer (Nehemiah 1)
Scripture reading - Ezra 10; Nehemiah 1 * Our chronological study of the Scriptures brings us to the Book of Nehemiah. This is the second of two devotionals for today. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquered Judah in 606 B.C., and destroyed the Temple and city of...
Popular Devotional Studies
Marriage
A Stingy Soul and A Virtuous Woman (Proverbs 11; Proverbs 12)
Scripture reading - Proverbs 11; Proverbs 12 Click on this link for translations of today's Bible study. We continue our chronological study of the Scriptures in search of “Uncommon Common Sense” in the Book of Proverbs. While time and space limit the scope of...
Prayer
Why Do Many Hate the Jews and Despise Israel? (Psalm 147)
Scripture reading – Psalm 147 Click on this link for translations of this Bible study. Some scholars suggest Psalm 147 was written after Israel returned from the Babylonian captivity; however, neither the occasion nor the author was revealed. Nevertheless, the...
Hard Topics
Why Do Many Hate the Jews and Despise Israel? (Psalm 147)
Scripture reading – Psalm 147 Click on this link for translations of this Bible study. Some scholars suggest Psalm 147 was written after Israel returned from the Babylonian captivity; however, neither the occasion nor the author was revealed. Nevertheless, the...