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October 12, 2015
Standing Strong and Tall through Prayer - Nehemiah 1
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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.
Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc.
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Current Sermon
Series
Last year, as well as earlier this year we studied In The Beginning..., how this world began. We covered the topics of God, Creation, the fall of Satan, the fall of mankind, and the promise of redemption. We briefly covered the first 3 chapters of Genesis. Join us as we continue this series, as we cover the next few chapters in Genesis. Lord willing, we will look at Cain and Abel, Generations of Adam, Noah, and other topics.
Last Week:
There are two families, sacred and secular. Cain's line represents the secular, while Seth the sacred. Cain's line is filled with accomplishments, even though they are godless. Yet, Seth's line is focused more calling on the Lord.
Sunday's message is available for
streaming or for download on our sermons page, or by visiting us on iTunes.
Next Week:
Continuing on in our study of Genesis, In The Beginning.... We will be looking into the 5th chapter of Genesis. We will look at the Generations of Adam.
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Upcoming Events
October 18 - Cantata Practice at the church at 5 PM
October 21 - Quarterly Business Meeting at 7:30, in lieu of our Prayer and Bible Study.
October 25 - Lord's Supper & Deacon's Fund Offering
November 20-22 - Missions Conference. We will be having the families of the Hopkins to Peru and the Greens to Taiwan.
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