Scripture“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.”— Hebrews 11:30 (ESV)“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”— Mark 8:35 (NASB)DevotionAt the end of the sermon, Pastor Darren used a striking image:He asked God to make us like Jericho—not with walls falling forward to crus...  Read More

Scripture“So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”— Nehemiah 4:6 (NASB)“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”— Galatians 6:9 (ESV)DevotionPastor Darren told the story of Walt Disney: fired from a newspaper for “lack of imagination,” broke, facing bankruptcy—yet he di...  Read More

Scripture“They said to me, ‘The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.’”— Nehemiah 1:3 (NASB)“Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit.”— Proverbs 25:28 (NASB)DevotionJerusalem’s walls were more than architecture; th...  Read More

Scripture“But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that your fasting will not be noticed by people, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”— Matthew 6:17–18 (NASB)“But Jesus replied, ‘This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.’”— Matthew 17:21 (NASB)DevotionIn the sermon, Pastor Darren described the ...  Read More

Scripture“O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.' Now I was the cupbearer to the king.”— Nehemiah 1:11 (NASB)I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Ju...  Read More

Scripture“listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses. “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatt...  Read More

Scripture“Now when I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”— Nehemiah 1:4 (NASB)DevotionNehemiah was living a “good life” in the king’s palace. He had comfort, position, and security as cupbearer to the king. Yet when he heard about the broken walls of Jerusalem and the distress of God’s people, something deep inside him...  Read More

ScriptureHebrews 13:8 (NASB)“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”Psalm 27:13–14 (NASB)“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.”DevotionPastor closed with a powerful reminder: no matter the season you’re in, He is still...  Read More

ScriptureIsaiah 58:6, 9 (NASB)“Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke?”"Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness"DevotionGod isn’t impressed b...  Read More

Scripture2 Chronicles 29:10 (NASB)“Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His burning anger may turn away from us.”DevotionAfter recognizing the sin and ruin left by his father’s reign, Hezekiah didn’t just feel bad. He made a covenant—a solemn, binding commitment with God. Covenants in Scripture are not light promises; they are sacred agreements rooted in God’s...  Read More

Scripture2 Chronicles 29:15–17 (NASB)“They assembled their brothers, consecrated themselves, and went in to cleanse the house of the LORD, according to the commandment of the king by the words of the LORD. So the priests went in to the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and every unclean thing which they found in the temple of the LORD they brought out to the court of the house of ...  Read More

Scripture1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (NLT)“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”DevotionWe moved from Hezekiah’s repaired temple to our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. The New Testament makes this truth very personal:...  Read More