INSIGHT
Nehemiah comes before the king unable to conceal his agitation over the situation in Jerusalem. When we are faced with situations that need change, preparation is vital. We may not be able to do anything about it at the moment, but we can ask ourselves this question: "If it lay within our power to do anything we wanted to do, what would we do?´ If we can answer that, then we will recognize opportunity when it knocks, and we can capitalize on it as Nehemiah does.
PRAYER
Praise God that He is concerned about the details of your life and is ready to fulfill your every need:
The Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish (Psalm 1:6).
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore (Psalm 121:7-8).
Pause for praise and thanksgiving.
Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Walk prudently when you go to the house of God;
and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools,
for they do not know that they do evil (Ecclesiastes 5:1).
Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to mind.
Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
- Boldness in sharing Christ with others
- The innocent victims in war-torn lands
- Your activities for the day
- Whatever else is on your heart
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man´s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
