Verse of the Day 6/15

Through the Bible - Nehemiah 1-3, Acts 2:14-41   Good morning, The read through the Bible plan comes to an interesting point as we head into this week. I Acts 2 we get an eye witness account of the formation of the " Acts Chapter 2 church.  In Nehemiah we have the rebuiling of the city around the temple.  If you have the time.  follow along over the next several days and looks for similarities in how God works in both situations, especially in His people, His servants.   For today's verse we'll go to Nehemiah chapter one where we get a glimpse into the heart and soul of Nehemiah.  We see that he is a man of prayer with a heart for God's people.   Neh 1:6 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! 7 We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.   NLT Remember this weekend's devotion from Psalm 119 regarding God's Word, His statutes, commands, and decrees?  How important it is that we should know them and apply them. Nehemiah, like many others through the Old and New Testaments come to a point where they realized that they have been slack in applying them, realizing for themselves and for the people that they serve that a change, repentance is needed.   Isa 6:5  Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;    NKJV   A few verses later Isaiah here's God's call and responds with "Here am I , send me." It wasn't about pointing a finger at "people nowadays", the prophet Isaiah and Nehemiah here started with themselves and their families.   Nehemiah asked God for success in his life, success that would bring about the building of the city of Jerusalem.  Keep reading through Nehemiah and see just how he goes about getting this done.  Prayer, people helping people, to build the city, to bring glory to God.   Notice how important prayer is by the things that Nehemiah prays about what he seeks to bring this about.  He has a clear goal in mind, he desires that the people will visualize the need (the kingdom of God is like....), he wants to motivate them, he delegates, he faces opposition, he prays that obstacles be removed, he prays when facing discouragement, for strength to stay the course, and he prays to finish strong.  ( I believe this was Pastor Bob's outline taken from notes in my Bible).   Couldn't we use this model in our lives, in our churches leaders, in our nation?   But it starts with you and me as God calls out to us to follow Him.   In Christ, Mike Neh 1:1-2:1 Nehemiah Prays for His People 1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel, 2 that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, "The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire." 4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said: "I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, 6 please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. 8 Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying,'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations;   9 but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.'   10 Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. 11 O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." For I was the king's cupbearer. NKJV