ChristRise

A few years ago, I decided to switch my smartphone for a simpler “dumb” phone. Before that, I remember the anticipation of seeing those little three dots, indicating the person on the other end was typing a response. Now, imagine multiplying that anxiety over a long, arduous 900-mile camel ride.  Nehemiah 1:2–3 Let's travel back to December of 445 BC. Meet Nehemiah, a trusted advisor to the king in the Persian capital, Susa (modern-day Shush, Iran). You might recall Susa from the book of Esther, which took place about 20 years earlier. Nehemiah had been waiting for news, and it was worse than expected. His brother Hanani, whose name means “The Lord Is Gracious,” informed him that “those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace” (v. 3). Even Jerusalem’s wall lay in ruins. The people Hanani referred to were those left in Jerusalem and the surrounding area when the rest were exiled to Babylon (see 2 Kings 24–25). As we’ll learn later, not e...

Sometimes, when we pour out our hearts in prayer, we might feel like our words don’t get past the ceiling. But take heart, for God listens to every prayer, even those whispered in sorrow. Nehemiah 1:4–11   The Book of Nehemiah offers us profound lessons on prayer. First, Nehemiah shows that we should pray to God even in our sadness and mourning (v. 4). God desires to hear from us in every season of life. Second, just as Jesus taught His followers, prayers should begin with worship and honor toward the Lord. Nehemiah acknowledges God’s greatness and faithfulness saying, “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love” (v. 5). Third, Nehemiah seeks God’s attention, presenting his requests humbly (v. 6; Phil. 4:6). Third, our prayers ought to include genuine confession and repentance (vv. 6–7). Nehemiah openly confesses, “the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.” There is no pretense, only an hones...

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments." - Deuteronomy 7:9 Our God is full of love, and He cares deeply for us. He described Himself to Moses as "the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin" (Exodus 34:6-7). God's love is reliable, abundant, dynamic, radical, and eternal. Knowing we are loved by God is the best feeling ever. It's wonderful to start each day knowing God's love is with us and to keep that thought in our hearts all day long, no matter what happens. Love gives us strength and helps us relate better to others. Sharing God's love is a powerful testimony. God's love in us shapes how we treat others. The Spirit of God guides us to be patient and kind, not boastful or rude, not s...

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”  As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. (Mark 1:14-18) Message for Today: Even though speaking people can be silenced, the Gospel—the message of God—cannot. The Gospel must reach the whole world so that people can learn to truly live. This is the essence of today’s devotional. The Gospel reaches us and opens a path for the Kingdom of love and mercy in our world. We are living in God's time now. The time of waiting is over, and God's closeness is more relevant than ever. Overcoming Evil: The reign of evil is finished. Anyone can free themselves from evil through the Gospel. Sadly...

May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loves us and gives us everlasting comfort and encouragement, strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16–17) It is God’s love for you that helps you overcome every mistake, failure, and sin. The Bible says, “Sin is no longer your master, because you live under God’s grace, not the law” (Rom. 6:14). Isn't that wonderful? Today, you live under the freedom of God’s amazing grace—His unearned favor. Grace gives you freedom from lack, fear, addictions, guilt, and sin. The more you experience the love and grace of your heavenly Father, the more you will love Him and turn away from sin. The enemy has no power over people who know their Father loves them. If Adam and Eve had believed in God’s love, the devil wouldn’t have been able to tempt them. Sadly, they believed the serpent's lie that God was withholding something good from them. That's why I want you to be strong in the Father’s love. You will be ...

"The king’s anger is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like gentle dew on the grass."   Proverbs 19:12   Today, God gives us His favor because His anger at our sins was taken away at Calvary. The word for “favor” in Hebrew is ratsown, which means His happiness, delight, goodwill, and acceptance. Jesus Christ bought our place of safety with His blood. In Him, we are made righteous, and all blessings for the righteous—such as protection, provision, and a long life—are ours now. Isn’t that wonderful? That’s why the Scriptures say, “The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the righteous are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1) and “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous person has great power” (James 5:16). You are righteous in Christ, and when you pray the prayer of protection found in Psalm 91, your prayers are powerful because God listens to them! Here’s a story from Sally in South Africa about God’s protection: "I was driving a rental car when...

Brothers and sisters, I want to talk to you today about a truth that should bring us incredible peace and joy. It's a truth that speaks to the very heart of God's love for us. Let's start with a powerful verse from Revelation 3:5, "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." This promise speaks of a life transformed, a victory won, and an eternal guarantee. Now, let's journey back in time to ancient Israel. Picture the high priest, adorned in magnificent garments, standing before the Lord. His breastplate, a symbol of God's presence and authority, held twelve precious stones, each engraved with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Think about this imagery for a moment. God didn't choose ordinary pebbles or rocks to represent His people. He chose the most precious gems - sapphire, topaz, emerald, amethyst, diam...