Standing Strong and Tall Through Prayer (and other devotionals)

Standing Strong and Tall through Prayer

Nehemiah 1

Nehemiah was a man who lived on his knees. Whenever he needed guidance, strength, provision, or protection, his first response was prayer. Because of Nehemiah’s humble dependence, God was able to use him greatly to achieve His purposes.

This principle is still true for believers today. God can use us in the most awesome fashion if we'll seek Him and make ourselves available. He has a calling for each of us and doesn't want us wasting the opportunities He provides.

To follow Nehemiah's example of dependent prayer, we must first recognize God as the sovereign Ruler of the universe (v. 5). Although He's our loving Father and loyal Friend, we must never forget that He is also our high and exalted Creator whose holiness is beyond our comprehension. Never think of the Lord as "the man upstairs" or come into His presence in a frivolous manner.

Because Nehemiah respected the awesome holiness of God, he approached Him with confession, admitting not only his sin, but his father's and Israel's as well (vv. 6-7). We cannot hide, deny, or cherish sin and expect the Lord to hear and answer our prayers. Purity of heart and the power of God are linked. We need the sensitivity to instantly recognize when we've strayed, and the willingness to deal with sin immediately.

The reason Nehemiah stood so tall and strong was not due to his natural abilities, but because he developed a relationship of dependency on the Lord through prayer. The same can be true for you. Don't rush into your day without taking time to enter God's throne room to seek His guidance.

~Dr. Charles F. Stanley~

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And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place (Luke 9:10).

In order to grow in grace, we must be much alone. It is not in society that the soul grows most vigorously. In one single quiet hour of prayer it will often make more progress than in days of company with others. It is in the desert that the dew falls freshest and the air is purest.

--Andrew Bonar

"Come ye yourselves apart and rest awhile,
Weary, I know it, of the press and throng,
Wipe from your brow the sweat and dust of toil,
And in My quiet strength again be strong.

"Come ye aside from all the world holds dear,
For converse which the world has never known,
Alone with Me, and with My Father here,
With Me and with My Father not alone.

"Come, tell Me all that ye have said and done,
Your victories and failures, hopes and fears.
I know how hardly souls are wooed and won:
My choicest wreaths are always wet with tears.

"Come ye and rest; the journey is too great,
And ye will faint beside the way and sink;
The bread of life is here for you to eat,
And here for you the wine of love to drink.

"Then fresh from converse with your Lord return,
And work till, daylight softens into even:
The brief hours are not lost in which ye learn
More of your Master and His rest in Heaven."

~L. B. Cowman~

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A witness between us and you - Joshua 22:27

The two tribes and a half made the mistake which all Christendom has made since. They endeavored to erect an outward symbol of unity in this altar. They hoped that it would secure them from excision from the rest of Israel. They sought to make a unity, instead of accepting this as a fact, and endeavoring to manifest it by three pilgrimages a year to God's altar at Shiloh.

Similarly, some Christians set up a church, a system, a creed, and mode of worship, and maintain that the Divine unity can only be realized in connection with one or other of these. You must be a votary at their altar of Ed, or you run the risk of their accusing you of the sin of schism. They substitute an outward for an inward unity, and a mechanical for a vital spiritual fellowship.

If we belong to Christ, we belong to one another. The Church, with all its members, is one vine, one body, one family; and therefore we have to manifest, rather than to make the unity, concerning which our Lord thought so much in His intercessory prayer. "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be One in us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me."

We are one in the thought of the Father, one in the redemption of the Son, one in the possession of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Let us be one in our relation to others, pitying, loving, aiding each other, forgiving and restoring, avoiding unkind comparisons and criticisms, remembering that the failure or success of one is that of all, and endeavoring to hasten the hour when the manifested oneness of the Church shall compel the world to believe that the Father sent the Son.

~F. B. Meyer~

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What If It Were Today?

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” 1 John 3:3

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Two little girls were talking in school one day, and one said to the other, “I hear the school board is making an inspection of our school this week.”

The other girl’s desk was messy, so she said, “I’ll clean it up tomorrow.”

The first one asked, “But what if they come today?”

Her friend said, “You know, I think I’ll clean it up right now—and keep it clean.”

ACTION POINT:
If you knew that Jesus was coming to your house this afternoon, would there be any cleaning you would need to do? Any magazines or videos you would need to trash? Any pictures on the walls you would need to take down?

~Adrian Rogers~

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 That you May Believe

And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. - John 19:35

Over 333 prophecies were fulfilled during the life of Christ. Twenty-eight of those prophecies were fulfilled while Jesus was on the cross. In this Scripture passage, John points out three times that certain events occurred for the Scriptures to be fulfilled, "so that you may believe."

In the Christian life, our salvation (our faith) is based upon one thing: our belief that Jesus Christ came to earth as the Son of God, fully God and fully man, and that He gave His life as a ransom for us. He was not just a good man or prophet or teacher—He was God incarnate. Jesus began His journey to earth back in the Garden. God told us that her Seed (the woman) would crush his head, the head of Satan. The rest of the Old Testament foretold of His coming and God's people knew to look for Him. Yet, when Jesus showed up on the scene, many of them did not believe. In the course of three years, He did more miracles than could be recorded. But still, many did not believe.

Jesus fulfilled the prophecies, just as had been told. He died on a cross for the sins of humanity and opened the way for all who look upon Him and believe in Him, to have everlasting life. But, He did not stay dead—He arose on the third day. Jesus conquered death so that we may live. One day the rest of the prophecies will be fulfilled, just as the Bible foretells. One day, Jesus will return and will reign as the King that many of these people were looking for when He came the first time. Until then, we wait and we eagerly look for Him to return. Do you believe?

The Bible was written so that we may believe. The Gospel of John was written by the disciple whom Jesus loved, so that we may believe. Regardless of life's trials and hardships, do not allow the hardness of this world to weaken your faith. Look up! Look to the Cross and be saved. Sometimes we need to be reminded to look up and see Jesus. He is with us right now—He is with you right now. Just believe.

Pray about it: Lord, I will never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross. Help me to never take for granted the forgiveness You have extended to a sinner like me. Help me walk in the freedom You gave to me as a result of Your perfect sacrifice.

~Daily Disciples Devotional~