DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR MONDAY MAY 16:
WORD OF WISDOM
What an AWESOME service we had at The House of Prayer tonight. There were
about 8 people either rededicated their life to God or gave Him their heart
for the first time. Also, there was one young lady that received the
baptism of the Holy Ghost!!!
___
MEMORY SCRIPTURE FOR WEEK OF MAY 16/
Proverbs 3:5 & 6/
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
___
DAILY DEVOTION
Asking, Seeking, and Knocking
"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall
find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh
receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened."
Luke 11:9-10
The Bible frequently uses the lives of Old Testament characters to teach and
illustrate a New Testament truth. When it comes to the topic of being
serious about our prayers, the prophet Elijah is given to us as an example.
He was called to minister in a time of great spiritual darkness in the land.
Under the wicked rule of Ahab and Jezebel, the people had turned away from
God and were worshiping Baal. As a result, Elijah pronounced a judgment from
God-a judgment that came in response to the prayers of the prophet.
Although we tend to think of the answers to Elijah's prayers as being
exceptional, James 5:17 emphasizes that Elijah was a man just like us-with
the same struggles we face. Yet he was faithful in earnest prayer, and it
made a difference. "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and
he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth
by the space of three years and six months" (James 5:17).
Earnest praying is like asking, seeking, and knocking-you don't do it once
and give up; you keep at it. It is not always asking once that gets the
answer, but continued asking. It is not always seeking once that finds, but
continued seeking. It is not always knocking once that gets the door opened,
but continued knocking. Many times our prayers fail to be answered, not
because we are asking for the wrong things, but because we stop praying.
When our faith is not immediately rewarded with an answer, it is not time to
give up on God and on our prayer, but to keep on praying until the answer
comes.
Unless God clearly closes a door and leads you in a different direction,
never give up on your prayers.
___
DAILY BIBLE READING
Nehemiah 7-9Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
7 After we finished building the wall and put the doors in the gates, we
chose the men who would guard the gates and the men to sing in the Temple
and help the priests. 2 Next, I put my brother Hanani in charge of
Jerusalem. I chose another man named Hananiah to be the commander of the
fort. I picked Hanani because he was a very honest man and he feared God
more than most people do. 3 Then I said to Hanani and Hananiah, "Each day
you must wait until the sun has been up for several hours before you open
the gates of Jerusalem. You must shut and lock the gates before the sun goes
down. Also choose people who live in Jerusalem as guards. Put some of them
at special places to guard the city, and put the other people near their own
houses."
The List of Captives Who Returned
4 Now the city was large and there was plenty of room. But there were few
people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God put it in
my heart to have all the people meet together. I called together all the
important people, the officials, and the common people. I did this so that I
could make a list of all the families. I found the family lists[a] of the
people who had been the first to return from captivity. This is what I found
written there:
6 These are the people of the province who came back from captivity. In the
past, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took them as prisoners to Babylon.
These people came back to Jerusalem and Judah. They all went to their own
towns. 7 They returned with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah,
Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. This is
the list of names and numbers of men from Israel who came back:
8 the descendants of Parosh 2172
9 the descendants of Shephatiah 372
10 the descendants of Arah 652
11 the descendants of Pahath Moab of the family line of Jeshua and Joab 2818
12 the descendants of Elam 1254
13 the descendants of Zattu 845
14 the descendants of Zaccai 760
15 the descendants of Binnui 648
16 the descendants of Bebai 628
17 the descendants of Azgad 2322
18 the descendants of Adonikam 667
19 the descendants of Bigvai 2067
20 the descendants of Adin 655
21 the descendants of Ater through the family of Hezekiah 98
22 the descendants of Hashum 328
23 the descendants of Bezai 324
24 the descendants of Hariph 112
25 the descendants of Gibeon 95
26 from the towns of Bethlehem and Netophah 188
27 from the town of Anathoth 128
28 from the town of Beth Azmaveth 42
29 from the towns of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth 743
30 from the towns of Ramah and Geba 621
31 from the town of Micmash 122
32 from the towns of Bethel and Ai 123
33 from the other town of Nebo 52
34 from the other town of Elam 1254
35 from the town of Harim 320
36 from the town of Jericho 345
37 from the towns of Lod, Hadid, and Ono 721
38 from the town of Senaah 3930
39 These are the priests:
the descendants of Jedaiah through the family of Jeshua 973
40 the descendants of Immer 1052
41 the descendants of Pashhur 1247
42 the descendants of Harim 1017
43 These are the people from the tribe of Levi:
the descendants of Jeshua through Kadmiel through the family of Hodeiah[b]
74
44 These are the singers:
the descendants of Asaph 148
45 These are the gatekeepers:
the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai 138
46 These are the special Temple servants:
the descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
47 Keros, Sia, Padon,
48 Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai,
49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
52 Besai, Meunim, Nephussim,
53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
56 Neziah, and Hatipha.
57 These are the descendants of the servants of Solomon:
Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth Hazzebaim, and Amon,
60 the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants 392
61 Some people came to Jerusalem from these towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha,
Kerub, Addon, and Immer. But these people could not prove that their
families really came from the Israelites:
62 the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda 642
63 From the family of priests there were the descendants of
Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai. (If a man married a daughter of Barzillai
from Gilead, he was counted as a descendant of Barzillai.)
64 These people searched for their family histories, but they could not find
them. They could not prove that their ancestors were priests, so they could
not serve as priests. Their names were not included in the list of priests.
65 The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most holy food until a
priest could use the Urim and Thummim to ask God what to do.
66-67 All together, there were 42,360 people in the group who came back.
This is not counting their 7337 men and women slaves. They also had 245 men
and women singers with them. 68-69 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 435
camels, and 6720 donkeys.
70 Some of the family leaders gave money to support the work. The governor
gave 19 pounds[c] of gold to the treasury. He also gave 50 bowls and 530
pieces of clothing for the priests. 71 The family leaders gave 375 pounds[d]
of gold to the treasury to support the work. They also gave 2750 pounds[e]
of silver. 72 All together the other people gave 375 pounds of gold, 2500
pounds[f] of silver, and 67 pieces of clothing for the priests.
73 So the priests, the people from the tribe of Levi, the gatekeepers, the
singers, and the Temple servants settled down in their own towns. And all
the other Israelites settled down in their own towns. By the seventh
month[g] of the year, all the Israelites had settled down in their own
towns.
Ezra Reads the Law
8 So all the Israelites met together in the seventh month of the year. They
were united and in complete agreement. They all met together in the open
place in front of the Water Gate. All the people asked Ezra the teacher to
bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given to the
Israelites. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the law before those who had met
together. This was on the first day of the month.[h] It was the seventh
month of the year. Men, women, and anyone old enough to listen and
understand were at the meeting. 3 Ezra read in a loud voice from the Book of
the Law from early morning until noon. He was facing the open place that was
in front of the Water Gate. He read to all the men and women, and to
everyone old enough to listen and understand. All the people listened
carefully and paid attention to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezra stood on a high wooden stage. It had been built just for this special
time. On his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and
Maaseiah. And on his left side stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum,
Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 So Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was
standing above them on the high stage. As he opened the Book of the Law, all
the people stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the
people held up their hands and said, "Amen! Amen!" Then all the people bowed
down and put their faces low to the ground and they worshiped the Lord.
7 These men from the tribe of Levi taught the people about the law as they
were all standing there. The Levites were Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin,
Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and
Pelaiah. 8 They read the Book of the Law of God. They made it easy to
understand, and explained what it meant. They did this so that the people
could understand what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher, and the Levites
who were teaching the people spoke. They said, "Today is a special day[i] to
the Lord your God. Don't be sad and cry." They said that because all the
people had begun to cry as they were listening to the messages of God in the
law.
10 Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy the good food and sweet drinks. Give some
food and drinks to those who didn't prepare any food. Today is a special day
to our Lord. Don't be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you
strong."
11 The Levites helped the people to calm down. They said, "Be quiet, calm
down, this is a special day. Don't be sad."
12 Then all the people went to eat the special meal. They shared their food
and drinks. They celebrated that special day. They were happy that they
could hear the reading of God's law and were now able to understand it.
13 Then on the second day of the month,[j] the leaders of all the families
went to meet with Ezra, the priests, and the Levites. They all gathered
around Ezra the teacher to study the words of the law.
14-15 They studied and found these commands in the law. The Lord gave this
command to the people through Moses: In the seventh month of the year, the
Israelites must go to Jerusalem to celebrate a special festival. They must
live in temporary shelters. And the people are supposed to go through all of
their towns and Jerusalem and say this: "Go out into the hill country and
get branches from different kinds of olive trees. Get branches from myrtle
trees, palm trees, and shade trees. Use the branches to make temporary
shelters. Do what the law says."
16 So the people went out and got tree branches. Then they built temporary
shelters for themselves. They built shelters on their own roofs and in their
own yards. And they built shelters in the Temple yard, in the open place
near the Water Gate, and near Ephraim Gate. 17 The whole group that had come
back from captivity built shelters. They lived in the shelters they had
built. Since the days of Joshua son of Nun up until that day, the Israelites
had not celebrated the Festival of Shelters like this. Everyone was very
happy!
18 Ezra read to them from the Book of the Law every day of the festival from
the first day of the festival to the last day. The Israelites celebrated the
festival for seven days. Then on the eighth day, the people met together for
a special meeting, as the law says.
The People of Israel Confess Their Sins
9 Then on the 24th day of that same month, the Israelites gathered together
for a day of fasting. They wore sackcloth and put ashes on their heads to
show they were sad and upset. 2 Those people who were true Israelites
separated themselves from foreigners. The Israelites stood and confessed
their sins and the sins of their ancestors. 3 They stood there for about
three hours, and the people read the Book of the Law of the Lord their God.
Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and bowed down to
worship the Lord their God.
4 Then these Levites stood on the stairs: Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah,
Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani. They called out to the Lord their God
with loud voices. 5 Then these Levites spoke again: Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel,
Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said,
"Stand up and praise the Lord your God! God has always lived and will live
forever.
"People should praise your glorious name.
May your name be lifted above all blessing and praise.
6
You are God.
Lord, only you are God.
You made the sky and the highest heavens
and everything in them.
You made the earth
and everything on it.
You made the seas
and everything in them.
You give life to everything.
All the heavenly angels bow down and worship you.
7
You are the Lord,
the God who chose Abram.
You led him from Ur in Babylonia.
You changed his name to Abraham.
8
You saw he was true and loyal to you,
and you made an agreement with him.
You promised to give him the land
of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and
Girgashites.
But you promised to give that land to Abraham's descendants.
And you kept your promise because you are good.
9
You saw our ancestors suffering in Egypt
and heard them call for help by the Red Sea.
10
You showed the miracles to Pharaoh.
You did amazing things to his officials and his people.
You knew that the Egyptians thought
they were better than our ancestors.
But you proved how great you are,
and they remember that even today.
11
You split the Red Sea in front of them,
and they walked through on dry land.
The Egyptian soldiers were chasing them,
but you threw that enemy into the sea.
And they sank like a rock into the sea.
12
With the tall cloud, you led them by day,
and at night you used the column of fire.
That is the way you lit their path
and showed them where to go.
13
Then you came down to Mount Sinai.
You spoke to them from heaven.
You gave them good laws.
You gave them true teachings.
You gave them laws and commands that were very good.
14
You told them about your special day of rest-the Sabbath.
Through your servant Moses,
you gave them commands, laws, and teachings.
15
They were hungry,
so you gave them food from heaven.
They were thirsty,
so you gave them water from a rock.
You told them,
'Come, take this land.'
You used your power,
and took the land for them.
16
But our ancestors became proud and stubborn.
They refused to obey your commands.
17
They refused to listen.
They forgot the amazing things you did with them.
They became stubborn.
They decided to return to Egypt and become slaves again.
"But you are a forgiving God!
You are kind and full of mercy.
You are patient and full of love.
So you didn't leave them!
18
You didn't leave them even when they made golden calves and said,
'These are the gods that led us out of Egypt.'
19
You are very kind,
so you didn't leave them in the desert.
You didn't take the tall cloud
away from them by day.
You continued to lead them.
You didn't take the column of fire
away from them at night.
You continued to light their path
and to show them which way to go.
20
You gave them your good Spirit to make them wise.
You gave them manna for food.
You gave them water for their thirst.
21
You took care of them for 40 years.
They had all they needed in the desert.
Their clothes didn't wear out,
and their feet didn't swell and hurt.
22
You gave them kingdoms and nations,
and you gave them faraway places where few people live.
They got the land of King Sihon of Heshbon.
They got the land of King Og of Bashan.
23
You made their descendants
as many as the stars in the sky.
You brought them to the land
you promised to give their ancestors.
They went in and took that land.
24
Their children took the land.
They defeated the Canaanites living there.
You let them defeat those people.
You let them do whatever they wanted
to those nations, people, and kings.
25
They defeated powerful cities.
They took the fertile land.
They got houses filled with good things.
They got wells that were already dug.
They got vineyards, olive trees, and plenty of fruit trees.
They ate until they were full and fat.
They enjoyed all the wonderful things you gave them.
26
And then they turned against you.
They threw away your teachings.
They killed your prophets.
Those prophets warned the people.
They tried to bring them back to you.
But our ancestors said terrible things against you.
27
So you let their enemies have them.
The enemy caused them much trouble.
When trouble came, our ancestors called to you for help.
And in heaven, you heard them.
You are very kind,
so you sent people to save them.
And they rescued them from their enemies.
28
Then as soon as our ancestors were rested,
they started doing terrible things again!
So you let the enemy defeat them
and punish them.
They called to you for help,
and in heaven you heard them and helped them.
You are so kind.
That happened so many times.
29
You warned them.
You told them to come back,
but they were too proud.
They refused to listen to your commands.
If people obey your laws, they will live.
But our ancestors broke your laws.
They were stubborn.
They turned their backs on you.
They refused to listen.
30
"You were very patient with our ancestors.
You let them mistreat you for many years.
You warned them with your Spirit.
You sent the prophets to warn them.
But our ancestors didn't listen.
So you gave them to people in other countries.
31
"But you are so kind!
You didn't completely destroy them.
You didn't leave them.
You are such a kind and merciful God!
32
Our God, you are the great God,
the awesome, powerful soldier!
You are kind and loyal.
You keep your agreement.
We have had many troubles,
and our troubles are important to you.
Bad things happened to all our people,
and to our kings and leaders,
and to our priests and prophets.
Those terrible things have happened
from the days of the king of Assyria until today!
33
But God, you were right about everything that happened to us.
You were right, and we were wrong.
34
Our kings, leaders, priests, and fathers did not obey your law.
They didn't listen to your commands.
They ignored your warnings.
35
Our ancestors didn't serve you even when they were living in their own
kingdom.
They didn't stop doing evil.
They enjoyed all the wonderful things you gave them.
They enjoyed the rich land and had plenty of room,
but they didn't stop their evil ways.
36
And now, we are slaves.
We are slaves in this land,
the land you gave our ancestors
so they could enjoy its fruit
and all the good things that grow here.
37
The harvest is big in this land.
But we sinned, so that harvest goes to the kings you put over us.
They control us and our cattle.
They do anything they want.
We are in a lot of trouble.
38 "Because of all these things, we are making an agreement that cannot be
changed. We are putting this agreement in writing. Our leaders, Levites, and
priests are signing their names to this agreement and sealing it with a
seal."
Footnotes:
a.Nehemiah 7:5 family lists See Ezra 2.
b.Nehemiah 7:43 Hodeiah Or "Hodaviah."
c.Nehemiah 7:70 19 pounds Literally, "1000 drachmas" (8.63 kg).
d.Nehemiah 7:71 375 pounds Literally, "20,000 drachmas" (172.5 kg).
e.Nehemiah 7:71 2750 pounds Literally, "2200 minas" (1265 kg).
f.Nehemiah 7:72 2500 pounds Literally, "2000 minas" (1150 kg).
g.Nehemiah 7:73 seventh month That is, September-October. Also in 8:1,
14-15.
h.Nehemiah 8:2 first day of the month This was a special day of worship. The
people met together and shared a fellowship meal.
i.Nehemiah 8:9 special day The first and second days of each month were
special days of worship. The people met together and shared a fellowship
meal.
j.Nehemiah 8:13 second day of the month The first and second days of each
month were special days of worship. The people met together and shared a
fellowship meal.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright C 2006 by Bible League International
