Prayer...

I have read through it and the things that most stand out to me are the prayers of Nehemiah.They are so intimate personal and ask God to remember His words/promises. Theprayers remind me that I should have this time spent with Christ as a defining characteristic; but also, like any conversation, I should know what my Heavenly Father has said concerning me. Too often I fail. I make my words many, repetitions, and sadly, I forget I should be listening at all. I tend not to wrestle with God over the welfare of others. I fail to see the Joy and privilege prayer should be.

God's Word Held High

I read the first 6 chapters of Nehemiah and felt like God was beginning to speak to me about in the area of commitment and perseverance in the work that he has for me. I was actually looking for sermons on Nehemiah and couldn't find anything!! So I went to this church last night in Houston and what do you know, the pastor is giving his message out of Nehemiah 8!

And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

The pastors main point was that the people were attentive (they stood up), expressive (they lifted their hands), and they were reverent (they bowed down low). He said that sometimes the Word can become to us like that piano we have in our house that no one really knows how to play but we walk by it every day. Every once in a while we go dink around on it and play chopsticks but we never practice regularly enough to play anything beautiful. He asked the question, "Are we going to be satisfied with playing chopsticks for the rest of our lives when God wants to teach us play a symphony? His final point was that the Word of God must be held high and his people bowed low which is the picture of the people before the Word of God in Nehemiah.

Hearing this message really completed what God had been trying to speak to me and I think to all of us doing this study. I could care less whether we're posting on here everyday. I just want the picture of the people in Nehemiah 8 to be true of us as we do this study. I need to quit getting distracted by the stupid things of the world and of Christian culture that are so comforting to me and begin lifting the Word of God high in my life. There's no excuse for me not reading Isaiah in the past two months. There's no excuse for me not to be constantly in the Word every day. My priorities need to be eternal and I know that the Word of the Lord stands forever!

Nehemiah

Gus chose Nehemiah as the next book. Just wanted to let everyone know. It's only 13 chapters so let's try to get some good studying in it. I know I haven't been as diligent in some of the others book but am looking forward to this one!