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Nehemiah 1:11 and John 15:1-8
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can also download our service at Baptist-Christian on iTunes. As we study the prayer life of Nehemiah we can see that he spent more time adoring God than he did asking God! We have also learned that Nehemiah lived a life of brokenness before God confessing his sin, rather than pretending he had no sin. Nehemiah so feared God that he didn’t fear men, or what they thought of his devotion to his Heavenly Father. How about you? Do you fear God that much? Consider:
- NEHEMIAH’S POSITION IN PRAYER. One reason many people don’t receive answers to their prayers is because they pray from the wrong position. While it is true we are a royal priesthood, joint-heirs with Christ, and the adopted children of God, none of those titles gives us the right to tell God what to do and how to do it! We can humbly voice our concerns to God, then ask Him for His help and guidance. There are at least two reasons Nehemiah was so power in prayer. FIRST, he recognized himself as a servant of God. Today we might say Nehemiah had gotten over himself and learned the real life application of Romans 12:1-3, even though he hadn’t read it! Also read Prov. 25:27 and 27:2. The point being we often forget our position (in Christ) isn’t for self exaltation or “I am Your child, You owe me (like so many children feel towards their parents today)!” Our position in Christ ought to drive us to our knees in grateful humility and servitude because of what God has already done just in saving us. SECOND, Nehemiah was a servant to the people! Because Nehemiah’s own heart beat from the perspective of a servant, he saw the true heart of God’s people around him and was also their servant! When we allow God to fill our heart with Himself, He then fills it with compassion for others. When you surrender your heart to God, He always turns it to Him first, then to others so He can minister to them through you! Notice also
- NEHEMIAH’S PASSION IN PRAYER. He demonstrates two views of passion. FIRST, a desire to serve! Desire is a function that starts in the heart then goes to the will. A desire to serve God comes only from a heart that has already chosen to submit to God without condition. Such a desire ignores all intent of self glorification, and focuses only on giving all glory and credit to God. SECOND, Nehemiah had a delight in serving. Read Ps. 1:1, 2; 37:4; and Isa. 26:7, 8. One of the most wonderful things about a heart that desires to serve God – is that God feeds that desire with constantly increasing desire to serve at a higher level. With such a desire to serve comes an unending supply of energy to do whatever God asks. So how full of desire is your heart to serve God – all day, every day? Are you excited to get up and gather with your local church family to meet God in individual and corporate worship? Do you get excited about reading, studying, and memorizing Scripture? Do you look forward to prayer time with The Lord, just so you can watch Him reveal His will to you? He is waiting for you to ask Him for “whatever you will” so He can pour out blessings in good measure, packed down, running over into your lap. But you must ask God in the proper way with a proper heart.
If we can help you with this or any other spiritual concern, call us at (574) 643-9419.
